Applying for Funding
We encourage students to start planning their award applications as early as the Summer months. As is expected in interdisciplinary studies, the content and format of the proposals vary tremendously.
Here are some documents to help get you started:
- Information on proposal writing
- Resources for Award Applicants
- Soliciting Great Scholarship Reference Letters
- Tips for Successful Funding Applications
Also check out the Resources for Award Applicants on the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (G+PS) web site.
The sample proposals below are from successful applications, and can give you some ideas about how to present your research, background, and methodology in your upcoming proposals.
*Please note that information on the specific awards may change and the latest updates can be found on the funding agencies web sites.
Adjudication Process
Almost all awards or scholarships applications are submitted to the ISGP Office for internal program-level adjudication. Applications successful at the program-level competition are then forwarded to the university-level (UBC) adjudication, before reaching the final stage of competition at the funding agency-level adjudication.
The ISGP strives to notify applicants on the results at every stage of the competition.
For eligibility, please read the “Number of months of doctoral studies” carefully here. DEADLINE: 12:00pm (PDT - Vancouver time) on Thursday, AUGUST 31, 2023 via ResearchNet Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships Eligibility, application procedures, nomination procedures: click here. Step-by-Step Application Instructions: click here. The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (CGS) program is designed to attract and retain world-class doctoral students by supporting students who demonstrate both leadership skills and a high standard of scholarly achievement in graduate studies in the social sciences and humanities, natural sciences and engineering, and health-related fields. Canadian citizens, permanent residents of Canada, and international students are eligible to be nominated for a Vanier Scholarship, which is valued at $50,000 per year for up to three years. ELIGIBLE: Canadian citizens, permanent residents (PR) of Canada, and international students are eligible to be nominated. *INELIGIBLE: past or present recipients of CIHR, NSERC or SSHRC Doctoral fellowships are NOT eligible.* Transcripts: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) The Vanier CGS program encourages equity, diversity and inclusion, as part of the Tri-Agency’s broader commitment to excellence in research and research training in Canada. Resources for applicants, institutions, referees and the selection committees are available here. Applicants are encouraged to review Vanier’s EDI resources before writing their applications and to incorporate EDI considerations in their application package. Self-Identification of Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, and/or Métis) Applicants Additional funding allocations may be made available to the University to accommodate applicants who self-identify as Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, and/or Metis). Applicants who choose to self-identify as Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, and/or Metis) should complete the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship (Vanier CGS) Voluntary Self Identification Form and upload it within their application. Application To apply, applicants must do the following: Sample Proposal 1 - Vanier
UBC-specific Info on detailed application instructions, nomination, and adjudication procedures can be found on the G+PS webpage, which includes guidance on transcripts requirement. Transcripts (PDF file) can be obtained by emailing the ISGP Office. IMPORTANT: SSHRC/NSERC/CIHR Applicants must email this checklist to the ISGP Office to be considered for the UBC Affiliated Fellowships. Deadline for SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR, and UBC Affiliated Fellowships: TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 12 @ 12:00 PM noon PDT Sample Application of successful proposals can be found on the ISGP web site (“Tri-Agencies CGS-D & UBC Affiliated Fellowships – Doctoral”). Resources for award applicants here (“Applying For An Award”->”Tips" and best practices for award applicants”). Eligibility Application Submission: Application will be submitted via each of the agency platforms. The application portals are now open and applicants may begin preparing their applications. CIHR: Online Application System (application instructions) NSERC: Online Application System (application instructions) SSHRC: Online Application System (application instructions) CIHR 2021 Info Session for Students The UBC Affiliated Fellowships doctoral competition runs in concert with the university-adjudicated Tri-Agency CGS-D competitions. Students who submit a CIHR, NSERC or SSHRC application to the ISGP are eligible for “unrestricted” Affiliated Fellowships and do not need to submit a separate Affiliated Fellowships application: to be considered for “criteria-based” affiliated fellowship(s), students must submit this checklist to the ISGP Office by TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 12 @ 12:00 PM noon PDT. NOTE: Those applying only for the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship must submit a complete Affiliated Fellowships application in order to be considered for the Affiliated Fellowships.
Trudeau Foundation Doctoral Scholarships The Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Scholarship Program offers a three-year leadership program designed to train Engaged Leaders, equipping doctoral candidates with the skills to translate their ideas into action, for the betterment of their communities, Canada, and the world. At least 12 doctoral Scholars are selected each year and receive generous funding for their studies. The Foundation welcomes applications from candidates across a wide range of disciplines in the humanities and social sciences, in business schools, public health and law. Candidates’ research must be related to one or more of the Foundation’s four central themes: Human Rights and Dignity; Responsible Citizenship; Canada and the World; and, People and their Natural Environment. Reminder: As of the 2020 award competition year, interested applicants apply directly to the Trudeau Foundation to be considered in the national competition; all interested and eligible applicants may apply. The University of British Columbia no longer nominates a subset of applicants to the national competition (there is no department-level or university-level adjudication). Further Details Info Sessions Eligibility Applications are submitted via the Trudeau Foundation application portal: If you are applying:
*for Master’s students only Application Deadline (both CGS-M and Affiliated Fellowships): TUESDAY December 1, 2021 @ 5:00pm PST IMPORTANT NOTE: CGS-M applications cannot be submitted or edited after the application deadline. Late applications will be ruled ineligible. The CGS-M application deadline is set nationally by the CGS-M funding agency and is not flexible. CGS-M UBC Affiliated Fellowships (Master’s) What you need to do now: 1) Outline of Proposed Research (1 pg. max) + bibliography/citation (1 pg. max) 2) Have the transcript scan ready (from ISGP) 3) Create/update your Canadian Common CV (CCV) and have the confirmation # ready. A complete CCV must be linked to the application by following the instructions provided in the Canada Graduate Scholarships – Master’s program: Instructions for completing a Canadian Common CV page.
Full details here. Deadline ISGP Internal Deadline: FRIDAY, MAY 15, 2023 at 4:00pm (email application to ISGP Office) Eligibility Students must be registered, full-time graduate students during the period of the award (Sep 2023-Aug 2024). Additional eligibility criteria differ between awards, and students might be eligible for multiple awards. The list of awards is available in the Application Form - PART 2. In the Application Form - PART 2, students must clearly address their eligibility as specifically to the award description as possible. To be eligible to receive funding, applicants must meet all the criteria for each award they apply for. In addition to eligibility requirements specified by each available award, the following criteria apply: Applicants for the Rick Hansen "Man in Motion" Fellowship can be in any month of Master's study. - Applicants for the Rick Hansen "Man in Motion" Fellowship can be in any month of Doctoral study. - Applicants for the Clifford Alexander Robson and Else Loella Robson Memorial Scholarship should be entering the fifth or sixth year of their doctoral program Please note that all previous studies at the graduate level, regardless of institution and discipline, will be included in determining eligibility. For example, a previous Master's degree at UBC or another institution would count towards your total Master's months of study. Selection While award recipients will be selected based on evaluation criteria, priority will be given to eligible candidates who do not hold significant scholarship funding (i.e., $16,000 or higher) for the 2023/24 academic year (September 2023 to August 2024). If a student is offered Spring Awards funding, and later receives other scholarship funding of $16,000 or higher for the same period, the Spring Awards funding offer would normally be rescinded. *Exception: Some of the Spring Graduate Awards have very niche award descriptions (eligibility requirements). For example, the #6362 award ‘James and Setsuko Thurlow Scholarship in Peace and Disarmament Studies’. If a Spring Graduate Award receives a very low number of eligible applications, it may be awarded to a student who already has significant scholarship funding. Procedure Applicants must submit (via email) the following materials to the ISGP:
Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships
- Confirm ISGP has all your official non-UBC transcripts on file (i.e. scanned copies of official transcripts sent/mailed to Grad Studies and uploaded to your UBC admission file as “official”)
- Your UBC transcripts will be downloaded by the ISGP to be appended to your application. Your UBC record must show 2023 Winter registration. No need to order UBC official transcripts.
- DO NOT mail transcripts to the ISGP office.
- two letters from referees assessing the applicant's academic excellence, research potential and demonstrated and potential leadership ability are submitted electronically through ResearchNet by the referee
- two Leadership Reference Letters (in PDF) are provided to the applicant, who uploads the letters to their electronic application file
- Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI): Referees are encouraged to review Vanier’s EDI resources to incorporate EDI considerations in their reference letters.
- applicants should provide potential referees with Information for Referees and the Vanier selection criteria guidelines.
Sample Proposal 2 - Vanier
Sample Proposal 3 - VanierTri-Agency Canada Graduate Scholarships - Doctoral (CGS-D)
(*domestic students only)
NSERC Scholarships & Fellowships program application tutorials (English)
Sample Proposal 1 - CIHR
Sample Proposal 2 - CIHR
Sample Proposal 1 - SSHRC
Sample Proposal 2 - SSHRC
SSHRC Doctoral Award Application - With annotations & Notes - SAMPLE (may look different this year)
NSERC Postgraduate (Doctoral) Scholarships Application (Form 201) - SAMPLE (may look different this year)
UBC Affiliated Fellowships (*open to int’l students)
Trudeau Foundation Doctoral Scholarship
***Application deadline: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2022 @ 2:00 PM PST (5:00 EST) on Trudeau Foundation online portal***
G+PS
Trudeau Foundation
FAQ
Questions? Email scholarships@trudeaufoundation.ca.
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_g1VSkZtpT1yLgniqTDkUrw
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_qa_BwJNNRlGCZcXq5y-ICw
- Email Enid for “certified true copies” of your transcripts on file.
- No need to order UBC official transcript.
- ISGP will email you a PDF file of all your transcripts.
- Alert your two referees and remind them to fill out the predetermined referral forms (NOT free-form reference letter!) by Friday, December 2nd @ 2pm PST)CGS-M / UBC Affiliated Fellowships (Master's)
UBC Spring Graduate Awards Competition
Master's students
Applicants must have completed, as of December 31, 2022 between 0 and 12 months of full-time Master’s studies (or full-time equivalent). Successful applicants for Master's-level funding will not receive funding past the end of their 24th month in Master's program.
Doctoral students
Applicants must have completed, as of December 31, 2022:
- applicants are required to complete the CCV from the Canadian Common CV Web site as part of their application. Refer to the Canadian Common CV – How to Complete the Canada Graduate Scholarships-Master's Version for details.
- applicants should access the .pdf version of their CCV by clicking “History” in the top menu bar when logged into the CCV website and download the .pdf version of their CCV, rather than the .xml version.