Student Success - Funding

Funding

Undergraduate College Funding Programs

Undergraduate students may apply for up to $450 to cover some of the costs of faculty-mentored research, independent scholarly projects, or participation in an academic conference to present their own research. Students may receive no more than one Dean’s Office Award per semester and no more than two Awards during their undergraduate career.

Funding for research and projects must be used during the academic year, and the student must be enrolled at the College at the time of application and when the research / project takes place.

Funding to present research at a scholarly conference may be used during the academic year or during winter or summer breaks, as long as the student is enrolled at the College at the time of application, during the semester prior to the travel, and during the semester afterward.

Completed applications are reviewed on a monthly basis. Awards for approved applications will be disbursed until money runs out. The disbursement of funds can take several additional weeks. Awards are processed as fellowships and are considered taxable income.*

For more information and to begin the application process, please follow the links below.

Dean's Office Awards

Dean's Office Award Details

Undergraduate students may apply for up to $450 from the Undergraduate Dean's Office to cover some of the costs of faculty-mentored research or independent scholarly projects. To be eligible, the student must be enrolled at the College at the time of application and when the research or project take place.

Guidelines

  • Funding may be applied toward approved expenses associated with a student's own academic research, scholarly work, or faculty-mentored research.  In the past, students have asked for funding for such items as lab materials, travel to an archive or library, photocopying, and materials for a performance / production.
  • Students will be expected to explore other sources of funding from their own research labs and academic departments and programs before applying for a Dean’s Office Award.
  • Applications must include a budget showing how the award will be spent.* 
  • Awards cannot exceed $450, may not be used as salary or honorarium, and may not be used to support activities required for a course.
  • Awards will be taxed as fellowships. 
  • Students proposing projects that involve research on human subjects should review the procedures of the Institutional Review Board and discuss them with their faculty advisor.
  • A student may receive no more than one Dean’s Office Award for research expenses or conference travel per semester, and no more than two total awards during their undergraduate career. 
  • Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis throughout the academic year until funding has been exhausted for the year.

Application Process

  • To apply, the student must complete this form.  To avoid delay in review, students should answer all questions as fully as possible.  Applications must include a budget showing how the award will be spent.*  
  • In addition, all funding applications must be accompanied by a letter of support from a Tri-Co faculty member supervising the research/project or serving as the applicant's mentor. Be sure to give your mentor/supervisor at least 2-3 weeks advance notice.

* Here is a sample itemized budget. Note that the student has found a cost-effective mode of transportation and provided an educated estimate for one expense.   

Total amount requested:  $106.34

  • SEPTA tickets for Bryn Mawr to Temple University (10 trips x $5.75 fare): $57.50
  • 10 mini DV-tapes for tape recording: $18.84
  • Building block set for experiment: $30 (estimate)

Undergraduate students may apply for up to $450 from the Undergraduate Dean's Office to cover some of the costs of travel to and participation in an academic conference to present their own research. The student must be enrolled at the College at the time of application. If the conference takes place during the academic year, the student must be enrolled that semester and have permission of their dean and instructors to miss classes. If the conference takes place during a winter or summer break, student must also be enrolled during the semester prior to the travel and during the semester afterward.

Guidelines

  • Applicants must be presenting their own original scholarly research or faculty-mentored research at the conference.
  • Funding can be applied toward conference registration fees, travel, accommodation, and/or food expenses.
  • Students will be expected to explore other sources of funding from their own research labs and academic departments and programs before applying for a Dean’s Office Award.
  • Applicants must submit a budget showing how the award will be spent.* Awards cannot exceed $450.
  • Awards will be taxed as fellowships.
  • A student may receive no more than one Dean’s Office Award for research expenses or conference travel per semester, and no more than two total awards during their undergraduate career. 
  • Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis throughout the academic year until funding has been exhausted for the year.

Application Process

  • To apply, the student must complete this form.  To avoid delay in review, students should answer all questions as fully as possible.  Applications must include a budget showing how the award will be spent.* 
  • In addition, all funding applications must be accompanied by a letter of support from a Tri-Co faculty member supervising the research/project or serving as the applicant's mentor. Be sure to give your mentor/supervisor at least 2-3 weeks advance notice.

* Here is a sample itemized budget. Note that the student has found a cost-effective mode of transportation and provided an educated estimate for one expense.  

Total amount requested: $300

  • Roundtrip Bolt Bus Tickets (Philly-NYC): $30
  • NYC MetroCard (four rides x $2.50): $10
  • Conference registration fee: $75
  • Meals ($30 per day x two days): $60
  • Hotel for one night: $125

Additional Funding Opportunities

Fellowships

You can apply for fellowships that provide funding for research, travel, and more, with the help of advisers who can offer guidance on all stages of the application process, such as writing personal statements, requesting letters of recommendation, completing online forms, and preparing for interviews. 

Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship

The Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Program is the centerpiece of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation’s initiatives to increase diversity in the faculty ranks of institutions of higher learning.

Hanna Holborn Gray Research Fellowship

Up to 12 students are selected each summer to receive fellowships of $4,500 while they do research that can either be the beginning of the senior thesis or a project that stands alone, but is relevant to their intellectual interests.

Career and Civic Engagement Center Mini-Grants

During the Fall and Spring semesters, the Career & Civic Engagement Center offers undergraduate students the opportunity to apply for mini-grants to support their developing interests. 

Summer Scholarships

The College is dedicated to making funds available to eligible students to undertake an unpaid summer internship or research project. These funding awards enable students to pursue opportunities that further their academic, professional, and career interests. 


*Students with “nonresident’” status receiving awards that apply to activities that take place in the United States, scholarships, and/or grants in excess of tuition and fees will be required to pay U.S. federal income tax. The tax will appear on the student’s monthly statement account by November for the Fall semester and on the April statement for the Spring semester. A student may be eligible for a refund the following tax year after filing a U.S. federal return. For guidance on filing your federal tax return, please contact International Student and Scholar Services and Advising. For guidance on how the tax fellowship is calculated, please contact Christine Eigenbrot at ceigenbr@brynmawr.edu. You can also view the Student Employee Taxation of Wages Information Sheet.