Please note that there are two application cycles.
The December 2026 application deadline is for summer 2027 funding;
the March 2027 application deadline is for 2027-28 academic year funding.

General Program Eligibility

To be eligible to apply for the UConn IDEA Grant Program students must:

• Be a UConn undergraduate student in good academic standing. Eligibility is restricted to students currently pursuing a bachelor's degree at UConn. This includes students pursuing Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of General Studies, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Engineering, and Bachelor of Social Work degrees.
• Agree to participate in a non-credit online project development course (approximate time commitment 40 hours) prior to starting project work.
• Commit to a minimum of 140 hours of work on the UConn IDEA Grant project.
• Arrange appropriate project mentorship for the period of project work by a UConn faculty member or professional staff member.
  • Note: Your arrangements for mentorship do not need to be finalized at the time you apply for a UConn IDEA Grant but will need to be documented and agreed upon before project work begins and any funds are disbursed.

Summer Funding Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to apply in December 2026 for summer 2027 funding students must:

• Plan to graduate with a bachelor's degree no earlier than December 2027.
• Agree to complete the non-credit online project development course in Spring 2027.
• Commit to a minimum of 140 hours of project work during the summer. The typical summer project is likely to be full time work on the project, though part-time projects for shorter or longer periods are also possible.
• Agree to present UConn IDEA Grant-funded project findings at Frontiers in Undergraduate Research in October 2027 or April 2028.

Academic Year Funding Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to apply in March 2027 for 2027-28 academic year funding students must:

• Plan to graduate with a bachelor's degree no earlier than May 2028.
• Agree to complete the non-credit online project development course in Summer 2027.
• Commit to a minimum of 140 hours of project work during the academic year. Academic year projects should be no more than 10 hours per week.
• Agree to present their UConn IDEA Grant-funded project findings at Frontiers in Undergraduate Research in April 2028.

More information on the UConn IDEA Grant project development course and the experiences of UConn IDEA Grant recipients, can be found on the IDEA Grant Experience page. Profiles of UConn IDEA Grant recipients can be found on the Grant Recipients page.

Application Deadlines:
Summer 2027 Funding: Friday, December 11, 2026, 11:59pm
2027-28 Academic Year Funding: Friday, March 12, 2027, 11:59pm

The UConn IDEA Grant program involves four stages of creative thinking, planning, work, and communication that take place over at least a two-semester period. There are two award cycles per academic year.

UConn IDEA Grant Application and Program Timeline

There is some flexibility in the timing of the Develop, Engage and Apply stages. Schedule an appointment with IDEA Grant program coordinator Melissa Berkey to discuss how the timeline can be tailored to meet your needs and those of your project.

Four Stages of the UConn IDEA Grant

A UConn IDEA Grant involves four stages of creative thinking, planning, work, and communication.

Stage 1: Imagine

Think of an idea that you would like to explore. Have you wanted to create something innovative, but didn’t have the time or the resources? This is your chance to explore an area you are interested in. The initiative is yours. How do you want to innovate or advocate? Do you want to engage in an original research project or in a creative project? Share your project idea with friends, family, faculty, and advisors and get their feedback. Meet with an advisor in the Office of Undergraduate Research to talk about how to shape your idea into an application for a UConn IDEA Grant. Then submit your application for review by the selection committee.

Stage 2: Develop

Participate in an online planning course for students who have been awarded UConn IDEA Grants, where you will receive valuable support for refining your project design and making arrangements to do the work you’ve proposed. If you do not already have a project mentor, you will need to find one during this stage. Together, you’ll make sure your project plans are as solid as they possibly can be.

Stage 3: Engage

Roll up your sleeves and engage in the work you’ve been planning!  Build your prototype, collect data, conduct experiments, engage in creative endeavors, or lead service initiatives. Keep in touch with your mentor and the UConn IDEA Grant advisor for support.

Stage 4: Apply

Share your work with your target audience. Demonstrate how you can apply the knowledge you’ve acquired and the skills you’ve developed. A final presentation can take many forms: poster or slide presentation; research paper; creative performance (musical composition, painting, poetry reading, etc.); design model (for engineering, architecture, landscaping or environmental project); report on a community-based initiative; film/podcast/radio piece. Whatever form you choose, catch the attention of your audience, get their feedback, and talk with them about your experiences and the outcomes of your project. Write a short end-of-grant report and reflection for the Office of Undergraduate Research.

Applicants to the UConn IDEA Grant are required to have two letters of recommendation submitted on their behalf.

First Letter: Must be from a member of the UConn community. This includes a faculty member, advisor, instructor, or professional staff member.

Second Letter: May be from:

• A UConn faculty member, advisor, instructor, or professional staff member
• A high school teacher or advisor (high school recommenders are only accepted for first- and second-year students)
• A current or former employer or supervisor
• A mentor from the broader community

Recommendations from fellow UConn students or from family members will not be accepted.

 Recommenders are asked to comment on:

• The length of time you have known the applicant and in what capacity or circumstances
• Your familiarity with the proposed project
• Your assessment of the applicant’s motivation, abilities, experience, and/or interests that make them well suited for this award
• Your assessment of how this award and completing this project might benefit the applicant

Students who have secured project mentorship are strongly encouraged to ask their mentor to write a letter of recommendation in support of the proposed project and their willingness to serve as the project mentor.

Recommendations for Group Proposals

UConn IDEA Grant applications may be submitted by individuals or small groups. For group applications, each member must have two letters of recommendation submitted on their behalf.

Options for Recommenders

If a recommender is supporting multiple students within the same group, they may choose one of the following approaches:

• Single Letter (for multiple applicants):
  Write one letter that clearly names each student and addresses the qualifications of each individual. This same letter should then be submitted for each group member included.
• Separate Letters (for each applicant):
  Write and submit individual letters for each student.

If submitting one letter for multiple group members, recommenders may:

• Upload the same letter separately for each applicant, or
• Email a copy of the letter to Melissa Berkey (melissa.berkey@uconn.edu), and it will be added to each relevant application.

Submission Process and Deadlines
Students will request letters via the online application system (quest.uconn.edu). Once initiated by the student, recommenders will receive an email from the "UConn Quest Portal" (email address is noreply@smapply.io) with instructions for submitting the recommendation. Please follow the link emailed to you to upload your letter of recommendation.

If the student has initiated the letter request, but you cannot locate the email, you can still submit your recommendation via the Quest Portal. Go to the main Quest Portal page, click “Log In” in the top right, select “UConn Single Sign-on” and log in with your netID and password; you should then see the recommendation task to complete.

Recommenders who are not affiliated with UConn can submit letters of recommendation via email to Melissa Berkey at Melissa.berkey@uconn.edu.

Letters of recommendation should be submitted by the recommender by the application deadline:

• Summer 2027 Funding: Friday, December 11, 2026
• 2027-28 Academic Year Funding: Friday, March 12, 2027

For questions on the UConn IDEA Grant Program, please contact Melissa Berkey, UConn IDEA Grant program coordinator, at melissa.berkey@uconn.edu.

UConn IDEA Grant projects rely on engaged and knowledgeable mentorship. Mentors play a key role in guiding students as they design, develop, and carry out their projects.

All UConn IDEA Grant recipients are required to complete a non-credit online project development course prior to beginning their project work.

During the course, recipients work through a series of modules that help them refine their project plans, make arrangements for project supervision, secure research approvals, if necessary, evaluate how and with whom to share the results of their work, and prepare to engage in a self-directed project. Through participation in the course, recipients will have the opportunity to share their project and receive input from their IDEA Grant peers and OUR staff. The course will take around 40 hours to complete and will be facilitated through HuskyCT.

The completion of the online course was extremely integral to the success of my project because it actually helped develop the project. When applying for an IDEA Grant, the main components we needed to consider were the topic/question, methods, and funding needs. The online course allows us to take a deeper look at it all and be realistic with a timeline, funding, and methods.

- Mahima Mehta '22, Spring 2021 UConn IDEA Grant Recipient

The online course kept me proactive about my project and thinking about it from multiple perspectives. Above all, it calibrated my expectations so that I knew what I could feasibly accomplish in the allotted time. It also kept me on the same page as my mentor, which I know he appreciated.

- Erik Choi' 23, Spring 2021 UConn IDEA Grant Recipient

I found the whole course to be helpful. It helped me plan ahead before the project even started. I do remember the activities help my advisor and I iron out any problems prior to the summer. All of phase too were the most helpful. I found this is where I was really able to think about the steps in my project and what each step really required.

- Brendan Hogan '21, Fall 2019 UConn IDEA Grant Recipient

Definitely the entire planning stage aided me in visualizing both big picture and everyday goals I needed to be working towards. Planning out the budget and timeline were most useful in visualizing how I should have been using the following time to complete my goals. Without the concrete mapping out of the critical months I had to plan my project, apply for IRB approval, advertise and solicit participants and more, I definitely would’ve been scrambling all year to get to the end of my project. The planning certainly helped me finish on time!

- Shanelle Jones '21, Fall 2019 UConn IDEA Grant Recipient

The Project Plan was a bear to complete, but was absolutely necessary in focusing my project and aligning it to my overall goals. If I didn’t have to complete the Project Plan as in depth as I did, my project would be very disjointed and confusing, so I appreciated the goals of the Project Plan. I am driven by schedules, so I also really appreciated the Timeline portion of the course. It forced me to specify how much time each activity was going to take and how much time per week I would need to spend on each activity.

- Jackie Ose '18, Fall 2016 UConn IDEA Grant Recipient

While we found all of the course activities useful in organizing our thoughts and varying ideas for the project’s direction, the most helpful activity was the Project Timeline. This required us to really break down everything we planned on accomplishing for our project and figure out how to fit all of those tasks into the year we had available to do so. This timeline changed multiple times over the course of the year as our project developed and changed shape, but having the initial plan to base our revisions off of was incredibly helpful.

- Kathrine Grant '19, Priscilla Grillakis '19, Ivy Horan '19, Madeleine Rusk '19
Spring 2017 UConn IDEA Grant Recipients

The online course contributed to the development of my project by allowing me to expand upon my established goals as well as critically think about the applications and implications of my project. By completing the online course, I had a stronger understanding of what I wanted to achieve through this project as well as how I can share my findings with others.

- Taylor Mangini '18, Spring 2017 UConn IDEA Grant Recipient

For the most part, the online course was how I developed my project. When I applied for the IDEA Grant, I knew what project I wanted to complete, but I did not really have a plan for how I was going to do it. This online class helped me to develop my project...It was very helpful for me to actually have to write my ideas down and organize them into goals and objectives. It helped me to visualize my project in more than just abstract terms.

- Abby Moore '16, Spring 2015 UConn IDEA Grant Recipient

The online course was extremely helpful in making me think about aspects of the project I either a) would not have thought about in the first place and b) may not have wanted to think about (the less fun or exciting parts of project development) but that are essential to creating a successful project. Because of the online course, I had budget expectations, and many details already figured out at an early stage that I surely would not have without the online course.

- Benjamin Piascik '17 Spring 2016 UConn IDEA Grant Recipient

Creating a budget was extremely helpful during the course as I had not done anything like that before and was surprised to see how quickly research costs add up. It also helped me guide my spending.

Overall, this has been the most valuable experience and project I’ve ever worked on in my film career and what I think is the official start of my professional filmography. It combined and solidified my interests of documentary film and music to myself and others.

- Evan Elmore '27, Fall 2024 UConn IDEA Grant Recipient

I believe that creating, finishing, and sharing a body of work is the most valuable lesson as an artist, one that is not necessarily fostered in the classroom during undergrad. I learned how to deeply research and synthesize various areas of interest, I learned the importance of artistic experimentation, and I learned how to put on a successful art exhibition. The UConn IDEA Grant had a huge impact on me and my practice. I feel much more confident in the direction and vision of my practice after experimenting during the project. Furthermore, the project really enhanced my portfolio, allowing me to apply for other opportunities with confidence.

- Iris Yu '26, Fall 2024 UConn IDEA Grant Recipient

Completing my IDEA Grant project was a huge piece of what helped me shape my future plans. Going into this project, I was a math major with some interest in education, but beyond that, my goals were not super specific. Through my work on this project, I have gained a greater sense of purpose and interest in my career. I am now in the process of enrolling in a Masters program for Higher Education and Student Affairs, and beyond this I hope to continue my education (maybe at the PhD level) and focus more specifically on educational equity and accessibility.

- Morgan Balesano '25, Fall 2023 UConn IDEA Grant Recipient

The biggest impact completing my UConn IDEA Grant project had on me is encouraging me to pursue research in my future career. I hope to continue research in my future career as a physician as well as throughout medical school. This August, I have been given the opportunity to present my work to the 2022 Annual ESA Conference, something I would have never expected or have been able to do had it not been for my involvement in the UConn IDEA Grant. In all, the UConn IDEA Grant has brought forth my passion for asking questions and pursuing answers.

- Mahima Mehta '22, Spring 2021 UConn IDEA Grant Recipient

I am proud to say that this IDEA Grant has made me the leader I am today, and brought me the confidence to speak my mind and enact upon change I want to see, not only in the science world but in other aspects of my life or programs I am in.

- Nathalia Hernandez '20, Spring 2019 UConn IDEA Grant Recipient

The IDEA Grant has allowed me to partake in a research project of my own and showed me the inner workings of what a PhD may look like in nursing. Although this process was very frustrating at times, I thoroughly enjoyed it and have learned a tremendous amount. It has heightened my desire to give back to underserved communities. I’ve now considered pursuing my PhD in nursing because of this experience!

- Nathalia Hernandez '20, Spring 2019 UConn IDEA Grant Recipient

I developed a lot of technical lab skills from completing this research project and became a more confident researcher. I learned to improvise when things went wrong and problem-solve in a creative and effective way. Through all the presentations I did, I became a much better presenter, and by the end of the semester I was able to cater my presentation to my audience and select which details were important in my experiment as well as what might be more confusing than meaningful. Most of all, I learned a lot about myself. I faced successes as well as challenges and became better at handling them creatively. Because of my IDEA grant, I was able to test my own limits and found out that I truly am capable of conducting a research project that will make an impact on the field of neuroscience.

- Miriam Katz '19, Spring 2017 UConn IDEA Grant Recipient

I have developed my ability to be flexible and to communicate effectively with a lot of different people in a variety of roles. It was challenging at times to balance my academics with my research which allowed me to hone in on my time management skills. This was also the first time that I have really presented research and all of the opportunities to present allowed me to strengthen that skill. Research was a very new thing for me and I feel that I have developed my overall research skills – applying for grants, getting approval, carrying out research, forming results, etc. – and with this foundation I can continue to conduct research in my nursing profession.

- Courtney Lopiano '18, Spring 2017 UConn IDEA Grant Recipient

The IDEA Grant project definitely helped me grow up a bit. I traveled alone for the most part while visiting 8 countries, and it really solidified my sense of independence, and made me more comfortable with being in unfamiliar places. It helped me realize my love of music and art, and the responses I’ve received from listeners has been overwhelmingly positive. It’s an amazing piece for my portfolio, and will help me get composition and sound design jobs in the future, I’m sure.

- Abigail Golec '18, Spring 2017 UConn IDEA Grant Recipient

By completing my UConn IDEA Grant, I was able to get a better sense of what is needed to execute a research project. This impacted my goals and future plans because it made me more inclined to want to get into the field of research and experimental design. Also, I found that completing my IDEA Grant really challenged me to fine-tune my researching skills. I have never completed a scientific project that required the majority of the work to be completed individually, so this IDEA Grant gave me the opportunity to build my abilities in reading, writing, and statistical analysis.

- Taylor Mangini '18, Spring 2017 UConn IDEA Grant Recipient

Because of my UConn IDEA Grant, I have been able to showcase my work to a global audience, and have opened up so many doors to future opportunities that never would have been possible before...This truly shaped my future. I now know I want to pursue a career in video production and filmmaking. I want to continue my passion for storytelling and create bigger and better projects in the future.

– Maneetpaul Singh '15, Fall 2014 UConn IDEA Grant Recipient

From completing my IDEA Grant project, I was able to learn about interviewing, how to properly fill out IRB forms, present comfortably in front of others, and become confident in myself and my career choice. This project was nothing but beneficial. Now, I have found myself to become a great resource and advocate for others to push my students and peers to complete undergraduate research as well.

– Isabella Horan '19, Fall 2015 UConn IDEA Grant Recipient

I challenged myself to move even further beyond my coursework in my final year here at UConn, and I am so grateful to have been able to work on a topic I am passionate about through my IDEA Grant experience. My exhibition furthered my passion for research that I hope to continue in graduate school for years to come...Because of my IDEA Grant I was able to turn what I started as an idea into a project that I am immensely proud of. I have developed as a student, a researcher, and a curator, and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with such amazing professors, archivists, and staff members as I brought my exhibition to life!

– Giorgina Paiella '16, Spring 2015 UConn IDEA Grant Recipient

I have learned so much from completing my IDEA Grant project. It has been an uphill battle every step of the way, however with each and every challenge I faced, I also conquered. I became stronger and more confident in my abilities. I have become very independent in my work and learned to be an advocate for myself when things were not working out. Although I may have wished many times for a much simpler path I believe that the skills I have learned in completing this project will lead me to be an independent strong professional woman who can advocate not only for her patients but for myself.

– Jessica Laprise '16, Fall 2014 UConn IDEA Grant Recipient

I developed my scientific literacy skills in developing and executing my IDEA Grant project. Before my project, I mostly read scientific papers for classes and even then, I would mostly just read the abstract and skim the rest of the paper. But with my project, I had to closely analyze all aspects of an article and determine how it would be pertinent for my research.

– Srinivas Srirangam '17, Fall 2015 UConn IDEA Grant Recipient

My project had such a powerful impact on me. In completing this grant project, I not only gained the necessary skills and confidence to create a successful body of artwork and carry out my first solo exhibition, but also, it helped in strengthening my skill-set and consequently helped me get my first job as a fresh graduate.

– Diana Abouchacra ’17, Spring 2016 UConn IDEA Grant Recipient