External Scholarships

Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship (NSERC)

Canadian citizens, permanent residents of Canada and foreign citizens are eligible to be nominated for a Vanier CGS

Eligibility:• be pursuing your first doctoral degree;• not have completed more than 20 months of doctoral

studies as of May 1, 2015• have achieved a first-class average, in each of the last two

years of full-time study or equivalent.

Deadline: September 12 , 2014

Value: $50,000 per year

Canada Graduate Scholarships/ Postgraduate Scholarships

NSERC CGS-D, PGS-DEligibility: • Canadian citizen /permanent resident• A- average in each of the last two completed years of study.

Deadline: October 10, 2014

Value: CGS-D $35,000 PGS-D $21,000

Canada Graduate Scholarship –Master’s - CGS-M

CIHR / NSERC / SSHRC

Eligibility: • Canadian citizen /permanent resident• A- average in past two years of study

Deadline: December 1, 2014

Value: $17,500 per year

Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS)

Eligibility: • Canadian citizen / permanent resident • International student holding a visa or study permit• A- average, or the equivalent, on the last 20

one-term/semester courses, or the equivalent, completed

Deadline: January 30, 2015

Value: $15,000 per year

Why should I want one?• Awards are well known within Canada and will look good

on your CV/Resume;

• Allows for choice and flexibility in graduate school;

• Decreases burden on supervisor’s grant: more money for equipment, travel, compatriots and/or pay;

• Allows you to apply for additional awards such as the foreign studies supplement; and

• It will probably impress your family and friends

What if I already have funding?

• Decreases burden on supervisor’s grant: more money available for equipment, travel, compatriots, or pay

• Allow you to apply for additional awards (e.g. foreign studies supplement)

• Will likely impress your grandparents

Tips and tricks• Have something for

every category / criteria

• Make sure your references have seen your application before they write their letter. Helps them emphasize. Don’t worry about small stuff

• Choose referees wisely. They need to be able to write “statement, example”

• Choose a research topic you understand

• Volunteer (open house, homecoming, etc.)

Tips and tricks• Get people to read

your application under time constraints (e.g. 4 min)

• Edit, edit, edit, edit. Line by line. Non-native English speaks should not be shy about asking for assistance

• Tutor

• Get involved in activities / leadership

• “Generate content”

Read the instructions!

How you are judged

Academic excellence

1. Academic record

2. Scholarships and awards held

3. Duration of previous studies

Research ability or potential

1. Quality of contributions to research and development

2. Relevance of work experience and academic training to field of

proposed research

3. Significance, feasibility, and merit of proposed research, and

justification for location of tenure

4. Ability to think critically

5. Ability to apply skills and knowledge

Research ability or potential

6. Judgment

7. Originality

8. Initiative and autonomy

9. Enthusiasm for research

10. Determination and ability to complete projects within an

appropriate period of time

Communication, interpersonal and leadership abilities

1. The ability or potential to communicate scientific concepts clearly

and logically in written and oral formats. For example, this could

include:

1. quality of the application's presentation;

2. participation in preparing publications; and

3. awards for oral presentations or papers.

Communication, interpersonal and leadership abilities

2. Professional and relevant extracurricular interactions and

collaborations. For example, this could include:

1. mentoring;

2. teaching;

3. supervisory experience;

4. project management;

Communication, interpersonal and leadership abilities

5. chairing committees;

6. organizing conferences and meetings; and

7. elected positions held.

Selection Criteria WeightingsCGS-M

• Academic Excellence

• Research Potential

• Personal Characteristics and Interpersonal Skills

• 50%

• 30%

• 20%

Selection Criteria WeightingsCGS-D/PGS-D

• Academic excellence

• Research ability or potential

• Communication, interpersonal and leadership abilities

• 30%

• 50%

• 20%

Tips provided by scholarship recipients

Brent Cowan, PhD, CSCINSERC Doctoral Scholarship $35,000 per year (three years)Michael Williams-Bell, PhD, ABSCNSERC Doctoral Scholarship $35,000 per year (three years)NSERC Michael Smith Foreign Supplement $6,000 OGS - $15,000 (one year)

• Number one, Publish! Working toward a scholarship begins long before the application. If you don’t have a lot of publications, come up with your own ideas for research papers and pitch them to your supervisor. Look at the work you have already done toward your thesis, or for school projects. You may have already conducted research worth publishing.

Tips provided by scholarship recipients

• Give yourself time to prepare the application

• Develop a well-structured research plan with your supervisor. etc. Have your supervisor look over your scholarship application. Your supervisor wants you to win scholarships, and they are experts when it comes to writing applications, grants,

• SELL YOURSELF – Awards, distinctions, certifications, research experience, teaching experience

Tips provided by scholarship recipients

Tips for International Scholarship Funding/Opportunities: MSFSS/Endeavour Award (Australia)• Search for an international lab 6 – 12 months before

intending to leave• Search for scholarship/funding opportunities in the

country of interest• Work in collaboration with your host supervisor on your

application• Determine mutual benefit for Canada and host country• Highlight all research contributions, big and small• SELL YOURSELF AND THE HOST SUPERVISOR

Websites for more information

• Funding for current students: http://gradstudies.uoit.ca/current_students/student_finances/graduate_student_funding/Funding%20for%20current%20graduate%20students/index.php

• External awards: http://gradstudies.uoit.ca/current_students/student_finances/graduate_student_funding/external_awards/

• Scholarship resources:http://gradstudies.uoit.ca/current_students/student_finances/graduate_student_funding/external_awards/scholarship_resources/

Contact Information

• Questions should be directed to: gradscholarships@uoit.ca

• The Office of Graduate Studies is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and closed between 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. for lunch.

• Located at Campus Corners, Suite 1400

• Appointments are recommended