The Erickson Discovery Grants are designed to provide financial support to Penn State undergraduate students across all majors and campuses for independent summer projects. These grants encourage students to pursue creative, research, or scholarly activities that align with their academic or personal interests. With an emphasis on fostering student-led exploration, projects can span diverse fields, including the arts, humanities, engineering, business, education, sciences, and social sciences. Students may travel as part of their project work or choose to remain at their home campus to complete their initiatives.

The program awards $5,000 per recipient, increased from the previous grant amount of $3,500. These funds can be used to cover various expenses, such as living costs, project materials, or other expenditures associated with completing the proposed project. While students can design projects that align with their supervising faculty member's research or scholarly focus, the work must remain primarily the student's independent undertaking.

Applications are currently open, and Penn State University Libraries have developed resources, including a planning worksheet, to guide students through identifying research questions and outlining their project proposals. The grants are supported and administered by Penn State Undergraduate Education and aim to empower undergraduates to take the lead in creative and academic pursuits, providing a meaningful opportunity for experiential learning and personal growth.

The deadline to apply for the 2025 Erickson Discovery Grants is February 16, 2025. The program runs annually, and students from all Penn State campuses and disciplines are encouraged to apply. Whether students are just beginning their projects or need funding to continue or complete existing work, the grants provide crucial financial resources to help bring their ideas to fruition.