External Funding and Awards

All current and prospective graduate students are encouraged to apply for external funding. These are funds provided through federal and provincial departments and agencies, foundations, private companies and other sources. External funding can provide you additional financial support while you pursue your studies at Laurier. They also reinforce your academic resume and may assist in your career development.

Each external funding agency maintains its own policies regarding eligibility and the application process. For most of these programs, applications are made in the academic year prior to taking up the award. Applications completed this fall/winter will be to hold the award starting in the following spring or fall term. Applications may be made prior to admission to a program.

Provincial External Scholarships

Administered through the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, the Province of Ontario supports graduate students through their scholarship programs.

The Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) program is jointly funded by the Province of Ontario and Ontario universities. OGS awards are merit-based scholarships available to domestic and international graduate students in most disciplines of academic study.

Students must apply to the institution where they plan to hold the award. Students applying to a graduate program at more than one institution will be required to submit an application to each institution for consideration. Each university has a unique application procedure and deadline. The OGS cannot be transferred.

Scholarship Value

An OGS is valued at a maximum of $15,000 annually ($5,000 per term). An OGS must be held for a minimum of two terms (8 months for a total of $10,000) and can be held for up to three terms (12 months for a total of $15,000). The OGS is not automatically renewed and a new application is required for each year's competition. A successful second application is not guaranteed.

Application Deadlines

Laurier’s OGS competition for 2025-2026 is now open. The application can be found here: https://web.wlu.ca/ogsp. The deadline to apply for an OGS for the 2025/2026 academic year was January 31, 2025.

Referees must also submit the completed Academic Assessment Reports for OGS applicants by the same application deadline as noted above. Note: Referees cannot submit the completed Academic Assessment Report without having read your Research Statement/Program of Study. Be sure to complete and submit your online application in time for your referees to meet the application deadline. We recommend submitting your application by January 15, 2025 to give your referees time to complete the Academic Assessment Report.

Applicants who submitted an application can use the OGSP Status Checker tool to verify if their referees have completed and submitted an assessment for their application and that the application is complete before the deadline.

Eligibility Criteria

Citizenship

An applicant must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or protected person (under subsection 95(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protections Act (Canada)) at the time of the application deadline.
Visa students (foreign students who are studying in Ontario under a temporary resident visa/student study permit, under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada)) are eligible for a limited number of visa student awards.

Registration

Applicants must be enrolled in (or applying for admission to) an eligible graduate program (determined by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU)) for the 2025/26 academic year at Laurier.
To hold the award, applicants must be enrolled in the eligible program on a full-time basis. An eligible program is defined as a full-time program of study of 2 or 3 terms leading to a graduate degree. Eligible programs must be approved as eligible for funding by MCU.
When taking up the award, a student must be in either the first or second year of a master’s program, or in the first, second, third or fourth year of a doctoral program. In exceptional circumstances, a doctoral student in the fifth year may be permitted to take up an award, based upon strong evidence as provided in the program’s ranking process. Under no circumstances will a doctoral student in the 6th year be eligible for this award.
Please refer to the graduate academic calendar (General Regulations, Registration Status) for details on full-time registration status in a graduate program at Laurier.

Minimum Academic Requirements

The applicant must, at minimum, meet the following OGS academic requirements:

If entering the first or second year of graduate studies at the time of application, the applicant must have an overall average of at least A- (or equivalent) in each of the last two years of study (or full-time equivalent).
Applicants entering the third year of graduate studies at the time of application must have an overall average of at least A- (or equivalent) on all graduate courses completed.
If the master’s or doctoral degree marks used for calculating an applicant’s grade point average (GPA) are not available (for example, courses were graded on a pass-fail or CR basis), then the university’s Graduate Studies Office will use the most recently available undergraduate or graduate marks to calculate a student’s GPA.
Eligibility averages are calculated using grades from your most-recent academic history up to August 31, 2024, regardless of program or relevance to your current or proposed program. Laurier is required to adhere to these parameters as dictated by Ontario’s Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU).

Eligibility Conditions

Master's students can receive the scholarship for a maximum of two years and doctoral students for a maximum of four years, subject to a lifetime maximum of six years per student.

In addition, lifetime maximums of six years of government-funded student awards must not have been exceeded by the applicant. Awards under the following programs will be counted toward this lifetime maximum:

Ontario Graduate Scholarship Program (OGS)
Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology (QEIIGSST)
Ontario Trillium Scholarship (OTS)
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)
Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR)

Applicants cannot hold an OGS scholarship and an award from any of the following programs concurrently:

Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology (QEIIGSST)
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)
Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR)

Each scholarship is tenable for a minimum of one year (i.e., two consecutive academic terms) and a maximum of two years (i.e., six consecutive academic terms). Students must re-apply for any additional award, subject to the two- and four-year award maximums noted above. Note: Laurier only grants one-year awards.

Recipients must remain enrolled as a full-time student in an eligible program. Recipients who withdraw, transfer to part-time status, or fail to complete the term will be required to repay the award for incomplete and future terms. A withdrawal in the second term will not require repayment of the award from first term.

How to Apply

Eligible graduate students should complete and submit an online application.

A complete online application package includes:

Application form
Research statement or statement of interest in program of study
List of publications and presentations
Two academic assessment reports (references)
Unofficial or official transcripts are accepted for Laurier's OGS application.
- Applicants may upload official transcripts (printed or issued by the Office of the Registrar at the issuing institution) or web unofficial transcripts (e.g., self-service web-generated document used to communicate grades and academic standing if available at your institution).
- Scan and save hard copy transcripts in PDF file format (max 4 MB file size each), upload PDF transcript files from postsecondary institutions to the online application and include one copy of the transcript legend/grading scale - do not upload encrypted transcript files as they will not attach to your application)
- In order to be accepted, web unofficial transcripts must include your full legal name, date of birth and/or student ID number, full name of the institution attended.

Note: Content added to the online application cannot be saved and updated later. It is recommended that applicants review the online application prior to completing the form. It is possible to copy and paste content into the online application from most word processing software. Referees are notified via email immediately after the application has been submitted.

Notification of results will be communicated to applicants via email in early April. If you have any questions, please email ogs@wlu.ca.

The Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology (QEII-GSST) is jointly funded by the Province of Ontario and TD Meloche Monnex. This scholarship is available to Canadian citizens or permanent residents who are enrolled full-time in a graduate program in biology, chemistry, kinesiology, health sciences or mathematics.

Scholarship Value

The QEII-GSST is valued at $15,000 annually ($5,000 per term). A QEII-GSST must be held for a minimum of two consecutive terms (8 months for a total of $10,000) and can be held for up to three terms (12 months for a total of $15,000). The QEII-GSST is not automatically renewed and a new application is required for each year's competition. A successful second application is not guaranteed.

Application Deadline

Laurier’s QEII-GSST competition for 2025-2026 is now open. The application can be found here: https://web.wlu.ca/ogsp. The deadline to apply for a QEII-GSST for the 2025/26 academic year was January 31, 2025, by 11:59 pm (EST).

Referees must also submit the completed Academic Assessment Reports for OGS applicants by the same application deadline as noted above. Note: Referees cannot submit the completed Academic Assessment Report without having read your Research Statement/Program of Study. Be sure to complete and submit your online application in time for your referees to meet the application deadline. We recommend submitting your application by January 15, 2025 to give your referees time to complete the Academic Assessment Report.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident enrolled full time in an eligible master's or doctoral program (noted above).
Applicants must be enrolled (or plan to enrol) in an eligible graduate program (determined by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU)) for the 2025/26 academic year at Laurier.
Applicants entering the first or second year of graduate studies must have an average of at least A- in each of the last two years of study (or full time equivalent).
Applicants entering third year or beyond of graduate studies must have an average of at least A- in all graduate courses completed.
Eligibility averages are calculated using grades from your most-recent academic history up to August 31, 2024, regardless of program or relevance to your current or proposed program. Laurier is required to adhere to these parameters as dictated by Ontario’s Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU).
Recipients will also exhibit research ability or potential, excellent communication skills, and interpersonal and leadership abilities.
Recipients may hold other awards but cannot hold an Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) or a Tri-Agency Scholarship (CIHR, NSERC or SSHRC) for the same year of study in which they hold a Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarships in Science and Technology (QEII-GSST).
Recipients may also accept other employment that does not affect their status as a full-time graduate student.
Recipients cannot be enrolled in a qualifying or makeup year.
Master’s students can receive the scholarship for a maximum of two years.
Doctoral students can receive the scholarship for a maximum of four years.
Recipients must remain enrolled as a full-time student in an eligible program.
Recipients who withdraw, transfer to part-time status, or fail to complete the term will be required to repay the award.

How to Apply

Eligible graduate students should complete and submit an online application.

A complete online application package includes:

Application form
Research statement
List of publications and presentations
Two academic assessment reports (references)
Unofficial or official transcripts
- Applicants may upload official transcripts (printed or issued by the Office of the Registrar at the issuing institution) or web unofficial transcripts (e.g., self-service web-generated document used to communicate grades and academic standing if available at your institution).
- Scan and save hard copy transcripts in PDF file format (max 4 MB file size each), upload PDF transcript files from postsecondary institutions to the online application and include one copy of the transcript legend/grading scale - do not upload encrypted transcript files as they will not attach to your application)
- In order to be accepted, web unofficial transcripts must include your full legal name, date of birth and/or student ID number, full name of the institution attended.

Notification of results will be communicated to applicants via email in early April.

This award recognizes master’s and doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows whose research will potentially contribute to the advancement of knowledge about women’s health.

The following is for general information only. See the website for the Ontario Council on Graduate Studies for full details.

Application Details

Students are responsible for ensuring they have met all the eligibility requirements and have adhered to the scholarship application guidelines.

By Dec. 1 (Dec. 2nd for 2024) annually, applicants must submit to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (via email to fgps@wlu.ca) electronic copies of the following documents:

The completed application form.
A curriculum vitae (including information concerning the eligibility criteria).
For postdoctoral applicants: a brief summary of their doctoral thesis (maximum 300 words).
A statement of research to be undertaken during the period of graduate study or postdoctoral research and note any progress already made in this research (maximum 1,000 words). There must also be an additional, non-technical summary (maximum 500 words). These statements must be written by the candidate.

The candidate must also provide:

For master’s and doctoral applicants: all undergraduate and graduate transcripts. These may be either official transcripts sent directly by the Registrar's Office of the issuing university, or copies verified and certified as accurate by the Registrar's Office of the Ontario university of current registration.
Confidential letters from two assessors for master’s and doctoral applicants, and four assessors for postdoctoral applicants. These appraisals should focus on an evaluation of the applicant’s research to date, and the research being undertaken during the graduate or postdoctoral period. The applicant must ask for the appraisals to be transmitted electronically directly to the Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. For postdoctoral applications, two of the assessors should preferably be from another university and must not have been associated with the candidate as either a supervisor, a member of the candidate’s supervisory committee, or a co-author.

Value

Up to three awards will be made at each of the master's and doctoral levels, and up to two awards at the postdoctoral level. These awards will be valued as follows:

Master’s awards: $25,000 plus $1,000 research allowance.
Doctoral awards: $35,000 plus $2,000 research allowance.
Postdoctoral awards: $50,000 plus $5,000 research allowance.

Eligibility

All applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada as of the application deadline date.
All applicants must be sponsored and endorsed by the Dean of Graduate Studies at the Ontario university at which they are undertaking graduate study or postdoctoral research.
To be eligible for a master’s or doctoral award, applicants must be registered full-time in a master’s or doctoral graduate program at an Ontario university at the time of taking up the award, and must remain registered full-time throughout the term of the award. Master’s students remain eligible to the end of their sixth term of full-time study, and doctoral students to the end of their fifteenth term of full-time study.
To be eligible for a postdoctoral award, applicants must be engaged in full-time research at an Ontario university at the time of taking up the award, and must have completed all requirements for the doctoral degree by the application deadline and within 36 months of the application deadline. If a longer period of time has passed (e.g., as a result of parental leave), applicants must submit a rationale for the delay in application.
Holders of Women's Health Scholars Awards are precluded from holding any other award that offers financial support of more than $20,000 for that same year.
All publications, written or oral, related to the research undertaken by the successful applicants must contain an acknowledgement of the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care's role in supporting the project.

Selection Criteria

Committee members are nominated by the Deans of the Graduate Schools in the Province of Ontario and selected by the Ontario Council on Graduate Studies.

Applicants for master’s and doctoral awards will be assessed on their talent, the excellence of their work, the vision that they bring to their endeavours, and the impact they foresee resulting from their work, as measured by:

The program of study and research, and its potential contribution to the advancement of knowledge about women's health.
Past academic results, demonstrated by transcripts, awards and distinctions.
Relevant professional and academic experience, including research training, as evidenced by papers presented at conferences and the candidate's publication record.
Written letters of appraisal.
Appropriateness of the choice of institution and supervising investigator.

Applicants for postdoctoral awards will be assessed on their talent, the excellence of their work, the vision that they bring to their endeavours, and the impact that they foresee resulting from their work, as measured by:

The program of study and research, and its potential contribution to the advancement of knowledge about women's health.
The degree of originality and expected contribution to the advancement of knowledge about women's health.
Significance of the research for women's health, understood to encompass scholarly or intellectual significance as well as social and cultural significance.
The suitability of theoretical perspectives.
The appropriateness and expected effectiveness of the research strategies or methodologies.
The suitability and expected effectiveness of plans to communicate research results both within and beyond the academic community (as appropriate).
Where appropriate, the nature and extent of research training.
Written letters of appraisal.
Appropriateness of the choice of institution and supervising investigator.

Laurier may only submit a maximum of two nominations at each level of competiton (master's, doctoral and postdoctoral) for a total of 6 applications. Applicants will be notified by the end of January if their application is being forwarded to the provincial competition.

The following is for general information only. For more information, visit the Ontario Council on Graduate Studies website for full details.

With the support of the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, a Scholar Awards Program in Autism has been established to ensure that Ontario attracts and retains pre-eminent scholars. The community of autism scholars fostered by this Awards Program will excel, according to internationally accepted standards of scientific excellence, in the creation of new knowledge concerning child autism and its translation into improved health for children, more effective services and products for children with autism and to increase the province’s capacity in diagnosis and assessment of autism and a strengthened treatment system.

Application Details

Students are responsible for ensuring they have met all the eligibility requirements and have adhered to the scholarship application guidelines.

By Dec. 1 (Dec. 2 for 2024) annually, applicants must submit electronic copies of the following documents to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies via email to FGPS@wlu.ca:

The completed application form.
A curriculum vitae (including information concerning the eligibility criteria).
A statement of research to be undertaken during the period of graduate study (maximum 1,000 words). There must also be an additional non-technical summary (maximum 500 words). These statements must be written by the candidate.

The candidate must also provide:

All undergraduate and graduate transcripts. These may be either official transcripts sent directly by the Registrar's office of the issuing university, or copies verified and certified as accurate by the Registrar's office of the Ontario university of current registration.
Confidential letters from two assessors. These appraisals should focus on an evaluation of the applicant’s research to date, and the research being undertaken during the graduate or postdoctoral period. The applicant must ask for the appraisals to be transmitted electronically directly to the Dean of Graduate Studies.

Value

Master’s awards: $18,000 annually.
Doctoral awards: $20,000 annually.

Eligibility

All applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada as of the application deadline date.
All applicants must be sponsored and endorsed by the Dean of Graduate Studies at the Ontario university at which they are undertaking graduate study.
To be eligible for a Master’s Award, applicants must be registered full-time in a Master’s or Doctoral graduate program at an Ontario university at the time of taking up the award and must remain registered full-time in that master’s program throughout the term of the award. Master’s students remain eligible to the end of their sixth term of full-time study.
To be eligible for a Doctoral Award, applicants must be registered full-time in a Doctoral graduate program at an Ontario university at the time of taking up the award and must remain registered full-time throughout the term of the award. Doctoral students remain eligible to the end of their fifteenth term of full-time study.
Holders of Autism Scholars Awards are precluded from holding any other award that offers financial support of more than $20,000 during the term of this award.

Selection Criteria

Committee members are nominated by the Deans of the Graduate Schools in the Province of Ontario and selected by the Ontario Council on Graduate Studies.

Applicants for master’s and doctoral awards will be assessed on their talent, the excellence of their work, the vision that they bring to their endeavours, and the impact they foresee resulting from their work, as measured by:

The program of study and research, and its potential contribution to the advancement of knowledge about autism.
Past academic results, demonstrated by transcripts, awards and distinctions.
Relevant professional and academic experience, including research training, as evidenced by papers presented at conferences and the candidate's publication record.
Written letters of appraisal.
Appropriateness of the choice of institution and supervising investigator.

Laurier may only submit a maximum of two nominations at each level of competiton (master's and doctoral) for a total of 4 applications. Applicants will be notified by the end of January if their application is being forwarded to the provincial competition.

National External Scholarships

The Government of Canada, in part through the Tri-Council Federal Funding Agencies (SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR), is a major supporter of high-quality graduate research.

Transcripts for national competitions:

For those requiring WLU official transcripts, you can order hard copies to be sent to yourself to scan and upload in PDF format. For faster service you can request to pick-up the transcript at Service Laurier. Alternately, you can request a hard copy to be sent to Deborah Russell via inter-office mail to Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies, AW1-102. Note: if you order an e-transcript, we cannot forward the e-transcript to you but we can scan a hard copy.
Please order these as early as possible and at least prior to October 1st, 2024.

The objective of the Canada Graduate Scholarship Master's (CGS M) Program is to help develop research skills and assist in the training of highly-qualified personnel by supporting students who demonstrate a high standard of achievement in undergraduate and early graduate studies. The following information applies to the CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC CGS M competitions.

NSERC is hosting the following question and answer sessions for the CGS M program:

Thursday, November 7 (in English)

CIHR and SSHRC staff will join the session

1 pm to 3 pm (ET)

Link: Click here to join the session

Wednesday, November 13 (in French)

11 am to 1 pm (ET)

Link: Click here to join the session

Friday, November 15 (in English)

CIHR and SSHRC staff will join the session

10 am to noon (ET)

Link: Click here to join the session

Tuesday, November 19 (in English)

CIHR and SSHRC staff will join the session

11 am to 1 pm (ET)

Link: Click here to join the session

Thursday, November 21 (in French)

SSHRC staff will join the session

1 pm to 3 pm (ET)

Link: Click here to join the session

These sessions will be hosted as live Q&A MS Teams events. They are supported by a series of informational videos available on the NSERC YouTube channel. These videos are intended to replace the presentation portion of the NSERC sessions, allowing NSERC and/or tri-agency staff and applicants to engage in a more in-depth and detailed Q&A session. Participants should watch the videos in advance and come to the Q&A session with specific questions in mind.

We invite you to attend the sessions that are the most convenient for you and registration is not required.

Playlist - Scholarships & Fellowships program application tutorials: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6ox0GB7vXYlhaAY7mEqwmMqYK9TGCp1E

Note: All CGS M applicants (CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC) will find details and application instructions for this competition on the NSERC website.

Application Deadline

Applications for the fall 2024 CGS M competition, for funding for the 2025/26 academic year are now open. The application deadline is December 1, 2024, by 8 pm (ET).

Note: In order for applicants to submit their CGS M application by the deadline, reference letters must be completed and uploaded to the Tri-Agency Research Portal. Applicants are strongly encouraged to communicate a deadline that is earlier than December 1 to their referees. The Tri-Agencies will not accept submissions after the December 1 (8 pm ET) deadline.

Please see the NSERC website for complete details and application instructions for the CGS M competition for CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC.

Value and Duration of Awards

As of September 1, 2024, these awards are valued at $27,000 for 12 months and are non-renewable. (subject to change).

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply, you must:

Be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada.
Be enrolled in or intend to apply for full-time admission to an eligible graduate program at the master’s or doctoral level at a Canadian university with a CGS M allocation.
As of Dec. 31 of the year of application, have completed between zero and 12 months of full-time studies (or full-time equivalent) in:
- The master’s program for which you are requesting funding.
- The doctoral program for which you are requesting funding, if you were admitted into a doctoral program directly from your bachelor’s program (i.e., you were never registered in a master’s program, or you are registered in a combined master’s-doctoral program).
- A master’s program, but are requesting funding for a doctoral program (e.g., a student who is fast-tracking from a master’s to a doctoral program within 12 months of starting their master’s and is seeking funding for the first 12 months of their doctoral program.
Not have previously held a CGS M.
Have achieved a first-class average, as determined by the host university, in the last two completed years of study (or full-time equivalent).
Submit a maximum of one CGS M application per year (the Research Portal will allow one application to be submitted to up to three universities).

Application Procedure

To apply for the CGS M scholarships, all applicants must complete and submit an application using the Research Portal. You will be required to include the Canadian Common CV. Carefully review the online instructions.

YouTube Video: CGS M – How to apply using the Research Portal

Transcripts

Applicants must obtain official transcripts (issued to the student by the Office of the Registrar at the issuing institution) from all postsecondary institutions attended. (For updates on transcripts and additional information on transcripts for the CGS M competition please see Point 5 "Transcripts (attachment)", in the instructions for completing a CGS M application.)
Official transcripts are uploaded by the applicant via the Research Portal to the CGS M application.
The Tri-Agencies will accept unofficial electronic transcripts ONLY IF official transcripts are not available. It is the applicant’s responsibility to include official transcripts unless the institution issuing transcripts has confirmed they are not able to issue official transcripts at this time. Laurier will issue official hard copy transcripts to students at this time.
New and returning Laurier CGS M applicants who are registered in the fall 2024 term must upload an official up-to-date Laurier transcript to their CGS M application (to show fall term registration at time of application).
See note above regarding Transcripts for national competitions about ordering your WLU official transcript.

The Research Portal will instruct applicants to select up to three universities where they wish to hold the award. Applicants may select universities on the application where:

They are currently enrolled in an eligible program of study and wish to pursue their studies.
They intend to apply for full-time admission to an eligible program of study if not currently enrolled at a university of their choice.

The Faculty of Graduate Studies (or equivalent) at each Canadian university is responsible for coordinating the selection process for the CGS M applications, and for communicating the results to the applicants and agencies. Laurier has separate selection committees for each research mandate (i.e., CIHR, SSHRC and NSERC).

Selection Criteria

Academic excellence (50%)
Research potential (30%)
Personal characteristics and interpersonal skills (20%)

The three federal granting agencies, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) have harmonized the Canada Graduate Scholarships Doctoral (CGS D) Program. The CGS D Program has a new common landing page as well a a harmonized application timeline and CGS D program description.

The CGS D program supports high-calibre students engaged in doctoral programs in all academic disciplines. This support allows scholars to fully concentrate on their doctoral studies, to seek out the best research mentors in their chosen fields and contribute to the Canadian research ecosystem during and beyond the tenure of their awards.

In addition to the CGS D, each agency has its own doctoral awards. Meritorious CGS D applicants may also be eligible for agency-specific doctoral awards. Applicants complete and submit one application to be considered for both a CGS D scholarship and an agency doctoral award. CGS D scholarships are offered to top-ranked eligible applicants.

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Doctoral Research Awards support new Canadian scholars who are pursuing a doctoral degree in a health-related field in Canada. Two programs are administered through one CIHR Doctoral Research Award application:

The Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarships Doctoral Awards (CGS-D) for study in Canada.
The Doctoral Foreign Study Award (DFSA) for study abroad.

Successful applicants to the CIHR Doctoral Research Awards competition are awarded a CGS-D or DFSA, depending on the proposed location of their doctoral degree program. For complete details, visit the CIHR website.

How to apply

Applications are completed online, and students are responsible for ensuring that they have met all the eligibility requirements and have adhered to the scholarship application guidelines.

CIHR Doctoral Applicants who are currently registered at Laurier or who were registered at Laurier at any time during the year of application and who will not be registered at another institution in the year of application must apply through Laurier. Laurier’s CIHR doctoral quota for the Fall 2023 competition is 3 (three).

Note: If you were not registered at an institution during the year of application, you must apply directly to CIHR.

Laurier’s internal applicant deadline to be considered for a CIHR Doctoral Award is October 10, 2024, by 11:59 p.m. (ET). Completed applications submitted through Laurier’s quota must be submitted via ResearchNet by Laurier’s internal deadline.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to set a deadline of Monday, October 7, 2024, for their referees in order to ensure that referees submit their assessments prior to the internal applicant deadline. (Note: a completed application includes all components of the application; official transcripts and reference letters.)

Transcripts

Applicants must obtain official transcripts (issued to the student by the Office of the Registrar at the issuing institution) from all postsecondary institutions attended.
Official transcripts are uploaded by the applicant via ResearchNet.
The Tri-Agencies will accept unofficial electronic transcripts ONLY IF official transcripts are not available. It is the applicant’s responsibility to include official transcripts unless the institution issuing transcripts has confirmed they are not able to issue official transcripts at this time. Laurier is issuing official (hard copy or electronic copy) transcripts at this time.
New and returning Laurier CIHR applicants who are registered in the fall 2023 term must upload an official up-to-date Laurier transcript to their CIHR application (to show fall term registration at time of application).
See note above regarding Transcripts for national competitions about ordering your WLU official transcript.

Value and Duration of Award (new as of September 1, 2024)

$40,000 per year for the Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarships Doctoral Award (CGS D), non-renewable tenable for up to 36 months.
$40,000 per year for the Doctoral Foreign Study Award (DFSA) for study abroad, non-renewable tenable for up to 36 months.

Eligibility

Be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada, as of the application deadline date;
Have completed no more than 24 months of full-time study in their doctoral program by December 31 of the year of application (no more than 36 months if transferred directly from Bachelor's to a PhD or enrolled in a joint program, e.g., MD/PhD, MA/PhD);
Be applying for support to pursue a first PhD (or equivalent);
Submit only one doctoral award application in a given academic year, however, students can submit an application to the Vanier CGS program in the same academic year, but it must be submitted to the same agency (CIHR, NSERC, or SSHRC);
Not have already received a doctoral-level scholarship or fellowship from CIHR, NSERC or SSHRC;
You do not need to be admitted to a doctoral program at the time of application.

Selection Criteria

Research ability and potential (50%).
Relevant experience and achievements obtained within and beyond academia (50%).

A complete list of eligibility guidelines and instructions on how to apply for this opportunity can be found on the CIHR Doctoral Research Award website.

The following is for general information only. See the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) website for full details.

To determine if your research falls under SSHRC's mandate, see the guidelines on Subject Matter Eligibility and Selecting the Appropriate Federal Granting Agency.

How to Apply

Applications are completed online, and students are responsible for ensuring that they have met all the eligibility requirements and have adhered to the scholarship application guidelines.

SSHRC Doctoral Applicants who are currently registered at Laurier or who were registered at Laurier at any time during the year of application and who will not be registered at another institution in the year of application must apply through Laurier. Laurier’s SSHRC doctoral quota for the Fall 2024 competition is 23 (twenty-three).

Note: If you were not registered at an institution during the year of application, you must apply directly to SSHRC.

Laurier’s internal applicant deadline to be considered for a SSHRC Doctoral Award is October 10, 2024, by 11:59 p.m. (ET). Completed applications submitted through Laurier’s quota must be submitted via SSHRC's online application portal by Laurier’s internal deadline.

Transcripts

Applicants must obtain official transcripts (issued to the student by the Office of the Registrar at the issuing institution) from all postsecondary institutions attended.
Official transcripts are uploaded by the applicant via SSHRC's online application portal.
The Tri-Agencies will accept unofficial electronic transcripts ONLY IF official transcripts are not available. It is the applicant’s responsibility to include official transcripts unless the institution issuing transcripts has confirmed they are not able to issue official transcripts at this time. Laurier is issuing official (hard copy or electronic copy) transcripts at this time.
New and returning Laurier SSHRC applicants who are registered in the fall 2023 term must upload an official up-to-date Laurier transcript to their SSHRC application (to show fall term registration at time of application).
See note above regarding Transcripts for national competitions about ordering your WLU official transcript.

Value and Duration of Award

$40,000 per year for SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship, for up to 36 months. (The value and duration of the award is based on the number of months of full-time study (or equivalent) that the applicant will have completed at the proposed start date of the award.)
$40,000 per year for Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship (CGS D), for up to 36 months (to be held during years one to three, two to four or three to five of a doctoral program).

Eligibility for the SSHRC CGS D Program

Be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada, as of the application deadline date;
Have completed no more than 24 months of full-time study in their doctoral program by December 31 of the year of application (no more than 36 months if transferred directly from Bachelor's to a PhD or enrolled in a joint program, e.g., MD/PhD, MA/PhD);
Be applying for support to pursue a first PhD (or equivalent);
Not be under SSHRC sanction for financial or research misconduct;
Submit only one doctoral award application in a given academic year, however, students can submit an application to the Vanier CGS program in the same academic year, but it must be submitted to the same agency (CIHR, NSERC, or SSHRC);
Not have already received a doctoral-level scholarship or fellowship from CIHR, NSERC or SSHRC;
You do not need to be admitted to a doctoral program at the time of application.

Eligibility for the SSHRC Doctoral Fellowships Program

Eligibility for a SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship are the same as listed above for the CGS D Program, with the exception of the time-in-program eligibility criteria. To be eligible for a SSHRC Fellowship Award, applicants must have completed no more than 48 months of full-time study in their doctoral program by December 31 in the year of application.

Selection Criteria

Research ability and potential (50%).
Relevant experience and achievements obtained within and beyond academia (50%).

Conditions of Award

At time of taking up scholarship, you must be undertaking an eligible program of study in the social sciences and humanities.
Doctoral fellowships may be held at any recognized university in Canada or abroad (provided that the holder has earned at least one previous degree from a Canadian university).
CGS Doctoral Awards are only tenable at a Canadian university.

NSERC is hosting Q&A sessions for the Doctoral programs via Teams. Please note the language of the session. Click on the link to join the meeting. No registration required.

Friday, September 6, 2024 (English) 10am to noon ET

Thursday, September 12, 2024 (English) 10am to noon ET

Friday, September 13, 2024 (English) 1pm to 3pm ET

NSERC Resources Playlist - Scholarships & Fellowships program application tutorials: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6ox0GB7vXYlhaAY7mEqwmMqYK9TGCp1E

The following is for general information only. See the NSERC website for full details. Tips for applicants are available in NSERC's Resource Videos.

To ensure your research project falls within NSERC's mandate, refer to Selecting the Appropriate Federal Granting Agency.

How to Apply

Applications are to be submitted using Form 201 in the online application system. Students are responsible for ensuring that they meet the eligibility requirements and have adhered to the scholarship application guidelines.

NSERC Doctoral Applicants who are currently registered at Laurier or who were registered at Laurier at any time during the year of application and who will not be registered at another institution in the year of application must apply through Laurier. Laurier’s NSERC doctoral quota for the Fall 2024 competition is 5 (five).

Note: If you were not registered at an institution during the year of application, you must apply directly to NSERC.

Laurier’s internal applicant deadline to be considered for a NSERC Doctoral Award is October 10, 2024, by 11:59pm (ET). Completed applications submitted through Laurier’s quota must be submitted via NSERC's online application portal by Laurier’s internal deadline.

Transcripts

Transcripts are uploaded by the applicant via NSERC's online application portal.
While applicants are recommended to obtain official transcripts (issued to the student by the Office of the Registrar at the issuing institution) from all postsecondary institutions attended, the Tri-Agencies will accept unofficial electronic transcripts if official transcripts are not available. It is the applicant’s responsibility to include transcripts from all post-secondary institions attended including Laurier (even if the transcript does not show grades as yet).
New and returning Laurier NSERC applicants who are registered in the fall 2024 term must upload an up-to-date Laurier transcript to their NSERC application (to show fall term registration at time of application).
See note above regarding Transcripts for national competitions about ordering your WLU official transcript.

Value and Duration of Award

$40,000 per year for NSERC Postgraduate Scholarship (PGS D), up to 36 months (limited number of awards may be held abroad).
$40,000 per year for Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship (CGS D), for up to 36 months (only held in Canada).
No funding beyond the 52 months of your doctoral program (64 months if admitted to PhD directly from a bachelor's program).

Note: The highest ranked PGS applicants are automatically considered for CGS awards.

Eligibility for the NSERC CGS D and PGS D Programs:

Be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada, as of the application deadline date;
Have completed no more than 24 months of full-time study in their doctoral program by December 31 of the year of application (no more than 36 months if transferred directly from Bachelors to a PhD or enrolled in a joint program, e.g., MD/PhD, MA/PhD);
Be applying for support to pursue a first PhD (or equivalent);
Submit only one doctoral award application in a given academic year, however, students can can submit an application to the Vanier CGS program in the same academic year, but it must be submitted to the same agency (CIHR, NSERC, or SSHRC);
Not have already received a doctoral-level scholarship or fellowship from CIHR, NSERC or SSHRC;
You do not need to be admitted to a doctoral program at the time of application; you must intend to pursue, in the following year, full-time graduate studies and research at the doctoral level in an area supported by NSERC.
You may submit only one application per year to either CIHR, NSERC or SSHRC.

In the year of application you must have completed one of the following:

0 to 24 months of studies in the doctoral program for which funding is requested.
4 to 36 months of studies in the doctoral program for which funding is requested if admitted directly to a PhD from a bachelor’s program (i.e., you were never registered in a master's program).

At the time of application you may:

Be in last year of master’s program.
Be in your first or second year of doctoral program.
Have not previously held an NSERC PGS B, PGS D, CGS D, IPS 2 or Vanier CGS for the program of study you are currently applying for funding.
Do not hold or have not previously held a CGS D or Vanier CGS from either CIHR or SSHRC.

Selection Criteria

Research ability and potential (50%).
Relevant experience and achievements obtained within and beyond academia (50%).

Conditions of Award

To hold the award, you must:

Have been unconditionally accepted into a doctoral degree program recognized by NSERC.
Be registered full-time (part-time, if special conditions apply) in a graduate studies program at an eligible university.

The Vanier scholarship program was launched by the Government of Canada to attract and retain world-class doctoral students. The following is for general information only. Complete details of the Vanier program can be found on the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships website.

This competition encourages students to pursue their doctoral studies at institutions different from those where they completed a previous degree to broaden research horizons and seek new challenges. Candidates nominated by a university at which they have completed a previous degree will be asked to provide a compelling rationale as to why they have chosen to remain or return.

Highly qualified domestic and international candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. All interested candidates are encouraged to contact their proposed academic unit/program to discuss this opportunity (regardless of whether application for admission has already been made).

Value and Duration of Award

$50,000 per year for three years.

Eligibility

Must be nominated for a Vanier by one Canadian university; if awarded, applicant must hold the award at the institution that submitted the nomination.
Must be pursuing a first doctoral degree.
Open to students who have completed 0 to 20 months of doctoral study as of May 1, 2025.
Open to Canadian citizens, permanent residents of Canada and foreign citizens studying or planning to study in a PhD program at a Canadian institution.
Have achieved a first-class average in each of the last two years of study.
Have not previously been awarded a scholarship or fellowship from CIHR, SSHRC or NSERC at the doctoral level.
Eligible Vanier candidates should apply to the same agency's doctoral or fellowship awards program.

Selection Criteria

Academic excellence (transcripts, scholarships and awards, and other distinctions).
Research potential (Academic training, relevant work experience, lived experience and traditional training, quality of contributions including publications and other research outputs, interest in innovation and discovery, proposed research and expected contributions, potential benefit to Canadians).
Leadership* (potential and demonstrated ability in personal achievement, involvement in academic life, volunteerism/community outreach, civic engagement, integrity, self-management).

*Leadership will be assessed against the following personal and social skills: goal achievement, self management, integrity, other characteristics, social skills. Referees should address the student's leadership potential and elaborate on the impact of the activities and accomplishments mentioned in the self-assessment section.

Application Process

Step 1: Email fgps@wlu.ca to notify us of your intent to apply to the Vanier scholarship competition.

Include your name, ID number and name of your current or planned PhD program to be undertaken at Laurier.
This allows us to know how many students we can expect applications from on September 18, 2024.

Step 2: Fill out the full Vanier application using ResearchNet by midnight (ET) on Wednesday, September 18, 2024.

Follow all application procedures and the list of tasks that are part of the application as indicated on the Vanier Application/Nomination Instructions page.
Laurier must upload your transcripts directly for this competition. Send PDF copies of your official transcripts to drussell@wlu.ca. If you need to order e-transcripts have them sent to drussell@wlu.ca.

Step 3: University selection committee reviews applications.

Applicants will be notified by mid-October if their application will be forwarded to the national competition.
Recommended applications forwarded to the national competition by October 30, 2024.

Step 4: National competition

Nominations reviewed by peer review selection committee at the agency (each agency forwards top 70 candidates).
If recommended by the agency committee, applications are forwarded to the Vanier Peer Review committee (167 awardees each year). Results released in April 2025.

VIRTUAL INFORMATION SESSIONS on ZOOM for Applicants

Session 1 for Scholarship Applicants

October 10, 2024 @ 10:30 a.m. EST (French)
October 10, 2024 @ 2 p.m. EST (English)

Session 2 for Scholarship Applicants

October 22, 2024 @ 10:30 a.m. EST (French)
October 22, 2024 @ 2 p.m. EST (English)

Go to: https://www.trudeaufoundation.ca/become-a-scholar to register and more information.

The following is for general information only. Please see the Trudeau Scholars Program website for full details.

Applications are available online are due by November 25, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. (EST) and students are responsible for ensuring they have met all the eligibility requirements and have adhered to the scholarship application guidelines.

Value

Up to $50,000 per year for three years to cover tuition and reasonable living expenses.
Up to $20,000 per year for three years as a research, networking, and travel allowance. This funding may also be used for activities related to the learning of languages.

Eligibility

You must be already accepted into a doctoral program or be in year one or two of a full-time doctoral program in the humanities or social sciences at the time of application.
Your doctoral work must relate to at least one of the Foundation’s Four Themes: Human Rights and Dignity, Responsible Citizenship, Canada and the World, People and their Natural Environment.
Be a Canadian citizen studying at a Canadian or foreign institution, or a non-Canadian (permanent resident or foreign national) enrolled in a doctoral program at a Canadian institution.

The Trudeau Foundation is looking for those who can demonstrate:

Academic excellence and intellectual capacity
Commitment and openness to engaging with a plurality of perspectives
Leadership and engagement
Agility and resiliance

How to apply and deadlines:

All applicants apply directly to the Trudeau Doctoral Scholarship competition via a new application platform. See the Trudeau Foundation website for complete details and application instructions.

Other External Funding Opportunities

The following scholarships are predominantly for graduate students. For postdoctoral awards, visit the Funding for Postdoctoral Fellows page and see the Mitacs accordion below.

External Funding and Awards

Provincial External Scholarships

Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) - Open to Domestic and International Students

Scholarship Value

Application Deadlines

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Conditions

How to Apply

Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology (QEII-GSST) - Open to Domestic Students

Scholarship Value

Application Deadline

Eligibility Criteria

Ontario Women's Health Scholars Awards - Open to Domestic Students

Application Details

Value

Eligibility

Selection Criteria

Autism Scholars Awards - Open to Domestic Students

Application Details

Value

Eligibility

Selection Criteria

National External Scholarships

Transcripts for national competitions:

Canada Graduate Scholarships Master's (SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR) - Open to Domestic Students

Application Deadline

Value and Duration of Awards

Eligibility

Application Procedure

Selection Criteria

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) (Doctoral) - Open to Domestic Students

How to apply

Value and Duration of Award (new as of September 1, 2024)

Eligibility

Selection Criteria

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) (Doctoral) - Open to Domestic Students

Value and Duration of Award

Eligibility for the SSHRC CGS D Program

Selection Criteria

Conditions of Award

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) (Doctoral) - Open to Domestic Students

Value and Duration of Award

Eligibility for the NSERC CGS D and PGS D Programs:

Selection Criteria

Conditions of Award

Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship - Open to Domestic and International Students

Value and Duration of Award

Eligibility

Selection Criteria

Application Process

Trudeau Foundation Doctoral Scholarship - Open to Domestic and International Students

Value

Eligibility

The Trudeau Foundation is looking for those who can demonstrate:

How to apply and deadlines:

Other External Funding Opportunities

Mitacs

Mitacs

CIHR Institute of Health Services and Policy Research (CIHR-IHSPR) Rising Star Award

SSHRC Impact Awards

Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplements (CGS-MSFSS)

John W. Davies Memorial Award

Senior Women Academic Administrators of Canada (SWAAC)

W.L. MacKenzie King Memorial Scholarships

Scholarships Canada

Parkinson Society Southwestern Ontario Graduate Student Scholarship Program

John Charles Polanyi Prizes