The Division of Research and Innovation is proud to offer the 2026-27 Graduate Student Research Award, an annually administered competitive thesis/dissertation research award program established through the advocacy and initiative of the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation.

Funds may be requested in the amount of $100-$1000 to support costs of supplies, data-access fees, equipment usage fees, research-related data collection travel, or other expenses directly related to conducting research. Funds cannot be used to pay wages or salaries.

Please thoroughly review the instructions below before submitting your application and contact us at GradResearch@unt.edu if you have any questions.

The application window will be open August 31 - October 5.  Scroll down to apply.

To be eligible, graduate students:

• Must be an active graduate student working on their thesis/dissertation research or creative activity.

• Must include a one-paragraph research abstract and a current CV through the online application.

• Must include an IDP plan, developed by the PI/Faculty Mentor in collaboration with the student. Templates of examples are online.

• May be required to complete UNT Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Basic training in the CITI program. For Human Subjects Research (IRB), students must complete CITI training.
  Details can be found here: Training and Education | University of North Texas

  • Upon successful completion of course(s), a “certificate of completion” may be printed and retained by the researcher. Copies of the certificate(s) must be submitted for all study personnel to the UNT IRB as part of the researcher's human subjects research proposal.

    Additional Training may be required depending on your study and funding. Other courses are offered through the CITI program and will be optional for most researchers; however, some courses are required depending on the type of study that is being conducted.

    The IRB staff are willing to perform one-on-one training by request. If you would like to schedule personalized training, please contact them at: untirb@unt.edu.

• Attend a minimum of 2 Graduate Studies Professional Development Workshops (only events listed on the Student Research Events page will qualify).

  • Research Breaks or other workshops by Research Development are not eligible to meet qualifications for the Graduate Research Awards. Questions regarding workshops? Email: grad.workshops@unt.edu

Applying for a Research Award

1. Compile your application materials; you will need to have the following items available:
   1. Student research abstract (one paragraph)
   2. Curriculum Vitae (CV)
   3. Mentorship plan
   4. Fully approved degree plan
   5. Research Award Budget Proposal
   6. CITI/RCR certificate(s) (if applicable)
   7. Two workshops attended (exact titles)
2. Apply Here!
3. Once your application is submitted, you'll receive a confirmation message. At the end of the application period, submissions will be reviewed, and applicants will be notified of acceptance or denial by the designated announcement date.

*Please note that ALL required signatures above must be obtained by the deadline listed for the application to be considered. All applicants are highly encouraged to submit their applications prior to the deadline. 

Priorities & Limitations 

• Preference will be given to students who are first authors, have significant publication/professional development potential, public performance/exhibition of artistic work, and high academic/research productivity as indicated by GPA and CV.

• Maximum award amount is $1,000.00.

• Students may only receive one research award for the academic year.

• The process is competitive and applying does not guarantee an award.

• Students must expense all awarded funds prior to August 15, 2027.

• Only consumable materials are allowed.

• Research projects conducted by students, such as theses, dissertations, honors projects, capstone projects, and independent study projects, that meet the definitions of Human Subject and Research must be submitted for review and approval by the IRB. Student Researchers and Principal Investigators must reach out to the untirb@unt.edu to assist with these determinations. This process ensures that the requirement of obtaining IRB review and approval for applicable projects is satisfied as required by federal regulations.

Research award application must include all requirements, documentation, and approvals before the application deadline to be considered for the 2026-2027 Research Award. Award recipients will be contacted by November 2.

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Here are a few common mistakes:

Unsigned Faculty/Administrator Sections 

Make sure that you submit the appropriate departmental personnel contact information on the application, including your major professor/faculty advisor and departmental administrator. All signatures must be obtained by the deadline for the application to be considered. 

Missing abstract or CV

Students must provide their abstract and Curriculum Vitae (CV).  Applications will not be reviewed without those components.

Missing workshop requirements

Students must attend a minimum of 2 Graduate Studies Professional Development Graduate Workshops before submitting their application. The workshops must be completed within the academic year of application submission. 

Summer 2026 workshops are eligible for the 2026-27 Graduate Student Research Award.

Questions regarding workshops? 
Contact us: grad.workshops@unt.edu

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FAQ's

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Application Deadline: October 5, 2026

Questions? E-mail us: GradResearch@unt.edu