Ready to catch the ultimate wave in your academic journey? The Student Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) is your aerial to discovery and innovation! This fellowship is designed to help you paddle out to the deep waters of your dream creative, scholarship, or research project. With SURF, you’ll get the funding you need to dive into exciting ideas, guided by a seasoned faculty member who will help you navigate the currents. If you are a sophomore, junior, or senior in any major, click on the appropriate buttons to check out the gear you’ll need for your application. Don’t let this wave pass you by—grab your chance to ride the tide of success!
Eligibility and Funding Amounts
Eligibility Funding Amounts
30 or more hours of credit toward degree by January Student Stipend, Spring Only: $1250
Minimum GPA: 3.25 Student Stipend, Two or More Semesters: $2500
US citizen or permanent resident alien Student Travel (Required): $750
Not a post-baccalaureate or graduate student Mentor Costs (Salary, Materials & Supplies, or Travel): $750
No more than 2 years of previous SURF funding
Application Deadlines and Materials
September 15, 2025: Registration Deadline
Mentors, to begin the process, please speak with your student and fill out the Intent to Apply Form together. Register Intent to Apply
Once you have completed the form, a representative from our office will contact the mentor to guide them and their student mentee through the process.
October 1, 2025: Contact the Research Compliance Officer if you plan to conduct human participant or animal subject research: researchcompliance@uca.edu.
October 8, 2025: Application Deadline for Comprehensive Review
If you would like our proposal development specialist provide feedback on all or part of the narrative components of your proposal, you must submit your application by October 8, 2024 to ORSP@uca.edu with the subject line “SURF Comprehensive Review.”
October 15, 2025: All Completed Applications Must Be Submitted
Representatives from the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs will begin reviewing your budget and budget justification and routing your application packet for university approval.
Link to Evaluation Criteria
ADHE-selected peer reviewers use the form in the link below to evaluate SURF applications.
SURF Evaluation FormLink to Funded and Unfunded Applications
If you would like to review examples of funded and unfunded applications, please click the button and sign in with your UCA credentials.
Final Reports and Travel Deadlines
| Project Period: Spring Only | May 1 |
| Project Period: Spring & Summer | August 1 |
| Project Period: Spring, Summer, Fall and Spring and Fall | December 1 |
No-Cost Extensions
If you require additional time to complete your project or conduct your research due to extenuating circumstances beyond your control such as a conference being cancelled or rescheduled, personal or family illness, called to active service in the military, etc., please complete the following in the order indicated:
- Request approval from ADHE directly by contacting quinton.morgan@adhe.edu. If you receive approval, complete Step 2.
- Fill out ORSP’s No-Cost Extension Form through DocuSign.