Undergraduate Research Scholarship and International Research Grant

Autumn 2024 applications are now closed! Please check back later for Spring 2025 application details.

Applications for the Autumn 2024 Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Research Scholarship (URS) competition are now closed. To be eligible, students must:

Be enrolled in a major program in the college of Arts and Sciences AND be earning a degree in the college of Arts and Sciences (please note: Arts majors working on a creative or research project should apply for the Arts Undergraduate Research Scholarship rather than the general URS available through this application);
Have attained junior standing by time of funding;
Be a potential candidate for graduation with research distinction or with honors research distinction or present evidence of work on a significant research project;
NOT be graduating Autumn 2024 semester;
Be enrolled full-time during semesters of funding;
Have an Ohio State faculty advisor with whom they work to devise and refine a proposal, and who will be responsible for overseeing the project once it is underway.

The scholarships, which typically range from $500 to approximately $12,000, will be distributed during Summer, Autumn, and/or Spring semesters of 2024-2025 The funds automatically go toward the payment of the student recipient’s university tuition and fees, (please note the information about financial aid restrictions, which is included on the application materials).

A project proposal (please note the detailed information on the application materials) which includes:
the motivation and context for the proposed research, including a discussion of related scholarship in the discipline and any work that you have undertaken so far;
a clear statement of your research question and the general significance of the project;
a concise summary of the methodology to be used in the research;
the expected outcomes;
plans for forthcoming presentations and/or publications (if applicable);
a bibliography;
A discussion of responsible research practice approvals (if using human or animal subjects);
Project advisor recommendation which must articulate in some detail the form and nature of the student's involvement in the research project.
Please note that all proposals will be evaluated on writing and grammar. Please check grammar and spelling and avoid jargon.

Applications for the Autumn 2024 Arts and Sciences International Research Grant competition are now closed. To be eligible, students must:

Intend to travel outside of the United States for a purpose related to their research project;
Be currently enrolled in a major program in the college of Arts and Sciences (please note: Arts majors planning to travel internationally to engage in research or creative projects may apply for the International Research Grant);
Be earning a degree in the College of Arts and Sciences;
Have an Ohio State faculty advisor with whom they work to devise and refine a proposal, and who will be responsible for overseeing the project once it is underway;
Not be travelling to a risk-designated country (please note the information about travel restrictions, which is included on the application materials).

The scholarships, which typically range from $500 to a maximum of $2000, will be distributed during Autumn semester of 2024. The funds automatically go toward the payment of the student recipient’s university tuition and fees, (please note the information about financial aid restrictions, which is included on the application materials). Students and faculty are encouraged to apply for a grant to support an undergraduate student who can benefit from participation in research abroad. Students and/or faculty may apply for up to $2,000 for student support. Funds will generally be provided for one student per research project. The general focus of these grants is to encourage students to engage in research in international venues with their faculty mentors. Special attention will be paid to the appropriateness and value of the educational experience for the student participant.

The deadline for applications for the Autumn 2024 competition was Friday, October 18 (before 5:00 p.m.). The Research Scholarships Subcommittee of the ASC Honors Committee will be responsible for reviewing proposals and making the awards. The award will be administered by the Arts and Sciences Honors Program office in collaboration with the Office of International Affairs. The application may be completed by a student and/or faculty member in the College of Arts and Sciences. The information provided should include:

A description of the research project and the international experience (can include conference presentation);
A discussion of responsible research practice approvals (if using human or animal subjects);
Timeline for the project and travel abroad;
Project advisor recommendation which must articulate in some detail the form and nature of the student's involvement in the research project;
A budget listing expenses students expect to incur for research-related travel.
Please note that all proposals will be evaluated on writing and grammar. Please check grammar and spelling and avoid jargon.

Eligibility to Apply

Do I have to be in the Honors Program to apply?
No.
Do I have to be pursuing a degree in the College of Arts and Sciences to apply?
Yes.
Does my project advisor have to be an Ohio State faculty member?
Yes.
Do I have to be planning to travel internationally (related to my research) to apply for the IRG?
Yes.
If I am graduating at the end of this semester, can I apply for the URS or IRG during this semester?
No. The funding is designed to support continuing or future undergraduate research. Once you have graduated, you are no longer an undergraduate. (As a result, students graduating at the end of Spring Semester 2020 (for example) are not eligible to apply for funding through the Spring 2020 competition.)
Do I have to be working on a thesis to apply?
No, but projects that will lead to a thesis will generally be given preference. If you have not considered making your research project into a thesis, discuss it with your project advisor. Information about the thesis can be found at https://artsandsciences.osu.edu/advising/research-distinction-research-thesis or http://aschonors.osu.edu/honors/research-thesis for students in the Honors Program.
Can I apply if my project does not have any costs associated with it?
Yes, you are welcome to apply for the URS. The URS is designed to be applied to your tuition, fees, room, and board, to reduce the cost of your education and enable you to have more time to spend on your research (rather than working at a job, for instance). The scholarship is not necessarily designed to cover costs associated with your project. (That said, if you are already receiving scholarship and/or grant aid that covers your full cost of attendance, you would only be eligible to receive additional funding to cover your own out-of-pocket expenses associated with your research. Therefore, if you are already receiving scholarship and/or grant aid that covers your full cost of attendance, you should not apply unless you have costs associated with your research that you (personally) will be responsible for paying.)
If I am already receiving scholarship or grant aid that covers my entire cost of attendance (tuition, fees, room, and board), can I still apply for these awards?
Yes. That said, you will only be eligible to receive funding beyond the cost of attendance to cover documented out-of-pocket expenses (for which you personally will be responsible) related to your research. In this situation, you will need to submit a Cost of Attendance Appeal to Student Financial Aid to request an increase in your cost of attendance limit. If you do not have any costs associated with your research that you will be responsible for paying, you should not apply for these awards.

Timing of Funding

If I am awarded the URS, when will I receive it?
If you entered the Autumn competition, you will receive your scholarship as part of the following Spring Semester’s financial aid disbursal. If you entered the Spring competition, you will receive your scholarship as part of your financial aid for the terms you designate over the following academic year (Summer, Autumn, and/or Spring). Typically, those awarded scholarships through the Spring competition will receive half of the scholarship in the following Autumn and half in the following Spring.
If I am awarded the IRG, when will I receive it?
As soon as possible after awards are announced and after you have enrolled in Ohio State’s Supplemental Travel Insurance (which is required in order to receive the IRG).

Funding Conditions – Enrollment Requirements

Do I have to be enrolled full time during the terms I would receive the URS?
Yes, unless you ask for and are granted a special exception. Special exceptions to the full-time enrollment requirement are typically only considered when you are anticipating a heavy research emphasis during the funding term, and the exception will usually result in a reduction in your award based on the actual number of credit hours in which you are enrolled.
Do I have to be enrolled full time in order to receive the IRG?
No.

Applying More Than Once

Can I apply for the URS more than once?
Yes. However, you are more likely to be awarded a more significant scholarship if you apply later in your undergraduate career (in your third or fourth year) when your research project is more fully developed. Also, you should be aware that the committee that reviews applications will take into consideration whether you have received the scholarship previously.

Please note that if you receive a scholarship through the Spring URS competition, you should not also apply for the Autumn URS competition that immediately follows it. These competitions provide funding for the same academic year and should be considered mutually exclusive (you can apply for one or the other, but not both).