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NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA) Summer 2025 Program

USRAs are meant to nurture your interest and fully develop your potential for a research career in health, natural sciences and engineering, or social sciences and humanities. These awards are also meant to encourage you to undertake graduate studies by providing research work experience that complements your studies in an academic setting.

A USRA is held full-time for 16 consecutive weeks between May 1, 2025 and August 31, 2025. NSERC provides a stipend of $6,000 per award. The award is supplemented by the Western USRA supervisor for a minimum of $3,268.

Student Eligibility:

Please visit the NSERC USRA overview page for details on student eligibility.

Finding a Supervisor:

Students applying to this program must have their application sponsored by a faculty member from Western’s Psychology Department. These faculty sponsors must have funding available to support the required student award supplement, and each faculty supervisor may sponsor one application. 

Undergraduate students wishing to apply to this Program should contact potential supervisors directly in advance of the deadline. Successful applicants in Psychology will be selected based on the following criteria:

  • Academic excellence
  • Research potential
  • Expected quality of the training and mentorship to be received

The faculty below have indicated that they are interested in sponsoring applications for Summer 2025.

NSERC USRA Summer 2025 Psychology Faculty Supervisors:

 Dr. Daniel Ansari
Dr. Laura Batterink
Dr. Lindsay Bodell
Dr. Blake Butler
Dr. Jesse Chavarria
Dr. Jessica Grahn
Dr. Paul Gribble
Dr. Marc Joanisse
Dr. Stefan Kohler
Dr. Scott MacDougall-Shackleton
Dr. Ken McRae
Dr. Paul Minda
Dr. Bruce Morton
Dr. Aislinn Sandre
Dr. Ryan Stevenson

Further details on these researchers and other potential supervisors not listed below can be found here - https://psychology.uwo.ca/people/faculty/fulltime.html.

Application Deadline:

The deadline for applications for the NSERC USRA Summer 2024 Program for the Department of Psychology is February 21, 2025. Application materials must be submitted electronically on this date to Kim Baxter at kbaxter7@uwo.ca.

Application Instructions:

Once a student and faculty supervisor reach agreement on a possible summer project, students must complete an application. In addition to completing the NSERC online application and uploading your transcript you must submit electronic copies of the following documents to Kim Baxter at kbaxter7@uwo.ca on or before February 146, 2025:

  • NSERC Form, Parts I and II - Login or register using the NSERC Online System. The NSERC online form is completed by both the student and supervisor:
    1. Student – Form 202 (Part I)
      1. NSERC PIN – Leave this field blank if this is your first application to NSERC.
      2. Upon completion of Form 202 Part I, the system will generate a Reference # that you will provide to your supervisor so they can complete Form 202 Part II
    2. Supervisor – Form 202 (Part II)

If you have applied for a NSERC USRA previously, you can update the existing form in the NSERC online system. 

  • Academic Record - Upload a copy of your most current Academic Record, accurate to December 31, 2024 to the NSERC Online System. Western students can request a copy of their Academic Record from Kim Baxter at kbaxter7@uwo.ca. Students from other universities completing a USRA application for a position at Western must upload official transcripts, including their university legend.
  • CV or resume outlining prior research experience
  • Consent Form for Access to Student Record
  • Stipend Form. (This is to be completed and signed by the faculty supervisor. The only signature required on this Form is that of the faculty supervisor.)

Additional information and resources on the NSERC USRA Program and application process: