Undergraduate Student Government (USG) and the Office of Undergraduate Education recognize that the academic experience is not limited to the classroom. To that end, the Office of Undergraduate Education is proud to offer Academic Enrichment Grants (AEGs) ranging from $100 to $1,200 to fund such learning experiences for individuals. Be aware that the median award offer is closer to $700, while grants of up to $1,200 will be more limited. Applicants not receiving the full amount requested can accept or decline any funding offer they may receive. USG administers the applications and new recipients are selected during application cycles in October, December, and March. Funds are available for students of all undergraduate majors and can be utilized for a variety of purposes, including, but limited to, research, creative work, and professional development.
What can be funded?
II. Allowable/Fundable Expenses
AEGs exist to make personal enrichment experiences more accessible to students outside of the classroom. Students can use this funding for a variety of purposes, some of which may include research, creative work projects, and professional development projects. Below are some more specific examples of both fundable and non-fundable expenses:
Examples of fundable expenses:
- Materials and supplies: lab chemicals, lab goggles, lab fees, other material project support etc.
- Travel: conference or special workshop fees, airfare or gas, hotel expenses, etc.
- Media and technology support: Expenses related to project undertaking and presentation e.g. online journal subscriptions, software expenses, poster boards etc.
What can't be funded?
Some examples of non-fundable expenses are:
- General OSU or study abroad tuition
- Projects taking place after student’s undergraduate graduation
- Student organization expenses (AEGs are for individuals)
- Compensation/rewards for research study participants
*NOTE: AEGs are meant for Columbus campus students and therefore cannot be disbursed to individuals attending a regional campus or outside institution.
Please Read the Following Section Before Submitting an Application
Are you eligible?
Recipients generally eligible should be full-time (12 semester credit hours or more) to be considered eligible for USG funding, although part-time enrollment with heavy research emphasis will be considered (Columbus campus only).
Application Components
AEG applications must include each of the following to be considered for funding. Applications missing any part will not be considered. Please pay close attention to these instructions as they may differ from past applications.
- Basic Information and Academic Information
- Advising Report (from "Advising Report" on buckeyelink.osu.edu)
- Project Information
- Project Proposal
- Budget Proposal
- Reference
Budget Proposal Instructions
Submit a budget proposal with your project. For some projects, you may already have been provided with a budget; this is the case for study abroad students who receive a Financial Aid Study Abroad Budget Letter. However for many applicants, you will need to compile a list of expenses. Should you be selected for a grant, an official budget form will be provided to you to complete and return.
Your budget should include:
- Expense items
- Total project cost
- Amount and items that would be funded by AEG
- Vendor for each item, if known or applicable
Project Proposal Instructions
The project proposal should be no more than two typed double-spaced pages and include the following:
- Project description
- Objectives
- Why you are suited to undertake the project
- Any work already accomplished on the project
- Personal significance of project to your overall academic experience
Reference Instructions
The reference can be any faculty or staff member who has influenced you to pursue a project. Academic advisors, graduate teaching assistants, lab instructors, professors, and student organization advisors are all suitable. If the individual wishes, he/she may confidentially email usg.aeg@gmail.com to be included in your application materials. If this is the case, you may attach the reference's contact information in place of attaching the recommendation itself.
Common FAQ for Academic Enrichment Grants
Can I pay for an Ohio State University charge (tuition, program fee, housing)?
No, all money from AEG’s can not be paid to OSU as the money provided is through Student Financial Aid and is subsequently OSU’s to begin with.
Can I pay for this receipt?
All grant money must be used for an upcoming cost and cannot be used as a reimbursement cost. All receipts must be mailed to usg@osu.edu within three months of using the money.
Can I use it for WAIP?
We have seen a trend of students applying to use money for the Washington Academic Internship Program (WAIP) and discourage doing so due to the costs being associated with OSU program and housing fee.
How can I make my application better?
Focus on the mission of AEG’s to enrich academic success outside of the classroom on a field relative to what you are studying at Ohio State.
2018-2019 Academic Year Application Timelines
- Round 1: October 29 - November 19
- Round 2: January 25 - February 15
- Round 3: March 18 - April 8
Application
Apply online at usg.osu.edu/secure/aeg.The application will open on the dates listed above and will close at 11:59 p.m. the last day of the timeline. Please contact Todd Borgerson @ usg@osu.edu with any questions.