L&S Honors Summer Senior Thesis Research Grant

Description: The L&S Honors Summer Senior Thesis Research Grant enables students to undertake more demanding and extensive senior thesis research projects than might otherwise be possible by providing funding support during the summer to support work on a senior Honors thesis.

Applicants to the Honors Summer Senior Thesis Research Grant will also be considered for the Mark Mensink Honors Research Grant and the Barry L. Popkin Senior Honors Thesis Research Award.

Summer Senior Thesis Research Grant recipients receive up to $3,000. Please review the Honors Program site for more information about awards for the Popkin and/or Mensink Grants as award amounts (and how funds are processed) will vary.

Eligibility Criteria
  • Must be a declared student in the L&S Honors Program pursuing Honors in the Liberal Arts, Honors in the Major, or the Comprehensive Honors track with an anticipated graduation date in May (or August) of the following academic year, or earlier
  • Must plan to be enrolled in a Senior Honors Thesis Directed Study (typically 681 or 682) in your major department during the academic year following application
  • Must have a minimum 3.3 cumulative GPA at the time of application

Students may only receive one L&S Honors grant to support their senior Honors thesis project. This includes the Summer Senior Thesis Grant, Trewartha Research Grant, Mensink Research Scholarship, or Popkin Research Grant.

In addition, you may not receive this funding if your thesis has been, or will be, supported by another university undergraduate research grant during the same term (e.g., Summer).

Selection Criteria

Applications for this grant are reviewed by the Faculty Honors Committee. Applications are evaluated using the following criteria:

  • Strength of your proposal and of the Honors Senior Thesis research project to be funded. Reviewers may consider specific aspects of your project, including but not limited to: (1) Project demand, (2) Originality, and/or (3) potential impact of funding
  • Strength of academic record and preparation for the research project
  • Progress towards completing your Honors track(s)

Note: If you plan to enroll in any academic courses during the summer, please review the relevant FAQ regarding summer course enrollment and grant eligibility below.

Visit the Honors Program site for more information.

Award
up to $3,000
Organizations
L&S Honors Program
Deadline
04/05/2026
Supplemental Questions
  1. Please enter the proposed title of your thesis.
  2. Please list the major(s) associated with your senior Honors thesis (e.g., Neurobiology, Art History, etc.)
  3. Please select the Honors track you are currently pursuing.
  4. Please list the semester (term and year) at the conclusion of which you intend to graduate (ex. Spring 2027).
  5. Please enter your UW faculty mentor's First and Last Name.
  6. Enter your faculty mentor's email address.
  7. Enter your faculty mentor's department.
  8. If you will have additional mentors beyond your faculty mentor (e.g. graduate students, postdoc students, other faculty), please submit a single PDF with their name(s) and email address(es). Please note that this list will be used to provide mentorship training opportunities to those listed and will not impact your application.
  9. If the proposed study involves human subjects research, do you have an approved IRB protocol that will cover the study?
  10. If you responded "No" to the previous question, please explain (e.g., you’re planning to submit a protocol for the study but have not yet done so, etc.).
  11. Have you applied for or received any other funding for your summer research (from any UW source, including other grants, scholarships, or institutional funding)?
  12. If you answered "Yes" or "Other" to the previous question, please provide more details.
  13. If awarded one of the senior Honors thesis grants from the L&S Honors Program, I understand and would agree to the following:
    • I will complete the requirements for an Honors degree in the College of Letters & Science (Honors in the Liberal Arts, Honors in the Major, or Comprehensive Honors)
    • I will not accept funds from another university undergraduate research grant for the same research over the same time.
    • I will participate in the Senior Honors Thesis Symposium in late spring (or arrange an alternative with approval by Honors Program).
    • I will submit a PDF copy of my completed Honors thesis to the Honors Program Office.
  14. Upload a current transcript (official or unofficial is acceptable).
  15. Please upload your thesis research proposal. The proposal should be no more than five single-spaced pages with at least 1-inch margins, and no smaller than 11pt font. This proposal must be submitted as a single PDF document. The proposal will include your project title, abstract, introduction, research methods, a description of the demand(s) of your project, and the potential impact of receiving funding.

    Click here to download an overview of the project proposal requirements.
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