Student RSCA Fellowship FAQ

Last updated on 01/09/2023

Student Questions

• My faculty advisor told me to look at the RFP for the R&I SRF. What is an RFP? 

  • RFP is the common acronym for Request for Proposals. The information posted to the SJSU website here, represents our RFP for the R&I SRF. The RFP contains all the information on the fellowship, eligibility, and the application review criteria.

• Is it only possible to apply for the R&I SRF if the faculty member currently has a research grant? Why?

  • Yes. The student applicant works with a faculty member who has a currently funded research grant to support their RSCA. The grant can be funded by internal SJSU funds or external fundsfrom a federal, state or local agency or a private foundation.
    
    The framework of faculty funding allows the student to work on a clearly defined project, with set boundaries and timeframes, and supports a culture of research within SJSU.

• I am a student, currently working as part of a team. Can I include other team members as part of my application?

  • No. The R&I SRF can only be applied for by individual students, not groups. This means that you can apply, and so can any other student working on the same project, but the award will be made on an individual basis only.

• Did the R&I SRF used to be called something different?

  • Yes. In previous years the R&I SRF has been known as the Student RSCA Grant Initiative (SRGI) and the Undergraduate Research Grant (URG).

• May I apply for the R&I SRF as a graduate student?

  • Yes. The R&I SRF is open to both graduate and undergraduate students who are currently matriculated at SJSU and will remain so through the end of the grant period.

• Is the R&I SRF only available to students in STEM-related fields?

  • No. The R&I SRF is open to undergraduate and graduate students across all disciplines. 

• Do I have to attend the monthly mentoring sessions, or are they optional?

  • Attendance at the monthly mentoring sessions is a requirement of this program. 
    
    If your application is successful, you will be required to attend the monthly mentoring sessions together with your faculty mentor, and undertake the required assignments.
    
    If either you or your faculty mentor is not willing to take part in these meetings, then you should not apply to this program.

• Is an in-text citation or a reference list required for the R&I SRF application? If so, is there a specific format to be followed?

  • There is no request for citations. Please reference the applicant guide to know what to expect when completing the application via InfoReady.

• I am graduating this coming May: am I eligible to apply for the R&I SRF given that the grant term is for the following academic year? 

  • SJSU is only able to pay students who are currently matriculated. Thus if you will not be a student through the end of the following academic year (through May) you are ineligible to apply for the R&I SRF.

• I will be joining SJSU this Fall: am I eligible to apply for the R&I SRF?

  • In order to apply for this initiative you must be a current SJSU student. The R&I SRF is offered annually, so you will be able to apply for the cycle.

• Can I apply for the R&I SRF multiple times?

  • Yes. You may only apply once each year, but you may apply in different academic years.

• I am almost done with my application but I noticed that there is no guideline for word count.

  • If you have followed the requirements of the RFP and completed the required application to the best of your ability, then your application should be ready. 

• Since this is a fellowship, will I receive a $3,000 check at the beginning of the program?

  • No. The term fellowship is used to show the award goes with you, the applicant, and cannot be transferred to another student. Student payment occurs monthly for hours worked. The award money gets transferred to your department, and your faculty mentor will need to work with their department admin to hire you. Once you are hired, you will enter your hours in SJSU @ Work. 

Faculty Questions

• My RSCA project is not currently funded by SJSU. Are my students still eligible to apply?

  • As a faculty member, for your students to be eligible to apply, you must have current extramural or internal grant funding. The funding does not need to come from SJSU.

• I received SJSU startup funding. Is my student eligible to apply to the fellowship?

  • Startup funding does not qualify as a grant so your student is not be eligible to apply. 

• I have just applied for a RSCA Seed Grant. In my proposal I mention two students providing assistance with research. Should I have my student researchers apply now for the R&I SRF?

  • No. You must have a currently funded research grant to apply for funding. SJSU cannot guarantee that a RSCA Seed Grant, or any other application, will be funded.

• I am working with a student in my college who is in a different department. For the department chair signature, should I ask my department chair or my student's department chair?

  • Since you are the mentoring faculty member and the student is supporting your RSCA, please have your department chair sign it. 
    
    Please ensure that the student makes their own department aware of the application, but no signature is required.

• Is it okay if just my student attends the monthly mentoring sessions, as I did it last year with a former student?

  • No. It is required that both the student and the faculty mentor attend these sessions and complete the activities jointly. 

Budget Questions

• I am a student applicant and have noticed that we can allot a budget for Student Salary. Does that refer to me, or can it be someone else?

  • The fellowship funds go to benefit you as the student applicant only - no other students may be supported with these fellowship funds.

• We would like to include support to present research findings at a major conference, either virtually or in person. Is it permissible to subsidise travel through this program, or should we seek other funding? 

  • Yes, but only for the student, not for the faculty mentor.