Student Project Funding

The Keller Center provides funding to support engineering students participating in STEM- or humanities-focused research and development activities, as well as non-engineering students participating in STEM-focused projects during the academic year. Projects that also relate to entrepreneurship and design thinking are encouraged.

By applying, you are requesting funding. Requests are not always granted; if they are, you may not be granted the total requested amount. Individuals may receive up to $1,000 per academic year; groups/clubs may receive up to $3,000 per academic year.

Eligibility

• Princeton undergraduate and graduate students and student organizations (NOTE: E-Club teams must request funding through your co-presidents)
• Must be engineering student(s) or the project must have STEM focus
• For an outside event, you must be actively involved as a speaker or presenter; funding requests for attendance only will not be accepted

Funding may not be used for classwork, junior independent work, senior thesis research, or startup funding; instead:

• Students may search the Student Activities Funding Engine (SAFE) for other opportunities
• B.S.E. students may also apply for School of Engineering and Applied Science thesis and independent work funds
• For startup funding, consider Keller Center's eLab program or the student-led Princeton Student Ventures (PSV) initiative

Application Period

• Opens: September 22, 2025
• Closes: March 31, 2026 at 11:59 p.m.
• Decisions typically within three weeks of submission

Application Requirements

Prepare

• Discuss the proposed project with your faculty or staff adviser
• Verify that your adviser will provide a recommendation
• Create a thorough, accurate, and reasonable budget with cost justifications
• If the proposal includes travel, itinerary must be submitted and approved in Enroll My Trip and you must abide by all University travel rules and regulations
• If the project is for an unofficial (not ODUS registered) group that does not have a group ID to access the group SAFE application, you must have an administrator sponsor your activity by requesting a group ID; the sponsor will need to provide the chart string in the request that will receive the awarded funds and the sponsor will be responsible for disbursement to your group; more information on this process may be found on the SAFE site

APPLY

• There are separate SAFE funding opportunities for undergraduate students, graduate students, individuals, and groups; be sure you are selecting the correct activity type
• Answer all questions and upload all documents as indicated on the application, including recommendation; incomplete applications will not be considered
• Ensure you have a strong adviser endorsement and a feasible budget
• If the proposal includes travel, you must apply a minimum of one month prior to your travel date, and three months is recommended for complex or international travel; funds will not be released until Enroll My Trip reads complete for all participants

Report Out

By the deadline indicated in the SAFE award letter, you must:

• Upload a final report containing an acknowledgement letter to the donor of the funds (name is listed on award letter), a narrative account of the research/activities undertaken with the support of the award, and a minimum of two photos documenting the project period
• Substantiate all expenses by uploading a full accounting, including portions of the award covered by other funders, and all receipts
• Return unspent funds via check or money order payable to Princeton University Trustees and delivered to the Princeton Entrepreneurial Hub, Room 113
• Follow all special instructions included in the award letter