These are the notes from my part of “How to maximize your chances with NSERC, SSRP and other awards” as given at the SCI Team’s Get Into Research tonight.
What is an NSERC USRA?
The National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) is a division of the Canadian government who are, in brief, responsible for handing out research grants towards research in the natural sciences or engineering. One of the grants they distribute is the Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA), sometimes referred to as an Undergraduate Summer Research Award, which is awarded to undergraduate students (as opposed to graduate students and other researchers who receive a majority of NSERC’s funding.
An NSERC USRA is a $4,500 award awarded to an undergraduate for 16 weeks of full time work. This amount has to be suplemented by your supervisor by at least 25%. This means that the full amount of the NSERC USRA will be at least $5,625.
In order to be eligible for an NSERC USRA, you must either be enrolled in an undergraduate program, or you must have just finished an undergraduate degree. You must also be either a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident. You must have at least a 68% average at UBC.
You’re allowed one NSERC USRA per May-April term. You’re allowed a maximum of 3 NSERC USRAs during your time as an undergraduate.
The Application Process
Note that this process is a rough outline and will vary department to department.
The first step is to find an NSERC elegible supervisor. A list of these supervisors can be found on the UBC Career Services website. Research what their lab studies and decide if you’re interested in any of their current projects. If you find any of interest, try to contact them in person (make an appointment or contact them after class). Tell them that you’re interested in their research, and ask if they are accepting NSERC USRA students for the coming summer. Make sure you thank them, even if they decline you! If you can’t contact them in person, phone or e-mail are also options. You can also be creative about how you land a position. If you have a TA who is a graduate student in an NSERC eligible lab, you could always ask them if they have a project or know of a project that you might be able to help out with, even if it’s not an NSERC USRA position. Volunteering or a directed studies project are good ways to gain research experience to help make you more attractive for NSERC USRA positions (or other positions) in the future.
To actually apply for an NSERC USRA, there are two forms online: one which you must fill out, and another which your supervisor must fill out. These forms must be filled out online, and then printed out and handed in to the appropriate department. An official transcript (as obtained from Brock Hall) will also need to be attached to your application.
As I mentioned above–there are exceptions to this application process. Check with your department to ensure that your department doesn’t have any additional needs (such as a cover letter) or other policies (such as assigning you a supervisor or project).
The Selection Process
The selection criteria differs depending on the department. The main criterium that NSERC USRAs seem to be awarded based on is your GPA. However, some departments also consider other variables such as research experience, the research project, and what year you’re currently in (1st versus 4th year).
It may also be of interest to some students to know that if you are a First Nations student, there may be an additional quota of awards available for you to obtain. That is, if a department has 10 NSERC USRAs to award, you may get an 11th award if you’re of First Nation status.
Questions
Please let me know if you have any questions, and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. Hopefully this was helpful for you 
Feel free to leave comments if you have anything to add!
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