Undergraduate Teaching and Research Awards
For Students
UTRA Benefits
- Collaborate with faculty on important research or teaching projects
- Develop problem-solving and research skills, as well as a more comprehensive understanding of the research subject
- Explore an issue or topic of interest
- Have an impact on a Brown course or in a larger field of study
Info and Guidelines
Students that have already identified a project and a faculty mentor, may apply directly for an UTRA to support that opportunity.
2024 Summer UTRA projects must begin after Commencement and the duration of the full time project must span a period of a minimun of 8-10 weeks. We expect both faculty and student collaborators to find a mutually agreeable period between Commencement and the last week of August.
- Applicants must be active Brown undergraduate students
- Students may not be on a leave of absence from Brown either in the semester they are applying or in the period when they would receive the funding
- Students graduating in the spring are not eligible for a summer UTRA
- Students who have received summer funding from BrownConnect (LINK, UTRA, Signature Programs) in a previous summer will not receive priority consideration in the awards process.
International students receiving SPRINT stipends typically would not require work authorization. However, in a situation where there is external support from a non-Brown funding source, the expectation would be for the students to consult with OISSS regarding the work authorization process at least two months before the start day of their opportunity.
The SPRINT|UTRA program will support selected students through a progressive funding model. This model provides increased resources to students with high demonstrated financial need, who historically were less likely to apply to UTRA, and seeks to encourage their participation.
Base Stipend
| Summer UTRA | Semester UTRA |
|---|---|
| $2,500 (for domestic projects) $3,500 (for international projects) |
$1,200 |
The base award for domestic and international summer stipends are $2,500 and $3,000 respectively and the base award for the academic semester stipend is $1,200.
Gap Award
Students eligible for a “Gap Award” would receive additional funding in the amount ranging from $2,000 to $3,000 for summer projects; and $400 to $800 for academic semester projects based on their calculated Parent Contribution during the preceding summer or academic year.
| Summer UTRA | Semester UTRA |
|---|---|
| $2,000 - $3,000 | $400 to 800 |
Apply For An UTRA
Explore further details on UTRA application dates and processes.
Additional Information
UTRAs support various types of projects between Brown students and faculty. While most students collaborate with professors on research during the summer months, they may also apply for grants to support the creation or revision of a course, international projects, and in some cases, research during the academic year.
When we assign a student a "named UTRA," we consider that student to be the best representative of the donor's intention and someone who can represent Brown extremely well. While we encourage students who fit certain criteria to apply for an UTRA, applicants need not do anything to be considered for a Named UTRA.