The Graduate Student Association (GSA) has established the Graduate Research Grant Awards (GRGAs) to support the research efforts of graduate students at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. The intent is to further promote students’ research endeavors rather than support faculty research. The GRGA Committee will determine the merit of each application on an individual basis. The GSA will fund, in whole or in part, applications that the GRGA committee determines to be meritorious. It is also understood that this award represents a supplement of the applicant’s other resources of funding (e.g. other grants, department funds, personal funds, etc.).

Responsibilities of Applicant

  1. The applicant should not assume that funds have been approved unless he or she has received a written confirmation/approved DocuSign from the GSA. 
  2. Award only covers future research cost taking place after approved application. 
  3. All purchases must take place through office of Student Activities and Leadership. No reimbursements are allowed unless prior approval from the office of Student Activities and Leadership. 

Awards and Timelines

  1. The approval process can take up to 4 weeks from application deadline.
  2. GRGA Application Deadlines
    1. Last Day of October (Fall)
    2. Last Day of March (Spring)
  3. If applying in the Fall, successful applicants gain access to their funds from December 1 to August 31 excluding when accounts are closed.
  4. If applying in the Spring, funds can be accessed from April 15 to December 31 excluding when accounts are closed.
  5. Please note that from June 1 to August 1, accounts are closed for the academic year. We encourage you to keep these timelines in mind when planning your usage of GRGA funds.
  6. GRGA applications will only be accepted through this PowerForm Signer Information DocuSign form. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be accepted.
  7. Applications approval process will be as follows:
    1. Faculty advisor approval
    2. Academic standing verification
    3. GRGA Committee review
    4. Notification to applicant of approval status with copy to Office of Student Activities

Application Checklist

Below are the items that will be needed to complete the GRGA Application: 

  • Itemized outline of anticipated needs (download the GRGA Purchase Request spreadsheet template [xls])
  • Outline describing research (maximum four pages)
    • Background information
    • Methodology
    • Contribution to field study
  • Any other known funding source
  • Student ID number
  • UMass Lowell (UML) Employee ID Number (if applicable)
  • Good academic standing (3.00 or  better GPA)

Allowable and Non-allowable Expenses

Purchases will be made by the Office of Student Activities and Leadership.

Allowable purchases include:

  • Research supplies
  • Training cost necessary to complete research
  • Services rendered for research (ex. Translation, transcriptions, coding, etc.)
  • Copying/binding of research documentation
  • Research subject incentives (with IRB Approval)

Non‐allowable purchases include:

  • Copying/binding related to thesis or dissertation
  • Purchase of computers or software
  • Travel expenses*
  • Personal expenditures

*Travel is permitted if needed to go to an off‐campus location for research purposes. For travel costs associated with presenting at a conference, refer to the PDA application page.