GSG Research Fellowship Awards

The Graduate Student Government (GSG) Research Fellowship is an award designed to help graduate students further their research interests. This award may be used to fund research related expenses including, but not limited to, research related travel, workshops, conferences, field trips, performances, exhibitions, lab equipment and so on. We award up to $1,700 for Regular Awards, and upto $2,000 for interdisciplinary projects or projects that intend to advance innovation and entrepreneurship. The Research Fellowship is made possible by the generous support of the UC Office of Research and Office of Innovation.

Please see the bottom of this page for information on the new GSG Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award.

Here's the link to the Application Form and the Research Fellowship Awards application deadline is Jan 15th, 2024 at 5 PM.

Extended Deadline: Jan 31st, 2024 at 5 PM.

Extended Deadline2: Feb 14th, 2024 at 5 PM.

The Research Fellowship is not intended for conference travel. However, application to, and receipt of, a GSG Conference Travel Award does not exclude a student from consideration for the Research Fellowship. If you have received the maximum funds allowed for the Conference Travel Award and wish to attend other conferences directly related to your research, you can apply for the Research Fellowship.

Restrictions: Please check the UC Stay Safe guidelines, especially concerning travel, as well as consult with your advisor to make sure your application is COVID-compliant.

Please note: Due to University policies, the Research Fellowship may not be used:

  • to purchase electronic items such as laptop, PC, iPad, Kindle, mobile device etc. (purchase of software/GPU/lab equipment maybe allowed depending on the strength/need of the application)
  • to fund survey awards/gifts, (- except VISA or equivalent gift cards) or 
  • to pay for tuition

A student must satisfy all the following criteria to be considered for the Research Fellowship:

  • Must be registered for at least 1 credit hour every semester (except summer).
  • Must be a member of a properly registered and active GSA group.
  • Must be a degree seeking graduate student with at least 12 credit hours earned.

All research proposals will be considered and are not required to align with thesis or dissertation projects. The Research Fellowship is a once-per-degree award. If a student graduates after receiving a Research Fellowship and returns to the University of Cincinnati to complete another degree, they may be eligible for another Research Fellowship. Research funds will remain available to the awardee until their date of graduation. Funds are disbursed via the department through a business or financial manager. 

Research Fellowship Application procedure

The Graduate Student Government has secured funding for the 2023-24 Research Fellowship Cycle in the following areas:

  1. Regular Research Fellowship Award ($1,700)
  2. Interdeciplinary Research Fellowship Award (upto $2,000)
  3. Innovation and Entreperneurship advancement RF Award (upto $2,000)

To fill the online Research Fellowship Application you will need the following application materials, and signatures from your Department and GSA. All materials can be uploaded via the online application form.

After successfully submitting the online application you will receive a confirmation email. Please look for this email in spam/other folder as well.

Maximum 3 pages double-spaced, with no less than 1″ margins and 12pt font. If the Research Fellowship will be used for travel, the location and dates must be mentioned here. The Statement of Purpose should detail your research project for a non-specialized audience. Please answer:

  • Your research area and topic, how you are doing the research, who is involved, and in what locations.
  • The current status of your research. Applications must be for continuing research.
  • The relevance of your research to related fields and the contribution that your research will make.
  • Goals and future plans for the project (such as conference presentation, publication, etc.).
  • How your research will benefit the University and the UC community.
  • Detailed description of how you plan to spend your Research Fellowship funds and justifications for your spending plan.

Your CV should be a maximum of 2 pages

You can find your current proof enrollment within your Catalyst account.

You can find your current semester billing statement via your Catalyst account.

You can find your Unofficial UC Transcript via your Catalyst account.

  • The letter must be on UC letterhead and must identify the recommended student by name and college.
  • The letter must come from a faculty member who is familiar with the applicant’s research. They should describe your research activity and your ability to accomplish the tasks put forward in your proposal.
  • The letter must be signed. 

If you are applying for the Research Fellowship for Interdisciplinary Research, please detail how your research supports these initiatives in a short essay, not exceeding one page. This essay should include the reasons on why you are specifically applying for this fellowship and why you believe your research can be characterized as tackling topics that exemplify interdisciplinary research.

On the application form, there are spaces to enter the affiliated Department Head or Graduate Director name and email address, as well as the affiliated GSA representative's name and address. Upon application submission, these two parties will receive verification emails. They will need to follow directions and submit a simple verification to GSG, confirming the applicant's affiliations.

We recommend that you contact these email recipients before you complete the application so that they know to look out for the email. Please ask them to check/search for this email in their spam or other folders. The email is titled " Approve/Verify [Applicant's] GSG Research Fellowship Application ..."

Please note: If you are a current GSA officer applying for this Fellowship, do not sign your own application but instead have another officer sign for you.

The Research Fellowship Review Committee will select proposals and notify recipients by the end of January 2023. Applicants will be assessed on organization and coherence of the statement of purpose, usage of references, originality of the proposal, sensitivity to the reader’s awareness, framing of future goals, and proposed benefit to the academic community. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed by the committee.

If, after having read these guidelines you still have questions, please contact the GSG Vice President.

GSG Innovation and Entrepreneurship Awards

The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Research Fellowship is designed to support researchers who have an applied research or innovation focus. It is expected that proposals will discuss how the project advances commercialization investigation and how customer discovery examination will propel overall research outcomes. The award is provided to advance research and outreach that will create positive economic and societal impacts through the workforce, innovation, or community development. GSG will identify and reward exemplary students who have created or innovated advanced technologies or research techniques that have the potential for measurable societal or economic impact. Submitted applications should include innovative projects that promote the development of novel technologies or research techniques that strengthen the discipline with potential commercialization. All disciplines are eligible to apply.

Please follow the below application instructions below.

Application procedure

To fill out the online GSG Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award Application you need the following application materials, and signatures from your Department and GSA. All materials can be uploaded via the same online application form.

Maximum 3 pages double-spaced, with no less than 1″ margins and 12pt font. If the award will be used for travel, the location and dates must be mentioned here. The Statement of Purpose should detail your research project for a non-specialized audience. Please answer:

  • Your research area and topic, how you’re doing the research, who is involved, and in what locations.
  • The current status of your research. Applications must be for continuing research.
  • The relevance of your research to related fields and the contribution that your research will add.
  • Goals and future plans for the project (such as conference presentation, publication, etc.).
  • How your research will benefit the University and the UC community.
  • Detailed description of how you plan to spend your Award funds and justifications for your spending plan.

Your CV should be a maximum of 2 pages

You can find your current proof enrollment within your Catalyst account.

You can find your current semester billing statement via your Catalyst account.

You can find your Unofficial UC Transcript via your Catalyst account.

  • The letter must be on UC letterhead and must identify the recommended student by name and college.
  • The letter must come from a faculty member who is familiar with the applicant’s research. They should describe your research activity and your ability to accomplish the tasks put forward in your proposal.
  • The letter must be signed. 

On the application form, there are spaces to enter the affiliated Department Head or Graduate Director name and email address, as well as the affiliated GSA representative's name and address. Upon application submission, these two parties will receive verification emails. They will need to follow directions and submit a simple verification to GSG, confirming the applicant's affiliations.

We recommend that you contact these email recipients before you complete the application so that they know to look out for the email. Please ask them to check/search for this email in their spam or other folders. The email is titled " Approve/Verify [Applicant's] GSG Research Fellowship Application ..." and may appear in the junk inbox.

Please note: If you are a current GSA officer applying for this Fellowship, do not sign your own application but instead have another officer sign for you.