Use the USP Online Application System in Submittable to apply for undergraduate research opportunities in all disciplines. We will match you to the best funding source for your project. Use the application labeled 'USP Research Grant Application' to apply for funding from MT Space Grant Consortium (MSGC) and VPRED Research Fellowship (available to participants in the Honors Freshman Research Symposium). To apply for INBRE biomedical and public health funding, contact the INBRE office. 

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To submit a complete application you will need the following documents. We recommend that you prepare these documents before you start the application. 

  1. Your 5-page research proposal project description in PDF format. Editorial assistance from faculty mentors is strongly encouraged, but proposals should be student written. Be sure to follow the proposal guidelines.
  2. A copy of your unofficial transcript in PDF format.
  3. You MUST enter your faculty research mentor's official MSU email. Find your mentor's official email using the MSU Faculty/Staff Directory. Even if you plan to work primarily with a graduate student or other research staff, you must enter the supervising faculty mentor for a letter of recommendation.

  4. The application requires a brief budget summary with estimates of anticipated project costs. We ask for this information to help you think through all of the resources that your project will need.  

    Your budget does not affect the total amount of your award. It just outlines how you plan to spend the standard award amount. Research project costs not covered by the mentor or other sources must be paid out of the USP stipend award, thus reducing the amount of compensation retained by you. We encourage USP mentors to cover as many of the research expenses as possible so you can be fairly compensated for your contribution to research. As well, mentors must approve student budgets prior to submission.

    Use the USP budget template (semester or academic year) to work on your budget before submitting your application. You can also attach the template to your application to provide details that cannot be included in the online budget entry tool.

    Note: Your stipend is a set amount. When you submit your application, indicate how you plan to satisfy any budget needs beyond your stipend award.

 

If you are applying for funding for a collaborative/group project in which each member is seeking USP funding, each member should submit an individual online application and proposal. Each group member's proposal should identify:

  1. That the project is a collaborative effort, providing an overview of the overall goals of the project and nature of the collaboration.
  2. Their own individual contribution to the group project goals. These two elements should be identified in the "Introduction" section of the proposal, and the "Methods" section should clearly detail the specific methodologies and/or creative techniques for that member's contribution. 

If you've recieved USP research funding previously and are applying for renewal, you must upload a 1-2 page summary of your previous research experience in addition to the 5-page written proposal.

The summary should address the following:

  • A brief overview of the previous project(s) and the outcomes/progress to date.
  • How this previous research relates to and informs the current project proposal you are submitting.

While the research summary will provide a detailed account of the previous research project, you should also reference your previous research briefly in the introduction of the written proposal to make a clear connection between the previously funded project and your current proposal.

The proposal should be updated to reflect the new timeline, updated objectives, and methodologies (if applicable), and how the previous research has informed the current direction of the project. Proposals which appear to be "recycled" from a previous term, do not reflect substantive progress or insights gained from the previous term of funding, or that do not outline a clear objective for continuing the project will not be recommended for funding.

Your proposal should convince the review committee 1) that you made good use of your previous time and funding, and 2) that you have a clear purpose and objective for continuing the project into a second term of funding.

Note: Progress may not be "results" in every case, but perhaps insights gained through the research process. For example, if you ran a set of experiments that failed in one term, renewal may still be warranted if these "failed" experiments provided insights to a new direction or approach to the problem. The review committee understands that research does not always go as planned - in fact, this is often what points us toward more innovative ways of considering our reserach questions. Your goal, in the renewal, is to make the case for how your previous term of funding left you better prepared to tackle the problem in a second term of funding!

Please keep in mind that the USP does not provide travel and conference awards expressly to support students' participation in study-abroad or expedition-based courses. Students planning to engage in a substantive research or creative project in conjunction with the trip, however, are encouraged to apply for a USP research award. The USP has funded a number of successful expedition-based projects in the past, and welcomes these applications.

Expedition-based projects may face unique challenges such as language barriers, access to data/subjects, and time constraints of balancing an independent research project with the rigors of the course and travel schedule. Students and mentors should carefully consider the time investment a project will require both in the field and in preparation before the trip. Please be sure that you clearly address the steps you will take prior to the trip to prepare for conducting your research, as well as the contacts and plans you have in place to carry out the research once you arrive. Students should also address a contingency plan to ensure that they have adequate contacts and supports in place to safely conduct their research and travels.

 

Save your application at any time by clicking 'Save Draft' at the bottom of the form. Once completed, click 'Apply' to submit your application. You'll receive a receipt confirmation through Submittable sent to the email you used when you set up the account. Be sure to monitor your email Inbox and Spam folders for communications through Submittable. You should expect to be notified about your funding status approximately two to three weeks after the submission deadline.