Summer Research Housing Grants

Undergraduate Summer Research Housing Grants

Students engaged in summer research are eligible to receive free housing in the residence halls, subject to the following stipulations:

1. Each student must be a registered undergraduate at Valparaiso University.
2. Each student must be engaged in full time research (at least 30 hours per week) while receiving the housing grant, up to a maximum of 10 weeks.
3. Each student researcher must have a faculty mentor.
4. Each student must be engaged in real research, as opposed to simply assisting with a faculty research project. For example, a student employed by a faculty member to work solely as a laboratory technician, to find journal articles in the library, or to proofread a manuscript would not be eligible for a Summer Research Housing Grant. The key criterion in defining ‘real’ research is that the student be engaged in, and contribute to, the intellectual development of the research or creative project. Two (2) manifestations of such engagement are: 1) that the student write a comprehensive research report and 2) that the student be included as a co-author of any scholarly publications that result from the research.

Students wishing to be considered for a Summer Research Housing Grant should arrange for their faculty mentor to submit a letter or email request to the Office of the Provost by the last week of March. The specific date can be found on the Creative Work and Research Committee’s deadlines web page. This letter should include the following information:

1. Student’s name.
2. Expected graduation date.
3. Short description of the student’s planned activities.
4. Beginning and ending dates for the research/housing.
5. Source of funding from which the student will be paid.

The Committee on Creative Work and Research will review the letters of request and select students to receive Summer Housing Grants before May 1. The Office of the Provost will inform the Office of Residential Life and the Vice President for Finance and Administration of the students’ names and their dates of stay in the residence halls. These awards are subject to the following additional conditions:

1. Students enrolled in summer school must have the approval of the Financial Aid Office in order to be eligible for this housing award.
2. Students receiving this award must abide by all the rules and regulations of the residence hall system.
3. Students must complete and submit a summer housing agreement form to the Office of Residential Life in the Harre Union by no later than the summer school housing application deadline. Students should indicate that they are a “summer research student” on the form itself. If students are not approved for free housing, and then wish to cancel their housing, they may do so without financial penalty.
4. Grants will be for up to 10 weeks. When not on campus for one (1) week or more, students must vacate their rooms.
5. Rooms will be double rooms with roommates assigned by the Office of Residential Life.
6. The Internal Revenue Service considers a housing grant to be a form of compensation. As a result, the University must report the value of the room rental on the student’s W-2 form.