The Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) has an Undergraduate Student Research Award Program (USRA) that pays a student to do 16 weeks of research with a professor over the summer. This is a competitive process: the computer science department has approximately 16 awards to give this year. These will be decided on after we have all the applications and have matched students with supervisors; we expect to send the results by the end of February.
The University of Toronto has in the past offered University of Toronto Excellence Awards (UTEA). We do not yet know if the UofT is offering them this year (although we certainly hope so). We will update this section and post an announcement as soon as we hear either way. The duration and remuneration historically has been the same as for USRAs, although the eligibility requirements are different.
You need a supervisor — a research faculty member in computer science. There are two sets of instructions below: one set for students who already have found a supervisor to work with, and another set for students who would like help finding a supervisor.
Duration: 16 consecutive weeks (typically May 1st – August 31st)
Value of the award: Each award is $4500 NSERC (USRA) + a minimum of $1125 provided by the NSERC grant holder (supervisor).
If you are not a University of Toronto student, we encourage you to apply! We welcome USRA applications from strong applicants from other home universities.
The USRA awards are open to second-year or higher full- and part-time students who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents and who have a cumulative average of at least B-. Check the NSERC website for full eligibility requirements.
Deadline: 1 February 2016
Print the UofT NSERC USRA checklist and fill it in as you go. Without a completed checklist, we cannot accept your application.
Get your most current official transcript. (Before ordering, please wait until Fall 2015 results are posted.)
Register for an account at NSERC's online system.
Read the application instructions and fill out Form 202 Part I.
Print Form 202 Part I and sign it.
Have your supervisor fill in Form 202 Part II. This must be done online. They will need your reference number from Part I.
For Part II, have your supervisor use the List of Research Subject Codes for Scholarships and Fellowships for the research subject codes.
Please adhere to NSERC's General Presentation Guidelines. Any application not following these guidelines will be sent back to be redone.
Have your supervisor print and sign Form 202 Part II.
Submit these items to the Computer Science Undergraduate Office on the 4th floor of Bahen:
This process is a competitive one and there is no guarantee that you will receive a match.
Deadline: 1 February 2016
Review the projects posted on the Department of Computer Science Undergraduate Project Portal (DCSUPP), and apply for one or more projects.
Non-UofT students: see the note below.
Print the UofT NSERC USRA checklist and fill it in as you go. Without a completed checklist, we cannot accept your application.
Get your most current official transcript. (Before ordering, please wait until Fall 2015 results are posted.)
Register for an account at NSERC's online system.
Read the application instructions and fill out Form 202 Part I.
Print Form 202 Part I and sign it.
Submit these items to the Computer Science Undergraduate Office on the 4th floor of Bahen:
Note for non-UofT students
Non-UofT students wishing to review and apply for projects detailed in the DCSUPP must email Leanne Dawkins. Please use the subject line “Guest UTORID for UGSRP”, and the email must include your legal first and last name, as well as the name of your home institution. Guest access will be created for you, after which you will have 5 days to apply for your selected projects.