Organizations and institutions that champion undergraduate research play a critical role in shaping meaningful, high-impact learning experiences for students. By fostering a culture of inquiry, investing in mentorship, and building systems that support scholarly exploration, these campuses create environments where research can flourish across all disciplines. Recognizing institutions that lead in this work underscores the importance of strategic vision, collaboration, and sustained commitment to student success. CUR’s institutional and organizational awards honor those who set the standard and demonstrate how undergraduate research can transform both individuals and entire academic communities.
Currently Open Organizational Awards
The Council on Undergraduate Research’s Campus-Wide Award for Undergraduate Research Accomplishments (AURA) recognizes higher education institutions that have successfully implemented at least five of CUR’s Characteristics of Excellence in Undergraduate Research (COEUR), have devised exemplary programs to provide high-quality research experiences to undergraduates, and have evaluated the success of these programs.
Deadline: Letters of Intent are due by July 24, 2026
Currently Closed Organizational Awards
The CUR Biology Division is pleased to announce a limited number of research supply grants, up to $500 each, to members of the Biology Division. These grants are intended especially for projects with undergraduates in which a small grant will make a big impact. Grant funds will be given as a stipend and do not need to be used during this fiscal year.
This award recognizes websites with logical navigability and design, that effectively communicate information for faculty and students, highlight program successes, and provide programmatic details that could allow for replication. Awardees receive $500.
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.