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Departmental Research Assistantship (DRA) Program 

The Departmental Research Assistantship (DRA) Program is a Division of Student Success program that aims to increase paid research/creative activity opportunities for Pell-eligible and First-Generation UT undergraduate students, strengthen relationships between URFS and academic departments, and recognize the role of undergraduate research faculty mentors.

Program Overview: 

The DRA program enhances undergraduate students’ opportunities to engage in paid research or creative activities, working with faculty members on academic projects.

  • Eligible Students: First-generation students or students who are Pell Grant-eligible. 
  • Participating Faculty: In a position to provide research opportunities scaled to the level of a beginning researcher. 

Funding Schedule: 

  • Spring Semester 2026: Begins upon student hire and ends May 15, 2026.
  • Funding Amount: 
    • Student Payroll: Up to $1,500 at a rate of $15/hour for 10 hours/week. 
    • Faculty Supplies: Up to $250 available. 

Program Requirements: 

  • Faculty Requirements:
    • Must offer research opportunities that align with a student’s beginner level of experience. 
    • Must provide mentoring and technical training while overseeing the student’s scholarly advancement. 
    • Must approve student timesheets, monitor student hours, and oversee payroll with the department business office. 
    • Faculty must not assign students any work (including trainings or meetings) until they have received written notification from URFS that the student is approved to work. Faculty members and departments will be responsible for any fines for violation of federal employment laws. 
    • Must assist students with their presentations for Discovery Day or EUReCA.
    • May be required to serve as a Pursuit reviewer or EUReCA judge (as needed). 
  • Student Requirements:
    • Within the semester of the DRA grant, participate in the DRA Canvas course and professional development activities run by URFS, including DRA orientation, mid-semester advising, EUReCA activity, and a post-survey. 
    • Within a calendar year of the end of the grant period, students are required to present research at Discovery Day (Fall) or EUReCA (Spring) with faculty support.
    • Students may not also be funded by another grant (FRAF, AURA) from URFS during the same semester. 
    • Students hired for DRA must be currently enrolled undergraduate UTK students.

Application 

APPLY HERE 

Faculty applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, with attention paid to departmental representation, between October 17 and November 2, 2025.  

Application Review Process and Requirements:    

  • Faculty may only submit one project abstract per term. Faculty can only employ one DRA student at a time. 
  • This is a competitive process. Please invest time in the application. Please note that not all requests will be funded. 
  • Priority will be given to faculty who plan to hire a student who previously has not held a research position.   
  • Faculty must submit original applications. If faculty are working on a joint project, they must acknowledge the joint effort in their project description (which may be shared), but all other aspects of the application must be original.  
  • Faculty members who apply for the program must have a teaching or research appointment (either full or part-time). Tenure-track and non-tenure track faculty are eligible.   

Faculty Recipient Requirements: 

  • Faculty members must complete the DRA Commitment form.   
  • Faculty members must follow the process laid out by URFS for selecting a student. 
  • Student work must be completed within the allowable time frame for the grant period.  
  • If called upon, faculty members agree to judge research projects at the Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement (EUReCA) held each spring, or serve as a reviewer for the journal PURSUIT.     
  • Faculty members agree to share and enforce the student employee requirements.