CLAS is looking for proposals from undergraduate students who are currently engaged in research to apply for the following funding opportunity. Please share this information with undergraduate majors and faculty mentors in your departments. 

John and Elsie Mae Ferentz Undergraduate Research Fund provides financial support to junior or senior CLAS undergraduate students who are currently registered for a research project, honors in the major, guided independent study, research-based capstone course, or BFA project. Students are eligible to receive the funds during the semester they are registered for the research project. 

Funding Amount and Deadlines:

• $1,000 per student
• Up to 10 students will be funded for AY24-25
• Rolling application process

To be eligible, students must:

• be registered for a research project, honors in the major, guided independent study, research-based capstone course, or for the BFA project during the semester of funding.
• have a minimum 3.33 UI cumulative GPA.
• continue as a junior or senior CLAS student.
• be working with a CLAS faculty member (as a mentor, advisor, or other capacity). 
• be enrolled in a CLAS degree granting program (major) and seeking first undergraduate degree.
• be enrolled in a minimum of 6 s.h. during semester of award 
• not have current funding for research activities (i.e., in the semester applying for funding). 
• Not be a current ICRU fellow (former ICRU fellows are eligible).

Application Process (please make sure these materials are submitted by the deadline): 

(1) Student submits: 

• an email to clas-scholarships@uiowa.edu with their name and university ID number and the name of their faculty mentor (who should also provide an email).
• an attached one-page description of the research project, including how the work advances their own research or creative goals.

(2) CLAS Faculty mentor submits: 

• an email to  clas-scholarships@uiowa.edu  confirming that the student will be doing research under their guidance and a short statement of endorsement of the student and the research project (this does not need to be a formal letter of recommendation, but a short endorsement). 

For proposals involving groups of students, please submit one proposal with each student’s name, email, and university ID number.

Proposals should be submitted electronically; questions can be sent to clas-scholarships@uiowa.edu.

For more information regarding this funding opportunity, check the website and infographic.