SURF: How to Prepare Your Proposal and Application

This page contains resources and guidance that will help you prepare your SURF application.

Your application must be complete to be reviewed. We will not consider incomplete or late submissions. This includes your letter of recommendation. It is your responsibility to give your faculty mentor advanced notice and remind them of the deadline as appropriate.

To apply, prepare a single pdf document that contains the following:

• 3-page proposal, following the structure and content detailed below.
• A single page of references.
• Additional pages with supplemental materials, if you are including them.
• 1-page personal statement, following the prompt detailed below.
• Curriculum vitae (CV) or resume.
• Current, unofficial transcript.

The Proposal

The proposal is the most important component of your SURF application. In it, you must describe your planned research or creative inquiry project in detail and demonstrate to other academics that your proposed work is sound.

There are two types of proposal: Type I refers to artistic or creative inquiry projects where you expect to produce a new work such as a series of artworks, a book, poetry collection, musical composition, etc. Type II refers to research projects in STEM, social sciences, or humanities.

You are strongly encouraged to work with your faculty advisor on your proposal, to meet with a representative of the Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholar Development to review your draft before the deadline, and to attend the Proposal Writing Workshop run by OURSD.

Your proposal should be three pages in length, excluding references and supplemental materials, which will begin on a fourth page. The proposal should be single spaced with 1-inch margins. Use a legible 11- or 12-point font. Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, or Georgia are good choices.

Include a title, your name, and your faculty mentor’s name at the top of your document.

Your proposal MUST include the following sections clearly labeled:

• Abstract (this counts as part of the three pages)
• Project objectives & contributions to the field
• Methodology
• Applicant background
• Feedback and evaluation
• Dissemination of knowledge.

Write in full sentences and paragraphs within each section. Beyond that, your document design choices are up to you—but the proposal must be easily readable and the major sections listed above must be clearly marked.

You may include figures, tables, charts, or other visuals as appropriate, but only do so if you refer to them in the text and they are critical to explain your research. If the figures are useful but not absolutely critical, add them as supplemental materials with a brief explanation.

Before you begin writing, read the model proposal linked here carefully.
Follow the format of the linked document as you draft your own proposal.

Supplemental Materials 

Supplemental materials are required if you are applying with an artistic or creative inquiry project. These supplemental materials are essentially a portfolio and should consist of examples of prior work (images of artwork, writing samples, etc.) that demonstrate your ability to complete the proposed project. If you are not proposing an artistic or creative project, supplemental materials are optional and can include survey or interview protocols, images of prototypes, etc. 

Personal Statement

The personal statement is one full single-spaced page in length. It should convey your journey in college so far, and how your current interests and goals have developed. How did they lead you to the proposed SURF research? How does this research fit in with your future intellectual and professional goals? How have your experiences to date prepared you to be successful in this research experience, and in your intended pathway moving forward? What are any non-research or non-academic aspects of your life that have inspired your research interests or prepared you for the SURF experience? This is a chance to reveal other sides of yourself and help the committee get to know you better. A great personal statement does not simply rehash your transcript and resume, but rather tells a strong story about who you are and why you are proposing this research in a way that motivates the committee to invest in you. 

Curriculum vitae (CV) or resume

You will include your CV or resume in your application pdf. While there are no length or formatting requirements, ensure that your document is well-organized, legible, and includes any experiences or skills that are relevant to your proposed research.  

Transcript

Please include a current official or unofficial transcript. Good academic standing is one of the factors, although not the most important, that we will consider. We will also look at overall trends. If there was a difficult semester or two, we will focus on a pattern over time. 

Letter of Recommendation (From your faculty mentor)

The faculty mentor should work with you as you draft your proposal and write a letter of recommendation to accompany your application materials. Once you submit your application, your faculty mentor will receive an automated email with a prompt to submit their letter.

The letter is an important component that can impact the outcome of the SURF application. It should address the following:

• How long they have known the student and how they came to the proposed project
• The student’s expected research tasks and contributions 
• The feasibility and worthiness of the proposed project
• The student’s relevant background and capabilities
• The structure of the mentoring relationship: frequency of mentoring meetings, any additional mentors involved (grad students, post-docs, other faculty) and plans for who will take over if the mentor is out of town for a short time 
• Key logistical considerations: Timeline of the research, resources and equipment available to the student, etc.

We have also compiled some additional tips for writing compelling letters of recommendation on our Resources for Mentors webpage.

After preparing your application pdf, complete the OURSD grant application form and, when prompted, attach your pdf.