The Office of Undergraduate Research, in partnership with academic departments at WashU, offers Summer Undergraduate Research Awards (SURA) to financially support WashU undergraduates pursuing faculty-mentored research during the summer from all academic backgrounds, with the exception of life sciences and Physics. Students from the life sciences should apply for the BioSURF award; however, students conducting biodiversity-related research may seek nomination for a Living Earth Collaborative SURA. Students conducting research in Physics should apply to the Physics Department for summer funding.
Students must seek nomination from a Washington University faculty mentor in their field of research who agrees to actively engage in conducting the research project.
Program Highlights
SURAs are for up to $4,000 based on the length and nature of the proposed project. For Summer 2021, the proposed research should take place between: May 14 - August 27. In most cases, the award amount is determined by the length of the proposed project:
- For a ten-week or more research project, the award amount is $4,000. No budget submision required.
- For research that is expected to last less than ten weeks, the award is $2,500. No budget submision required.
- For research requiring extensive travel and/or fieldwork, the award amount is not determined by length of project. The maximum award amount is $4,000 and is based on the submission of an itemized budget.
Priority is typically given to students pursuing their first summer research experience; however past recipients may seek funding for an additional summer research project and are welcome to submit a second nomination packet.
If you are considering seeking nomination for a SURA and have an interest in international journalism, consider also applying for The Pulitzer Center’s International Reporting Student Fellowship.