Student Summer Programs
The Student Summer Programs (S3 and MS3) programs provide funds for a student and faculty mentor to devote time to a research and/or creative project during the spring/summer semester. Generally, S3/MS3 grants provide a student stipend, faculty stipend, and a small budget for supplies. Through these grants and the mentorship of a faculty member, the program offers a unique opportunity for undergraduate students to do hands-on, professional research and creative practice in their chosen field. Combining academics, field work, and a reflection component provides students with a meaningful learning experience that helps to prepare them for graduate school and future careers.
Proposal Period Opens November 1, 2025
About the Student Summer Award
STUDENT SUMMER SCHOLARS (S3) APPLICATION PROCESS DESCRIPTION
The application is a collaborative effort between one potential student scholar and faculty mentor(s). An undergraduate student may propose a research, scholarly, or creative project to a faculty member, or a faculty member may actively recruit an undergraduate student to devote about twelve weeks/400 hours to a research and/or creative project during the spring/summer semester.
The application has six sections:
- Project Goals/Scope
- Student Preparation and Motivation
- Mentorship/Apprenticeship Plan
- Project Feasibility
- Commitment to Project
- Dissemination Plan
Review is double-blind; please ensure to avoid using names in application
AWARD
The S3 program enables an undergraduate student, with support from faculty mentor(s), to propose an intensive research, scholarly, or creative project to be conducted or created during the Spring/Summer semester. Awards will be made based on the quality of the proposals. Each award includes: $5,000 stipend for the student scholar; $750 for supplies and/or services related to the project; and up to $3,000 for the faculty mentor(s) to use as stipend and/or additional support for the project. In total, the maximum for each S3 award will be $8,750. Beyond the stipends, S3 also provides travel grants for S3 scholars to present their S3 research at academic and/or professional conferences and meetings for two years following the award, or until the scholar graduates from GVSU, whichever comes first.
STUDENT ELIGIBILITY
The program is available to undergraduate students at GVSU who have not yet completed the requirements for graduation. Successful students will have demonstrated a record of academic success in their discipline. It is expected that the student will be enrolled at GVSU as a full-time undergraduate for at least one full semester of study beyond the period of the award (i.e. the following Fall semester).
FACULTY ELIGIBILITY
All tenured, tenure-track, visiting, and affiliate GVSU faculty are eligible to mentor S3 students. Faculty will commit an appropriate portion of their time to effectively and actively mentor a student; they will be expected to have a limited teaching/scholarship/service load for Spring/Summer semester. Faculty must disclose any pending or successful applications for additional funding during the Spring/Summer semester.
APPLICATION
An undergraduate student may propose a research, scholarly, or creative project to a faculty member, or a faculty member may actively recruit an undergraduate student for full-time collaboration during the Spring/Summer session. The applicants must use the Application Requirements format provided in this document. Completed applications for the 2026 Spring/Summer semester, submitted electronically, are due Friday, February 6, 2026.
About the Modified Student Summer Award
MODIFIED STUDENT SUMMER SCHOLARS (MS3) APPLICATION PROCESS DESCRIPTION
The application is a collaborative effort between one potential student scholar and faculty mentor(s). An undergraduate student may propose a research, scholarly, or creative project to a faculty member, or a faculty member may actively recruit an undergraduate student for part-time or full-time work to devote about six to twelve weeks/200 hours to a research and/or creative project during the spring/summer semester.
The application has four sections:
- Project Goals/Feasibility
- Student Preparation and Motivation
- Mentorship/Apprenticeship Plan
- Commitment to Project
Review is double-blind; please ensure to avoid using names in application
AWARD
The MS3 program enables an undergraduate student, with support from faculty mentor(s), to propose a research, scholarly, or creative project to be conducted or created during the Spring/Summer semester. Awards will be made based on the quality of the proposals. Each award includes: $2,500 stipend for the student scholar; $500 for supplies and/or services related to the project; and up to $1,500 for the faculty mentor(s) to use as stipend and/or additional support for the project. In total, the maximum for each MS3 award will be $4,500. Beyond the stipends, MS3 also provides travel grants for MS3 scholars to present their MS3 research at academic and/or professional conferences and meetings for two years following the award, or until the scholar graduates from GVSU, whichever comes first.
STUDENT ELIGIBILITY
The program is available to undergraduate students at GVSU who have not yet completed the requirements for graduation. Successful students will have demonstrated a record of academic success in their discipline. It is expected that the student will be enrolled at GVSU for at least one full semester of study beyond the period of the award. Questions about student eligibility for MS3 should be directed to the Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarship (OURS).
FACULTY ELIGIBILITY
All tenured, tenure-track, visiting, and affiliate GVSU faculty are eligible to mentor MS3 students. Faculty will commit an appropriate portion of their time to effectively and actively mentor a student; they will be expected to have a limited teaching/scholarship/service load for Spring/Summer semester. Faculty must disclose any pending or successful applications for additional funding during the Spring/Summer semester.
APPLICATION
An undergraduate student may propose research, scholarly, or creative projects to a faculty member, or a faculty member may actively recruit an undergraduate student for half-time collaboration during the Spring/Summer session. The applicants must use the Application Requirements format provided in this document. Completed applications for the 2026 Spring/Summer semester, submitted electronically, are due Friday, February 6, 2026.
S3 Proposal Requirements
Student Summer Scholar Proposal Overview
The application has six sections:
1. Project Goals/Scope
2. Student Preparation and Motivation
3. Mentorship/Apprenticeship Plan
4. Project Feasibility
5. Commitment to Project
6. Dissemination Plan
Review is double-blind; please ensure to avoid using names in application
How do you prepare a successful proposal? We encourage you to:
- Review the Scoring Rubric URC will use to assess the proposals.
- Review the Frequently Asked Questions.
- Review examples of previous successful applications.
- Contact us about getting feedback from previous URC members on your draft proposal.
- Drafts must be submitted no later than three weeks from the submission deadline in order to receive feedback.
- Review the Mentor and Scholar expectations.
MS3 Proposal Requirements
Modified Student Summer Scholars Proposal Overview
The application has four sections:
1. Project Goals/Feasibility
2. Student Preparation and Motivation
3. Mentorship/Apprenticeship Plan
4. Commitment to Project
Review is double-blind; please ensure to avoid using names in application
How do you prepare a successful proposal? We encourage you to:
- Review the Scoring Rubric URC will use to assess the proposals.
- Review the Frequently Asked Questions.
- Review examples of previous successful applications.
- Contact us about getting feedback from previous URC members on your draft proposal.
- Drafts must be submitted no later than three weeks from the submission deadline in order to receive feedback.
- Review the Mentor and Scholar expectations.
Application Examples
Click here to see application examples for both the Student Summer Scholars Application and the Modified Student Summer Scholars Application:
How to Apply
Step One: Prepare your proposal using the Proposal Requirements (linked above based on type).
Step Two: Submit your proposal online. You will be asked to complete an online form, then you will upload your proposal. The proposal needs to be one complete PDF document that you will submit online. There is only one upload button, so please be sure your document is complete.
APPLICATION PREPARATION
The application is a collaborative effort between the potential student scholar and faculty mentor. A student may propose a research or creative project to a faculty member, or a faculty member may actively recruit a student for full-time or part-time work to devote about twelve weeks/400 hours or six to twelve weeks/200 hours to a research and/or creative project during the spring/summer semester.
We will be accepting 2026 S3/MS3 Applications beginning on November 1, 2025. Please apply online by Friday, February 6, 2026. The online application system opens November 1, 2025, and closes at 11:59 p.m., February 6, 2026. There will be no administrative support after 5:00 p.m. PLEASE NOTE: Your application is incomplete if you have not uploaded your application document. INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. NO DEADLINE EXTENSIONS WILL BE GRANTED. You should receive an email confirming your application submission. If you do not receive an email, then your submission has not been made. Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns about your submission.
SELECTION PROCESS
The proposals are reviewed and awards determined by the Undergraduate Research Council (URC). Notification letters will be distributed in Mid-March. Faculty and students will receive an email notification.
S3/MS3 FAQ
Will the online application save my progress?
No. The online application consists mainly of general information questions, and it will not save your progress. Be sure you are ready to upload your proposal when you begin the online application, as the system does not allow you to apply in steps. Your submission must be made all at once. You will need to submit a complete proposal in order for it to be considered by the Undergraduate Research Council (URC).
When exactly does the program run?
S3 scholars will devote twelve weeks/400 hours to research and/or creative project beginning on May 11th and ending on July 31st.
MS3 scholars will devote six to twelve weeks/200 hours to research and/or creative project. MS3 scholars can choose the first six weeks beginning on May 11th and ending on June 19th, the second six weeks beginning on June 22nd and ending on July 31st, or the full twelve weeks beginning on May 11th and ending on July 31st.
What are my commitments/dates if my proposal is accepted?
- Participate in weekly S3/MS3 seminars.
- Monday, May 11th, 2026 - Attend OURS Summer Scholar Program Research Orientation.
- Friday, May 22nd, 2026 - Complete the Responsible Conduct of Research training.
- Monday and Tuesday, July 27th and 28th, 2026 - Attend the Scholar Writing Retreat.
- Friday, July 31st, 2026 - Participate in the GVSU Summer Scholars Showcase.
- Friday, August 28th, 2026 - Submit the student reflection and final manuscript.
- Participate in S3/MS3 evaluations and assessments
- Participate in Student Scholars Day 2027
Are graduate students eligible?
No, graduate students are not eligible for the Student Summer Scholars program.
Can I receive course credit for my S3/MS3 research?
No, the Student Summer Scholars program is an outside-of-the-classroom experience. It cannot be used for course credit, nor can it be used for an Honors Thesis. Students can receive SWS credit for research projects. More information is provided to Scholars at orientation.
What feedback will I receive if my proposal is not funded?
If your proposal is considered by the URC but not funded, you will receive general feedback and an indication of how the proposal could have been improved.
Here are some common reasons that can contribute to an proposal not being funded:
- The student's background and preparation was not deemed to be adequate to achieve the stated goals of the project.
- The narrative of the project was not written for a non-specialist.
- The project was deemed too ambitious to be successfully completed in the time given.
- The quality of the mentoring experience for the student was deemed to be inadequate in the proposed activities.
- The faculty member did not appropriately document the commitment of other agencies vital to the success of the project.
- The student was not sufficiently involved in the project either in terms of time or in terms of responsibilities.
- The faculty member did not indicate sufficient commitment of time to the project; or the other commitments of the faculty member were deemed to be too demanding to allow a successful mentoring experience or successful creative activity.
- The student did not indicate that they were going to commit enough time to the project to allow it to be successful or the other commitments of the student were deemed to be too demanding to allow a successful mentoring experience or successful creative activity. (In general, the only other commitments of the student during the Spring/Summer semester should be taking, at most, one 3 credit class (in either 6 week session) or (but not both) working less than 15 hours a week.)
What is the format I should use for my proposal?
Proposals must be written in 12 point Times New Roman font, double-spaced, with 1 inch margins. Proposals must have a cover sheet featuring a title, student scholar name, and faculty mentor name(s). Proposals must include section headers and page numbers.
Can one faculty member submit two different proposals each with a different student?
No, two full-time Student Summer Scholars proposals will not be accepted. This program is designed to be a one-on-one intensive experience with a faculty member. Having two projects, even if related, would distract from this goal.
However, there have been cases where an S3 faculty member has served as mentor concurrently with an MS3 scholar or a McNair Scholar. There are restrictions involved with this. Contact OURS at 616-331-8100 or [email protected] for clarification.
When do we apply to the Human Subjects Review Committee or Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee for approval?
As soon as you hear about the funding of your proposal, you should begin the process to secure the appropriate approval. You cannot begin any research until the approval has been obtained.
If we obtain an S3/MS3 grant, how will the money be disbursed?
The stipends for students and faculty will be disbursed through the university payroll office. You should expect appropriate taxes to be levied and removed on these earnings. The money for the supplies portion of the budget will be reimbursed via department transfers in Workday.