Student Research Award

The Student Research Award (SRA) provides $1,000 to support graduate-student research in hearing conservation/hearing loss prevention, and up to $1,000 for travel expenses plus complimentary registration to present the funded research at a future annual NHCA conference. The award is intended to support research studies such as dissertations, theses, or other special projects that are in the planning stages or currently underway. Completed projects are not eligible. (Students who have completed research in hearing conservation/hearing loss prevention are encouraged to apply for a Student Conference Award.)

NHCA will select up to two graduate students to receive the SRA. Awardees will be notified by email early in the spring semester. Students must be currently enrolled at an accredited educational institution and studying in a field related to hearing loss prevention/hearing conservation. Recipients will receive an award of $1,000 for research-related expenses, and will be eligible for up to $1,000 in additional funds for travel expenses plus complimentary registration to present the funded research at an annual NHCA conference. 

The recipient of this scholarship award will be expected to:

  • Spend the scholarship funds on expenses related to the proposed or in-progress research project and provide documentation of same. Click here for permissible uses of the scholarship funds. 
  • Acknowledge the support of the National Hearing Conservation Association Scholarship Foundation in any publications, reports, or presentations related to this research.
  • Disseminate the findings of his/her project in the form of a publication or conference presentation, if possible. The SRA recipient is strongly encouraged to consider presenting his/her findings at the annual conference of the NHCA and is eligible for up to $1,000 in additional funds to defray expenses associated with attending the NHCA conference.

*Please Note: Students who apply for the SRA CANNOT apply for the SCA concurrently.

Interested students must submit the online application by the deadline, December 1, 2023.

SRA Application Process 

Students must submit a complete application by the official SRA due date, December 1, 2023. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered. The application consists of:

  • Two Recommendation Letters (Click here to download the recommendation form - .pdf)
    • Applicants - Forward a copy of this Recommendation Form to two (2) individuals (preferably faculty) who can speak to your student status, performance, and potential.
    • The form is to be completed in Adobe Acrobat or similar program, saved, and emailed by the recommender to the email address provided on the form. (Please do NOT print and scan)

Student applicants are responsible for ensuring letters of recommendation are submitted to NHCA by or before the application deadline. Incomplete applications will not be considered. 

  • Official Transcript(s) of Graduate Studies

  • Resume (2-page maximum)
  • Proposed research budget - Contact the NHCA office for the form/more information.
  • Title & Abstract of Thesis, Dissertation or Other Research
    The student should provide a title and abstract of his/her in-progress or proposed thesis, dissertation or other research project (limit 750 words, not including title), using the following structure/format:
    • Research Objective(s): Provide a succinct and clear research purpose, question, or objective.
    • Research Rationale: Provide a strong and clear rationale for the research supported by the literature or community needs.
    • Methods: Clearly describe the methodology, participant population (if applicable), and any statistical analyses.
    • Hypothesized Results and Future Work: Clearly specify the hypothesized results of the project, including alternative and null hypotheses (if applicable), and suggest directions for future research.
    • Importance of Work: Describe potential applications or impact of the research on the field of hearing loss prevention/hearing conservation, including the potential benefit to society at large.

Click Here to Access and Submit SRA Application 

If you have any questions, please contact:

NHCA Scholarship Foundation
Phone: 303-224-9022