UREX Award
Formerly the Program for Undergraduate Research Experiences (PURE)
UREX Award
The UREX Award is an exceptional undergraduate research experience that empowers UCalgary students to gain mentorship and learn valuable skills for their future. It provides up to $7,500 for undergraduate students in all disciplines to embark on an eight-, 12- or 16-week summer research project with a supervisor in a field they are passionate about.
The program offers students a first-hand look into how research contributes to new knowledge and solutions to society's greatest challenge providing students with valuable experiential learning that fuels creativity, discovery and innovation.
We strongly encourage applications from students in the early stages of their undergraduate degrees.
Important dates
UREX Summer
UREX Summer comprises 19 awards for undergraduate summer research experiences, including the UREX Award, USRA and Alberta Innovates. Students apply through one common application portal.
What is the purpose of a UREX Award?
The UREX Award program offers funded opportunities for University of Calgary undergraduate students to conduct research with a faculty supervisor over the spring and summer terms. Award recipients learn how research projects are developed and conducted, and how research results can contribute new knowledge and insights in their field of study and in the wider community.
Each UREX Award is a unique opportunity to develop research skills through experiential learning. Students explore personal research interests, develop the abilities to collaborate, think critically and creatively, and communicate with the research community. UREX Award experiences enrich and extend undergraduate learning at the University of Calgary.
Award Value
UREX Awards are funded for periods of 8, 12 or 16 weeks between May and August. 16-week awards are in the amount of $7,500, 12-week awards in the amount of $5,625, and 8-week awards in the amount of $3,750. Students holding UREX Awards will be paid $1,875 from the Undergraduate Awards Office once a month for the duration of the program, in accordance with the award values.
Eligibility
UREX Awards are open to UCalgary undergraduate students in any faculty and any discipline. It is intended for University of Calgary undergraduate students in good academic standing. We encourage applications from students in the early stages of their programs. UREX Awards are only available to continuing undergraduate students in the following fall academic term. Students who have completed the requirements for their degree program are not eligible for a UREX Award. Students planning to graduate in June are ineligible.
Minimum GPA
Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 to apply for a UREX Award. A cumulative GPA includes all courses that count towards a student’s current program of study. As the UREX Awards application deadline is in January, a student’s GPA includes their recent Fall semester grades. We strongly encourage students to connect with a faculty advisor to help accurately calculate their cumulative GPA.
Reporting
As part of their commitment, all UREX Award recipients must submit final reports upon completion of their projects.
Students are also strongly encouraged to showcase their projects at the annual Students' Union Undergraduate Research Symposium.
UREX Award holders must file reports summarizing the results of their research in late September.
Details on the submission process for final reports will be communicated in June.
The final report description and template will be shared with award recipients during the research term. The report will ask students to describe their research project and results and reflect on their experience.
