The Office of Undergraduate Research and the Office of the Vice President for Research award up to six Excellence in Undergraduate Research Awards (EURA) each year. These awards recognize outstanding accomplishments in scholarly investigation, artistic creation, or performance by undergraduate students.

Beginning with the 2027 award cycle, EURA will recognize two students in each of three broad disciplinary areas, for a maximum of six award recipients annually. 

Categories for applications:

• Arts, Humanities, Law, and Qualitative Social Sciences
• Natural, Physical, Life, Engineering, Computational, and Mathematical Sciences, Quantitative Social Sciences
• Health, Biomedical, and Clinical Sciences

This expanded model allows the University to recognize both students who are still developing their research or creative programs and those whose most significant accomplishments emerge during their senior year. These categories are broad and meant to capture the range of research and creative scholarship occurring on campus. If you are uncertain which category to apply for, feel free to email us and ask.

Eligibility

Eligible students should excel in their research, scholarship, or creative works. Nominees can be current seniors, juniors, or sophomores (second, third, or fourth years). 

To be considered, students must meet the following criteria:

Fellowship Award Recipient

Students nominated for the fellowship award must:

• Be a current second, third, or fourth year undergraduate student at the University of Iowa. 
• Demonstrate exceptional accomplishment and promise in research, scholarship, artistic creation, or performance.
• Submit a resume or CV detailing their accomplishments and activities. 

If applying as a second- or third-year student (not graduating) EURA, students must be returning to the University of Iowa as an undergraduate for the upcoming academic year.

Senior Recognition Recipient

Students nominated for the senior recognition award must:

• Be current seniors graduating during the academic year in which they are nominated.
• Demonstrate exceptional accomplishment and impact in research, scholarship, artistic creation, or performance.

For all nominations:

• Nominators must complete and submit all required materials through the electronic application form by the established deadline.

   

Award Details

Fellowship Award Recipient

One recipient in each disciplinary category will receive:

• A commemorative EURA trophy.
• A $1,000 travel scholarship to support participation in a professional development opportunity such as a conference presentation, artistic performance or exhibition, workshop, or similar activity.
• An OUR Fellowship for the recipient's choice of the upcoming summer or academic year.
• Recognition at the annual EURA celebration.

Senior Recognition Recipient

One recipient in each disciplinary category will receive:

• A commemorative EURA trophy.
• Recognition at the annual EURA celebration.

Senior Recognition recipients are honored for their outstanding undergraduate achievements but do not receive fellowship or travel funding.

Find out more about nominating a student.

Selection Categories

Up to two awards will be made in each of the following areas:

• Group 1: Arts, Humanities, Law, and Qualitative Social Sciences, broadly construed
• Group 2: Natural, Physical, Life, Engineering, Computational, and Mathematical Sciences and Quantitative Social Sciences, broadly construed
• Group 3: Health, Biomedical, and Clinical Sciences, broadly construed

In each category, the selection committee intends to recognize:

• One current senior through the Senior Recognition Award, and
• One current junior or sophomore through the Fellowship Award.

This structure ensures that students whose most significant accomplishments occur during their senior year may be recognized, while continuing to support emerging scholars, researchers, artists, and performers through fellowship and travel funding.

Nomination Process

Congratulations to our 2026 EURA recipients!