The University of Toronto Scarborough Library and the Office of the Vice-Principal Research and Innovation are proud sponsors of the Undergraduate Research and Creative Forum (URCF). The URCF gives talented U of T Scarborough students an opportunity to gain experience disseminating knowledge, scholarship, and creative activities to an academic community and develop their presentation skills. The Forum also gives students a platform to share their experiences so that other U of T Scarborough students can learn more about the scholastic accomplishments and interests of their peers.
Eligibility | Criteria | Application Process | The Forum | Recognition | Important Dates | More Information
Eligibility
All students currently enrolled in a U of T Scarborough undergraduate degree program, from any major and all academic levels of study, are eligible to present their work.
All students must have faculty support to publicly showcase their work.
Undergraduate work and accomplishments being presented must have been pursued during the Summer 2025, Fall 2025, or Winter 2026 terms. Students cannot submit the same project as last year unless there are significant changes or advancements in the final outcome.
Criteria
The Forum focuses on knowledge translation, which means making your work understandable to others beyond academia.
The Selection Committee will look at the Content, Clarity, and Communication of submissions. Use the questions below to guide your submission application.
- Content: Does the submission clearly outline the nature, aims and significance of the work? How does the project fit within the larger context of the discipline/subject area?
- Clarity: Was the submission written in language appropriate for a general audience? Information must be presented in accessible, non-technical, non-specialist language that can be understood by a layperson or non-specialist as well as by the expert.
- Communication: Are there spelling and grammar mistakes?
Application Process
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Complete the submission form by the February 24, 2026 12:00pm (Noon) deadline.
Summaries cannot exceed 300 words. Please refer to the FAQs for additional guidance on what to include in your summary.
- Ask your faculty supervisor / instructor to complete and submit the faculty support form. Student submissions must be accompanied by a faculty support form to be eligible.
Successful applicants will be contacted on March 2, 2026 by 5:00 PM. It is crucial that all applicants check their U of T email accounts on March 2nd to find out if they were chosen to be a finalist as they must confirm their participation and then attend a mandatory info session on either March 3, 2026 from 2:00PM - 3:00PM or March 4, 2026 from 10:00AM - 11:00AM (applicants will indicate which session they will attend if selected to be a finalist when completing the online submission form).
The Forum
The 2026 Forum will showcase the scholarly and original accomplishments of U of T Scarborough undergraduate students in-person on March 31, 2026.
Each selected finalist's project will be available for viewing in the UTSC Meeting Place on March 31, 2026, with finalists on-hand to present their work, answer questions and received feedback from fellow UTSC students, faculty, staff, librarians, family and friends.
Recognition
All finalists will receive a notation on their transcript as part of Co-Curricular Record program.
A digital version of finalists' work will be permanently archived in the UTSC Undergraduate & Creative Forum collection in TSpace, the free and secure research repository established by U of T Libraries to disseminate and preserve the scholarly record of the University of Toronto.
Important Dates
- Drop-in information sessions (in-person tabling outside the Library):
- January 8, 2026 10:00AM - 11:00AM
- January 13, 2026 2:00PM - 3:00PM
- Application deadline: February 24, 2026 at 12:00PM (noon)
- Finalists contacted: March 2, 2026 by 5:00PM
- Finalists confirm participation and attend a mandatory info session: March 3-4, 2026
- Finalists info session, skill building workshops and feedback sessions: March 2026 (finalists will be contacted directly with exact dates and further information)
- Final submission deadline: March 24, 2026 at 12:00PM (NOON)
- URCF: March 31, 2026 UTSC Meeting Place with remarks, live presentations and Q&A with finalists
More Information
Contact your liaison librarian or review our Frequently Asked Questions.
If you require accommodations, please advise Nina Adamo or AccessAbility Services before the submission deadline.