Undergraduate Research Grants
Below are some undergraduate research grants administered in conjunction with the Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships at the University of Pennsylvania, as well as by other departments. Other department and center-based grants may exist. Students should be sure to inquire in every relevant department.
Grants vary in their eligibility requirements. All will require that a student have a specific, well-thought out and clearly defined project, and have identified an appropriate faculty mentor.
CURF provides other funding information and opportunities:
- Fellowships for further study after Penn or in the summer
- Service-oriented fellowships
- Summer research programs
| Undergraduate English Research Grants | Center for the Advanced Study of India |
| Global Development Initiative | Penn Program on Democracy, Citizenship, and Constitutionalism |
Vagelos Undergraduate Research Grant
The Vagelos Undergraduate Reseach Grant (formerly the Nassau Fund Award) provides funds for students pursuing an independent scholarly project during the academic year. Funds can be used for costs of materials and supplies, toward travel costs, or for costs of the project. Open to all undergraduates at Penn.
| Deadline: October 31 |
| Detailed Information |
The College Alumni Society Research Grants provide generally up to $1000 for costs of research projects during the summer or following academic year. Eligibility is limited to freshmen, sophomores or juniors in the College.
| Deadline: March 1 |
| Detailed Information |
The Class of 1971 Robert J. Holtz Endowed Fund for Undergraduate Research provides grants of up to $1000 for costs of research projects during the summer or following academic year. Open to all undergraduates at Penn.
| Deadline: March 1 |
| Detailed Information |
Thanks to the generosity of the Gantz Family Foundation, an opportunity has been created for Penn students to undertake a research project each summer. These funds are for a student to conduct independent research in Israel on some episode topic or event of importance in the Arab-Israeli relationship, with a preference for a project studying how the United States, Israeli, and Arab media cover identical events in the Middle East. This competition is open to Penn freshmen, sophomores and juniors from any of Penn’s undergraduate schools.
| Deadline: March 1 |
| Detailed Information |
Association of Alumnae Scholars Rosemary D. Mazzatenta Award provides funds either for costs of research or to support a student while performing an unpaid internship. Eligibility is limited to sophomore or junior women in the College.
| Deadline: March 1 |
| Detailed Information |
The Pincus-Magaziner Family Undergraduate Research and Travel Grants provide funding on a competitive basis for current Penn students carrying out independent scholarly projects during the summer or following academic year. The grants can cover travel costs or other research costs such as lab supplies, copying material in archives, etc. Eligibility is limited to sophomores or juniors with majors in Biology, Biological Basis of Behavior, Literature, English, Art History, or Mathematics.
Grant recipients will present their completed projects at an event sponsored by CURF. The grant application process is combined with that of the College Alumni Society Research Grant, no separate application is required.
| Deadline: March 1 |
| Detailed Information |
The College and CURF fund a approximately 20 summer research internships as a part of a summer institute for students in the humanities and social sciences. These full-time internships are for ten weeks and include a stipend of $3000.
| Deadline: February 25, 2008 |
| Detailed Information |
The program matches faculty mentors with students for the summer between their freshman and sophomore years.
Project descriptions due from faculty January 31, 2008 Student applications due February 18. Detailed Information
The Rose Award is a prize of up to $1000 for completed independent scholarly projects. This can include senior theses or any other independent project, whether funded by other Penn grants or not.
| Deadline: April 4 |
| Detailed Information |
Summer funding for students' independent scholar projects. This can include funds for research costs and supplies, travel, or living stipend. Limited to Benjamin Franklin Scholars.
| Deadline: April 1 |
| Detailed Information |
Funds can be requested for summer living stipends, research costs and materials, travel costs, or other needs. Recipients are required to present their findings at a University Scholars lunch. Funding is limited to University Scholars only. For information on the application process to become a University Scholar check the link below.
| Deadline: Rolling |
| Detailed Information |
Grants Offered Through Penn Schools and Departments
The College of Arts and Sciences allows its students to apply for funding to attend conferences at which they are making presentations.
Undergraduate research experiences serve as a hallmark of undergraduate education at Penn Engineering. Grants through the Undergraduate Research Fund will promote undergraduate research, and enable students to explore their innovative ideas and concepts in new and emerging technologies as well as the applied sciences. The Undergraduate Research Fund is made possible through generous gifts by supporters of Penn Engineering's undergraduate educational initiatives
Wharton SPUR provides a group of up to 10 students an opportunity to design and perform in-depth research over a 10-week period in the summer under the guidance of Wharton faculty members.
| Deadline: noon, March 7, 2008 |
| More Information and application |
Seltzer Family Innovation Awards
Thanks to the generosity of Jeff and Annie Seltzer, the Penn Libraries (Weigle Information Commons) is proud to offer undergraduate research awards for up to six students to conduct research using new media and information technologies. Each award will provide about $1,000 worth of equipment (both hardware and software) and supplies to support a research project for up to one year.* These awards include special consideration for students enrolled in the Huntsman Program. After one year, equipment purchased through the award will return to the Weigle Information Commons for general use. Some examples of technology items that could support research projects include: digital videocameras, audio recorders, virtual reality camera peripherals, microphones, scanners, mobile devices, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
| Deadline: extended until March 31, 2008 |
| More Information and application |
Penn Program on Democracy, Citizenship, and Constitutionalism
The Penn Program on Democracy, Citizenship, and Constitutionalism will award up to
10 undergraduate research fellowships for projects to be begun in the summer of 2008 and completed during the
2008-2009 academic year. Each project must be endorsed by a faculty research advisor who will supervise the project throughout the 2008-09 academic year.
Students may receive grants of up to $2500; faculty research advisors may receive research grants of $500 which may be used to advance the advisor's
own research, to employ the student as a research assistant or to assist the student's research.
All full-time Penn undergraduate students enrolled in any school who wish to undertake research pertinent to the themes
of “Democracy, Citizenship, and Constitutionalism” are eligible to apply. Political, sociological, historical,
philosophical, anthropological, and literary projects exploring empirical and normative issues of democracy,
citizenship, and constitutionalism in any part of the world are eligible.
| Deadline: EXTENDED to April 30, 2008 |
| More Information and application |
Terry B. Heled Travel & Research Grant
The winner of the Terry B. Heled Travel & Research Grant will receive $2,000 toward the costs of travel for research that will lead to a significant writing project.
. The travel and research will be conducted during the summer (between mid-May and the end of August). Candidates who propose a trip of longer rather than shorter duration will be given priority, and candidates who propose to travel beyond
John Parker Fellowship for Undergraduate Research
Named after Science and Technology Wing alumnus John Parker, the John Parker Fellowship for Undergraduate Research is a program whereby a Penn undergraduate is chosen annually to undertake an original research project of his or her own invention and ultimately present the findings before selected Penn faculty and STWing members. The chosen student will be reimbursed for research expenses up to $1000. Contact STWing for availabilty and process.
The Penn Humanities Forum, in association with the Perspectives in Humanities program, awards several Undergraduate Humanities Research Fellowships each year to further undergraduate research in the humanities. Students work closely with the Perspectives in Humanities program at Kings Court/English House and Harrison House. Fellows are expected to participate in an Undergraduate Research Symposium during the Spring semester of their award, to attend regular lunch or dinner meetings throughout the year to discuss their ongoing research, and to participate actively in the Perspectives in Humanities Program and Penn Humanities Forum.
| Detailed Information |
| Biological Basis of Behavior Program |
Summer Internship Program at Wyeth: Wyeth Pharmaceuticals has partnered with BBB to offer a summer internship program for Penn undergraduates. Scientists at Wyeth laboratories in Princeton, New Jersey, are conducting basic and clinical neuroscience research relevant to a variety of CNS disorders and their therapeutic management. Students will be directly involved in this research enterprise by working with Wyeth scientists in areas such as schizophrenia, neuropharmacology or neurodegenerative disorders. Applications are solicited by BBB each Spring.
| Biology Department |
The ANDY BINNS UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH GRANT funds research for undergraduates interested in ecology. Call the biology undergraduate office for more information. 898-7121
| History Department | http://www.history.upenn.edu/undergrad/funding.shtml |
The Department Undergraduate Research Fund in History awards grants to students who require funds to travel to archives or for research materials for extensive projects, usually as part of a history seminar, or as an continuation of work begun there. An on-line form and samples of previous work are available. Deadline for summer grants is May. Students may apply for remaining funds on a rolling basis anytime throughout the year.
The History Department has additional funds to support undergraduate research, mainly for students in the Honors program. All students who need money to travel to archives or for research materials for extensive projects are encouraged to obtain the (short) application form, also available from the Undergraduate Advisor. Applications are due May. Students may apply for remaining funds on a rolling basis anytime throughout the year.
History of Art
http://www.arthistory.upenn.edu/ugrad/travel.html
The Department of the History of Art offers fellowships for summer travel with the goal to enable students of the history of art to enhance their classroom work with the direct experience of works of art and architecture. Juniors in good standing, both majors and minors in the History of Art, are eligible.
Jewish Studies Department
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/jwst/res_app_08a.pdf
The Jewish Studies Program offers two separate types of grants to both undergraduate and graduate Penn students. One, Goldfein Research Awards, are intended to cover research projects and study programs. The second, Brenner Special Opportunity Awards, finance special needs not otherwise covered by grants, such as travel to conferences or special courses of study. There are separate application forms for the two awards, so please fill out the one that is appropriate for you. Please do not fill out both forms. If necessary, applications for one award felt to be more appropriate for the other award will be switched at the discretion of the designated faculty committee.
Goldfein and Brenner Award Application Deadline: March 27, 2008.
Center for Molecular Studies in Digestive and Liver Disease
http://www.med.upenn.edu/molecular/undergrad.shtml
The Undergraduate Student Scholars Program in the NIH Center for Molecular Studies in Digestive and Liver Disease at the University of Pennsylvania is an organized program of summer lectures and presentations combined with basic research experience in the laboratory of an expert investigator. The curriculum is designed specifically for undergraduate students with an interest in biomedical research, with an eventual goal of MD, PhD, or MD-PhD degrees. During the program, students attend weekly seminars on introductory topic in biomedical research. At the end, participants present their research in a focused symposium and receive a certificate recognizing their completion of the program.
Penn GDI is offering funded internships for current Penn students in
partnership with four major international organizations in the
development sector: Save the Children, Plan International, Africare and
UNICEF.
Selected interns will work in field offices in developing countries
during Summer '08 for 8-12 weeks. Internships are currently open to
qualified graduate and undergraduate students. Intern opportunities
are posted at www.gdi.upenn.edu. Apply now, the application deadline
is February 18, 2008.
http://www.sas.upenn.edu/urban/
The Hassenfeld Grants for Undergraduate Research in Urban Studies provide several students with the opportunity to explore answers to questions arising out of their internship by supporting independent research following the internship and fieldwork seminar. Grants of up to $2000 for summer research and expenses are awarded to three to five students each year on a competitive basis.
The Urban Studies Public Service Internship supports the Urban Studies program philosophy of the importance of linking theory and practice and is meant to encourage students to pursue their interests in public service by working over the summer with non-profit or government organizations which otherwise could not afford to hire them. This program is funded by a generous gift made by David J. Millstein, whose son, Scott, a 1992 Urban Studies graduate, inspired it.
Application for both are April 15. Students interested in applying should confer with Elaine Simon.
http://www.english.upenn.edu/Undergrad/researchgrants.php
The undergraduate English program awards a small number of Research and Travel Grants to cover costs incurred by travel to archives, as well as for photocopying, permissions, reproductions, and other legitimate research expenses. Researchers must have a faculty director enthusiastically willing to oversee and sponsor the project. Applications will be read on a rolling basis until the money is exhausted. Applicants can apply for a grant in a given fiscal year as early as July 1st..
Center for the Advanced Study of India
http://casi.ssc.upenn.edu/studentprograms/index.html
The Center for the Advanced Study of India is pleased to announce its Summer Travel Funds Competition for Summer 2008.
The goal of this program is to provide Penn students with the financial means to pursue an NGO internship and/or academic research opportunities in India.
Send applications to Tanmaya Nanda , Center for the Advanced Study of India 3600 Market Street, Suite 560 by March 7, 2008. Funding for this opportunity was generously provided by Penn alumnus Ramanan Raghavendra.
Department of South Asian Studies
The South Asia Studies department will award up to two research/travel grants (maximum of $2500 each) for Spring-Summer 2008 to support undergraduate research projects involving travel to South Asia.
Applicants should submit:
1) a statement of 500 words or less indicating the nature of their project and how it fits into their academic program at Penn;
2) an unofficial Penn transcript;
3) a budget and funding request;
4) a brief statement from a faculty member who would be guiding the research;
5) a list of other applications being submitted to support this research. (Applications for other grants will be viewed
favorably in the review process.) The competition is restricted to undergraduate students in their first, second, or third year
of study; applications from seniors graduating in Spring 08 will not be considered.
Please send COMPLETE applications to Sanjukta Banerjee, 820 Williams Hall, 36th & Spruce/6503, by March 17, 2008.
It is expected that awards will be announced by April 10, 2008.
The Holden Furber Prize
Awarded annually for the best undergraduate essay on any topic related to South Asia.
The award will be for $250 and competition is open to all students of the University of Pennsylvania.
Papers should be submitted to the Department of South Asia Studies, 820 Williams Hall, 36th & Spruce Sts./6305.
The deadline for submission of papers is the first day after spring recess.
last updated on May 9, 2008