What is Rains?
The Rains Research Assistant Program supports faculty research by providing financial support for faculty to hire a student research assistant. In addition, the program allows students to develop research experiences and close collaborations with their faculty and other members of their research group.
This program is available to all full-time tenured & tenure-track faculty. Faculty members on a leave of absence are not eligible.
NOTICE: Please click "How to Apply" for additional information and the Rains application.
PLEASE NOTE THAT RAINS has multiple submission and review dates. These dates are not strict deadlines, but should be used by faculty as guidelines on when they will hear back about their applications. The date of faculty submission (not Chair approval) will be considered for review dates.
-
Submissions submitted by May 15, 2026 will be reviewed by June 1, 2026
- The application will temporarily close after May 15, 2026 and will reopen August 1, 2026
-
Submissions submitted by August 21, 2026 will be reviewed by August 28, 2026
-
Submissions submitted by September 4, 2026 will be reviewed by September 11, 2026
Note: Due to an increased demand in Rains funding and in an effort to ensure funds are equitably distributed, the review periods will be limited this year. The application period is dependent on funding availability.