UG Summer Research Abroad Sponsorship (USRA)

Download Application Guidelines

Download Research Visit Programme Proposal Form

Download Departure Form

Download Completion Report Template

USRA 2026/27

To enrich the immersive research experience in international environments for undergraduate students, the College of Undergraduate Researchers and Innovators (CURI) offers its member-exclusive sponsorship for the UG Summer Research Abroad (USRA). This initiative supports students to engage in research visit programmes of no less than six weeks under the guidance of academics at top-ranked universities abroad. 

Eligibility Criteria

Applicant must be:

• a URIS Chief Supervisor/Co-Supervisor. 

Nominated Student must be:

• a non-final year UG student who has not previously received USRA; and
• a CURI member who is currently undertaking or has completed the Undergraduate Research and Innovation Scheme (URIS). A list of CURI students can be found at https://www.polyu.edu.hk/gs/ug-research/uris/approved-projects/

Research Visit Programme must be:

• no less than six weeks in a face-to-face mode in collaboration with an overseas institution that ranked in the top 200 in the latest world university rankings.

Application Submission

Applications should be submitted to CURI by 28 December 2026 by email at gs.curi@polyu.edu.hk. Late or incomplete applications will not be processed. The application should include: 

• a completed research visit programme proposal form with the D/SRC endorsement,

• a collaboration letter or email issued by the hosting unit, and
• a resume of the student.

 Application Selection and Funding Approval

Applications will be reviewed and selected by a selection panel based on:

• quality of the research visit programme and activities;
• relevance of the research visit programme to the student’s URIS project;
• significance of the research collaboration; and
• benefits to the student.

Each approved student will be offered a non-accountable sponsorship, which includes a subsistence allowance and a travel allowance at the rates specified below. The decision is subject to the availability of funding.

Students who accept the USRA scholarship must not concurrently receive any financial support for the same research visit programme to avoid double payments.

Responsibilities of Participating Students

• Visa: Arrange an appropriate visa with the Host University. Do not purchase air tickets until the visa is approved.
• Departure: Submit a departure form to CURI at least two weeks before your departure. Provide accurate start and end dates for the research visit programme, as these determine the actual sponsorship amount.  Failure to submit the form on time may result in the revocation of funding.
• Supervision: Schedule regular progress meetings with the Supervisor during the trip.
• Completion: Submit a completion report detailing the research experience abroad, along with a soft copy of your flight boarding pass or its electronic version, to CURI within two weeks of completing your visit. Payment will be made via bank transfer within four weeks.
• Shortened Visit: Obtain prior approval by email from both the Programme Coordinator and CURI Administration if the trip needs to be shortened for unforeseen reasons. The sponsorship amount will be adjusted by CURI accordingly.
• Sharing: Participate in sharing sessions with fellow students and funding sponsors as needed.

Timeline of USRA 2026/27

Event	Date
Call for applications	2 November 2026
Application submission deadline	28 December 2026
Application selection and funding approval	11 January 2027
Result announcement by email	18 January 2027

 

Contact

For application and enquiries, please contact the CURI Administration by email at gs.curi@polyu.edu.hk.