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Research and Innovation

Health Research Services

Tri-agency USRAs in the Faculty of Health Sciences

NSERC, CIHR and SSHRC USRA Summer 2024

USRAs are supplements provided to supervisors for hiring undergraduate students for research projects within NSERC, CIHR, and SSHRC domains. Supervisors are reimbursed $6,000 after a 14 – 16 week spring/summer term.

Students must be hired by the supervisor’s primary department as a research assistant, adhering to standard hiring policies, including minimum wage, and a 35-hour work week.

Applications must be submitted via NSERC’s e-console.

Upon completion and submission via the NSERC e-console, forward the following documents to Health Research Services by February 15, 2024, at 4:00 pm:

  1. Signature Page (signatures of student, supervisor, and department chair)
  2. A copy of FORM 202 Part I (submitted through the NSERC e-console)
  3. A copy of FORM 202 Part II (submitted through the NSERC e-console)
  4. Applicant’s Transcript (unofficial copy allowed at application, official copy required if awarded)

Please see Internal Guidance Document for more information. Late applications will not be considered.

Important Updates and Resources

  • Supervisor Eligibility: Supervisors do not need an active eligible Tri-agency grant for supervising a USRA student. Eligibility extends to those authorized by their university to independently supervise students.
  • Duration: USRAs should be held for 16 consecutive weeks, with a minimum of 14 weeks required.
  • Co-op Placements: Students are allowed to hold a USRA during a co-op placement.
  • Student Eligibility:
    • Must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or Protected Person as of the application deadline.
    • May register in a maximum of two courses during the USRA tenure; coursework must not interfere with USRA working hours.
    • Must be enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program at an eligible institution as of the application deadline.
    • Students enrolled in a graduate program at the commencement of their award (e.g., Master’s degree, medical school) are not eligible.
    • Ineligible if currently enrolled in an undergraduate professional degree program in the health sciences (e.g., MD, DDS, BScN), except for CIHR USRAs.
    • Students may hold one USRA per fiscal year (April – March), up to a total of three awards during their undergraduate career.
    • Must have completed a full year of study and achieved a minimum grade average of “B-“ at the award commencement.
    • Cannot have completed all degree requirements.
  • Affiliation: Students should apply to the Faculty where their proposed supervisor is primarily affiliated.
  • External Applications: Students may apply to outside institutions for the USRA, subject to each institution’s discretion.
  • Remote Work: Permitted, with regular supervisor contact.
  • Salary and Reimbursement: Full salary paid by the supervisor, with $6,000 reimbursement post-award.

It is important to ensure the proposed projects meet guidelines based on the agency the student is applying to – SSHRC, NSERC or CIHR. Please see Selecting the Appropriate Federal Granting Agency for further detail.

For projects related to health under NSERC, please refer to NSERC’s Guidelines Addendum which details specific eligibility criteria for these applications before submission.

Please note: For CIHR and SSHRC USRAs, currently, these awards are exclusively for self-identified Black student researchers. Institutions receive allocations based on CIHR or SSHRC funding received over three fiscal years.

For any questions, contact Brittany Hubble.