Note: All undergraduate research funded through the Quad Undergraduate Research Scholars Program must comply with all University policies on COVID-19 and its research resumption regulations.
Eligibility:
- Applicants must be matriculated College students in good standing and registered full-time during the award period. This grant program is open to U.S. citizens, international students, and undocumented students.
- Recent graduates are not eligible, nor can funding be used the summer following graduation.
- Open to all majors.
- Students must be working on faculty-mentored research projects at the University of Chicago; Quad does not fund BA thesis projects, or self-directed or independent projects (see below), or international research.
- Students must apply during the application cycle that most closely corresponds with the first quarter they will begin (or continue) their research.
- Applicants do not need to be already engaged in research with faculty to be eligible to apply. Students who have recently secured an opportunity with a faculty-driven research project are eligible to apply. They will be expected to effectively articulate their research plan and what they will contribute to the broader faculty-driven research project. The faculty mentor overseeing the undergraduate will be required to submit a letter of support.
- Students proposing research that involves human subjects must provide proof that they have secured IRB approval or have completed the application and are awaiting results.
- GPAs will be reviewed at the time of application and strong academic performance is expected.
- Applicants must be pursuing undergraduate research during the academic year. Please apply for a Quad Summer Undergraduate Research grant if you are pursuing research during the summer only.
- Grants are not made for research experiences that are less than 10 hours per week; the average commitment for a grant of this amount is 10-13 hours per week during the academic quarter.
- Grants are not made for one-quarter of research unless you are graduating 4th-year student.
Additional expectations and award policies:
- Once awarded, recipients must be actively engaged in their research and remain full-time undergraduate students during their award period.
- If applicants have other scholarships, fellowships, awards or stipends supporting their research project and are also selected for a Quad grant, they may not be eligible to receive the full amount of this award. The award will be adjusted according to policies related to receiving funds from multiple UChicago sources.
- A student may receive a maximum of one Quad grant at a time and receive funding for only one grant in any given academic year.
- A student is eligible to apply for a second Quad grant (a second year) as long as they meet eligibility requirements for renewal awards or new awards. However, they may only receive a full Quad grant twice - for a total of four quarters during their time as a College student.
- All Quad scholars will be required to present their research at the annual University of Chicago Undergraduate Research Symposium (typically held in early May); if unable to present at the first symposium, they will be required to do so before graduation.
- All recipients are strongly encouraged to consult with their financial aid officer to ensure they understand any tax consequences or financial aid applications associated with receiving a research grant such as a Quad.
Not eligible:
- BA or BS thesis research of any type or duration (students looking for BA or BS thesis support should pursue funding through their departments)
- Independent or self-directed research without direct supervision of a faculty research mentor
- Independent study courses or "reading" courses
- Any research experience that is less than 10 hours/week during the academic quarter
- Projects that have not gone through the formal IRB process
- Students on a formal Leave of Absence from the University are not eligible for Quad grants
- Cannot be used for or with Metcalf funded experiences, or research undertaken in a non-academic environment (e.g. "market" research, corporate data collection, etc.).
- Students may not receive any funding for undergraduate research if they are also getting credit for the experience. This is a university-wide policy.
- Students may not receive Quad funding if they are being paid for the research through other means (eg Metcalf, a faculty research budget, departmental sources, etc). Applicants will be asked to disclose all sources of funding and any other applications made for funding as a part of their Quad application; Quad funds may be adjusted or denied in response to other grants received for the same research.