Semester Research Grant

The purpose of the Semester Research Grant is to assist students with expenses directly related to conducting research that occurs during the academic year.

Any continuing undergraduate student in good academic standing may apply for up to $500 from the Semester Research fund. We are able to fund about 20 students per year. Funding for the Program comes from the Office of the Vice Provost for Research.

The application link will be posted here at the start of the academic year (August 28th). This year's application deadlines will be:

Tuesday, October 15, 2024 at Noon (priority deadline)
Friday, December 6, 2024 at Noon (if funds remains)

Questions? Please contact [[w|kmpatterson]].

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Types of Expenses Supported

Payments to human subjects and payments for animal subjects
Equipment, books, and other materials not already supplied by departments, Information Technology, the library, or other campus sources

This list is not an all-inclusive one. Other items may be funded if sufficiently justified.

Expenses Not Supported by Semester Research Grants

Stipends or wages
Research costs that are included in the budgets of department or schools
Research costs that are included in the budget of the student’s advisor's grant for research in the same basic area
Equipment, books, or materials ordinarily supplied by departments or Information Technology or the library
Lessons or professional development fees
Projects that take place in the summer
Students seeking travel funding for research should apply to the Research in Motion Travel Grant rather than the Semester Research Grant

Application Timeline

Semester Research Grant applications are accepted in the fall semester for research during the academic year. The application will open at the start of the academic year. Students can apply by either deadline (October or December); however, those who apply during the first application period and are accepted will have more time during the academic year to use their funding. After each application deadline has passed, a committee will review all applications and decisions will be sent to students as quickly as possible.

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Required Information

Description of project (500 words)
- State the primary objective(s) of your research or project.
- Briefly describe the foundational themes that inform your subject and elaborate on how your own research builds on these themes and/or forges new ones.
- Describe the processes, methods, and materials you will use to conduct your research or project.
- Outline any anticipated results and their significance.
- Orient your work within your broader course of scholarship: Will this work comprise part of your thesis or dissertation? Does it build on work you’ve done in the past? Do you intend to develop it in the future?
- Explain the relevance and implications of your research or project: Why is this work important?
- Verification form from faculty mentor confirming that they support your research travel and that your requested expenses are reasonable

Explanation of why you are seeking funding and how these funds will benefit your research (500 words).
Completed budget template
Verification form from faculty mentor confirming that they support your research travel and that your requested expenses are reasonable
If applicable, approval from the appropriate Research Ethics Compliance committee (see information below)

Faculty Advisor Approval Form

Once you input your faculty mentor's email address in the application, they will automatically be sent an email requesting that they complete the approval form. The Charles Center expects that the faculty advisor has read the project description or abstract and reviewed your budget before signing the form.

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Award Letter

If you are notified that you have been awarded a grant, award letters must be signed and returned to the Charles Center by the deadline posted in the letter.

Payment Method

The method in which funds will be disbursed will depend on the nature of the expense.
- Some expenses, such as payments for human/animal subjects or for supplies that can only be ordered by an academic department, will be ordered by the department on your behalf in collaboration with the Charles Center to provide the necessary funding. All such expenses must be incurred by no later than May 1, 2024.
- Funds for all other expenses will be deposited directly into your Student Account. It may take up to several weeks before they are transferred; please sign into Banner to check their availability. Please see the Financial Information section below for more details.

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Potential Financial Aid Impact

By applying for this award, you give consent for the Charles Center to review your financial aid package through the Financial Aid Office. If you are receiving financial aid that has already assisted with your full financial need, accepting this award could result in a reduction of your future financial aid. If you have any questions, we recommend you contact the Financial Aid Office to understand the impact this award may have on your aid package.

Student Account Balance

If your student account is delinquent by the time the disbursement occurs, any amount owed to the College may be deducted from your check; you may then request a refund of the balance. To do so, you will need to request a Student Account Refund (see for this webpage for details). To expedite the processing of this refund, please sign up for direct deposit by visiting the Bursar website at Refunds | William & Mary (wm.edu)

Tax Information

Non-Resident Aliens: Federal regulation mandates that payments made to a Non-Resident Alien be analyzed for tax compliance and this process can take up to an additional 30 days for the award to be eligible for a refund. Non-Resident Alien students will be contacted via email with a login and password information the Sprintax Calculus system. This email may come from noreply@sprintax.com. The Payroll Office performs an analysis of the NRA information provided to identify whether or not the NRA qualifies for a tax treaty benefit. If you do not receive an email, please contact the Payroll Office directly at 757-221-2848.
All other students: Note that this award may be subject to both federal and Virginia state taxes and/or may affect your tax liability. Click here for a letter regarding general treatment of scholarships and fellowships for tax purposes. Contact your tax adviser for possible implications; Charles Center staff members do not give tax advice.

Research Ethics Compliance

If your research involves any of the following, you must submit a request for approval to the appropriate Research Compliance committee before submitting your application. Approval must be obtained before you begin research.

Work involving living human subjects (including surveys, interviews, focus groups, or questionnaires)

Review the information on the Charles Center's Research Involving Human Subjects webpage to determine which committee your research protocol should be submitted to
You and your faculty mentor/PI must complete the CITI training module for your research discpline (Area I - Humanities, Area II - Social Science, or Area III - STEM)
Take one of the following steps depending on the nature of your research:
- Submit a proposal to the Student IRB (exempt research)
- Have your faculty mentor submit a proposal to Protection of Human Subjects (PHSC) (non-exempt research)
- List your faculty mentor's PHSC or EDIRC (School of Education) approval information on the research grant application form if you are working on their research project.
If you have questions, please contact the appropriate person below:
- Undergraduates requesting approval for their own projects that meet exempt IRB requirements: Student IRB (contact Kate Patterson)
- Undergraduates working on a faculty mentor's project or whose research does not meet exempt IRB requirements: PHSC (Chair: [[jastev,Jennifer Stevens]])

Work that uses or produces radioactive materials

Speak to your faculty mentor and/or contact committee chair Eric Bradley with questions

Work that involves the use and care of vertebrate animals

You and your faculty mentor/PI must complete the CITI training modules listed as required for the program's course entitled "Investigators, Staff and Students-Working with the IACUC" under the "Laboratory Animal Welfare" curriculum. All personnel whose work involves activities with fish must complete the CITI modules titled either "Working with Fish in Research Settings" or "I work with Zebrafish: Danio rerio".
Work with your faculty mentor to submit a proposal through the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)

Work that involves recombinant DNA, or infectious agents, or direct or indirect contact with wild-caught animals that may harbor infectious agents, or any human fluid or tissue.

Please note: It has been determined by W&M that oversight of Select Agents falls under the purview of the Environmental Health and Safety Office. See a complete list of Select Agents and Toxins (pdf). Questions in regard to Select Agents should be directed to Teresa Belback, Director of EHS.

Follow the procedures and guidelines on the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) webpage to submit your proposal.

Semester Research Grant

General Information

Application Components

Next Steps

Financial Information

Research Ethics Compliance

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