Undergraduate Summer Research Awards

To be eligible to apply for an award, you must:

• be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada as of the deadline date for applications at the institution;
• be registered, as of the deadline date for applications at the institution, in a bachelor's degree program at an eligible institution;
• have obtained, over the current and previous year of study, a cumulative average of a B+ (78%).

In addition:

• If you already hold a bachelor's degree and are studying toward a second bachelor's degree, you may still apply for this award.
• You may hold only one USRA per fiscal year.
• You may hold a maximum of three USRAs throughout your undergraduate university career.

To hold an award, you must:

• have completed all the course requirements of at least the first year of university study (or two academic terms) of your bachelor's degree;
• have been registered in at least one of the two terms immediately before holding the award in a bachelor's degree program at an eligible institution;
• not have started a program of graduate studies in the natural sciences or engineering at any time;
• be engaged on a full-time basis in research and development activities in the natural sciences or engineering during the tenure of the award;
• NSERC will no longer require professors to hold an active grant when applying to
  supervise a USRA student. NSERC considers anyone who is authorized by their
  university to independently supervise students to be an eligible supervisor.

Value: The minimum value of the award is $9,632 (NSERC Award $6,000 + Supervisor's contribution (min. $3,362). Students often receive more than the minimum award. 

Part-time hours and vacation leave will not be approved.

Description:  

• A student award provided by Western Research
• Same value as NSERC USRA (minimum $9,632)
• Program is similar to NSERC USRA, enhanced by additional professional development opportunities hosted by Student Experience and Western Libraries

Eligibility: 

• Canadian Citizens/ Permanent Residents, and International students are considered
• Registered full-time student in the term immediately before the award
• Do not hold higher degrees in natural science or engineering
• Have obtained, over the current and previous year of study, a cumulative average of a B- (70%).
• Have not begun a graduate program prior to tenure of award
• Not enrolled in an undergrad professional degree (M.D., D.D.S., B.Sc.N.

For more information on USRI programming, please visit: USRI - Research Western - Western University (uwo.ca). 

Same requirements as NSERC USRA, but

• Open to both Domestic and International Students
• Have obtained, over the current and previous year of study, a cumulative average of a B- (70%).

Value: The minimum value of the award is $7,500 (Faculty Award $3,650 + Supervisor's contribution (min. $3,650). Students often receive more than the minimum award.

Same requirements and value as NSERC USRA, but

• Open to both Domestic and International Students we-researchandgrad@uwo.ca.
• No minimum average

Value: The minimum value of the award is $7,500, which is contributed by the supervisor. Students often receive more than the minimum award.

Awarded to the top 4 undergraduate summer research applicants in ECE with a minimum average of 80% in their last academic year.

Value: $10,000

The Canadian Severe Storms Laboratory (CSSL) Internship Program offers a unique opportunity for students passionate about atmospheric science, severe weather, GIS, engineering, computer science, and field research. Our program is designed to provide hands-on experience and research skills through three specialized internships, each focusing on different aspects of severe weather in Canada. The internships are ideal for students looking to gain practical field experience or delve into research on severe weather phenomena like tornadoes and hail.

Value: $10,000 CAD

Any applicant will be considered for the CSSL Internship Program, provided you satisfy all eligibility requirements: 

• Must be a Canadian citizen, international student, or permanent resident 
• Registered student at a Canadian university, college, or high school (and will still be enrolled in an academic program in September 2026).
• Be available from May 4 – August 28, 2026 (university, college), or from July 6 – August 26, 2026 (high school). 
• Attended one of the two mandatory information sessions.

Dates and times for these sessions are: 

• January 14th, 2026 – 7:00PM-8:00PM (EST) – Zoom
• Registration: https://westernuniversity.zoom.us/meeting/register/NrzpUH_nTbaSrqi3FIB5aQ
• Passcode: CSSL2026

• January 22nd, 2026 – 12:30PM-1:30PM (EST) – Zoom
• Registration: https://westernuniversity.zoom.us/meeting/register/cQHHR2cMRx2AxhmQpmkasA
• Passcode: CSSL2026

Available internships include: 

• CSSL Field Internship: Tornadoes (Post-Event Tornado Damage Surveys) 
• CSSL Field Internship: Hail (Real-Time Hailstorm Chasing) 
• CSSL Research Internship

If you have any questions about this application, please visit the CSSL website ( https://uwo.ca/cssl/internships/index.html), or email Dr. Miller ( CSSLInternship@uwo.ca).

Students will apply the principles of frugal innovation to design, prototype, and test biomedical technologies intended for use in low-resource settings in Northern Canadian communities and/or sub-Saharan Africa. Frugal does not mean cheap. It means designing and implementing technology based on what works for the people on the ground. 

Frugal innovation is an emerging paradigm in engineering that emphasizes equity and sustainability in technology development. For biomedical applications, frugal innovation leads to devices that can be used effectively in regions with shortages of specialist personnel, maintained with limited access to replacement components, and function reliably in the absence of reliable power or other infrastructure.

Award Duration: Full-time (35 hours/week) from May-August. Approximately 16 weeks. 

Award Value: $ 9,856  (same value as NSERC-USRA).

Eligibility: Complete details for Eligibility Requirements can be found   here.

Western and the Faculty of Engineering are committed to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigenization. As part of this commitment, we will consider diversity of the awardees to provide opportunities for Black, Indigenous, students of colour, students that identify as LGTBQ2S+, women, visible minorities, and students with disabilities. 

Want to know more about the projects offered for Summer 2026? 

Summer Research Project Descriptions will be available soon. You may apply to multiple projects with a single application submission. Questions should be directed to Kathryn Thomas,   kwhitin5@uwo.ca