Frequently Asked Questions
COLA Office of Research & Scholarship - FAQs
Abbreviations
COLA - College of Liberal Arts
CORS - COLA Office of Research & Scholarship
OSP - Office of Sponsored Projects
OVPR - Office of the Vice President for Research
RSO - COLA Research Support Office
- How do I search for fellowship and grant opportunities?
COLA faculty automatically receive the monthly COLA Grants Digest email (here is the August 2026 edition). COLA students, researchers, and staff can subscribe to receive the Grants Digest. Faculty, graduate students, and staff can also create an account in Pivot, a funding opportunity database with a variety of government, non-profit, foundation and commercial funding opportunities.
- I have identified a funding opportunity and would like to apply. Where do I begin?
Go to RSO Proposal Submission Assistance and complete the Research Intake Form. A staff member from RSO will contact you to discuss next steps. When in doubt, you can always contact the RSO team at laresearch@austin.utexas.edu. We can also direct you to proposal specialists assigned to your department if RSO does not manage your grants/awards.
- I want to submit an application for an external fellowship. What do I do?
Inform your chair to discuss if your potential leave is possible. Submit an Intent to Submit Form. Submitting this form satisfies the requirement to notify RSO and your department chair of your intent to apply and allows our staff to review the terms and conditions and share important details with you.
- I was awarded an external fellowship. What do I do?
Inform your chair and COLA HR to discuss leave details and potential COLA Co-Sponsored External Fellowship (CSEF) Award. Upon awarding, if it’s determined the funds are to go through UT Austin (as opposed to directly to the individual), submit an RSO External Fellowship Setup Request Form to begin setting up the award at UT.
- I’m interested in securing funds from private foundations/donors. Who do I contact for assistance?
Contact Texas Development (Foundation Relations) Executive Director Laura Soto (laura.soto@austin.utexas.edu), who helps match the interests of private foundations with COLA faculty’s research and provides assistance through the proposal process.
- I have an idea for a collaborative, interdisciplinary, and multi-PI research project that would bring significant prestige to UT. Who do I contact for consultation?
Contact Kayla Dryden (kayla.dryden@austin.utexas), Executive Director for Research Development at OVPR, who provides early-stage consultation and substantive proposal editing and comments among other services.
- I have a grant application that was awarded. Who do I contact to set up the account?
Contact your department or center staff manager for assistance. If they have questions, the RSO (laresearch@austin.utexas.edu) team will provide the necessary guidance.
- Where do I go for help with managing my award(s), such as budget projections and team planning?
Contact your grant administrator, department or center staff manager for assistance, or reach out to RSO (laresearch@austin.utexas.edu) for help with determining your options.
- Where do I go if I anticipate significant post-award needs for my sponsored project?
Sponsored projects should be housed in units that can supply the necessary administrative support for the projects as the unit is responsible for their oversight. If a unit can’t provide the necessary administrative support, the project may be eligible to receive support from the Population Research Center (PRC) or the Humanities Institute (HI). If that isn’t an option, contact the Associate Dean for Research to discuss options for projects that warrant further consideration.
- If my project involves human subjects, animals, rDNA, or biohazardous materials, whom do I contact?
Contact UT’s Office of Research Support and Compliance at orsc@uts.cc.utexas.edu.
- Who do I contact to determine which indirect cost (IDC)/facilities and administrative (F&A) rate is appropriate for my research project?
Visit OSP’s Cost Principles and Guidance webpage to learn more about the indirect cost rates at UT Austin. Contact RSO (laresearch@austin.utexas.edu) to determine which rate your project should use.
- Are there internal funding opportunities to support COLA research?
Yes! There are several internal funds available and range from supplementing external fellowships to supporting larger and smaller research needs. Visit CORS Programs & Resources for more information.
- I’m a faculty member interested in getting involved with undergraduate research programs in COLA. Where should I go?
CORS connects faculty with undergraduate researchers, providing student funding, offering training opportunities for affiliated faculty and grad students, and offers structured support and scaffolding for students and faculty through the Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program (URAP). URAP includes options for small cohorts (3–10 students) collaborating on a faculty-led project or 1:1 faculty-student research assistant pairings. To participate or learn more, go to the undergraduate research website.
- I’m an undergraduate student looking to get involved with research. Where should I start?
We strongly encourage all COLA undergraduates interested in research to begin with LA 101L: Pathways to Research. This one-credit introductory course equips students with research fundamentals, skills, and an understanding of diverse research opportunities in COLA and beyond. This course is an ideal starting point for the Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program (URAP) track, a multi-semester sequence that begins with research in a small cohort setting and progresses to more independent research experiences and opportunities for funding, academic credit, and research presentation. Students can learn more at the undergraduate research website.
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Questions? Contact the COLA Research Support Office at laresearch@austin.utexas.edu.