Funding Opportunities

Funding is awarded in multiple ways on a competitive basis to undergraduate students engaged in research and creative activities under the mentorship of TU faculty members.

The Undergraduate Research and Creative Inquiry (URCI) Committee is guided by the definition of undergraduate research and creative inquiry given by the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) to determine which projects are eligible for funding. The CUR defines undergraduate research as “an inquiry or investigation conducted by an undergraduate student that makes an original intellectual or creative contribution to the discipline.” 

funding faq

What funding is available?

URCI offers four funding opportunities (learn more by clicking on the title): 

TIGURS is offered to rising sophomores and incoming transfers during the summer. It is designed for students new to research who will be matched to mentors.  

The Research Impact Award is offered to sophomore, junior and senior TU students.  It is a $1,000 award to do research with a Towson faculty member in the Spring semester. 

Advanced Research Grant is offered to TU students who are not in their senior year. It is a $5,000 award to do research with a Towson faculty member in the Summer. 
 
Travel Awards of up to $750 to present work at a conference are offered on a rolling basis.  

 See more details on Travel Awards below. 

Who is eligible to apply for funding?

Undergraduate students at TU who are enrolled in a degree-seeking program with six credits or more are eligible to apply for funding that supports undergraduate research and creative activities. 

What projects are eligible for funding?

All original scholarly and creative activity appropriate to any discipline at our university is eligible under this program. This includes but is not limited to, for example, research in natural and social sciences, humanities, artistic performances, and works of art.

The project must be mentored and supported by a full-time TU faculty member to be eligible for URCI funding.

Travel Grants

Students can be awarded an amount up to $750 to attend a professional meeting or conference where the student will present the results of their work. The funds can be used to pay for the registration fees for the meetings, transportation, lodging, and meals. To be eligible the student must be the main presenter of the work. Group presentations will be supported, but possibly at a reduced rate. Each member of the group has to submit a separate form, and must have a confirmation letter from the conference organizers verifying that the presentation was accepted.

Please be sure to apply for a travel grant as soon as you have the confirmation that your presentation has been accepted and students are eligible to receive travel funding only once per academic year.

application process

To apply, students should have a letter (email) from the conference organizers saying that their presentation is accepted; and students should let their faculty mentor know that they are applying for this funding. This information will be needed on the travel grant application form. Please be sure to apply for a travel grant as soon as you have the confirmation that your presentation has been accepted.

Please fill out this form.

In case there are questions, please reach out to .

AWARD CONDITIONS

  • Within a month of your return from your travel, you must submit (to ) two photos from your conference presentation experience. These photos will be used to promote undergraduate research and creative activity via social media.
  • You are also required to present a poster at the next Research & Creative Inquiry Forum.