Undergraduate students who have completed OURI's SER and/or SURF programs are eligible to apply for Continuing Research Excellence Student (CREST).*
CREST Scholars receive $15/hr for up to 100 hours of research activities to be used over a single academic term.
At the time of application, CREST applicants must identify a faculty mentor (frequently this is the same mentor they worked with during SER and/or SURF) who will supervise their research either directly or in collaboration with a graduate student or post-doc mentor.
CREST funding is only available for students who are not receiving financial compensation for their research opportunity from another source. CREST Scholars must be eligible for on-campus employment and are required to complete an I-9 prior to receiving compensation. Students may be able to repeat CREST participation if the initial participation lasted less than one semester.
Apply for funding in the semester that you will be working on your research projects. For example, if you plan to work on your project in the spring, you should apply in the spring semester--not in the fall.
CREST applications are closed for Fall 2026 and will reopen in January 2027. If you are a current CREST student seeking to reapply, please contact Dr. Walston (lw160@rice.edu).
Funding is competitive and not guaranteed. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis on the 15th of each month.
If you have any questions, please contact ouri@rice.edu.