Research Opportunities
Conducting your own research can be an incredibly rewarding experience, allowing you to gain deep insight into a topic you are passionate about. Develop valuable skills and discover new insights that contribute to the field of statistics, data science or actuarial science – and help solve real-world problems.
Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA)
Funded by: Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada (NSERC)
Value: $6,000
Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA) help fund 16 weeks of research under the supervision of a faculty member. USRA are meant to stimulate undergraduate students' interest in natural sciences and engineering research, encourage students to undertake graduate studies and pursue a research career in one of the fields that fall under the natural sciences and engineering umbrella.
Learn more about requirements and how to apply.
University of Toronto Excellence Awards (UTEA)
Funded by: University of Toronto, Vice-President Research and Innovation
Value: $7,500
The University of Toronto Excellence Award (UTEA) program provides undergraduate students from both the Natural Sciences & Engineering (NSE) and the Social Sciences & Humanities (SSH) with funding to conduct summer research projects under the supervision of U of T faculty members. Research project is 14 full weeks in the summer term, between May 1 and September 30, 2023
Learn more about requirements and how to apply.
Funded by: Arts & Science Students’ Union (ASSU) and the Faculty of Arts & Science
Value: maximum $2,500
The Undergraduate Research Fund fosters research experience at the undergraduate level by providing students with an opportunity to develop a research project of their own, for which there is no other available funding. The fund is open to all Arts & Science undergraduate students in good academic standing. No minimum GPA is required.
Learn more about requirements and how to apply.
Summer Undergraduate Research Award (SURA)
Funded by: Department of Statistical Sciences
Value: $2,000
Summer Undergraduate Research Award (SURA) will take place over the summer months. The award is open to all students who are currently enrolled in a Department of Statistical Sciences (DoSS) Specialist or Major program and who have completed STA302 with at least a B+ by the time of application.
If you would like to gain research experience while working one-on-one with our faculty, consider enrolling in one of our independent reading courses. It's a great opportunity to work independently, hone your research skills and benefit from mentorship.
For information about our independent reading courses, check out the Faculty of Arts & Science calendar for statistical sciences or actuarial science.
Scholarships & Awards
There's a wide range of scholarships and awards available to U of T undergrad students. Have a look at the Faculty of Arts & Science scholarship website to learn more. Below, please find a selection of scholarships and awards specifically for statistics and actuarial science undergrad students.
Statistics
Established by: SCiAN Services Inc.
Value: $2,500
This award will automatically be given to the third-year student with the best grade point average in the Applied Statistics Specialist or Statistics Specialist programs.
Actuarial Science
The following scholarships are available to U of T actuarial science undergrad students and do not require students to submit an application.
Established by: Hewitt Associates
This scholarship is awarded at the end of the second year with financial needs being considered. The same student will receive the awards for two years, providing he or she continues to demonstrate financial need and maintains an academic standing entering fourth year which is consistent with his or her academic performance when first awarded the scholarship.
Established by: gifts from the Associates of the University of Toronto Inc., family, friends and former colleagues of A.F. Williams; matched by OSOTF and EAF
Awarded to a student who has completed ACT240H and 247H combined (or equivalent courses). Financial need must be considered. Academic performance will also be considered.
Established by: Florence Maye Bryson in memory of her husband, Albert E. Bryson
An annual award to a fourth-year student who has completed at least five full course requirements from the third and fourth years of the Specialist Program in Actuarial Science. At least three full course equivalents must be in Actuarial Science.
Established by: associates of the University of Toronto Inc. in honour of Dr. James T. Phillips and Marjorie Phillips
Awarded to an outstanding third-year student with the highest aggregate in two full course equivalents in Actuarial Science at the 300-level or higher.
Established by: colleagues and friends of Professor P. L. J. Ryall, a former faculty member in the Department of Statistical Sciences
Awarded to an outstanding student who has completed the Specialist Program in Actuarial Science with the highest Cumulative GPA.
Established by: Eckler Partners Ltd in honour of founding chairman, Samuel Eckler
Awarded in second year to an outstanding student in the Specialist Program in Actuarial Science who has an A-average overall and who has received a mark of an A in ACT 240F. The student will continue to hold the scholarship in third and fourth years provided that the student remains enrolled in the Specialist Program in Actuarial Science and maintains a B+ average overall and an A average in all required actuarial courses.
The following scholarships are available to U of T actuarial science undergrad students and require students to submit an application.
Established by: Economical Insurance
Value: $4,000
Deadline: March 31, 2022, 11:59 PM
To be awarded to a student in Actuarial Science based on academic merit and community involvement. Only students currently in their third year of studies are eligible for this scholarship. Preference will be given to students who have successfully completed professional examinations related to Actuarial Science. Please complete the application form and submit it along with your resume and a printout of your academic history from ACORN.
Find more information on the Economical Insurance Scholarship. [PDF]
Download the application form for the Economical Insurance Scholarship. [PDF]
Established by: OCCA
Deadline: announced in class
This award is given to an Actuarial Science Specialist Program student who has completed third year and will be returning for fourth year. The recipient is chosen by the OCCA.
Established by: Samuel Beatty Fund and through donations from the family, friends and colleagues of Samuel Beatty
Deadline: announced in class
These scholarships are given to students in second, third or fourth year, taking a specialist program offered by the Departments of Mathematics, Physics, Statistics or Computer Science. Awards will be given based on academic performance during the previous year and based on need. Contact our Actuarial Science Undergraduate Administrator for more information and applications at ug.actsci@utoronto.ca.
The following scholarships are available to actuarial science students beyond the University of Toronto.
Established by: CAS
Value: $10,000 scholarship (first place); $5,000 (second and third place)
Deadline: typically March (see CAS Scholarship page for more details)
This scholarship furthers students’ interest in the property/casualty actuarial profession and encourages the pursuit of the CAS designations. Applicants must:
- Be permanent residents of the U.S. or Canada or have a permanent resident visa
- Admitted as full-time students to a U.S. or Canadian educational institution to be eligible
- Have demonstrated high academic achievement and a strong interest in mathematics or a mathematics-related field.
This scholarship requires students to submit an application. Recommendations, transcripts, actuarial exam results, work experience, and written essays will all be considered in selecting the award recipients.
Additional details and applications are available on the CAS Scholarship page.
Established by: IABA
Value: $3,000 - $5,000/year
Deadline: please refer to the IABA website for deadlines
This program provides scholarships at the undergraduate and graduate level to qualified black students who are interested in pursuing an actuarial career. IABA’s mission is to contribute to an increase in the number of black actuaries and to influence the successful career development, civic growth and achievement of black actuaries.
For additional information, visit the IABA Scholarship page.
Established by: the Actuarial Foundation
Deadline: typically November (please refer to the Actuarial Foundation Scholarships website for deadlines)
The Actuarial Foundation supports the future of the actuarial profession and fosters the best and brightest students through four major scholarships. These scholarships not only offset the cost of education for students but are prestigious honours. Scholarship recipients are selected by representatives of the actuarial profession, who may one day be their peers.
Get more information about the Actuarial Foundation Scholarships