Application Deadlines and Announcement Dates

Fall Deadline*:  October 7, 2026 by 5:00 pm
Award Announcement Date: by December 11, 2026
Grant Duration: January 2027 through December 2027

Spring Deadline*:  February 10, 2027 by 5:00 pm
Award Announcement Date: by April 23, 2027
Grant Duration: June 2027 through May 2028

*Individual colleges may have internal deadlines which are earlier than the application deadlines above. Please work with your mentor to ensure timely submission of the application for their department. 

Grant Eligibility

You must be: 

• a full-time, degree-seeking undergraduate student attending any USC campus
• in good standing with the university
• working under the guidance of a USC faculty mentor

In addition: 

• You may not submit a proposal during the semester you graduate.
• You must have an institutional GPA of at least 3.2.
• Pharm. D. students who have earned a bachelor's degree are not eligible.
• Previous recipients of the Magellan Scholar grant are not eligible.
• Mentors may support a maximum of two student applicants each round. (This can be two individual student applications or one application by a group of two students.)
  
  

Application Process

1. Review the Magellan Scholar Application Guidelines. 
   Complete this first to understand grant eligibility, the elements of an application, and how to submit.
2. Attend the optional Application Workshop on September 15. 
   Visit the OUR workshop page for more information and to register. 
3. Develop grant proposal and create proposed budget.
   Refer to the Application Guidelines for the components to include in the proposal. All applicants must use this budget form.
4. Ask your mentor(s) to complete the Mentoring Plan document(s).
   Your mentor will combine these documents with the proposal and budget form prior to uploading to USCeRA.  
   • Mentoring Plan - Primary Mentor
   • Mentoring Plan - Secondary Mentor: note that graduate students are permitted as daily supervisors and secondary mentors, but are not eligible to be the primary mentor for a grant application. 
5. The primary mentor submits the full proposal through USCeRA using this step-by-step guide.
   This must be complete by 5pm on the deadline date in order to be considered for review. Refer to the Application Guidelines for the elements of a full proposal. 
6. Submit the Applicant Information Form using the information from your final proposal. 
   This must be submitted in addition to your complete proposal by the submission deadline.
   Group applicants should submit one form on behalf of the group.
   If anything on the form changes after you submit or you decide not to apply, please contact our@sc.edu so we can make changes for you.

You may not submit an application during the same semester when you are graduating. You must be enrolled for one full semester after the award date of the grant. 

Budget Guidelines

The proposed budget should include a list of anticipated expenses and a rationale for all expenditures.  Expenses must occur during the grant period – not before or after.

Allowable Expenses

• Salary and fringe benefits of the undergraduate student applicant ($15/hour recommended)
• Project materials and supplies
• Travel to conduct the research. (may request up to $2,500)
• Travel to present research at a conference (may request up to $1,000)
• University mandated travel insurance
• Computer software required to conduct the project
• Animal maintenance expenses
• Participant incentives may be requested with an approval memo from the business manager; must follow university policies

Unallowable Costs

• Compensation to anyone other than the undergraduate student applicant
• Retroactive payment for work completed prior to the start date
• Vaccination fees, passport fees, travel visas, etc.
• Computer/electronics hardware (includes tablets, cameras, etc.)
• Publication costs (includes print, digital, thesis, etc.)
• Incentives or payments to participants outside of the US
• Tuition for any program
• Food or beverages (travel per diem is allowed)
• Expenses that occur prior to the grant start date, after the grant end date, or after the undergraduate student graduates.

The budget items requested should be equal to or less than $2,500 - the maximum grant amount. 

Additional funding sources: if you have applied for, received, or plan to apply for additional funding to support the project, this must be clearly indicated on the budget portion of the application. 

Program Requirements

Review the program requirements here to understand expectations of grant recipients and their mentors. 

Contact OUR at our@mailbox.sc.edu if you have questions. The Magellan Scholar Grant program is administered by OUR with financial support from the Office of the Vice President for Research.