• How many pages long should the CREU program proposal be?
  

There is no set limit, but around 6 pages seems appropriate to cover the required information. We have had proposals from 4 pages to 10 pages long. By the way, the suggested number of pages here refers to the length of the project writeup, not including the personal information pages and other required information.
 

• In the budget, are we allowed to include an academic-year stipend of $3,000 for each student?

As of 2007-2008, you may request an academic-year stipend of $3,000 for each student from an underrepresented group. In addition, an optional summer stipend of $4,000 per student can be requested for the summer following the academic year. Note that students who graduate in May do not qualify for the summer stipend (as they are no longer undergraduates at that point).

• Why did you introduce the new funding option for 2011-12?

We recognized that students at many institutions cannot accept stipends for work that receives academic credit.  Yet those projects (for example, independent study research projects) often yield important results and lead to continued research.  The new funding option allows students to begin their research during the academic year (at the normal level of 10-15 hours per week) and then continue it on a full-time basis the following summer.  At the same time, it encourages students to have the experience of interacting with other researchers in their field by traveling to conferences and other meetings.

• Can some students on a project select funding option #1 and others select option #2?

No, the funding option must be selected on a per-project basis.

• I am an international student majoring in CS at a U.S. university. Are international students eligible to participate in this student undergraduate research program (CREU)?

Starting with the 2010-2011 program, international students must hold US citizenship or have permanent resident status in order to be funded by this program.

• I am a student who would like to participate in CREU, but I will be studying abroad.  Is this ok?

             We expect all students to be in residence at their home institution during the funding period.

• Does CREU support projects at Canadian universities?
  

Unfortunately, proposals from Canadian universities cannot be funded from the NSF grant that supports CREU.

• May faculty receive funds from the CREU program?

No.  Funds from the CREU program are intended to directly support students.

• Are faculty able to use the additional $1,500 for travel for themselves?

Yes, faculty may use funds from the additional $1,500 (if requested) to accompany their students on conference trips related to the project.  We expect the students to be active participants in the conference, for instance as co-presenters of a paper or by presenting a poster themselves.

• Can we use the extra $1500 to purchase a laptop? Or an iPad?

No.  We do not support the purchase of "general purpose" computing equipment.  Any request you make to purchase special purpose equipment must be clearly stated and justified in the proposal. 

• What do you consider "underrepresented"?

The CREU program is funded by an NSF BPC grant. The BPC defines "underrepresented" as follows:

The Broadening Participation in Computing (BPC) program aims to significantly increase the number of U.S. citizens and permanent residents receiving post secondary degrees in the computing disciplines, with an emphasis on students from communities with longstanding underrepresentation in computing. Those underrepresented groups are women, persons with disabilities, African Americans, Hispanics, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.

• The office of sponsored programs at my institution wants to know to whom this grant is issued?
  

  This is not a research grant.  It is considered a stipend for the students. The other money is treated as a reimbursement of incurred expenses. The stipends are awarded directly to the students. That is, the students are paid directly by CRA. The funds are not awarded to the faculty sponsors or their colleges/universities for disbursement. As a result, there is no overhead allowed.