Institutional Award for Undergraduate Student Training

Application Deadline: Thursday, January 14, 2021

  • Applications must be received no later than 3 p.m. Central Time on the deadline date. Early submission is encouraged. 
  • Potential applicants should review the Features of All AHA Awards on the AHA Application Information page for answers to commonly asked questions about eligibility and award details.
  • All proposals must be submitted electronically via ProposalCentral. The system will open eight weeks prior to the application deadline to complete your proposal and upload documents. You can begin to create your documents now; please refer to the AHA Application Instructions.
  • Applicants must be AHA Professional Partners at the time of application. This must be done online. Join or begin the partner process well before the deadline.

Purpose

To encourage students from all disciplines to consider research careers.

This is an institutional award, made to qualified institutions that can offer a meaningful research experience that supports the mission of the American Heart Association to undergraduate college students.

Budget

Trainee Stipend/Salary: $6,000 per student for the 10-week research experience. Institution may request support for two to five students per year.  Maximum stipend support: 5 students per yr x $6,000 per student x 3 yrs = $90,000

Travel: Up to one conference @ $3,000 per student =  $45,000 maximum

Travel support is for attendance at a national conference (attendance of AHA Scientific Sessions is strongly encouraged). International travel is permitted and does not require prior AHA approval. Students are encouraged to apply for AHA scholarship/ travel funds (via AHA councils) and to explore Scientific Sessions early-career day workshops.

A faculty mentor MUST  attend with the student.  If a student does not attend/participate in a scientific conference during the term of his/her research experience or within six months following the completion of the research experience, the $3,000 will be forfeited by the program director/institution.Administrative Coordination:  $10,000 per year x 3 yrs = $30,000 maximum
Program Director may request up to $10,000 per year at their discretion. The funds may support the program director and/or other administrators.

No mentor supportNo lab supplies/costs


Award Duration:
 Three years

Total Stipends: $36,000 – $60,000

Total Award Maximum: $165,000

Annual payment will be made to the institution for disbursement to the students. Faculty sponsor and institution assume fiscal responsibility. The institution may supplement the award amount. The award does not constitute an employee-employer relationship between the student and the American Heart Association. Direct use of award funds to pay tuition is prohibited.

Program Structure

This is an institutional award to qualified research institutions that can offer a meaningful research experience to undergraduate college students. A program director applies on behalf of the institution, with an internal selection process outlined, in which the sponsor/student pairs apply together for one of the awards from the institution.

  • The institution must include a student recruitment plan that is open to students at any school. A sponsor/student team may be located at any non-research undergraduate institution, if there is a letter from the sponsoring institution assuring support for the project and responsibility for the student’s work.
  • The institution is strongly encouraged to recruit students from racial and ethnic groups that are underrepresented in science (Black/African-American, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, Pacific Islander).
  • The institution may apply for support for two to five students per year. The request must be justified by the institution, based on how many students they can effectively manage.
  • This is a three-year award that supports two to five students per institution, per year. Renewal is based on satisfactory interim reporting from students, sponsors, and the program director.

For more information about the program, eligibility, and general information, please visit the award page.