Western Engineering Undergraduate Summer Research Awards

What you will need

• ✓ Agreement from a faculty supervisor in the Faculty of Engineering (needed before you submit)
• ✓ One application, which considers you for every Undergraduate Summer Research Award you are eligible for
• ✓ Applicants from other universities: an official transcript and university legend uploaded with the application
• ✓ For CSSL Internship applicants: attendance at one of the two mandatory information sessions

About this award

You will receive a minimum of $7,500 for 16 consecutive weeks of full-time research from May to August. This is a grant, not a loan, so you do not have to pay it back. Specific awards offer more: the NSERC (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada — the federal agency that funds science and engineering research) USRA (Undergraduate Student Research Award) and the Western Undergraduate Summer Research Internship both have a minimum value of $9,632. The Dean's Award and Student Research Awards (SRA) start at $7,500. The Bill & Barbara Etherington Undergraduate Research Fellowship pays $10,000 to the top 4 applicants in ECE (Electrical and Computer Engineering), and the Canadian Severe Storms Laboratory (CSSL) Internships pay $10,000 CAD. This is for you if you are an undergraduate student passionate about the natural sciences or engineering who wants to gain hands-on experience under the supervision of a faculty member. The 2026 round closed on Monday, January 26, 2026, at 11:59pm EST, and recipients were to be notified by early March 2026. Western has not yet posted the deadline for summer 2027. You need a Faculty of Engineering supervisor's agreement before you apply. Western says it will consider the diversity of awardees, to create opportunities for Black, Indigenous and racialized students, students who identify as LGBTQ2S+, women, and students with disabilities. Ask Western's Faculty of Engineering (weadmit@uwo.ca) during your application how the money will reach you — some awards pay students directly, others apply funds to tuition. Confirm this so you can plan your cash flow. Renewal conditions aren't listed, but note that you may hold only one USRA per fiscal year and a maximum of three USRAs throughout your entire undergraduate university career. Confirm with Western's Faculty of Engineering (weadmit@uwo.ca) if other awards have similar limits.

Who qualifies

To qualify for the NSERC USRA, you must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, be registered in a bachelor's degree program at an eligible institution by the deadline, and have a cumulative average of at least B+ (78%) over the current and previous year. You must have completed at least the first year of university (or two academic terms) and not have started a graduate program in natural sciences or engineering. For the Western Undergraduate Summer Research Internship, you can be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or international student. You must be registered full-time in the term immediately before the award, have a cumulative average of at least B- (70%), and not be enrolled in an undergraduate professional degree such as M.D. (Doctor of Medicine), D.D.S. (Doctor of Dental Surgery), or B.Sc.N. (Bachelor of Science in Nursing). The Dean's Award is open to domestic and international students with a minimum cumulative average of B- (70%) and the same other requirements as the NSERC USRA. The SRA (Student Research Award) is also open to domestic and international students with no minimum average required. For the Bill & Barbara Etherington Fellowship, you must be among the top 4 applicants in ECE with a minimum average of 80% in your last academic year. For CSSL Internships, you must be a Canadian citizen, international student, or permanent resident registered at a Canadian university, college, or high school and remain enrolled in September 2026. You must also be available from May 4 to August 28, 2026 (for university/college students) or July 6 to August 26, 2026 (for high school students), and attend one of the two mandatory information sessions.

This is what the award's official page said when we last checked. Rules change, so confirm on the award's official page before you apply.

• ✓ Canadian citizen, permanent resident or international student
• ✓ Open to undergraduate or high school students
• ✓ Studying natural sciences, engineering, atmospheric science, severe weather, GIS or computer science

How to apply

1. 1

   Read the award's official page

   Check you meet every requirement, and note each document they ask for.

2. 2

   Order your transcript1–2 weeks

   Your school's registrar can take a week or two.

3. 3

   This round closed on January 26, 2026

   Check the award's official page for the next round before you prepare anything.

Tips for applying

• SupervisorAvoid applying without a confirmed mentor. Instead, review the list of available opportunities or email faculty members whose research interests you to secure their agreement first. Reach out to potential supervisors well before the January deadline.
• SupportAvoid sending a generic request to faculty. Instead, mention specific aspects of their research that match your interests. Show them why you are a good fit for their lab.
• StrategyAvoid treating the application as a formality. Instead, remember that you only need to complete one single application to be considered for all available opportunities, provided you meet the specific requirements for each.
• RealismAvoid assuming your GPA alone will win you a spot. Instead, recognize that these are competitive placements requiring both academic standing and a willing faculty supervisor.

Questions students ask

Similar awards

• University of Toronto (Rotman Commerce)U of T International Scholar Award — Rotman Commerce$100,000
• McMaster University — Faculty of EngineeringClass of 1952 Mel Hawkrigg Honour Award$4,500
• BC Ministry of Education and Child CarePathway to Teacher Education Scholarship$5,000
• Gouvernement du Québec — Aide financière aux étudesAFE Loans and Bursaries Program (Programme de prêts et bourses)$14,000
• Toronto Metropolitan University - The Creative School / Shure Inc.Shure Award for Excellence in Sound Design (Image Arts)$5,000
• Calgary FoundationShannon Burwash Award for Leadership and Excellence in Equine, Agri-Business and/or Agricultural Studies$5,000
• University of SaskatchewanUniversity of Saskatchewan Entrance Scholarship (Best and Brightest)$30,000
• University of British Columbia — Vantage CollegeVantage One Excellence Award