IFITS Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Scholarships

Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Scholarships offered by the Institute for Inclusive and Transformative Scholarship (IFITS) are paid, 12-week research experiences offered to undergraduate students during the fall and spring semesters for their research or creative activity.

Note: These scholarships were previously offered as the HERC (Higher Education Research Council) Fellowships and the URCA (Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity) Grants. Both these opportunities will now be offered through a single application process that is described below.

These scholarships are open to ALL majors, giving students the opportunity to gain meaningful research skills with a faculty mentor while working on a research or creative activity project. Recipients of the scholarship MUST have a faculty mentor nominate them for the scholarship. Selected recipients receive a $3,000 stipend, paid in installments. They are also required to present their research or a reflection of their creative activity.
Note that scholarship funding is limited and the selection process is competitive.

Apply for the IFITS Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Scholarship
Scroll down for important dates, application process and other information.

Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Scholarships: Information and dates

Application Eligibility

All undergraduate students in ANY MAJOR can apply:

Be enrolled at Boise State for the semester for which you are applying.
Plan to conduct research or creative activity during the semester for which you are applying. For example, if you plan to be working on your research project during Fall 2024, apply in late February-March 2024 (look at the ‘Important Dates’ tab for exact dates) to be eligible for the Fall 2024 award.
Projects by student organizations and clubs are NOT eligible.
The IFITS Undergraduate Research Scholarship is part of a student’s financial aid package. In order to be eligible for the scholarship, a student must have space in their financial aid package to receive this award. If you are unsure about your status, please be sure to connect with us to go over eligibility.

Important Dates

Apply for the semester in which you will be actively conducting your research/creative activity project. Note the various timelines for the Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 semesters:

FALL 2024 dates:

Application opens: February 23, 2024
Deadline to apply: April 1, 2024
Emails to selected scholarship recipients: April 17, 2024
Acceptance decisions due: April 22, 2024
Project starts: September 9, 2024
Project ends: December 6, 2023

SPRING 2025 dates:

Application opens: September 30, 2024
Deadline to apply: November 15, 2024
Emails to selected scholarship recipients: December 4, 2024
Acceptance decisions due: December 10, 2024
Project starts: February 3, 2025
Project ends: May 2, 2025

Application Process

Apply for the IFITS Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Scholarships through the IFITS Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Scholarship Application Form. Students will need a faculty mentor/supervisor to complete the application process. Follow these instructions to complete the application form:

Identify a faculty research mentor/supervisor you would like to work with and a research/creative activity project you are passionate about. All grantees need to work with and receive support/coaching/assistance from a faculty member. Check out OUR’s “Getting Started” guide to learn more about connecting with faculty and doing research on campus.
Apply for the semester in which you plan to actively conduct your research.
Prepare answers to the following questions (that appear on the application form):
1. Please provide a short description of your research/creative activity project (250 words or fewer).
2. How will your project make a scholarly or artistic contribution to knowledge? (250 words or fewer)
3. How will this project support your academic and career goals? (250 words or fewer)
4. Why does this project matter to you? (250 words or fewer)
Complete the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Scholarship Application Form.
After you submit your application form (Step 4), make sure that your faculty mentor/supervisor completes the Faculty Mentor Form. Both forms will need to be submitted by the SAME deadline* in order for applications to be considered.

*Refer to the ‘Important Dates’ tab for Spring and Fall semester deadlines.

Scholarship Expectations

Students awarded the IFITS Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Scholarship must agree to the following expectations:

Complete and submit a project description and planning document that will outline a weekly schedule for achieving research/creative activity goals (IFITS will provide a template).
Attend the mandatory Scholarship Student Orientation (date will be shared). Your faculty mentor is highly encouraged to attend the session.
Fulfill the commitments outlined in your project description and planning document (as previously described).
Accept a $3,000 stipend, payable to you, in three monthly installments.
At the end of the project, submit a one-page summary that outlines how you met the expectations included in your original research proposal (IFITS will provide a template).
Submit this summary document, project abstract, and digital poster before the project ends. These details will be covered during the Scholarship Student Orientation session.
Create and present a research poster at the Boise State Undergraduate Research Showcase (URS) and/or the Idaho Conference of Undergraduate Research (ICUR).

Resources

IFITS Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Scholarship Application Forms:

Travel grants: Faculty can apply for conference funding for undergraduate students. Funds are limited and are available on a first-come first-serve basis. Email studentresearch@boisestate.edu for a link to the application form.

Research Conversations with the Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR): Join the OUR for informal conversations around undergraduate research. These will be held every other week during the semester. Calendar invites will be sent to the scholarship recipients.

Contact us: For questions about the application process, eligibility or other information about the scholarships, please email studentresearch@boisestate.edu