OUR Research Grants Program

All currently enrolled undergraduate students who are in good academic standing are eligible to apply. The travel must occur while the student is still enrolled at U of I and the research must be conducted under the supervision of a U of I faculty research advisor. The conference to be attended must be considered a “professional conference.” Each student presenter can receive a maximum of $800 from the OUR Travel Grant program in each academic year. This grant does not fund salary or other personnel expenses. Priority will be given to students who have not previously received an OUR Travel Grant.

Students must submit an OUR Travel Grant Application along with a letter of support from the U of I faculty advisor who mentored the student’s research project. Requests for funding must be made 45 days prior to the expected travel start date. In the detailed budget, provide your best estimate of the cost of your transportation and registration fees. Applications received by the 15th of each month will be reviewed prior to the end of the month.

Please note: Applications received in December will be reviewed with the January applicant pool.

A letter of support from the U of I faculty member who mentored the student’s research project is required. The OUR seeks to support research by undergraduates at U of I mentored by faculty at U of I. The OUR cannot support student conference presentations that are based on research conducted at other universities or with a mentor who is not a U of I faculty member. This letter should include name, location and date of conference; confirmation that this is a professional conference or meeting; a brief statement confirming the faculty member’s mentorship and supervision of the student’s research; a brief statement about the student and their work; a short assessment of the potential significance of the student being invited to the conference; and whether or not this research is supported by a grant (if so, include the funder’s name). The faculty advisor statement needs to be emailed on department letterhead (PDF format) to our@uidaho.edu or delivered to the Office for Undergraduate Research.

While financial need is a consideration for selection, it is not the only criterion. We welcome applications that reflect presentations from diverse disciplines as represented in the arts and humanities, natural sciences, social sciences and the professional schools. We also encourage applications from diverse student populations such as first-time and experienced presenters.

OUR can help with the costs of transportation to the conference, hotel expenses and registration fees for the professional conference. OUR funds cannot be used to defray meal expenses. Successful applicants will be reimbursed for up to $800 of their travel, accommodation and/or meeting registration expenses. ORIGINAL receipts and a conference program will be required for reimbursement. The travel must be completed and the request for reimbursement must be made while the student is still enrolled. The request for reimbursement must be submitted within 15 days after the conference.

Recipients of OUR Travel Grants are required to present their work at the U of I Undergraduate Research Symposium, held in April. Recipients are also required to acknowledge support from the Office of Undergraduate Research on their posters or during their presentations. Please see our guidelines for acknowledging OUR support.