Federal Funding for Undergraduate Research

Federal Funding for Undergraduate Research

Program (recurring)

Agency

What it funds (how undergrads are featured)

Link

Research Enhancement Awards (R15 / AREA/REAP)

NIH

Small-scale research projects; NIH states purposes include “Expose students to research.”

https://grants.nih.gov/funding/activity-codes/R15

Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) – Sites & Supplements

NSF

Foundation-wide program that supports active participation in research by undergraduate students (Sites + Supplements).

https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/reu-research-experiences-undergraduates/nsf23-601/solicitation

Research in Undergraduate Institutions (RUI) & ROA-PUI

NSF

Research funding mechanisms designed to facilitate research at predominantly undergraduate institutions (commonly built around undergrad participation).

https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/rui-roa-pui-facilitating-research-predominantly-undergraduate/5763

Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program

NSF

Scholarship/program model for STEM undergrads and professionals to become K–12 STEM teachers (often includes research/evidence-building in teacher prep pathways).

https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/robert-noyce-teacher-scholarship-program/nsf23-586/solicitation

Research & Extension Experiences for Undergraduates (REEU) (program area priority within AFRI EWD)

USDA (NIFA)

NIFA describes REEU as providing practical experience for undergraduates in agricultural research/education/extension.

https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-reinforces-agricultural-food-education-pipeline

National Space Grant College & Fellowship Program (Space Grant)

NASA

State-based consortia funding STEM workforce development that commonly includes undergraduate research, internships, fellowships (program described on NASA site).

https://www.nasa.gov/stem-content/national-space-grant-college-and-fellowship-program/

Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI)

DOE (Office of Science)

Paid undergraduate research internships at DOE national labs (not a university grant mechanism, but a core federal undergrad research program).

https://science.osti.gov/wdts/suli/

Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship

NOAA

Scholarship + paid summer internship at NOAA facilities; includes presenting research and professional development.

https://noaa.dev.woc.noaa.gov/office-education/hollings-scholarship

Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF)

NIST (DOC)

Undergraduate research fellowship (summer research experience at NIST).

https://www.nist.gov/surf

Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP)

DoD

University instrumentation awards that strengthen research infrastructure (often used to expand hands-on student research opportunities, including undergrads).

https://www.onr.navy.mil/education-outreach/sponsored-research/university-research-initiatives/durip

SMART Scholarship-for-Service

DoD

Scholarship + service pathway for STEM students (commonly includes DoD lab work/internship experiences; not a research grant, but a major DoD undergrad pipeline).

https://www.dodstem.us/participate/smart/

Undergraduate NRSA Institutional Research Training Grants (T34)

NIH

Institutional training mechanism explicitly labeled for undergraduate research training.

https://grants.nih.gov/funding/activity-codes/T34

Undergraduate NRSA Institutional Research Training Grants (TL4)

NIH

Another NIH undergraduate institutional research training mechanism.

https://grants.nih.gov/funding/activity-codes/TL4

Education Projects (R25) (often used for summer research education experiences incl. undergrads)

NIH

NIH’s R25 is the umbrella activity code for education projects; institutes use it for programs that can include college undergraduates (e.g., summer research education experiences).

https://grants.nih.gov/funding/activity-codes/R25

Interdisciplinary Research Training Award (T90/R90, RL9)

NIH

NIH training mechanisms that can include undergraduate levels (institutional interdisciplinary training programs).

https://grants.nih.gov/funding/activity-codes/T90