There are funds available to students from the summer after their first year to the summer prior to senior year as a Kalamazoo College student. Read the eligibility parameters for each award to see whether or not they apply to you.

It depends! Some awards have a very specific disciplinary focus and some are very open-ended. Read the eligibility parameters for each award to assess whether your project fits.

No. Many of the available funds will support off-campus projects. You will need to have a mentor/supervisor at your off-site project location and Kalamazoo College faculty member in the department most closely associated with your project who is aware of your project and supports its relevance to your educational path.

The application is due by 11:59pm on the Sunday at the start of Week 5 of Spring Term. References have until 11:59pm on the Sunday at the start of Week 6 of Spring Term to submit their reference form on your behalf. The grant recipient will be notified on Monday of Week 8 of Spring Term

Maybe. All of the funds listed on this webpage and on the application are evaluated with the same application. However, there are other sources of funding around campus (Center for International Programs, Center for Career and Professional Development, Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership, some academic departments) that use a separate application process and have different timelines, so make sure to do your research.

After you submit your application, your references will receive an email with a link to the recommendation form. Their recommendation is due one week after the student application deadline.

Measurable outcomes are specific, observable results you expect to achieve within the timeframe of this project. A good tip is to ask yourself, “How will I know at the end of the summer whether I have accomplished the project in my proposal?”

Long term goals are the broader change or impact you hope your work will contribute to beyond the project itself. They provide direction and context, but are not directly evaluated within the project period. For example, a summer spent in the lab doing chemistry research may give you skills and connections that are part of your preparation for graduate school, and a career as a research scientist.

You should have a faculty member in the department most closely related to your project who is aware of your project and supports its relevance to your educational path. You will be required to identify this faculty member’s name and email address in your application materials, and they will be notified if you receive the award.

The character limit is set intentionally high so that you have plenty of room to fully answer the question. The questions are designed with the goal of helping you fully think out your project as well as articulate it to us. Depending on the level of detail requested in each question, your response can be from 100-500 words. Use your best judgment and confirm that you have answered the question.

Award amounts vary by fund, and you should build your budget requests according to the needs of your project. Most grants are awarded in amounts between $500 – $4500.

Possibly. You cannot receive funding that “double dips” payment for the same aspect of your program (for example, you cannot get two $500 awards for one $500 plane ticket). However, you may get more than one smaller grant award to fund separate aspects of your project (for example, a travel grant and a stipend for lodging). If you’ve been awarded a grant from another source, please discuss your situation with the Director

The stipend covers (or partially covers) your food and lodging expenses for the time you are conducting your project. It may also be used for project-related travel and supplies connected to your research.

The Kalamazoo College’s student stipend policy indicates that: “The Student Stipend is awarded primarily for the purpose of furthering the student’s education, including research and other activities that relate directly to the student’s educational objectives. It is not for compensation for services to the College.”

Your first step will be to carefully read and then sign the award agreement linked in your grant award letter. You will then need to attend the pre-award workshop. In order for your summer funding to avoid impacting your academic year financial aid, you will not receive your funds until after the close of the academic year. Typically stipend funds are distributed in mid-June. Reimbursement funds are distributed after you submit receipts for approved purchases.

A reimbursement means that you pay for an approve expense out of pocket first and then submit receipts and completed reimbursement form to the director of undergraduate research to receive the money back from the grant fund.

Once you are notified that you have been selected to receive a grant and you have completed your award agreement form accepting the funding, you have one more step prior to receiving your funds. You will need to attend one session of the Pre-Award Workshop. The deadline to complete this will be aligned with the end of the academic year.

If you have been offered a reimbursement award, then YES you need to save all of your itemized receipts, as they will be required to receive your funding. If you have been awarded a stipend, it is good practice to save your receipts and track your expenses, but it is not required.

Yes! You will need to submit two reports: a midpoint reflection in late July, and a final report due the week before fall term classes begin. These are structured templates that you will complete and submit online. You will receive copies of them during the pre-award workshop so that you can plan accordingly.

If you have received grant money from a fund created by a donor to the College, a member of our College Advancement Office will contact you to facilitate you writing a thank you note to that donor. This is a great way to express gratitude and potentially build your network.

The summer research symposium is held on the Kalamazoo College campus in late August. It is open to all Kalamazoo College students who have conducted research during the summer. The symposium is a one-day poster session divided into a morning and afternoon session with a lunch break. This is a great opportunity to synthesize and summarize your summer work, gain experience talking about your work, and a nice line item for your resume/CV. All grantees will receive an invitation, information, and details about the event.