USRA Application

Before applying, check that you are eligible at the NSERC site.
Students who do not meet the eligibility criteria for an NSERC USRA may be eligible for a VPR USRA Science (see below). NSERC USRA applicants who are not offered an award will automatically be considered for a VPR USRA Sciences.

Application Procedure

1. Fill out Form 202, Part 1 on-line, including uploading copies of your official transcripts
2. Email scanned copies of the following to physgrad@sfu.ca:
   • Form 202, Part 1
   • a current official transcript, and
   • a short statment describing your research interests and relevant work experience
3. Successful applications will be matched to a project. The project supervisor will complete Form 202, Part 2 so you can verify and finalize your NSERC on-line forms.

USRA Stipend

Awarded positions must be held for a minimum of 16 weeks with the possibility of a longer term depending on the project. The minimum pay for the tenure of the USRA award of 16 weeks is $8,764.00 to meet BC’s minimum wage requirements. In addition, the award will cover the cost of the employment (10.18 %)  benefits and (4.00 %) in lieu of vacation pay. 

NSERC may provide a travel allowance, subject to the conditions outlined in the documentation on their website.

Vice-President Research USRA

SFU International Students are eligible for a Vice-President Research USRA, and are encouraged to apply (VPR USRA awards are available to international students, while NSERC USRA's are not). Students who do not meet the eligibility criteria for an NSERC USRA may be eligible for a VPR USRA Science. 

Students must be engaged on a full time basis (35 hrs per week) in research and development activities in the natural sciences and engineering during the 16 week tenure of the award. Awards can be held in the Summer, Fall or Spring terms proceeding award reciept. Please see the Dean of Graduate Studies' VPR USRA Page for more information.

Please send applications to physgrad@sfu.ca no later than January 31st, 2024

VPR USRA Application

• Interested and eligible students should contact the proposed supervisor to discuss research projects, please view the SFU Physics USRA Projects page for more information.
  
• Students who are eligible for an NSERC USRA must complete the NSERC online application form; NSERC USRA applicants who are not offered an award will automatically be considered for a VPR USRA Sciences.
  • Students who are eligible for an NSERC USRA must apply to that program;  Students can only apply to one program per competition year.

VPR USRA Application Procedure

Students who are ONLY eligible for a VPR USRA:

1. Complete the following sections on the VPR-USRA Application form (found on the Dean of Graduate Studies' VPR USRA Page):
   1. Applicant Information
   2. Award Information
   3. Academic Background (attach current unofficial transcript)
   4. Signature of Student
2. Email scanned copies of the following to physgrad@sfu.ca:
   1. VPR-USRA Application form
   2. A current official transcript 
3. Successful applications will be matched to a project. The project supervisor will complete the second half of the VPR-USRA Application form

Eligibility Criteria

Note that VPR USRA Sciences applicants must:

• be an SFU undergraduate student;
• have completed all the course requirements of at least the first year of university study;
• have been registered in at least one of the two terms of a Bachelor's degree immediately before holding the award;
• have obtained, over the previous years of study, a cumulative average of at least 2.67;
• have held 2 or fewer USRAs (including NSERC USRAs) in the past; and,
  
• not have started a program of graduate studies.