Undergraduate Research Award

The Undergraduate Research Award is a competitive award designed to support the expenses for students' independent research or creative work. To qualify, your project must be supervised by a Binghamton University faculty member. Additionally, you must be enrolled in independent study, capstone, or honors thesis or similar research or creative activity course during the semester you apply. The project can extend beyond the initial semester. Funding is competitive and award amounts vary. The maximum award is $1,000, and we anticipate 5-10 awardees each grant cycle (fall, spring). Undergraduates from all Binghamton University schools and colleges are eligible. Faculty may endorse ONLY 1 student per semester.

Students are expected to present the results of their creative activity or research at the annual Research Days Poster Session in April. If you are not able to attend the poster session for any reason, a project report or assessment is required at the completion of your project. 

Read about Liam McGuirk's research, funded by the URA, on honey and Narcissus (daffodils) in ancient medicine

Application Deadline

Applications are accepted in the fall and spring terms. The faculty endorsement and application both need to be completed by the deadlines below.

• Fall Deadline: November 1, 2023
• Spring Deadline: March 31, 2024

Application Process

Students submit an online application form and may have an interview with the selection committee.

In addition to your contact information and the title of your project, we will need the following information:

1. Proposal Narrative (500 words or fewer)

The committee that reviews the proposals is comprised of faculty members from many disciplines, so we strongly recommend using language that is designed for a broad audience. This may mean that your proposal narrative is quite different from an abstract that you would write for a paper or project in your field.

For research proposals, discuss the following:

• The question your research is designed to address
• The methods you will use and the rationale behind it
• The overall significance of the research

For creative work proposals, discuss the following:

• Place the work in a larger artistic context
• Explain why you chose this medium of expression
• Explain the overall significance of the project

2. Estimated Budget

Include all expenses for this project even though we might not fund the full amount. We use this information to demonstrate the need for additional funding for student research and creative activity. If this is to reimburse for previous research expenses, you must submit receipts for everything for which you seek reimbursement.

We fund

• postage
• purchase of necessary materials
• limited travel for research purposes
• other costs incurred in the course of the project

We do NOT fund

• General purpose equipment (items which are not specific to the research or creative work). Examples include office equipment and furnishings, telephone networks, information technology equipment and systems, and copying and printing equipment
• The cost of producing a senior thesis (photocopy and binding); other printing or photocopying costs require strong justification
• Costs associated with attending a professional conference or meeting. Please see the Undergraduate Conference Fund Application.
  

List the items needing funding and the cost for each item. For example, if you are studying vegetation change at the Otis Pike Fire Island High Dune Wilderness area, you might include this:

• Travel to research site: five trips, 500 miles/trip, mileage at .58 cents/mile, $1,375
• Lodging at research site: 2 nights on each of 5 trips, $99/night (tax exempt), $990
• Field notebook: 1 at $18

3. Academic and Career Goals

Write a paragraph telling us about your goals.

4. Faculty Contact Information

Faculty support of your application is critical. Your faculty mentor will receive an email after you submit your application with information on how to endorse your application. Faculty may endorse ONLY 1 student each grant cycle (fall, spring). It is imperative that you speak with your faculty mentor early in the semester to discuss this.