By Friday, February 16, 2024, NSERC USRA applicants must submit their online application to NSERC and send an electronic copy to MBB Grad Program Assistant at mbb@sfu.ca, and VPR USRA applicants must submit their electronic application to MBB Grad Program Assistant at mbb@sfu.ca. Note that this include uploading transcripts and having a supervisor complete form 202 (Part II).

*NOTE: The MBB department has a different process and deadlines are different from what is posted on the Graduate Studies website. ENSURE you follow the MBB process and deadlines in this email. Interested students have to find a supervisor first and then apply. (If the supervisor has a joint appointment with another department or faculty, you must apply to their home department or faculty.) Make sure to email your supervisor to complete Part II of Form 202 before you submit your final application to NSERC.

Eligibility

There are two layers of eligibility to consider: eligibility to apply for and eligibility to hold a USRA. The successful applicants must satisfy both.

1. NSERC USRA

• be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada
• be registered in a Bachelor's degree program (at time of application) with the subject of research being in the field of the natural sciences and engineering
• have obtained a CGPA of at least 2.67
• have completed at least two academic terms of a bachelor's degree
• have been registered in at least one of the two terms immediately before the term in which you will hold the award
• not have completed your undergraduate degree (as an exception, if you have completed your degree, you can only hold a USRA in the immediately proceeding term)
• not started a program of graduate studies, including a concurrent program
• have held 2 or fewer previous USRAs (including VPR and NSERC USRAs) in the past (Note: only 1 USRA is allowed per fiscal year April 1 – March 31)
• not enrolled in a thesis course during the USRA term

2. CIHR USRA

• The same eligibility as normal USRA’s applied, but applicant must identify as a Black student researcher and pursuing research in health.

3. VPR-Sciences USRA

• be an SFU undergraduate student
• be registered in a Bachelor's degree program (at time of application) with the subject of research being in the field of the natural sciences and engineering
• have obtained a CGPA of at least 2.67
• have completed at least two academic terms of a bachelor's degree
• have been registered in at least one of the two terms immediately before the term in which you will hold the award
• not have completed your undergraduate degree (as an exception, if you have completed your degree, you can only hold a USRA in the immediately proceeding term)
• not started a program of graduate studies, including a concurrent program
• have held 2 or fewer previous USRAs (including VPR and NSERC USRAs) in the past (Note: only 1 USRA is allowed per fiscal year April 1 – March 31)
• not enrolled in a thesis course during the USRA term

Useful links:

Tri-agency eligibility rules: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/students-etudiants/ug-pc/usra-brpc_eng.asp#a2
SFU general eligibility: https://www.sfu.ca/gradstudies/awards-funding/ugrad-research-awards/eligibility.html

More information

• If you are eligible to apply to the NSERC / CIHR USRA you need not apply to the VPR awards. If you are not successful at NSERC you will be considered for the VPR award provided you are an SFU student.
• If you apply to the CIHR USRA but are not successful in that competition, you will still be considered for the NSERC USRA competition provided your research has a component in natural sciences or engineering.