TRIO Research Engagement Grant
- up to $1,000 per recipient for salary, materials and travel
- for projects in collaboration with a faculty mentor
- must be a full-time degree-seeking USC undergraduate who has completed the TRIO McNair Scholar program
- funds research, scholarly, and creative projects in all disciplines
Application Deadlines and Announcement Dates
Fall Application Window: September 22 - October 20, 2026 by 5:00 pm
Award Announcement Date: by December 11, 2026
Grant Duration: January 2027 through December 2027
Spring Application Window: February 23 - March 23, 2027 by 5:00 pm
Award Announcement Date: by April 30, 2027
Grant Duration: June 2027 through May 2028
Application Process
- Complete the Undergraduate Research Grant Application.
Complete this first, working with your mentor. You will need it for the next step. - Ask your mentor(s) to complete the Mentoring Plan document(s) and have them email it to our@mailbox.sc.edu. It is due by 5pm on the deadline date. Your application is not complete until we
receive these forms.
- Mentoring Plan - Primary Mentor
- Mentoring Plan - Secondary Mentor: note that graduate students are permitted as daily supervisors and secondary mentors, but are not eligible to be the promary mentor for a grant application.
- Submit the online application form found here during the application window, prior to the application
deadline. .
Select "TRIO Research Engagement Grant" from the menu. Under Project Information, upload the Undergraduate Research Grant Application form that you completed with your mentor under #1 above.
You may not submit an application during the same semester when you are graduating. You must be enrolled for one full semester after the award date of the grant.
Please note that award amounts may be adjusted from the application budget request. The award funds may be used as follows:
- Salary: You can get paid! You will submit hours worked through the payroll system and receive a paycheck.
- Materials and Supplies: You may request funding for items required to conduct the research project. Please note the list of allowable expenses and items not covered by the grant.
- Travel: Award funds may be used for travel expenses to conduct research (US only) or for conference travel. Up to $1,000 of your budget request may go towards conference travel expenses.
Allowable costs include:
- software (such as SPSS, InDesign, etc.) not provided by the university
- plane tickets
- mileage (for trips more than 20 miles)
- hotel room or lodging costs
- renting a kayak
- books not found through the USC library
- conference travel (no more than half your budget)
Items not covered by this grant:
- computer (includes laptop, desktop, etc.)
- gift cards or cash (to pay participants)
- hiring people (such as consultants)
- phones
- meals
- travel under 20 miles
- books that can be found through the USC library
- senior thesis printing costs
- any item that does not have a receipt