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.
CREST applications open August 24, 2026 for the 2026-2027 academic year. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis on the 15th of each month.
If you have any questions, please contact ouri@rice.edu.