Funding for Research as a Sophomore

The Sophomore Scholars Program is an extension of the First-Year Scholars Program. Students and Primary Investigators (PI) receive funding to continue research into the student's second year, working on a continuation of the First-Year Scholars project or a new project.

Funding for the Sophomore Scholars Program is competitive; there are only 40 slots available.

Program Requirements

To participate in the Sophomore Scholars Program, students and Primary Investigators (PIs) must meet academic, research, and funding requirements.

Requirements for Students

Selected students will be required to:

  1. Work 5-10 hours per week on the research over the next academic year.
  2. Attend two (2), in-person Professional Development Activities per semester.
    • Please see schedule, as dates and times are already set.
  3. Complete the mid-year and year-end assessment surveys.
  4. Be listed as a co-author on an abstract submission and present at the Fall and/or Spring Symposium of Student Scholars.
  5. Complete at least one (1) additional dissemination activity.
    • For example, presenting at a disciplinary conference or an undergraduate research conference, submitting a manuscript for publication, submitting a grant application based on the research, submitting an Intellectual Property disclosure, etc.

Requirements for Primary Investigators (PIs)

As this program provides a funding resource for the accepted research projects, the Office of Undergraduate Research maintains these requirements for all Primary Investigators (PIs) accepted into the program. 

The PIs will be required to:

  1. Supervise the student(s) on research over the next academic year.
  2. Complete the mid-year and year-end assessment surveys.
  3. Guide the student(s) on an abstract submission for a presentation at the Symposium of Student Scholars (Fall and/or Spring)
  4. Commit a minimum of 1-hour to judge at the Symposium of Student Scholars, each semester
  5. Guide the student(s) on at least one (1) more additional dissemination activity.
    • For example, presenting at a disciplinary conference or an undergraduate research conference, submitting a manuscript for publication, submitting a grant application based on the research, submitting an Intellectual Property disclosure, etc.

These requirements, particularly the progress reports and surveys, are vital to collecting data on how the funding is being utilized, as we rely on the PIs to relay this information to us. Should an audit of Office of Undergraduate Research funding usage be requested, this is our current reporting method. 

Failure to fulfill these requirements will result in ineligibility for 1-year of future funding from the Office of Undergraduate Research

Please email our@kennesaw.edu if you have any questions. 

 

In order to be eligible, the following requirements must be met: 

  • The student and Primary Investigator (PI) worked together in the First-Year Scholars Program.
  • The student and PI completed required assessment surveys at the end of the First-Year Scholars Program.
  • The student completed all required activities as part of the First-Year Scholars Program.
  • The student is listed in the program as a presenter at the Symposium of Student Scholars.
  • The student remains enrolled at Kennesaw State University for the full academic year
  • The student has a 3.0 GPA or higher
  • Both the student and PI have a strong track record of successfully completing program requirements for participation in any other Office of Undergraduate Research funding programs within the last academic year.

*Priority will be given to First-Year Scholars who presented their research at more than just the Symposium of Student Scholars

Sophomore Scholars may receive up to a $1,000 stipend in the Fall and up to a $1,000 stipend in the Spring. Payments will be split into two (2) per semester, and attendance at the professional development activities are required to receive payment.

  • First fall payment should be received by Friday, October 9, 2026
  • Second fall payment should be received by Friday, November 13, 2026
  • First spring payment should be received by Friday, February 26, 2027
  • Second spring payment should be received by Friday, April 23, 2027


Primary Investigators (PIs) receive $1,000 per accepted student. These funds must be used to support the Sophomore Scholars Program project.

  • PIs will create a budget for their project in the application. Please contact us at our@kennesaw.edu with questions regarding allowable expenses.
  • Funding that cannot be used for the purposes described in the application will be forfeited.

 

Application Process

Applications for the 2027 - 2028 academic year will open in March 2027.

The application process is to be initiated by the Primary Investigator (PI), by logging into InfoReady and filling out the initial application (please use your KSU credentials). The PI's initial application will be due by Wednesday, May 12th at 11:59pm.

PI's must list one (1) student per application. If the project included more than one student in the First-Year Scholars Program last year, and the PI would like for each of them to be considered, a separate application for each student is required.

Once submitted, the student section will be auto routed to the student for completion within 5 days after the PI's application deadline. The student section will be due no later than Monday, May 17th at 11:59pm. 

Only fully completed applications will be sent on to the review stage for consideration.

Use of AI Disclaimer

If you choose to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to write your proposal, abstract, or  presentation, it’s important to first seek approval from your Primary Investigator (PI). Even with approval, you must include a disclaimer in your submission that clearly indicates the role AI played in your work. Keep in mind that while AI can be a helpful resource, it’s not infallible – AI-generated content can contain inaccuracies or biased information. As the author, you are fully responsible for the accuracy, ethics, and quality of the content, even if AI-generated. Failure to acknowledge the use of AI tools not only misrepresents your work but also constitutes a breach of academic integrity.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  • The reviewer rubric for Sophomore Scholars applications can be found here. 

  • InfoReady applications are assigned the following statuses:

    • "Accepted" - this means the application does not require any edits and has moved on to the review stage (applicants will receive an email noting that the application has moved on and that final decisions will occur at a later date)
    • "Awarded" - this means the application has been reviewed and selected for the specific project (applicants will receive an email noting this and providing all the information on next steps)
    • "Rejected" - this means the application has not been selected for the specific program (applicants will receive an email noting this)
  • We encourage long-term participation with the same PI so that students may have the opportunity to learn different skills and roles which will lead to a more in-depth experience in their field of research. 

  • We certainly hope not! Talk to your PI about other options such as:

    • setting up a directed study (or the relevant equivalent) to earn course credit
    • working as a student assistant/lab assistant
    • apply for Undergraduate Research & Creative Activities (URCA) funding
    • other funding opportunities from your college or existing grants supporting the project

Information for Current Sophomore Scholars

Upcoming Dates and Deadlines

Date Event/Activity
By Friday, October 16, 2026 Stipend payment #1 should be received
By Friday, November 20, 2026 Stipend payment #2 should be received
Friday, December 11, 2026 at 11:59pm Student and PI Mid-Year Surveys Due
By Friday, March 5, 2027 Stipend payment #3 should be received
By Friday, April 30, 2027 Stipend payment #4 should be received
Friday, April 30, 2027 at 11:59pm Student and PI Year-End Surveys Due

Professional Development Activities

Beginning with the 2025-2026 cohort, the Office of Undergraduate Research will require Sophomore Scholars to attend two (2), in-person professional development activities per semester. These activities will be tailored specifically toward topics that will benefit the growth of the students in the Sophomore Scholars Program, and will be scheduled based on group availability.

Date Time Location Topic
Tuesday, September 15, 2026 11:15am - 12:15pm Academic Learning Center (ALC) 5500 (Kennesaw Campus)


Sophomore Scholars Orientation
Friday, September 18, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm Engineering Tech. Center, room Q 104 (Marietta Campus)
Tuesday, October 20, 2026 11:15am - 12:15pm Academic Learning Center (ALC) 5500 (Kennesaw Campus)
Internships, Co-ops, Jobs
Friday, October 23, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm Engineering Tech. Center, room Q 104 (Marietta Campus)
Tuesday, February 2, 2027 11:15am - 12:15pm Academic Learning Center (ALC) 5500 (Kennesaw Campus)
Mentoring Peers
Friday, February 5, 2027 3:00pm - 4:00pm (Marietta Campus)
Tuesday, March 30, 2027 11:15am - 12:15pm Academic Learning Center (ALC) 5500 (Kennesaw Campus)
Personal Visioning/Goal Setting
Friday, April 2, 2027 3:00pm - 4:00pm (Marietta Campus)

Sophomore Scholars from Previous Years

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