All full-time College of Science students pursuing a bachelor’s degree who are in good academic standing and who will not have graduated before summer are encouraged to apply. Students can only be awarded one SURE Science scholarship during their undergraduate education. Students may work with any professor at OSU as their Faculty Project Mentor; they do not need to be faculty in the College of Science.

The deadline to submit the 2026 SURE application is is closed for summer 2026.

How to apply for a SURE Science Scholarship

1. Find a faculty mentor you are interested in working with during the summer on a project related to the faculty member's research.
2. Discuss the summer research project with your potential mentor and develop a project outline.
3. Complete the application prompts and save as a PDF.
4. Make sure your faculty mentor completes the SURE Faculty Mentor form (PDF).
5. Complete the online application and upload PDF files for your SURE application prompts and SURE Faculty Mentor form

Questions?

To learn more, contact Gabs James at gabs.james@oregonstate.edu.

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How proposals are reviewed

College of Science research faculty and staff carefully review all proposals for eligibility and merit. We prioritize applicants to fund based on the quality of proposals as reflected in the review criteria below. Award decisions are based on available funds. Preferences may be given to undergraduate students who are having their first research experience.

Proposals that describe the research project to a general audience, provide clear explanations of the approach and significance of the proposed work, and avoid using jargon or unexplained acronyms will fare better than those written from a highly focused, scientific discipline perspective. While you will develop your proposal together with a research faculty member you intend to work with, you must write it entirely on your own.

Applicants will be notified of award decisions via email.

Criteria for proposal evaluation

Scholarly merit

• Is the proposal well-written and scientifically sound?
• Does the proposal include an overall project hypothesis statement or objective?
• Is the significance and approach adequately described?
• Does the proposal clearly state the student's role?
• Does the proposal articulate an alternate plan should the research need to be remote?

Student impact

• Will this research experience impact the student’s life personally, educationally, and professionally?
• Has the student demonstrated the resilience and dedication required to be successful in research?
• Does the student have a significant financial need that this award might serve to decrease barriers to engagement in research?

Student ability

• Has the student demonstrated the ability to problem solve, work independently, and well in teams?