NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRAs)

Overview  

Opportunities for research experience at the undergraduate level in the Natural Sciences & Engineering (NSE), Social Sciences & Humanities (SSH), or Health & Life Sciences (HLS) are available through two award streams:

• University of Toronto Research Excellence Award (UTEA)
• Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA)

These programs are designed to augment the University’s formal research courses and provide undergraduate students with opportunities to gain direct research experience, learn investigative methodologies, and consider career paths in research.

The two programs – UTEA and USRA – are harmonized as much as possible to ensure a single application process for either award. Each student awardee must be supervised by an eligible faculty member, and applications are submitted to the Division at which the supervising faculty member holds their primary academic appointment.

Eligibility for Students

Citizenship Status

• Must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or Protected Person under IRPA 95(2) as of the deadline date for applications at the institution.
• International students are not eligible.

Work Requirements

• Must commit to 16 consecutive weeks of full‑time work in the summer between May 1^st and August 31^st.
• NSERC considers USRAs it to be full-time work. There is no provision for vacation time or other interruptions.

Number of Awards

• Maximum one USRA per year.
• Maximum three USRAs total during your undergraduate degree, with priority given to first-time applicants.

Academic Registration

• May be registered at any university in Canada
• Graduating (i.e. 4th year) students may hold an award in the summer term immediately following the completion of their undergraduate program, as long as they have not started a graduate program.
• Students pursuing a second bachelor’s degree are eligible.
• Ineligible if currently enrolled in an undergraduate professional degree program (i.e. M.D., D.D.S., B.Sc.N.)
• Ineligible if you hold higher degree above Bachelor’s

Student Registration Status

• At a minimum, must have completed at least two academic terms before applying.
• Priority given to currently registered second- and third-year students.
• Fourth-year students are eligible but considered after lower-year applicants.
• PEY Co-op students may also apply if they can begin full-time research by the May start date.

Academic Standing

• Must have obtained a cumulative average of B- (2.7) or higher. Exception letters may be considered.

Course Load During USRA

• Allowed to take up to 2 courses total (0.5 FCE per summer term), with supervisor approval.
• If class hours overlap with work hours, students must make up the time.
• USRA duties take priority; students may need to drop a course if workload becomes unmanageable.

Academic Credit

• The USRA project does not provide academic credit.

Eligibility for Faculty Supervisors

There is no limit on the number of USRA awards a faculty member can hold.

A supervisor must be:

• A full-time faculty member:
  • For USRA: who holds an academic appointment at the University of Toronto (i.e. campus- or hospital-based)

• A principal investigator (PI) on an active Tri-agency grant or has a pending/recent Tri-agency application at the time of UTEA/USRA application.

How to Apply

To apply for an NSERC USRA, you must first provide preliminary information on the NSERC website. Follow NSERC’s instructions.

The application for this program (Form 202) consists of two parts. Students must complete Part I, and Part II must be completed by the proposed research supervisor

Form 202, Parts I and II, should be completed online on the NSERC web page. Follow the instructions provided by NSERC.

Use the NSERC USRA Application Checklist (doc) to make sure you’ve checked off all the steps for a completed application.

Note: Handwritten applications will not be accepted.

1. Complete Form 202, Part I (Application for an Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA)) in the NSERC online system. If you have previously applied for a USRA, you cannot create a new Form 202. Instead, you must update Part I of the application previously submitted and upload new transcripts.

• Log in to the online system. If you are a first-time user, please register. The process will bring you to the eConsole
• Select Forms — Student from the list under Forms management.
• Select Form 202, Part I.
• Complete the required modules. Please refer to the USRA Instructions Webpage for detailed instructions.
• NOTE: If you self-identify as Indigenous or Black, please select the appropriate field under Form 202, Part I.
• Attach your most recent academic transcript, in PDF. You may provide an e-transcript or academic history report generated directly from ACORN. If you are external to U of T, you must provide an official transcript, or transcripts that have been verified by your Undergraduate Office. Additional information can be found here.

2. Submit Part I of your application. Once you have completed all modules, go to the Portfolio page and select Verify to ensure that all required information has been entered. o Download the Part I form as a PDF and send it to your supervisor so they have the information they need to complete the USRA Application Role Description.
3. Your supervisor should send the USRA Application Role Description to you.
4. Combine all the relevant files in your application package as one single PDF (file size under 10 MB only), with the following naming convention:

• "LastName, FirstName – [AGENCY] USRA", where AGENCY is NSERC, SSHRC, or CIHR. Please include: Your completed Form 202 (Part I [student application])
• USRA Application Role Description
• Unofficial ACORN Academic History (with your name visible on the print-out)

5. Following this step, complete the Application Submission Form by Monday, February 23, 2026. Please upload your entire application package from step 4.

• NOTE: If you self-identify as Indigenous or Black, please indicate this in the Form upon submission.

If the application is selected for an award, please complete the following step to ensure your Faculty Supervisor submits Form 202, Part II on NSERC’s online system:

1. Once you have submitted Form 202, Part I, a reference number will be generated. Email this reference number to your Faculty Supervisor – this is required to link both parts together into a complete application.
2. Form 202, Part II is then completed and submitted electronically by the proposed research supervisor **. Application status will change to “Complete”.

** Use the following checklist to ensure your submission is complete:

Form 202, Part I (to be completed by the applicant)

☐ Application profile

☐ Personal profile

☐ Addresses

☐ Academic background

☐ Awards

☐ Transcripts (attachment) 5

Form 202, Part II (to be completed by the proposed research supervisor and submitted electronically)

☐ Project profile

☐ Research supervisor profile

☐ Current employment

☐ Outline of proposed research

☐ Outline of the student’s role

☐ Expected quality of the training and mentorship to be received Applications for the USRA are strongly encouraged for domestic students only. Students may apply for the UTEA regardless of their immigration status.

After Applying

Your application will be reviewed both for eligibility and by a divisional expert committee. Evaluative criteria include: the quality of the research project, the student’s academic excellence, clear learning outcomes, and the degree of supervisor engagement.

Award decisions will be sent in April, with expected May start dates.

After being notified by the University that you have been internally awarded a USRA, the student and faculty member must complete and finalize their portions of the application on NSERC’s online system. Once finalized, the PI must remember to click “Verify” and “Submit”.

Contact

If you have general questions or require additional information about the NSERC USRA, please contact Samantha Clarizio at undergraduate.research@utoronto.ca.