Summer Scholarships
Neuroscience Summer Research Scholarship (NSRS) Terms of Award
The BSc Neuroscience program with financial support from the Hotchkiss Brain Institute (HBI), provides Neuroscience Summer Research Scholarships (NSRS) for qualifying BSc Neuroscience students. Intended to nurture your interest in scientific discovery, gain practical research experience and find out first-hand what it is to work as a scientist, these stipends provide (partial) salary support to realize your ambitions.
Students registered in first, second and third year are eligible for four months of support.
To apply for NSRS-support you must first apply for external funding through the University of Calgary Award Spring platform. A step-by-step guide for using Award Spring can be found here. Unsuccessful external funding applicants will automatically be eligible for NSRS funding.
For further details please refer to the Neuroscience Summer Research Scholarship (NSRS) Policy.
Application Requirements
- GPA: Students must maintain a 3.30 GPA to be considered for the Neuroscience Summer Research Scholarship
- Supervisor: Students are required to identify a research topic and contact a potential supervisor before they apply. Potential supervisors can be from any faculty, department, or institute affiliated with the University of Calgary. Students who are encountering difficulty securing a supervisor should contact the program director for advice.
To apply for NSRS-support you must first apply for external funding through the University of Calgary Award Spring platform. A step-by-step guide for using Award Spring can be found here. Unsuccessful external funding applicants will automatically be eligible for NSRS funding.
Application Steps
- Identify and prioritize research areas of interest (August/September)
- Investigate different professors' research topics and create list of potential supervisors (September)
- Contact and meet with potential supervisors (October/November)
- Confirm details of research project (December)
- Draft research proposal (December)
- Obtain reference letters for funding applications (January)
- Apply for external funding (January/February) via the Award Spring Platform
Application FAQs
Contact the professor of interest by email or approach them after class if enrolled in his/her courses. Ask the professor if s/he is willing to supervise undergraduate summer students. If so, ask to arrange a meeting with them within a couple of weeks.
Before the first meeting, you should familiarize yourself with the professor's research area and methods and devise a list of questions for him/her. Remember to bring a copy of your resume and transcripts for the professor to review, though bear in mind there will be no expectations of prior research experience.
At the meeting, bring up any questions on the professor's research or the summer research project. If you have a specific project in mind, feel free to discuss it at the first meeting. Professors may ask students different questions in order to have a sense of the student's interest in their area of research. At the end of the meeting, ask when to expect an answer about the position. If you do not hear back from the professor within that time frame, send a friendly reminder.
After the professor has confirmed the position, book a meeting to discuss project details, what type of work is expected, who you will be working with, how many hours per week, start/end date of the position, and how often you will meet with the supervisor to review the progress of their research project. During this meeting, it is essential to discuss opportunities to apply for external funding. Together, you will identify funding agencies and assess your eligibility.
The first component of any funding application is a research proposal describing your project. As the proposal is a collaborative effort between student and supervisor, you should discuss with your supervisor your main idea, prepare an outline of the content, and obtain their feedback. This first draft should be sent to your supervisor for review as early as possible. Ensure you get their opinion on subsequent drafts and do not hesitate to ask successful applicants from previous years.
Funding applications will often require students to submit (typically two) reference letters from individuals familiar with their academics, research capabilities and potential. These letters should be from faculty members with university appointments. Remember to obtain their permission before naming them as a reference. Contact your intended referees as soon as possible.