Services
Our Proposal Managers assist researchers in the College of Engineering with all proposal support (preaward) functions. Please submit a Request for Service or email us at coe.preawards@oregonstate.edu. We are your first stop for answers to all research-related questions! To make sure every request gets the full attention it deserves, please follow our deadline policies whenever possible.
Here are some of the services we provide:
- Budget and budget justification preparation
- Cost share requirements and documentation
- Review and inform regarding OSU and sponsor requirements
- Develop a grant submission timeline
- Initiate Cayuse SP proposal for internal approvals
- Support entries in sponsor submission websites such as Research.gov, SF 424 forms (or Cayuse 424), and others
- Act as a liaison between PI and:
· Office of Sponsored Research and Award Administration (OSRAA)
· External/Internal Collaborators
· Subawardees
· Postaward / Grant Accountants
Submission Timeline
To make sure every request gets the full attention it deserves, please follow our deadline policies whenever possible (click here for our grant submission timeline):
Three weeks or more from sponsor deadline is optimal notice, especially for complex projects.
Nine business days before sponsor deadline is the minimum requested notice for full support from Engineering Research Administration. Requests made eight or fewer business days before sponsor deadline may not receive the full level of support due to staff commitments on other proposals.
One full week before sponsor deadline, we strongly encourage PIs to route proposals through Cayuse SP to allow time for departmental approvals and any corrections that may arise in the review process.
Three business days before sponsor deadline is the amount of time it takes OSRAA to review a proposal. This is the time to have all supporting documents in place or sent to your Proposal Manager for review, and focus on polishing the technical narrative.
Last-minute requests for service are difficult and highly prone to errors. If you have an unexpected funding opportunity, please contact us right away to discuss how we can help.
Tips
1) Collaborative proposals and subawards involve many moving pieces. Please get us involved early so we can help!
2) If OSU will be a subaward rather than the lead, you must adhere to the lead organization's deadline. For example, if the proposal is due to the funding agency on September 15 and the lead organization needs it by September 1, then you should contact our team by August 15 at the latest.
3) Offices are closed on University holidays. Please keep this in mind when requesting assistance.
FAQs
General FAQs for Proposal Submission
Yes. If your proposal could result in new or additional external funding to OSU, then it must be reviewed and approved by OSU before submission. Preliminary proposals do not require approval because they result in an invitation from the sponsor to submit a full proposal, not a funding award. Contact us if you have questions or concerns about a specific proposal.
No. Individual researchers are not authorized to sign anything on behalf of Oregon State University. Only designated staff in the Research Office have signature authority. The one exception is where a signature line specifies Principal Investigator. Our team can assist with getting OSU signatures.
Yes. Contact us right away, even if you don’t have full information yet. We’ll help figure out what is needed and what our team can do on short notice.
Submission Process
Cayuse SP for internal approvals: https://oregonstate.cayuse424.com/sp/
Just-In-Time Cayuse Support: https://research.oregonstate.edu/osraa/just-time-cayuse-support-0
Overview of proposal submission process, from OSU Research Office: https://research.oregonstate.edu/osraa/proposal-submission-process
Proposal Resources
OSU cover page details: https://research.oregonstate.edu/osraa/commonly-requested-information
Human / Animal Subjects (HRPP / IRB, IACUC): https://research.oregonstate.edu/ori
- "The best-kept secrets to winning grants" by Kendall Powell in May 2017 issue of Nature.
- "Is there a recipe for the 10 key sentences?" - this and other articles from Research Funding Toolkit on grant writing
- "10 Common Grant Writing Mistakes" - by
Broader impact resources at OSU and general grant writing tips: https://engineering.oregonstate.edu/engineering-research-administration
SciENcv for Personnel Documents: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sciencv/
Graduate Assistant Budgeting Guidelines
Graduate students play an important role in the college. Faculty should consult the Coalition of Graduate Employees and Oregon State University Collective Bargaining Agreement for current contract requirements. Additional resources for graduate employees can be found at CGE Contract Resources.
Please contact COE.Preawards@oregonstate.edu for more information.
Cost for a NEW 12-month Graduate Assistant (GA) in College of Engineering, AY 2025-2026
Notes:
- These total costs apply to new graduate students only. (Cost for returning students will be higher.)
- Proposal budgets use highest total cost by default: 0.49 FTE for new student coming in with Master's degree.
- Total cost includes full indirect cost at 48.5% MTDC.
- Annual total cost will increase for each student due to required raises and progress in degree program, in addition to changes in health insurance and tuition cost.
Default (Highest) Total Cost for New COE GA, 0.49 FTE, Masters degree
| School | Previous Degree | FTE Appt | Total Cost | Annual Salary at 1.0 FTE | Salary at FTE Appt | Fringe Benefits | Indirect Costs | Tuition AY26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CBEE, EECS, NSE | Master's | 0.49 | $85,694 | $71,748 | $35,157 | $7,641 | $20,757 | $22,140 |
| CCE | Master's | 0.49 | $87,267 | $73,896 | $36,209 | $7,648 | $21,271 | $22,140 |
| MIME | Master's | 0.49 | $88,832 | $76,032 | $37,256 | $7,654 | $21,781 | $22,140 |
Lowest Total Cost for New COE GA, 0.40 FTE, Bachelors degree
| School | Previous Degree | FTE Appt | Total Cost | Annual Salary at 1.0 FTE | Salary at FTE Appt | Fringe Benefits | Indirect Costs | Tuition AY26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CBEE, EECS, NSE | Bachelor's | 0.40 | $73,253 | $67,080 | $26,080 | $7,588 | $16,694 | $22,140 |
| CCE | Bachelor's | 0.45 | $79,622 | $69,096 | $31,093 | $7,615 | $18,773 | $22,140 |
| MIME | Bachelor's | 0.40 | $75,656 | $71,100 | $28,440 | $7,598 | $17,478 | $22,140 |
Guide
Here is how much to budget for a GA in COE including tuition and indirect costs. Updated 1/30/26 for AY 2025-2026.
Policy
COE resident graduate student tuition applies.
Memo released with minimum base monthly salary, as well as general guidelines for hourly effort, and credit hour eligibility for fee subsidy.
Governing Policy on GA pay, effort, tuition waivers, benefits, etc.
How to budget and account for GRA tuition remission as an expense. Rules for FTE levels that accompany remission. Tuition and Fees are IDC exempt.
OSU Policy on GA payment from multiple index
Allowable pay scale for hourly student workers.
OSU policy on graduate research assistants and teaching assistants.
Funding Agencies
Broader Impacts & Engagement Program
Funding agencies are increasingly interested in the broader impacts of a proposal. Oregon State University has a wealth of resources and contacts to help PIs develop compelling programs.
OSU Precollege Programs - Broader Impacts & Engagement is your first stop for resources to broaden the educational impact of your research projects. Review their extensive resources, then sign up for a chat with an expert!