Undergraduate Teaching and Research Awards

For Students

For Students

Undergraduate Teaching and Research Awards (UTRAs) provide undergraduate students from all disciplines in their first through fourth year unique opportunities to collaborate with faculty on research and teaching projects

Types of UTRA Awards

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.

Semester UTRA
Students may apply for a semester UTRA to conduct research and curriculum development projects during the semester.  Semester UTRAs take place in the fall and spring and are especially attractive for students who want to collaborate with faculty who are unavailable during the summer or who cannot themselves spend the summer in Providence. Shorter term projects, as well as those that require school to be in session (as in many education or psychology projects) are also appropriate for semester UTRAs.

Summer UTRA
During the summer, students and faculty spend 8-10 weeks collaborating on an ongoing faculty project or one of the student's design.  Depending on the nature of the project, this might include time spent in the laboratory, archive, or in the field. 

International UTRA
The International UTRA supports collaborative research or teaching projects abroad. Applications to work abroad will be considered only when both the faculty and the student are traveling and are on-site together.

Students may only apply for an international UTRA during the summer. Semester international awards are not permitted. Students who are interested in conducting research while abroad during the academic year should consider the possibility of a Global Independent Study Project (GLISP), sponsored by Brown's Office of Undergraduate Study Abroad.

Brown may, at its discretion, prohibit undergraduate study abroad or other university-sponsored undergraduate activity at sites where the severity of the U.S. State Department Travel Warning is particularly acute. For additional information and a list of countries on the Travel Prohibition list, please visit Brown's Office of Undergraduate Study Abroad.

Eligibility

  • All undergraduate applicants who are currently enrolled in Fall Semester and who will be enrolled in the upcoming Spring semester are eligible to apply (students who take a leave of absence during the current Spring semester, or plan to take a leave for the upcoming Fall semester will not be eligible to apply or receive funding).  
  • Undergraduates 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 SPRINT funding. 
  • Students studying abroad during the upcoming Spring semester are eligible to apply, but must maintain an active, registered status at Brown. 
  • Undergraduates who previously received SPRINT semester awards remain eligible to apply to SPRINT semester programs and at the same time priority will be given to students who have not previously received SPRINT semester  awards.
  • The SPRINT program will work with Brown’s Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards to ensure that applicants are in compliance with conduct expectations.
  • All undergraduate applicants who are currently enrolled in Spring Semester and who will be enrolled in the upcoming Fall semester are eligible to apply (students who take a leave of absence during the current Spring semester, or plan to take a leave for the upcoming Fall semester will not be eligible to apply or receive funding).  
  • Undergraduates 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 SPRINT funding. 
  • Students studying abroad during the upcoming Fall semester are eligible to apply, but must maintain an active, registered status at Brown. 
  • Undergraduates who previously received SPRINT semester awards remain eligible to apply to SPRINT semester programs and at the same time priority will be given to students who have not previously received SPRINT semester  awards.
  • The SPRINT program will work with Brown’s Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards to ensure that applicants are in compliance with conduct expectations.
  • All undergraduate applicants currently enrolled in Spring semester and who will be enrolled in the upcoming Fall semester are eligible to apply (students who take a leave of absence during the Spring semester, or plan to take a leave in the upcoming Fall semester will not be eligible to apply or receive funding).  
  • Undergraduates 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 SPRINT funding. 
  • Students studying abroad Fall 2025 are eligible to apply, but must maintain an active, registered status at Brown. 
  • Undergraduates who have received summer funding from SPRINT (LINK, UTRA, Signature Programs) in past years  may apply again.
  • Undergraduates who previously received SPRINT summer awards remain eligible to apply to SPRINT summer programs and at the same time priority will be given to students who have not previously received SPRINT summer awards.
  • Students may not simultaneously receive a SPRINT award and take summer classes at Brown or elsewhere.  Students who accept a SPRINT award will be required to confirm that they will not register for summer undergraduate courses at Brown or elsewhere.
  • The SPRINT program will work with Brown’s Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards to ensure that applicants are in compliance with conduct expectations.

Required for all UTRA recipients who will be spending time outside the U.S. while working on their UTRA projects.

Application Process

Students interested in applying for an UTRA, must submit an application via UFunds, Brown’s online application system. 

For the upcoming Spring 2025 UTRA cycle, the application will open on October 4th, with a submission deadline of October 21st @12 PM EST (noon) 

Students can view the Spring 2025 Faculty UTRA opportunities HERE (or access a pdf version)

Should you have any questions about the application process or experience technical difficulties, please email utra@brown.edu

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Resources

This section gives students access to relevant tools or information to enhance their undergraduate research experience.

Fall 2024 Student Collaborator Guide

VIDEOS

Named UTRAs