Student Research Grants

The Office of Undergraduate Research and Innovative Learning (URIL) announces its annual Student Research Grant (SRG) competition to support the creation of scholarly and creative works across all disciplines. Applications are due in early November each year, with awards of up to $2,000 supporting the research, scholarly, and creative endeavors of currently enrolled APSU students.

Purpose

SRG funding supports two types of activities:

• Research and scholarship aligned with the academics of a degree program at APSU — this includes research papers, theses, and dissertations

• Additional training or supportive learning experiences relevant to research or scholarship

SRG funding is not intended to supplement existing external grant funding.

Eligibility

To apply, students must meet all of the following criteria:

• Students are limited to one SRG in any two years.

• Students are limited to no more than one proposal.

• Students may submit a proposal as a team, but the same students should not be listed in other proposals.

• Students are expected to remain actively enrolled during the proposed project period.

• The student must be a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident.

• Students must have a faculty mentor(s).

Projects involving animals or human subjects: Students must complete appropriate training and obtain approval from IACUC and/or IRB before funds will be released.

Funding Guidelines

Awards are limited to $2,000 per project. The maximum request for travel and scholarship are each $500 (the scholarship award must also follow Financial Aid guidelines and limits).

Funds are issued to the faculty mentor to support the student's project. All funds must be spent by the end of the fiscal year, June 25.

Allowable Costs

• Scholarships (up to $500) for students for the Spring 2027 term, contingent on eligibility.

• Funding for the student’s project, such as data sets, transcription, etc.

• Funding for reagents and/or supplies

• Funding for presentations and/or publications of findings

• Funding for travel associated with the research project (up to $500)

Unallowable Costs

• Overhead, F&A, or indirect costs

• External consultant fees

• Speaker fees, speaker travel costs, or honoraria

Requirements for Funded Projects

Students selected for an SRG award must:

• Present their work at the annual spring Research and Creative Activities Symposium hosted by URIL

• Submit a one-page summary of major findings upon project completion

• Be willing to work with APSU's Public Relations office to showcase their project as a news release

How to Apply

Students are encouraged to develop their proposals in collaboration with their faculty mentor. Faculty research mentors must submit the proposal form—students do not have the ability to attach documents directly, though students can prepare most of the materials with assistance from the faculty research mentor.

2026-2027 URIL Student Research Grant Proposal Form

Required Application Elements

When submitting your completed form, you must also attach the following documents. Save all files using the first author's last name followed by the document name (for example, Smith-SRG-Proposal-Narrative [.docx] or [.PDF]).

1. URIL Student Research Grant Proposal Spreadsheet — Download a copy, complete it, and attach it to the form. You can not fill out the original.

2. Proposal narrative — Three pages maximum, formatted in 12-point Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman font with approximately 1-inch page margins. Include:

   1. Introduction and background

   2. Goals, objectives, and deliverables of the proposal

   3. Brief methods: Clearly explain the sampling procedure, expected data analysis, location of the study, and/or other particulars – recall that the reviewers may not be subject matter experts within your field of study.

   4. Schedule and duration of the project

   5. Literature cited (no page limit; any citation style accepted, such as APA or MLA)

   6. Appendices, if needed (no page limit)

3. Budget — Download a copy, complete it, and attach it to the form. You can not fill out the original.

Questions?

Reach out to the Office of Undergraduate Research and Innovative Learning at uril@apsu.edu.