Undergraduate Summer Research Award 

The Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences (IBACS) offers summer research awards to qualified undergraduate students. The award provides funding for research supplies and a stipend to support students who conduct an independent research project over the summer. 

Program Overview

Students funded via the IBACS Undergraduate Summer Research Award conduct an independent research project under the guidance of an Institute-affiliated faculty member. The project must support the Institute’s mission. The grant consists of a $5,000 award for a single summer. Students may use a portion of the award toward covering living expenses. Students may use the remaining funds to purchase materials and equipment in support of the research project. Students are expected to develop the submission with the mentorship of their research advisor, and research mentors are encouraged to provide feedback to applicants, but the submission should be primarily the student's own work.

 

Eligibility and Conditions

The Undergraduate Summer Research Award program is open only to students working with an IBACS-affiliated faculty member at UConn.

Eligibility Requirements

  • This opportunity is open to undergraduate students in any major.  
  • Applicants must be active undergraduate students through the end of the project timeline.  
  • The student’s advisor must be an Institute-affiliated faculty member.  
  • The research project must support the Institute’s mission. 

Conditions for Award Recipients

  • Recipients must present their work at the Frontiers in Undergraduate Research Poster Exhibition. 
  • As a condition of these awards, the faculty advisors of recipients will be asked to serve a one-year term on the IBACS review panel, reviewing seed grant, graduate fellowship, and undergraduate award applications. 

Important Tax Information

Please note that the summer stipend component ($3,500) of the Undergraduate Summer Research Award is considered a fellowship and is, therefore, taxable. Fellowship payments are subject to federal and state income taxes. Recipients will be responsible for any income taxes resulting from this fellowship.   

It is your sole responsibility to report and pay taxes on the taxable portion of any fellowship, stipend, award, or grant they receive. Please be advised that fellowship payments used for travel, supplies, or equipment for your independent research are not exempt from taxation.   

Fellowship payments, although taxable, are not subject to income tax withholding if paid to a U.S. citizen or resident alien. Consistent with IRS guidance, the University does not withhold taxes on the taxable portion of fellowships, stipends, awards, or grants except in limited circumstances involving nonresident aliens.   

If you are a nonresident alien, federal income taxes may be required to be withheld from your payment unless you qualify for exemption by way of an income tax treaty between the United States and your country of tax residence. You may wish to consider making estimated federal and state income tax payments.  

You may find additional details and answers to many frequently asked questions on the following websites:  

How to Apply

Required Materials

All applicants must complete and submit the Undergraduate Summer Research Award Application by the deadline. You will be asked to provide the following materials with your application: 

  • A research plan that outlines your topic and faculty sponsor. The plan should be formatted as four single-spaced pages maximum, not including references, in 12pt Times New Roman font with 1” margins.  
  • A detailed budget that explains how you will spend the funds. 
  • A letter of recommendation from the faculty sponsor. Once you submit the application, an email will be sent to the faculty sponsor with directions for how to submit the letter.  

Review Criteria

Applications are reviewed based on the following criteria: 

  • The project description is well-written and clearly explains the project and the project timeline is feasible. 
  • The project clearly focuses on a research area associated with the IBACS mission. 
  • The budget is itemized, appropriate to the project described, and reports the total cost of the project (even if it exceeds the funding requested). 
  • The advisor is familiar with the student’s project and rates the student’s work highly.  
  • Students are expected to develop the submission with the mentorship of their research advisor, and research mentors are encouraged to provide feedback to applicants, but the submission should be primarily the student's own work. Where project applications are equally meritorious, the reviewers will take note of how the student’s project will contribute to the advisor’s research goals. 
  • The student and his/her project meet the eligibility criteria. 
  • The student has secured research compliance approval(s) if necessary for the project. No award will be issued until documentation of approval(s) is received. 

Key Dates

The application will open on Dec. 2, 2024, and close on Jan. 30, 2025.  

Contact Us

If you have questions about the Undergraduate Research Supply Award program, including the applications, please email ibacs@uconn.edu or contact the IBACS Program Coordinator.