• Skip to main content
  • Skip to main navigation
Baylor University
Office of Engaged Learning
  • About
    • Deans' Welcome
    • Meet the OEL Team
    • Honoring Dean Elizabeth Vardaman
    • The Elizabeth Vardaman Faculty Awards
      • Elizabeth Vardaman Award Winners
    • Give
    • News
  • The Provost's Scholars Program
    • Welcome from Provost Brickhouse
    • Provost's Scholars
    • Learning for the World
      • Nominate a Student
    • Baylor Engage Fellows Program
  • Civic Engagement
    • Courses
      • Civic Engagement & the Core Curriculum
      • Propose a CE Course
      • Spring 2023 Courses
      • Transportation in Waco
    • Philanthropy & Public Service Program
      • Grantmaking
      • Spring 2023 Courses
  • Fellowships & Awards
    • Start Here
      • I am a first-year student
      • I am a second-year student
    • Learn about previous winners
      • Alexandra Tyra
      • Alexis Simmons
      • Amanda Sutton
      • Andrew Munoz
      • Anne Walker
      • Arvind Muruganantham
      • Camille Watson
      • Carolyn Carper
      • Catherine Haseman
      • Courtney Haubert
      • Emily Schultz
      • Joelle Kim
      • Jonathan Chew
      • Kaitlyn Vana
      • Kate Rojales
      • Katerina Levinson
      • Maria Torres
      • Mina Dwumfour-Poku
      • Nathan Rowan
      • Olivia Gorrell
      • Preston Iha
      • Saawan Patel
      • Sophia Fulton
      • Tashi Flaig
      • Uchechukwu Oguchi
    • Now that you're considering
      • For International Students
      • Fulbright Awards
      • Gates Cambridge Scholarship
      • Kanders Churchill Scholarship
      • Marshall Scholarship
      • Mitchell Scholarship
      • Rangel, Pickering, and Payne Fellowships
      • Rhodes Scholarship
      • Truman Scholarship
      • Undergraduate Summer Awards
    • Searchable Award Database
  • Global Involvement
    • Global Health Academy
      • Global Health Student Network
    • Study Abroad
  • Internships
    • Shepherd Scholars Poverty Internships
  • Undergraduate Research
    • URSA
      • Research Grants
      • Scholars Week
    • Contact Us
    • Undergraduate Research Opportunities
      • For Faculty Mentors
      • For Students: Getting Started in Research
      • BTRUE Summer Fellows Program
      • 2023 Research Internships
      • Science Research Fellows
      • Opportunities for Publication
      • Certificate of Excellence in Undergraduate Research
    • Business and Education
      • School of Business
      • School of Education
    • Fine Arts, Music, and Theatre
      • Art and Art History
      • Theatre Arts
    • Health Sciences and Nursing
      • Health, Human Performance, and Recreation
      • Nursing
      • Family and Consumer Sciences
    • Humanities and Social Sciences
      • Classics
      • Communication
      • English
      • Film and Digital Media
      • History
      • Journalism, Public Relations, and New Media
      • Medical Humanities
      • Modern Languages and Cultures
      • Political Science
      • Religion
      • Sociology
      • School of Social Work
    • Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)
      • Anthropology
      • Aviation Science
      • Biology
      • Chemistry and Biochemistry
      • Environmental Science
      • Geoscience
      • Mathematics
      • Physics
      • Psychology and Neuroscience
      • School of Engineering
      • Statistical Science
  • Make a Gift
Baylor BU Office of Engaged Learning Undergraduate Research URSA Research Grants URSA Grant Guidelines
  • URSA
    • Research Grants
      • URSA Grant Guidelines
      • URSA Research Grant Application
      • URSA Mini-Research Grant Proposal
      • URSA Grants for Faculty: ALURE Proposals
      • URSA Grant Awards 2022-23
    • Scholars Week
  • Contact Us
  • Undergraduate Research Opportunities
  • Business and Education
  • Fine Arts, Music, and Theatre
  • Health Sciences and Nursing
  • Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)

URSA Grant Guidelines

Research Grant Program Guidelines

The Undergraduate Research and Scholarly Achievement (URSA) Research Grant Program is part of the Office of Engaged Learning. Together with other programs, URSA seeks to nurture students and link transformative academic studies to real world opportunities. The URSA program administers six types of research grants to students and faculty in all academic disciplines. The purpose of these grants is to promote and expand meaningful research participation by undergraduate students, to engage students in faculty/student collaborative learning relationships, and to expose students to resources and facilities that may stimulate their interest in pursuing advanced degrees and research careers. There are several types of grants available to provide opportunities for a variety of research needs. 

Please let us know at  URSA@baylor.edu if you have a funding request that does not fall under any of these programs.

Student and Mentor Eligibility

The student research proposals are submitted by a single undergraduate student. Students should work with their mentors to write a clear and concise proposal. Students are required to be in good academic standing and provide an unofficial transcript. Full-time Baylor faculty, regardless of rank, are eligible to serve as faculty mentors for students applying for these research funds.  Mentors are required to provide supporting information concerning the student’s role on the project.

Student Research Proposals

These research proposals are submitted by a student with assistance from a faculty mentor. Applications are competitively reviewed and awarded as funds allow. The OEL encourages collaborative proposals that engage students in interdisciplinary research environments. One student should take the lead on a team project, or each student should prepare a proposal for their part of the research.

  1. The URSA Research Grant (RG): up to $5000 awarded for the next fiscal year for Equipment, Supplies, Services, Travel, and/or Student employment
  • Deadline: last Friday of January
  • $2500/semester and up to $5000/year
  • RG Proposal Template
  • URSA Research Grant Application 
  • URSA Research Grant Faculty Support Form
  1. NEW!! The Spring URSA Research Grant (Spring-RG): up to $2500 awarded for spring semester for Equipment, Supplies, Services, Travel, and/or Student employment
  • Deadline: Friday before Thanksgiving (Late Proposals are being accepted until the last Friday in January.) 
  • $2500/semester
  • Spring-RG Proposal Template
  • URSA Research Grant Application 
  • URSA Research Grant Faculty Support Form
  1. The URSA Mini Research Grants : There are 4 types of MRGS.  Students are eligible for 1 per semester.

-MRG for Equipment, Supplies, or Services

-MRG for Travel

-MRG for publication costs for papers that include undergraduate authors

-MRG for Student Employment : up to $500 for current academic year

  • Deadline: Proposals Reviewed Monthly
  • $500/student/semester
  • MRG Proposal Template
  • URSA Mini-Research Grant
  • URSA Mini Research Grant Faculty Support Form

Faculty Proposals for Undergraduate Research Projects

A new category of URSA funding is being offered for the Spring 2023 semester and 2023-24 Academic Year. We are seeking "authentic large-scale undergraduate research experience" (ALURE) proposals submitted by a faculty member or faculty team to support large-scale (~10 or more students) research initiatives.  This could be a cohort of students for a single over-arching project or a course-based research activity, a summer program, community-based projects, or faculty supervised internships. Funding will be available for student employment, travel, or supplies and equipment required for the project. Funding may not be used for faculty stipends or support. 

  • Spring Proposals due the Friday before Thanksgiving
  • Proposals for 2023-24 due the last Friday of January
  • $2500/semester and up to $5000/year
  • ALURE Guidelines

Institutional Compliance 

  • Institutional compliance is required. Projects utilizing human subjects, animal subjects, radioactive materials, or recombinant DNA must have established protocols approved by the relevant institutional compliance committee(s). Funds cannot be dispersed until your protocol is approved.
  • Any website or online database proposed with College of Arts & Sciences funding must follow the Baylor ITS Guidelines and Policies. 

Budgetary Considerations

Travel 

Student travel is an allowable expense only when it is essential to accomplish specific grant objectives. In the case of authorized travel, reimbursement for transportation, lodging and meals will be in accordance with current university travel policy.

Equipment 

Minor equipment requests required for the undergraduate student's research project are allowable. Upon project termination, any equipment purchased with project funds will remain under the jurisdiction of the department of the faculty mentor.

Duplicate funding 

Please report additional funding for this project in your budget. We understand that multiple small grants may be required to support research projects.  This type of over-lapping funding is permitted. If duplicate funding is awarded for the approved research after the URSA grant has been awarded, all remaining funds in the URSA grant must be relinquished.   

Student Wages

Students may receive wages for research activities. All students in the same department should be paid equitably. Please remember to budget for FICA (social security) charges of 7.65% if the students are not enrolled in classes, such as for summer projects. Work-study hours for research follow the same guidelines as other types of student employment.  Please determine if students are eligible for work-study before including this in the budget. Mentors should work with the OEL to set up Ignite accounts for paid student workers. 

Funds may not be requested for the following:

  • Faculty salaries and fringe benefits;
  • Supplemental pay for full-time Baylor faculty and staff;
  • Faculty travel to professional meetings or conferences to present project results;
  • Maintenance & service contracts for equipment;
  • Expenses incurred prior to the beginning of the project period.
Proposal Review

A broadly representative faculty review committee will evaluate URSA small grant proposals for substantive merit according to the following major criteria:

  • Scholarly merit of the research and its appropriateness as a vehicle for undergraduate research;
  • Extent to which the project engages undergraduates in meaningful research experiences;
  • Likelihood that the project will lead to opportunities for undergraduate publication or other professional presentation of project results.

Additional considerations will be:

  • Qualifications and experience of the faculty mentor and other key personnel that indicate the ability to engage undergraduates successfully in meaningful research experiences;
  • The extent in which the project uses existing resources and programs to expand undergraduate participation in research;
  • The extent in which the project shows promise to extend student benefits of participation beyond the period of the URSA Research Grant.
Award Conditions
Grant Administration 
  • Awards will be set up as Ignite accounts and administered through the Office of Engaged Learning.
  • Each justification should refer to the student’s project and use of funds. URSA Research Grant Awards will be for a maximum of 12 months and will coincide with the university fiscal year, from June 1 through May 31.
  • All project funds must be expended during the fiscal year in which they are awarded.
  • No-cost extensions are allowed.
Project Revisions and Final Ownership of Equipment
  • Awardees are required to conduct the project in accordance with the proposal and budget approved by the URSA grants review committee.
  • Any change in research objectives or scope of work or a major budget revision requires the prior approval of the Office of Engaged Learning.
  • If a student leaves the project for any reason, the remaining funds return to the URSA Grant fund.  They do not transfer to the faculty member or to another student or project.
  • Upon project termination, any equipment purchased with project funds will remain under the jurisdiction of the department of the faculty mentor.
Final Report Guidelines

Faculty mentors are responsible for the Final Report. Awardees are required to submit a final project report to URSA@baylor.edu no later than 60 days after the project expiration date. Failure to comply with this requirement will render the faculty mentor ineligible for future funding from the URSA grants program.

  1. List the name(s) of the undergraduate students that were supported by the grant and the role that each student played in completing the work.
  2. Were the Specific Objectives of the grant met?  Please explain.
  3. How much of the budget was spent? If less than 100%, please explain.
  4. Were there any publications or presentations that were completed by the undergraduate? Please provide citations or links if available.
  5. Please include any other relevant information concerning the students that were supported.  For example, are they continuing in research?  If they have graduated, are they in a graduate program?
  6. (Optional) Please provide a picture and caption of you and your student(s) for a “News Story” or social media posting.
Scholars Week Participation

URSA Research Grant recipients, both faculty and students, are expected to participate in Scholars Week in the spring semester. The schedule and details will be provided on the URSA web page. Students may present a poster or give a platform presentation.  Faculty mentors may serve as judges and participate in sessions for faculty members interested in learning more about URSA.

Acknowledgement 

Any published work supported in whole or in part by an URSA grant should acknowledge such support in the publication. Other publicity related to the project, such as Baylor PR articles, should also carry acknowledgment. An example acknowledgement is: “This study was supported in part by funds from the Undergraduate Research and Scholarly Achievement Research Grant Program and the Office for Engaged Learning at Baylor University.”

Office of Engaged Learning

Draper 244

One Bear Place #97344
Waco, TX 76798

(254) 710-3231
EngagedLearning@baylor.edu
College of Arts & Sciences
Illuminate
Make a Gift
Baylor BU Office of Engaged Learning Undergraduate Research URSA Research Grants URSA Grant Guidelines
  • About
    Back
    • Deans' Welcome
    • Meet the OEL Team
    • Honoring Dean Elizabeth Vardaman
    • The Elizabeth Vardaman Faculty Awards
      Back
      • Elizabeth Vardaman Award Winners
    • Give
    • News
  • The Provost's Scholars Program
    Back
    • Welcome from Provost Brickhouse
    • Provost's Scholars
    • Learning for the World
      Back
      • Nominate a Student
    • Baylor Engage Fellows Program
  • Civic Engagement
    Back
    • Courses
      Back
      • Civic Engagement & the Core Curriculum
      • Propose a CE Course
      • Spring 2023 Courses
      • Transportation in Waco
    • Philanthropy & Public Service Program
      Back
      • Grantmaking
      • Spring 2023 Courses
  • Fellowships & Awards
    Back
    • Start Here
      Back
      • I am a first-year student
        Back
        • Overview
        • Enlarge your Imagination
        • Academics, Academics, Academics
        • Learn Beyond the Classroom
        • Find Mentors
        • Opportunities You Might Pursue Now
      • I am a second-year student
        Back
        • Commit and Deepen
        • Make a Life by What You Give
        • Academics, Academics, Academics
        • Teach
        • Learn from Mentors
        • Opportunities You Might Pursue Now
    • Learn about previous winners
      Back
      • Alexandra Tyra
      • Alexis Simmons
      • Amanda Sutton
      • Andrew Munoz
      • Anne Walker
      • Arvind Muruganantham
      • Camille Watson
      • Carolyn Carper
      • Catherine Haseman
      • Courtney Haubert
      • Emily Schultz
      • Joelle Kim
      • Jonathan Chew
      • Kaitlyn Vana
      • Kate Rojales
      • Katerina Levinson
      • Maria Torres
      • Mina Dwumfour-Poku
      • Nathan Rowan
      • Olivia Gorrell
      • Preston Iha
      • Saawan Patel
      • Sophia Fulton
      • Tashi Flaig
      • Uchechukwu Oguchi
    • Now that you're considering
      Back
      • For International Students
      • Fulbright Awards
        Back
        • Next Steps and the Fulbright Application Process at Baylor
      • Gates Cambridge Scholarship
      • Kanders Churchill Scholarship
      • Marshall Scholarship
      • Mitchell Scholarship
      • Rangel, Pickering, and Payne Fellowships
      • Rhodes Scholarship
      • Truman Scholarship
      • Undergraduate Summer Awards
    • Searchable Award Database
  • Global Involvement
    Back
    • Global Health Academy
      Back
      • Global Health Student Network
    • Study Abroad
  • Internships
    Back
    • Shepherd Scholars Poverty Internships
  • Undergraduate Research
    Back
    • URSA
      Back
      • Research Grants
        Back
        • URSA Grant Guidelines
        • URSA Research Grant Application
        • URSA Mini-Research Grant Proposal
        • URSA Grants for Faculty: ALURE Proposals
        • URSA Grant Awards 2022-23
      • Scholars Week
        Back
        • URSA Scholars Week Information
          Back
          • Scholars Week Abstracts
          • How to Prepare for a Poster Presentation
        • 2022 Outstanding Scholars Week Platform Presentations
        • 2022 Outstanding Scholars Week Poster Presentations
    • Contact Us
    • Undergraduate Research Opportunities
      Back
      • For Faculty Mentors
      • For Students: Getting Started in Research
      • BTRUE Summer Fellows Program
      • 2023 Research Internships
      • Science Research Fellows
        Back
        • About Science Research Fellows
        • Application Timeline
        • Frequently Asked Questions
        • How to Apply
        • Should I Apply?
      • Opportunities for Publication
      • Certificate of Excellence in Undergraduate Research
    • Business and Education
      Back
      • School of Business
      • School of Education
    • Fine Arts, Music, and Theatre
      Back
      • Art and Art History
      • Theatre Arts
    • Health Sciences and Nursing
      Back
      • Health, Human Performance, and Recreation
      • Nursing
      • Family and Consumer Sciences
    • Humanities and Social Sciences
      Back
      • Classics
      • Communication
      • English
      • Film and Digital Media
      • History
      • Journalism, Public Relations, and New Media
      • Medical Humanities
      • Modern Languages and Cultures
      • Political Science
      • Religion
      • Sociology
      • School of Social Work
    • Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)
      Back
      • Anthropology
      • Aviation Science
      • Biology
      • Chemistry and Biochemistry
      • Environmental Science
      • Geoscience
      • Mathematics
      • Physics
      • Psychology and Neuroscience
      • School of Engineering
      • Statistical Science
  • Make a Gift
  • General Information
  • Academics & Research
  • Administration
  • Admissions
  • Gateways for ...
  • About Baylor
  • Athletics
  • Ask Baylor
  • Bookstore
  • Calendar
  • Campus Map
  • Directory
  • Give Light
  • Give to Baylor
  • Illuminate
  • News
  • Pro Futuris
  • Search
  • Social Media
  • Baylor Libraries
  • College of Arts & Sciences
  • Diana R. Garland School of Social Work
  • George W. Truett Theological Seminary
  • Graduate School
  • Hankamer School of Business
  • Honors College
  • Law School
  • Louise Herrington School of Nursing
  • Research at Baylor University
  • Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences
  • School of Education
  • School of Engineering & Computer Science
  • School of Music
  • More Academics
  • Athletics
  • Human Resources
  • Marketing and Communications
  • Office of General Counsel
  • Office of the President
  • Office of the Provost
  • Operations, Finance & Administration
  • Senior Administration
  • Student Life
  • University Advancement
  • Undergraduate Admissions
  • goBAYLOR
  • Graduate Admissions
  • Baylor Law School Admissions
  • Social Work Graduate Programs
  • George W. Truett Theological Seminary Admissions
  • Online Graduate Professional Education
  • Virtual Tour
  • Visit Campus
  • Alumni & Friends
  • Faculty & Staff
  • Online Graduate Professional Education
  • Parents
  • Prospective Faculty & Staff
  • Prospective Students
  • Students
  • Accessibility
  • Anonymous Reporting
  • Annual Fire Safety and Security Notice
  • Digital Privacy
  • Legal Disclosures
  • Mental Health Resources
  • Report It
  • Title IX
 
Baylor University
Copyright © Baylor® University. All rights reserved.
Baylor University • Waco, Texas 76798 • 1-800-229-5678