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Sigma Xi Grants-in-Aid of Research (GIAR) is a student research funding program run by Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society. It gives small grants to degree-seeking undergraduate and graduate students for project-specific research costs, in two cycles a year. This guide covers eligibility, amounts, what the money can and cannot buy, and a working-back timeline, as described on the official page on 2026-10-29.
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Suggested question: “Do I need to be a Sigma Xi member to get a grant?”
What Sigma Xi GIAR is and who runs it
GIAR, also written Sigma Xi GIAR or simply Sigma Xi grants, is run by Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society. Sigma Xi says the program has operated since 1922 and that it serves undergraduate and graduate students (Sigma Xi, Grants in Aid of Research, checked 2026-10-29). The program page states that Sigma Xi strongly encourages applications from women and underrepresented minorities.
The funding is a small project grant, not a fellowship: the allowable-expense rules below cover research costs and exclude salaries, stipends and tuition. For the general meaning of the term, see the grant-in-aid dictionary entry.
Who is eligible for Sigma Xi grants
Applicants must be currently enrolled, degree-seeking undergraduate or graduate students. The Application Guidelines on the application portal add that U.S. citizenship and residence are not required, that graduating seniors must plan to finish their research before graduation, and that co-workers on the same project may apply separately if each shows a unique contribution (Sigma Xi GIAR Application Guidelines, checked 2026-10-29).
Sigma Xi membership is not required. It does change how much you can request, as the next section shows.
How much does Sigma Xi GIAR fund?
The ceiling depends on membership status and, for two designated funds, on the research field. The figures below are from the program page and the guidelines, as described on the official page on 2026-10-29.
| Applicant or fund | Level | Amount stated |
|---|---|---|
| Active Sigma Xi member, or a student whose advisor is an active member | Graduate | $500 to $5,000 |
| Active Sigma Xi member, or a student whose advisor is an active member | Undergraduate | $500 to $2,000 |
| Non-member or inactive member | Graduate and undergraduate | Up to $1,000 |
| National Academy of Sciences designated fund, astronomy (members and non-members) | Student applicants | Up to $5,000 |
| National Academy of Sciences designated fund, vision-related research (members and non-members) | Student applicants | Up to $2,500, research must have implications for human vision |
Practical consequence: if your advisor is an active member, the member tier applies to you even if you are not one. The portal also says it strongly encourages considering membership before the deadline.
What GIAR funds and what it does not
The guidelines are specific about expenses, and the test they imply is simple: would the lab routinely stock the item, or is it specific to your project? Showing institutional or departmental support may strengthen a request. The table groups the guidelines’ own lists (as described on the official page on 2026-10-29).
| Category | Items named in the guidelines |
|---|---|
| Allowable | Specific equipment necessary for the proposed project; travel to and from a research site; supplies specific to the project and not generally available in an institutional research laboratory; reimbursement of participants in psychology studies with human subjects |
| Not allowable | Travel to scientific meetings or symposia; educational programs, tuition, general room and board, textbooks, curriculum development; salaries or stipends for applicants or assistants; manuscript preparation and publication costs; indirect costs or institutional administrative fees; standard lab supplies and equipment a lab normally stocks (the guidelines give common chemicals, petri dishes, pipettes and glassware as examples); a third grant |
| Possible with a detailed budget justification | Computer equipment, software, digital phones, GPS units and cameras (these remain the property of the institutional lab); equipment use fees; transcription and analytical services |
For equipment use fees and for transcription or analytical services, the guidelines say these are generally fundable in astronomy, mathematics and computer science, and generally not funded elsewhere. For how budget justifications are judged in federal grants, see writing a budget justification under 2 CFR 200; GIAR is not a federal program, so treat that guide as general budgeting practice rather than GIAR rules.
How to apply
- Go to the GIAR application portal, an external site, and create a new account. It is separate from your Sigma Xi website account. Reference writers must also create an account (Sigma Xi, GIAR apply page, checked 2026-10-29).
- Read the Application Guidelines on the portal. The apply page also links a guide to preparing a successful application, a sample proposal, a sample rating form and recorded sessions.
- Request the advisor’s recommendation form and begin your application. The portal asks you to do both no later than one week before the application deadline.
- Submit all materials, including the recommendation form, by the deadline. The guidelines say applications close at 12:00 AM Pacific Time on the deadline date.
Typical timeline: two cycles a year
Dates are listed by month and day only, because the program repeats them every year. Confirm the current cycle on the portal before you plan.
| Phase | Spring cycle | Fall cycle |
|---|---|---|
| Application form available online | December 15 | July 1 |
| Deadline | March 15 | October 1 |
| Funding decisions emailed | Mid-May (apply page); end of May (guidelines page) | Early January (apply page); first week of January (guidelines page) |
| Funds disbursed | Early June | Late January |
Working back from the deadline: the form opens about three months ahead for the spring cycle and three months ahead for the fall cycle, and the advisor’s recommendation form should be requested at least a week before the deadline. Because funds arrive after a decision, a project that needs equipment in hand by a fixed date should be timed against the disbursement row, not the deadline.
Common mistakes
Each point below follows from a rule on the guidelines page rather than from anecdote.
- Budgeting for a conference trip. Travel to scientific meetings or symposia is not allowable; travel to and from a research site is.
- Listing routine lab consumables. Items a lab normally stocks, such as common chemicals, petri dishes, pipettes and glassware, are excluded.
- Asking for a stipend or assistant pay. Salaries and stipends for applicants or assistants are not allowable.
- Adding overhead. Indirect costs and institutional administrative fees are not allowable.
- Requesting a computer, camera or software with no justification. These are exceptions that need a detailed budget justification, and they stay with the institutional lab.
- Leaving the recommendation to the last day. It is due by the deadline, and the portal asks you to request it a week early.
- Planning a second grant without the follow-up report. An applicant can receive a total of two GIAR grants, and a Follow-up Report Form must be submitted before the deadline of the application for the second.
Related programs
| CASRAI page | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Summer Undergraduate Research Experiences | Summer research programs for undergraduates, including REU |
| NDSEG Fellowship | Eligibility, application and research statement for the NDSEG fellowship |
| Early-career foundation fellowships compared | How the major early-career foundation fellowships in science compare |
| KAKENHI | Japan’s Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research, a different program with a similar name |
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to be a Sigma Xi member to get a grant?
No. Non-members and inactive members can apply and may request up to $1,000. Active members, and students whose advisor is an active member, may request more.
Can undergraduates apply to Sigma Xi GIAR?
Yes. Currently enrolled, degree-seeking undergraduate and graduate students may apply. The member-tier range for undergraduates is $500 to $2,000.
Can international students apply for Sigma Xi grants?
The guidelines say U.S. citizenship and residence are not required and international applicants are welcome.
Can I use GIAR money to travel to a conference?
No. Travel to scientific meetings or symposia is not allowable. Travel to and from a research site is.
How many times can I receive a grant?
Applicants are eligible for a total of two Grants in Aid of Research. A Follow-up Report Form must be submitted before the application deadline for a second grant.
Sources
- Sigma Xi, Grants in Aid of Research, checked 2026-10-29.
- Sigma Xi, Grants in Aid of Research: apply, checked 2026-10-29.
- Sigma Xi application portal, Application Guidelines, checked 2026-10-29.
Programs change. Amounts, rules and dates here are as described on the official page on 2026-10-29, and the portal governs if it differs.
