Funder: Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Due Dates: May 1, 2026 (Summer agency cut-off) | October 1, 2026 (Fall agency cut-off) | January 15, 2027 (Winter agency cut-off) | Institution-set deadlines (Applicants)
Funding Amounts: $6,000 plus required host institution contribution for 14–16 weeks; $990,000 for approximately 165 awards
Summary: Supports Black undergraduate students with academic research work experience to develop research potential and encourage graduate studies.
Key Information: CIHR awards are exclusively for students who self-identify as Black and must be held at eligible Canadian institutions with CIHR allocations.
Description
Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRAs) provide research work experience in an academic setting that complements undergraduate studies. The program aims to nurture students’ interest in research, develop their potential for a research career, and encourage graduate study. It is jointly administered by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).
The wider program covers health, natural sciences and engineering, and social sciences and humanities, including interdisciplinary research. Applicants must select the agency whose mandate most closely matches their proposed research. This CIHR opportunity supports health-related research experience and is currently reserved for Black student researchers. Institutions select applicants within their agency-specific award allocations.
