GSC Research Funding

Your department must be listed as either active or probation before you can be approved or reimbursed. If your department is listed as on probation or inactive, please contact your representative immediately!

Check Department Status

You will need to provide:

1. Your CV; 
2. Project description with a detailed budget including all income; support from your department, etc (no more than 1-2 pages); 
3. A letter of support from your Department Chair, Director of Graduate Studies, or Dissertation/Thesis director in support of the student and attesting to the appropriateness of the proposed budget and project. The letter of support will be collected by the student and submitted along with the other application materials.

**Make sure all materials are completed before uploading**

• Submit your research grant application.
• After submitting your research grant application, you will receive a system-generated e-mail of submission confirmation. If you do not receive this e-mail, your application was not received by the GSC Director of Finance. You should resubmit your application. 
• You will be notified of your funding status (e.g., approved, waitlist, etc.) through the e-mail address you provide in your application. Please ensure the e-mail you provide is accurate and a UofL e-mail address.
• Only one award is permitted per Academic year per student to allow more students the opportunity to receive the reward. This may change if funds permit.

Review the Rubric

An excellent application includes: 

• An excellent letter of support (should include a glowing recommendation for you as a researcher and confirm the detailed budget is appropriate), 
• A research summary that is compelling and understandable to a wide audience (a committee of grad students from various backgrounds review the grant applications), 
• A detailed and realistic budget (Max amount is $500, please say exactly what the award will pay for, where the money will come from if the award is not received, if the full amount is essential to the project or if partial funding can be used to help the project),
• Clearly outlines the project timeline,
• Clearly outlines the benefit to the field of research,
• Well-organized and easy to read,
• Demonstrates financial need (Priority goes to students who might otherwise pay for funds from their own pocket, but demonstration of need can sway the reviewers)
• Priority is given to students who demonstrate need based on urgency to graduate
• Priority is given to students who have not been awarded a research grant in the past
• Application Samples
  • Project Description & Budget Sample 1
  • Project Description & Budget Sample 2
  • Support Letter Sample 1
  • Support Letter Sample 2

• Grant monies awarded will be transferred to the student's respective department to be disbursed according to University Policy.
• All items purchased with university funds remain property of the researcher’s department.
• Any incentives utilized for research must comply with University policy.
• No reimbursements will be considered.
• No single student can receive a GSC Research Grant more than once per academic year, and priority in subsequent years will be given to first-time applicants. If you have already received a Research Grant, you must complete this form to be considered again.
• Recipients of the Research Grant will be asked to sign a statement acknowledging these Disclaimers.
• Funding priority will be given for the following reasons: 
  • First-time applicants
  • If monetary help is NOT received from School/Department; Out of pocket expense
  • Relevance to graduation
  • Timeline of study (i.e. progression or status of study)
  • Presentation of the Application package (i.e. organization, clarity, professionalism)

Those awarded a GSC Research Grant will be required to present either a poster or a short (10-12 minute) oral presentation on their work at GSC Regional Research Conference. This is a mandatory requirement for receiving a GSC Research Grant.

After the research project (or at the end of the academic year, if the project is ongoing), the Research Grant recipient agrees to submit a brief but detailed Research Grant Report to the Research Grant committee, and to recognize the Graduate Student Council's support in any publication that results from this research. Students who do not submit their research report will not be eligible for future GSC Research Grants.