Financial Aid
Undergraduate Research Supplies and Expenses
Supply-&-Expense Grants
During the Fall and Spring semesters, supply-and-expense grants of up to $150 per
student are awarded to undergraduates engaged in research. Students enrolled in
UNIV-401/402 may apply for up to $250 per semester. Reimbursement for Summer and
Winter Session research expenses may be applied for either retroactively or in advance
during the fall or spring semesters. Uses include chemicals, experimental animals
and care, photocopying, transportation to libraries and to professional meetings,
film and developing, expendable equipment, etc. Typing/word processing of a thesis
or paper is not covered. All receipts must be submitted to the UR office by May
30. Application deadlines are October 1 and February 23. Application forms are available
here.
Student Travel Award Program
The Office of Women's Affairs (303 Hullihen Hall, 831-8063) administers an incentive
fund to encourage all undergraduate and graduate students to present scholarly papers
and participate in panel discussions and other activities dealing with women's issues,
and to support women student's participation in professional organizations. The
Fund will award up to $100 with the condition that the student's major department
match the award. The student must be nominated by a faculty member on a form obtained
from the Office of Women's Affairs. There are two travel proposal deadlines November
1 and April 1. Awards may be made retroactively. If a student submits a paper and
has not had it accepted at the time of the proposal deadline, a tentative award
may be made, pending confirmation within six weeks. Funds are available for 20-22
students each year. Students and faculty may inquire for further information at
the Office of Women's Affairs.
Undergraduate Research Salaries and Stipends
Academic Year
Although most undergraduate researchers work for credit during the academic year,
some receive pay, either as part of their financial aid package or from a faculty
sponsor’s research grant.
College Work-Study Program
Students who have applied to the University's Financial Aid office and been determined
eligible for need-based financial aid may take the aid in the form of a work-study
grant and earn their work-study money by working as a research assistant.
Research Assistant or Team Member for Salary
Faculty research is often contracted with a company or supported by a governmental
granting agency; the research grant may provide salaries for undergraduate assistants
on the project. Such arrangements permit students to be employed as members of research
teams. UDRF and General Research Grants may include stipends for undergraduate research
assistants. Each year the College of Marine Studies recruits superior undergraduate
students from the sciences or engineering to assist in faculty research projects.
Opportunities are also available in the graduate School of Urban Affairs and Public
Policy.
Undergraduate Teaching and Research Assistants--College Stipends
Each spring College Deans nominate undergraduate students to assist faculty with
research and/or teaching duties. The Financial Aid Office awards the 50 selected
undergraduates $300 stipends for the academic year. Preference is usually given
to seniors and juniors. Application should be made to the Dean of the college in
which the student is enrolled.
Juniors who are serving as research assistants at the Center for Composite Materials
are invited to apply for fellowships with an award of $1500 each. CCM Senior Research
Fellows must complete six (6) credits of senior thesis (UNIV-401-10 and UNIV-402-10),
submit a thesis which will also be published as a CCM Report, and give an oral presentation
and defense to the appropriate affiliate faculty members. Students meeting the grade
index requirements for the Degree with Distinction may use this fellowship to pursue
the DWD or HDWD. For information, contact Dr. John W. Gillespie, Jr., Center for
Composite Materials (831-8149).
Donald W. Harward Scholars
These $600 awards are given annually to about four senior Honors Degree with Distinction
candidates, based on their academic accomplishments (3.4 cum required), to permit
the students' full-time Winter Session research for the senior thesis. Application
forms are available at the Undergraduate Research office. Deadline is November 1.
Senior Thesis Winter Session Scholars
These $600 awards are given annually to about four senior thesis candidates to permit
full-time Winter Session research and writing for the senior thesis. Application
forms are available at the Undergraduate Research office. Deadline is November 1.
Summer Fellowship and Scholar Programs
Undergraduate Research Summer Fellowships
For students in any field, several fellowships of up to $1,500 will be awarded by
the Undergraduate Research Program for the summer. These awards are intended to
provide partial support for undergraduate researchers who would like to work on
their projects during the summer. Applications are due May 1 and are available at
the UR office.
NOTE Students who graduate in June are not normally eligible to receive a fellowship
for the summer following their graduation.
McNair Scholars Program
The purpose of the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program is to
prepare and empower low-income, first generation college students and underrepresented
students (those of African American, Latino, and Native American descent) for doctoral
study so that they complete a baccalaureate degree, enroll in graduate school, and
attain a doctoral degree. Undergraduate research is an essential part of the McNair
Scholar experience. Scholars receive a stipend along with housing and meals, enabling
them to work for ten weeks during the summer with a UD faculty mentor. Interested
students should visit the program web site http://www.udel.edu/mcnair
and contact the McNair Scholars Program, in the office, 047 Memorial Hall.
Summer Scholar Programs require a full-time, ten-week commitment to research during
the summer, three credits’ worth of research during the following academic year,
and a public presentation of research work in progress. The Scholar Programs in
the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, CHEP, Science and Engineering, and Life
Science Scholars are described in the pages linked to this section. Each Scholar
stipend is $3000 with an additional $500 provided as a housing allowance; additional
housing funds are provided by some of the Scholar Programs.
This program supports undergraduate research in the biomedical area. Junior majors
in the medically-related sciences (primarily chemistry, biochemistry, and biology)
may apply for summer stipends of $3,000. In addition, each scholar will receive
a summer housing allowance of $500. The summer research time commitment is 10 weeks,
and research is continued during the following academic year. For information contact
Lisa Robinson in the Chemistry Department (831-3614). Women and minorities are especially
encouraged to apply. Interested students may apply via the
Scholars Application System. Deadline is March 1.
Physical Therapy Undergraduate Research Fellowships
Up to four Peter White research fellowships in Physical Therapy will be awarded
in 2007. The stipend is $3,000; the summer research time commitment is 10 weeks,
and research is continued during the following academic year. In addition, each
scholar will receive a summer housing allowance of $500. For advisement contact
Dr. John Scholz in the Physical Therapy Department (831-6281). Applications should
be submitted to Mrs. Cyndi Haley at 301 McKinly Laboratory. Application deadline
is March 1.
Biology Undergraduate Research Fellowships
To juniors in Biology, up to 10 Charles Peter White research fellowships will be
awarded in 2007. The Fellowship is for one year and supports biomedically-related
research. The stipend is $3,000. In addition, each scholar will receive a summer
housing allowance of $500. For advisement concerning the Peter White fellowships,
see Dr. David Usher. Students should identify a faculty sponsor during the fall
semester. Interested students may apply via the
Scholars Application System. Deadline is March 1.
Additional Summer Opportunities
Computer Architecture and Parallel Systems Laboratory (CAPSL)
This research effort is initiated in the context of planned Centre for Computational
Finance and Data Mining (CCD) at the University of Delaware in collaboration between
the College of Engineering and the School of Business and Economics. Freshman, sophomores
and juniors may apply for summer stipends of $2500 for an interdisciplinary study
of Financial Engineering and Computational Finance. Summer research commitment is
ten weeks. Contact Dr. Guang Gao, Electrical and Computer Engineering (831-8218).
Undergraduate Research Prizes
Phi Kappa Phi Undergraduate Research Essay Competition
For undergraduates in all fields, Phi Kappa Phi sponsors an annual research essay
competition with up to two annual prizes of $500 each. Criteria are quality of research
and quality of the writing. Research procedure, results and significance are to
be described in an essay written for the general educated public. For competition
rules and further information, contact the Undergraduate Research Office.
Sigma Xi Awards
Other Cash Awards
A number of campus honor societies grant cash awards for undergraduate research.
For example, Beta Alpha Psi (Accounting) has awarded a prize of $25 for the best
research paper as judged by a committee of faculty. Women's Studies awards $100
annually for the best undergraduate research on women. Inquiries should be made
with individual department chairs or program directors. A list of departmental and
college research awards is available in the Undergraduate
Research Reading Room.