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Frequently Asked Questions

Application Questions

When are USC Provost’s Undergraduate Research Fellowship applications available and when is the deadline to submit an application?

For the Fall Grant Period, applications are accepted from either the last week of July through the third Thursday of August. For the Spring Grant Period, applications are accepted from the first week of November through the first Thursday of December. For the Summer Grant Period, applications are accepted from early March through the third week of March.

What is required from me when I apply for a USC Provost’s Undergraduate Fellowship?

You must complete a Student Application form online, which includes the submission of a one-page description of the intended research project.  Once you enter you enter your faculty name and email, the portal will automatically send an email that allows your faculty supervisor to submit a recommendation letter. Faculty Supervisor Recommendation Forms remain valid for one year. Faculty whose previous recommendation forms are less than a year old are encouraged to download the form and write “Use faculty recommendation already on file” before sending it in.

May I have my faculty supervisor send a Faculty Supervisor Recommendation form to you via email as an attachment?

We require all faculty to submit recommendations through the portal only. Faculty should expect an email from the portal once student submits their online application.

If I receive a USC Provost’s Undergraduate Research Fellowship for a semester, may I reapply for another USC Provost’s Undergraduate Research Fellowship for the next semester?

Yes, former recipients from the previous semester are welcome to reapply for funding. Please note that you will be expected to submit another online Student Application Form, including a one-page description of the intended research project, and a Faculty Supervisor Recommendation Form. Faculty whose previous recommendation forms are less than a year old are encouraged to download the form and write “Use faculty recommendation already on file” before sending it in.

When do applicants hear that they received a USC Provost’s Undergraduate Research Fellowship?

Students are generally notified via email by add/drop period.

How can I get funding or credit for my research if I did not receive USC Provost’s Undergraduate Research Fellowship funding?

USC offers a variety of funding sources to promote undergraduate research including the Undergraduate Research Associates Program (URAP) for USC research active faculty, or Dornsife’s SURF and SOAR programs. Students can also receive academic credit for doing research by enrolling in a 490 level course. Faculty advisement is required to enroll in a 490.

What are the SOAR/and SURF fellowships?

The SOAR and SURF fellowships are offered through the Dornsife College of Letters Arts and Sciences for students whose major is in the Dornsife College. These programs are not associated with the Provost’s Undergraduate Research Fellowship. The contact person for both SOAR and SURF programs is Debbie Williams. She can be contacted via email either at soar@dornsife.usc.edu (Fall/Spring) or surf@dornsife.usc.edu (Summer) regarding SOAR or SURF related questions, respectively. Students who receive either SOAR or SURF funding cannot also receive Provost Fellowship funding.

Recipient Requirements

Are there any hourly requirements per week for USC Provost’s Undergraduate Research Fellowship recipients?

Specific times each week may vary based on your project but students should expect to work an average of 8-10 hours per week for at least 10 weeks on their project in a given semester. Summer recipients are expected to work an average of 20 hours per week for at least 8 weeks.

Are there any requirements for recipients of the USC Provost’s Undergraduate Research Fellowship program?

Yes. Recipients must submit a 2-page summary report at the conclusion of their research project. In addition, all recipients are expected to participate in the annual USC Undergraduate Symposium for Scholarly and Creative Work held in mid-April. Recipients will be contacted via email with details about the event early in the Spring semester.

What is a two-page report and what should I include in it?

A two-page report is a brief summary of the research conducted and the preliminary outcomes. Students must be sure to include a one-sentence abstract summarizing the project in simple terms. Additionally, the report should include a plan or schedule for continued interpretation, publication, and dissemination of the results of the project (i.e., senior thesis, co-author publication, conference presentation, etc.). Students may submit the report as either single or double spaced. Reports should be uploaded on a link that will be sent to students before the end of the term.

Payment Questions

If I am awarded a USC Provost’s Undergraduate Research Fellowship, when should I expect to receive my payments?

You should expect to receive an email from the Office of Undergraduate Education once your payment is processed. Stipends will either be electronically transferred to your bank account (preferred) or mailed directly to your local address. We highly encourage students to submit a direct deposit form and update their local address on OASIS as soon as possible. We no longer have access to the actual checks as they are processed by USC Financial & Business Services. Please expect to receive each of their payments during the last week of June and July for the summer term. Fall Provost Fellowship recipients should expect to receive each of their payments in October and November. Spring Provost Fellowship recipients should expect to receive their payments in February and April.

Is there any way I can pick up my check?

No, checks are mailed directly from USC Financial & Business Services.  We are no longer able to pick up and distribute checks. Please be sure to update your current mailing address on OASIS/MyUSC as soon as possible (at the beginning of the semester)..

Are there any options besides having my stipend mailed to my local address?

We encourage you to sign up for direct deposit. Students who elect for direct deposit will receive their stipends 7-10 business days faster than students who request to have their checks mailed. If you would like to have your stipend deposited into your bank account, then follow the directions that is outlined in the “How to Sign Up for Direct Deposit SSTI” pdf document. Be advised that your first installment may arrive as a check and all future stipends will be deposited into your personal bank account

What if I did not receive my stipend check in the mail?

Please contact Tiffany Fong via email at tiffantf@usc.edu and inform her that you have not received your check. She will issue a stop payment and have a check re-issued and mailed to your current mailing address.

Why can’t I receive multiple sources of funding in a given semester?

Unfortunately, we do not allow undergraduate students to receive multiple sources of funding in the same semester because we want to provide research opportunities to as many undergraduate students as possible. Whenever possible though we encourage students to enroll in a 490 course so that they can earn course credit in addition to their stipend (please note that other funding programs may not permit concurrent enrollment in a 490 course).

If you have additional questions, please contact Dr. David Glasgow at (213) 740-6146 or at dglasgow@usc.edu.