NSERC USRA & IDChem Summer Studentship Awards
If you are a student enrolled (full- or part-time) in a Science or Engineering program, you may be eligible to apply for the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA) or IDChem Summer Studentship award. Note that if you are eligible for one or both awards, you will follow the same application process. Applications from self-identified Black students, self-identified Indigenous students, as well as students from other under-represented groups are highly encouraged.
How to Apply
FIRST: Find a supervisor and discuss your potential research project and the application process for awards you are eligible to hold.
NSERC USRA Applications
May be held by Canadian Citizens or Permanent residents. Students must apply to the NSERC USRA program through the URI. Details are provided at: http://www/uab.ca/usra.
Students applying for the USRA program can also apply for ID Chem Awards using the same documents; but submitted to the department (see instructions below: IDChem Applications). Applications from self-identified Black students, self-identified Indigneous students, as well as students from other under-represented groups are highly encouraged.
Note that the deadline for Summer 2026 is 11:59 pm Feb 2, 2026. Applications should expect notification of results in late March - early April.
IDChem Applications
May be held by Canadian Citizens, Permanent residents, or International students. Applications from self-identified Black students, self-identified Indigneous students, as well as students from other under-represented groups including women, visible minorities, LGBTQ+, first-generation university students, or disabled persons are highly encouraged.
Step 1 Prepare your documents:
- Cover letter that states your interests in chemistry and how a research experience fits into your future plans
- Official University Transcript
- obtain a hard copy of your Official Transcript or an official e-transcript from the Registrar's Office
- for a hard copy, scan and save as a PDF file (the department's photocopier can be used to produce PDF scans)
- keep the hard copy of the transcript for the application
- NSERC Form 202, Part I: complete this form online at NSERC Online Services, and generate a PDF. Registration is required for first time users.
- A detailed guide to completing the NSERC USRA online application may be found here. (PDF, 1.65mb)
- NSERC Form 202, Part II: ask your supervisor to complete this form online at NSERC Online Services and generate a PDF of the final version.
Step 2B International students or persons not applying to the USRA program, complete the following:
- Departmental Form, Part I: Download and complete this form. Refer to the NSERC instructions regarding the data for these fields. However, you will not fill this out using the online system. You do not need a PIN or registration number. You may append your transcript or submit it as a separate PDF.
- Departmental Form, Part II: Ask your supervisor to Download and complete this form, and provide a PDF of the draft. A PIN is not required. Research Subject Codes are available here.
Step 3
- Request one reference letter (used for internal departmental ranking) to be sent to undergrad@chem.ualberta.ca
Step 4 Submit your completed application documents electronically to the undergraduate chemistry office using this form. The deadline for submission is 4:00 pm Tuesday, February 17th, 2026.
Additional Information for NSERC USRA applications:
The NSERC contribution for successful applications is $1500 per month (for a period of four months); the supervisors will supplement each award by at least $600 per month (amount depends on year in program); the total value of the scholarship is more than $8400 over 16 weeks.
- the student must be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident.
- the student must have completed all the course requirements of at least the first year of university study (or two academic terms) of a bachelor's degree by the summer of 2026.
- the student must be registered as a student in an eligible academic program at the time of the application. Students in undergraduate professional programs (nursing, pharmacy, dentistry, medicine) and those students who hold higher degrees in the natural sciences and engineering are not eligible
- NSERC's instructions state that the student must have attained a cumulative GPA of at least 2.7 (on the scale of 4.0) in their program up to the time of application. However, depending on the quality of applications received, it is unlikely that an applicant with a cumulative GPA of less than 3.0 (on the scale of 4.0) will be accepted.
- no student may hold more than three USRAs in their academic career, nor may any student hold more than one award in a given fiscal year (May 1 to April 30)
Please consult the NSERC websites below for complete details and for specific information on Form 202.