CITA Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships

We are no longer accepting summer applications. Please check back in January 2024.

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) provides undergraduate students who are interested in working on a research project in theoretical astrophysics an opportunity to work with our faculty, researchers and graduate students over the summer. Research areas may include cosmology, dark matter, galaxy formation, star formation, galactic structure, exoplanets, gravitational dynamics, interstellar medium, scintillometry, black holes, high energy astrophysics, and super computing.

Award recipients must work for 16 consecutive weeks during the summer beginning the first week of May, with a stipend of $9,500 for the 16-week period. For summer 2023, the program will begin on Monday, May 1 and  run through Friday, August 18. Students must be available for the entire duration of the program, be eligible to work in Canada and currently enrolled in full-time bachelor’s degree at a Canadian university. This is an in-person program. For out-of-town students, we cover travel costs and on-campus housing is available for a fee.

Application Instructions

All applications must include the following documents:

  • Most recent transcript (including Fall session grades); students with offers of award will be asked to submit their official paper transcripts
  • A letter which includes your preferred areas of research, any relevant skills such as computer programming and previous employment experience (or a CV)
  • A confidential letter of reference from a faculty member

List of possible research projects: https://www.cita.utoronto.ca/2023-surf-projects/

Online application: https://forms.cita.utoronto.ca/surf/application/register/

For further enquiries: office@cita.utoronto.ca

DEADLINE: JANUARY 31, 2023

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NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA)

All applicants will automatically be considered for the NSERC undergraduate student research award. To be eligible to participate, applicants must have completed two or more academic semesters with a cumulative average of at least second class (a grade of “B” or “B-“, if applicable) as defined by the university. The program is open to Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada, registered at the time of application in a full-time bachelor’s degree in natural sciences or engineering at an eligible university.

Candidates selected for the NSERC undergraduate student research award must also complete the online NSERC FORM 202 Part 1.