Student awards play a vital role in advancing undergraduate research by recognizing the exceptional achievements of students across disciplines. These awards highlight outstanding scholarship, creativity, and inquiry while boosting student confidence, visibility, and momentum in their academic and professional journeys. For many students, receiving a CUR award affirms their potential, strengthens graduate school or career applications, and opens doors to mentorship and future opportunities. By celebrating excellence, these awards not only lift individual students but also reinforce the transformative impact that undergraduate research has on campuses nationwide.
Currently Open Student Awards
Currently Closed Student Awards
The Division of Arts and Humanities is offering four $300 scholarships to support undergraduate student research and creative inquiry projects at any stage of development up to and including presentation.
The Council on Undergraduate Research’s Trimmer Travel Fund Award is an endowed award and supports arts and humanities undergraduate scholars in presenting their research at professional meetings. The awardee will receive an award of $1000.
The CUR Biology Division provides funds, up to $250, to help undergraduates attend a discipline-specific meeting and enable interactions with primary researchers within that discipline. Presentations at discipline-specific meetings are preferred for consideration, however biological abstracts submitted to SACNAS, ABRCMS, AISES or another meeting focused on underrepresented populations will be considered for this grant.
The Education Division of CUR will award an outstanding undergraduate education student for their efforts in undergraduate research in education. An honorarium of $1000 will be given in the spring.
To highlight student research, the CUR Engineering Division has launched the Student Research Video Competition. Undergraduates share their research videos with the public via the CUR Engineering Division and will also be eligible to be recognized publicly and potentially receive a cash award.
The CUR Geoscience Division (GeoCUR) gives annual awards to full-time undergraduate students currently enrolled in a two-year or four-year educational institution engaging in research emphasizing the geosciences, such as geology, oceanography, atmospheric sciences, etc.
The CUR Health Sciences Division is offering awards to help cover the cost of registration and travel (up to $500) for undergraduate students presenting original research at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR 2026), April 13-15, 2026.
The CUR Physics and Astronomy Division requests applications for the Nadine Barlow Undergraduate Research Support Award. This award, with a maximum amount of $500 each, will be offered to help undergraduates (1) conduct faculty-mentored research, (2) present their research at national conferences, or (3) publish their research in peer-reviewed journals.
The CUR Psychology Division is offering a limited number of research (e.g., supplies or expenses) or presentation (travel/conference registration) awards for undergraduate students conducting original psychological research (up to $450 per project).
The CUR Social Sciences Division is offering a limited number of grants, up to $400 each, for undergraduate students presenting the results of research that they have conducted at a national or international, discipline-specific meeting (in person or virtually) during the academic year 2025-2026.
Please note that all CUR award recipients are responsible for any and all applicable tax obligations associated with receipt of the award.
All students, faculty, mentors, organizations, and institutions honored with becoming a part of the CUR award recipient community, you have the professional and ethical responsibility to maintain the highest professional conduct standards and embody the CUR Code of Ethics for Undergraduate Research in your words, actions, and deeds. In addition, all participants are expected to abide by the CUR Code of Conduct. Expectations for awardees are to show courtesy and civility in both their personal and professional communications while forever representing CUR and the distinguished honor of the specific award rewarded. One must conduct oneself in a manner both professional and ethical.
Strategies for Competitive Award Applications
This recording, featuring members from the various CUR award committees, shares best practices to ensure that all candidates have access to helpful information to prepare their best award applications possible.