Funding Resources for Students and Faculty

At ETSU, we have a wide variety of resources available to fund undergraduate research and creative projects.

The Honors College provides the following funding resources in direct support of undergraduate research:

Students and faculty should also investigate resources available through the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs.

The Honors College will continue to develop initiatives to obtain more funding for these projects and more opportunities to support students engaged in undergraduate research.

The resources listed below are specific agencies, foundations, or businesses that provide opportunities and/or support specifically for undergraduate research (listed alphabetically).

This professional society provides links to major Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) programs provided around the country and funded by the National Science Foundation. Lots of possibilities!

CIRRUS contains a variety of information and links pertinent to undergraduate research in chemistry. The summer research programs section has forms for adding and maintaining your specific information. The information is added to the CIRRUS relational database. Your information will be able to be modified and is username/password protected.

The Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) and its affiliated colleges, universities, and individuals share a focus on providing undergraduate research opportunities for faculty and students at predominantly undergraduate institutions.

Psychology Division: Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Announcement

The Psychology Division of CUR is pleased to announce that the American Psychological Foundation (an affiliate of APA) is supporting a summer fellowship in the field of psychology.

The Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) awards summer fellowships to the students of faculty members interested in mentoring an undergraduate student at primarily undergraduate institutions. CUR fellowships provide a unique opportunity for undergraduate students and their faculty mentors to engage in approximately ten weeks of full-time research at their home institution. Award opportunities may be restricted to certain academic areas, depending on available funding.

The Explorers Club is an international multidisciplinary professional society dedicated to the advancement of field research and the ideal that it is vital to preserve the instinct to explore. Since its inception in 1904, the Club has served as a meeting point and unifying force for explorers and scientists worldwide. Youth Activity Fund grants are made to undergraduate college students to enable them to participate in field research in the natural sciences under the supervision of a qualified scientist or institution. Research stipend amounts typically range from $500 to $1500. You do not need to be a member of The Explorers Club to apply. If awarded a grant, you will also be awarded a one-year student membership in the Club.

Through its grants to individuals and institutions, HHMI supports the efforts of scientists and educators, colleges and universities, museums, and biomedical research organizations. These grants are transforming the ways research is conducted and science is taught and understood. Although direct grants to undergraduates are not currently available, the site has links to lots of resources for undergraduates and for their potential future plans. So, if you’re a senior or a graduate student, check it out.

The Kennedy Space Center Internship Program (KIP) has been created to provide paid internships to full time students and faculty the opportunity to train, educate and motivate a future which may lead toward NASA-related careers in business, science and engineering related disciplines. Faculty members will gain the opportunity to integrate their research and education components with KSC’s unique mission requirements.

NASA Undergraduate Research Program. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is pleased to announce the NASA Undergraduate Student Research Program offering undergraduates across the United States mentored research experiences at participating NASA Centers and research support facilities. The NASA Undergraduate Student Research Program is managed for NASA by the Virginia Space Grant Consortium of Hampton, Virginia.

The National Association of Broadcasters is a full-service trade association that annually sponsors a competition open to all academic personnel. Graduate students and senior undergraduates are invited to submit proposals. Typically, there is a TOTAL of $25,000 available, awarded in four to six grants, and proposals must be received no later than January 31. Check out their website for fellowship opportunities, also.

The mission of the National Conferences on Undergraduate Research (NCUR®) is to promote undergraduate research scholarship and creative activity done in partnership with faculty or other mentors as a vital component of higher education.

Research and training opportunities for undergraduates are offered at the National Institutes of Health. Check out opportunities for a Summer Internship in Biomedical Research or the NIH Undergraduate Scholarship program.

NSF funds a large number of research opportunities for undergraduate students through its REU Sites program. An REU Site consists of a group of ten or so undergraduates who work in the research programs of the host institution. Each student is associated with a specific research project, where he/she works closely with the faculty and other researchers. Students are granted stipends and, in many cases, assistance with housing and travel. Undergraduate students supported with NSF funds must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States or its possessions. An REU Site may be at either a US or foreign location.

The REU program announcement provides guidance on how to apply for an REU Supplement or for an REU Site. The REU program seeks to expand student participation in all kinds of research - whether disciplinary, interdisciplinary, or educational in focus - encompassing efforts by individual investigators, groups, centers, national facilities, and others. The program seeks to attract a diversified pool of talented students into careers in science and engineering and to help ensure that they receive the best education possible.

The National Science Foundation of has funded the Research Experiences for Undergraduates in Biodiversity Conservation program. The program will be held this summer at the University of North Carolina Wilmington and includes faculty mentors from UNCW, UNC Chapel Hill, and the Paleontological Research Institution. For more information, please click on the link above.

NURO, the National Undergraduate Research Observatory, is a consortium of primarily undergraduate institutions which have joined together to provide hands-on training and research experiences for undergraduate students. Its mission is to encourage more undergraduate students to choose scientific careers.

A great website with links to opportunities in a variety of nationally sponsored laboratories and projects around the country. Lots of categories and easy to use.

The Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) Internship Program provides opportunities for qualified undergraduate and first year graduate students to receive hands-on experience in a real-world setting that prepares them to become part of tomorrow's workforce.

SURP provides stimulating and rewarding research opportunities for undergraduates considering graduate education in biomedical research. Students admitted to the program may conduct an independent research program under the guidance of a faculty member in one of six programs.

Project Kaleidoscope is an informal national alliance working to build strong learning environments for undergraduate students in mathematics, engineering and the various fields of science. This site has lots of information especially for faculty and for administrators at institutions investing in support of research experiences for their undergraduate students.

A source of various links to resources for students and faculty interested in Psychology.

Sigma Xi (Xi is pronounced with a "Z" sound--Sigma "Zi"--as in "xylophone) was founded in 1886 as an honor society for science and engineering. Today, it is an international research society who programs and activities promote scientific enterprise and honor scientific achievement. There are more than 70,000 Sigma Xi members in more than 500 chapters located in colleges and universities, industrial research centers and government laboratories. The Sigma Xi Grants-in-Aid of Research program has been providing undergraduate and graduate students with valuable educational experiences for more than 80 years. By encouraging close working relationships between students and faculty, the program promotes scientific excellence and achievement through hands-on learning.

Links to some undergraduate research opportunities around the U.S. (not just South Carolina). Listings change, so check it out.