Graduate Awards and Scholarships
General Information
Medals
The Governor General's Medal, Graduate Level
Awarded annually to a graduating student of very high academic standing in a master's or doctoral program of study. Donor: His/Her Excellency the Governor General of Canada. Established in 1988.
University Medal at the Ph.D. Level
Awarded at each convocation ceremony, when merited, to a graduating student for outstanding academic achievement at the Ph.D. level. Established in 1982.
University Medal at the Master's Level
Awarded at each convocation ceremony, when merited, to a graduating student for outstanding academic achievement at the master's level. Established in 1982.
Awards Policy
In recent years Carleton graduate students have been increasingly successful in winning highly competitive external scholarships. These include: the Doctoral Fellowship from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), the Postgraduate Scholarships (Master’s and Doctoral) and Industrial Postgraduate Scholarship (IPS) from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the SSHRC Canada Graduate Scholarship (CGS) Scholarships (Master’s and Doctoral), as well as Canada Graduate Scholarships (CGS) from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). The Province of Ontario provides funding for the Ontario Graduate Scholarships (OGS), and the Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology (QEII-GSST) for students enrolled in graduate programs in Ontario institutions.
In addition, the University itself provides generous support, and the majority of graduate students receive funds from this source.
Students who hold such awards must pay regular/full time tuition fees unless otherwise stated.
Full-time graduate students at Carleton University are expected to comply with the following procedure. Any full-time graduate student who accepts an award that is not directly administered by Carleton University must immediately inform his/her departmental chair and the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs in writing. This requirement applies to any awards or financial assistance offered by any agency or institution.
Application Deadlines
Application deadlines can be found at https://gsapplications.carleton.ca. Students who receive offers of funding from the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs are required to respond to the offer within 30 days of date of the letter.
Method of Payment
All awards administered by Carleton are paid on the 15th and the 30th of each month. The exception is the first month of each term (September, January, May) when all awards are paid at the end of the month. Students receiving awards of any kind are urged to note the above payment dates and be prepared to be financially self-sufficient during these months.
In addition, students receiving teaching assistantships, scholarships, or any other kind of award or bursary should note that the deadlines for payroll may differ from the registration deadlines. In the first month of each term (September, January and May) students must have completed registration, including finalizing arrangements for the payment of fees, no later than the 15th of the month, in order to be eligible to receive payments at the end of the month.
Eligibility
In the case of fellowships, grants, scholarships, etc., for which students must make application, it is the individual student's responsibility to establish his/her eligibility. Should it become known that a student is unqualified for any reason, he/she must return the funds already received, with the University assuming no responsibility.
Departments recommending students for internal awards must accept full responsibility for the eligibility of their nominees.
Students are urged to consult carefully the brochures and announcements that specify the conditions associated with tenure of individual awards.
This information is available in the office of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs and in departmental offices.
Awards Administered by Carleton University
The awards administered by Carleton University are derived from a variety of sources. Throughout the years, a number of individuals and organizations have contributed substantial funds to the University, through bequests and donations, in order to help support students in various fields of study.
These sums, together with the assistantship funds made available from the University budget, make up the reservoir from which the Carleton scholarships and assistantships are drawn.
It is not always possible to identify precisely the sources of various donations and bequests (often small, but most important in the aggregate) from which any graduate student's financial support has been constructed. In the following cases, however, either because of the relative importance of the contribution or because of the fact that it is earmarked for a specific type of student or program, we do identify the external source from which the award has originated.
Please refer to the Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs Web site at: www.gs.carleton.ca for a complete, current listing of all awards available to graduate students. Unless stated otherwise, graduate students must be registered full-time in the term in which the award is held in order to be eligible to receive the awards listed below.
Awards Tenable at Carleton University
The following list of external scholarships, provided by the Province of Ontario or national granting councils such as SSHRC, NSERC, and CIHR, are tenable at Carleton University and are administered through the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs. For more information on eligibility, applications, deadlines and procedures, students are urged to contact the Chair or Director of their program at least a year in advance of the commencement of their studies. Information can also be obtained from Graduate Awards, Room 512 Tory Building, or from the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs web site at: www.gs.carleton.ca.
In addition to these external scholarships, a large number of foundations, companies, fraternal organizations, and other agencies offer generous fellowships and scholarships in a wide range of fields.
These awards include such provincial scholarships as the Sir John A. Macdonald Graduate Fellowship in Canadian History, federal scholarships such as the Department of Defence Scholarships and Fellowships, as well as such external scholarships as the Rhodes Scholarship, Gates Cambridge Scholarship, Trudeau Doctoral Scholarship, and the Fulbright Scholarship. Students are urged to obtain information on these funding opportunities by consulting External Awards on the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs Web site at www.gs.carleton.ca .
Canada Graduate Scholarship
In 2003, the federal Department of Finance launched a new initiative to attract and support graduate students in Canada universities. By 2006, when the Canada Graduate Scholarship program is expected to be fully in place, these scholarships will support 2000 master’s students and 2000 doctoral students. Of these, sixty percent of the scholarships are awarded to students in the humanities and social sciences, thirty percent in the natural sciences and engineering disciplines, and ten percent in the health sciences.
The value of the award is $17,500 at the master’s level for a one year tenure, and $35,000 per year at the doctoral level, renewable for a maximum of three years. The scholarship is tenable only at Canadian universities.
Application forms and guides are available on following web sites: NSERC (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council) www.nserc.ca , SSHRC (Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council) www.sshrc.ca, or CIHR (Canadian Institutes of Health Research) www.cihr.ca
Applicants are urged to contact their department since the internal deadline for submission established by individual academic units is well in advance of the published national deadline and may vary from unit to unit.
Commonwealth Scholarship Plan
The Government of Canada, through the Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships Committee, offers annually a number of scholarships and fellowships to Canadian citizens in certain Commonwealth countries.
The deadline for receipt of applications varies depending on the destination country selected. Some Commonwealth countries have a deadline of October 4th, however Fiji and New Zealand, for example, have a deadline of December 21. The value of the award as well as additional costs covered also varies.
For further details, please contact the International Council for Canadian Studies/Conseil International d'études canadiennes (ICCS) 75 Albert Street, Suite #908, Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 5E7, telephone 789-7828, or check their Web site at: www.scholarships-bourses-ca.org . Application forms are also available from Carleton International, Room 510 Tory Building.
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)
NSERC Postgraduate Scholarships (range $17, 300 - $21,000 a year) are tenable at Carleton University by students undertaking advanced Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs in science, engineering, experimental psychology, and physical geography.
Students currently enrolled at Carleton University must apply online through the NSERC website at www.nserc.ca . The internal university deadlines are well in advance of the Council's deadline and students are advised to contact their individual department or the FGPA website for further information. Candidates are also advised to consult the website for all relevant details concerning eligibility and application procedures and requirements.
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) - Industrial Postgraduate Scholarships
The Industrial Postgraduate Scholarship (IPS) valued at $21,000 annually is offered by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). The IPS is tenable at Carleton by students pursuing either full-time or part-time graduate studies in the natural sciences or engineering, experimental psychology or physical geography. NSERC contributes $15,000 per year and the remaining $6,000 per year (based on full-time studies) is contributed by an approved, industrial partner. The term of the award is two years.
There is no deadline for this scholarship. Applications may be submitted at any time.
Candidates must apply using the prescribed forms available on the NSERC Web site at www.nserc.ca . For more information, contact the Coordinator, External/Internal Graduate Awards in the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs, Room 512 Tory Building.
Ontario Graduate Scholarships (OGS)
The Province of Ontario annually offers scholarships of $5,000 per term (for two or three consecutive terms) to students who intend to pursue graduate studies at an Ontario University. Application forms and brochures containing details of the award may be obtained from the student's department or online at the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities Web site at: osap.gov.on.ca/eng/not_secure/OGS.htm . Registered students should submit completed application forms to their department by the departmental deadline. The internal university deadline is well in advance of the published deadline set by the Ministry, and students are advised to contact their department for more information on application deadlines and procedures.
Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarships in Science and Technology (QEII-GSST)
This scholarship is awarded annually to students in science and technology disciplines including the applied sciences, biological and life sciences, and physical sciences. The maximum value of the award is $15,000 per annum or $5,000 per term, of which one third is contributed by the private sector and two thirds by the Province of Ontario. An application must be completed and candidates must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents, meet the academic requirements of the Ontario Graduate Scholarship and exhibit research ability or potential, excellent communication skills and interpersonal and leadership qualities. For more information on the terms of the award as well as the disciplines covered, please consult the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs Web site at www.gs.carleton.ca .
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)
The Council offers fellowships ranging in value up to $20,000 per year, for up to four years, for studies and research at the doctoral level in the humanities and social sciences. These fellowships are tenable in Canada or abroad for a minimum of six months and a maximum of 48 months.
The Guide to Applicants and application forms for the doctoral fellowship program are available on the Council's Web site at: www.sshrc.ca . The internal deadline for receipt of applications is well in advance of the deadline published by the Council and students are urged to contact their department or Graduate Awards, Room 512 Tory Building for more information.
Canadian Health Institutes and Research (CIHR)
CIHR offers scholarships ranging from from $17,500 at the master’s level for one year to $35000 at the Doctoral level for up to three (3) years. These awards are tenable in Canada. Doctoral candidates apply directly to CIHR through ResearchNet, usually by Mid-October and masters applicants must apply online by the University deadline, which can be found through your department or on the FGPA website.
Government Aid Programs
Ontario Student Assistance Program The Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) is a program designed to help Ontario students cover the cost of post-secondary education. Funded by the federal and Ontario governments, OSAP is intended to promote equality of opportunity for post-secondary studies through direct financial assistance for educational costs and living expenses. These interest-free loans are intended to supplement your financial resources and those of your family.
To determine whether you are eligible for OSAP and to ensure that you have the proper funding for the start of your studies in September, you should submit your OSAP application by June 1. Application forms are available at the OSAP website at osap.gov.on.ca. After you submit your online OSAP application you must print off your Declaration and Consent Forms. It is essential that you sign and forward these documents to the Awards Office. Your OSAP application does not process until the forms are received. For further information please visit the OSAP website or contact the Awards Office at awards@carleton.ca
Other provincial assistance programs If you don't live in Ontario, you may be eligible for loans and bursaries through your home province or territory. "Home" province or territory is usually defined as the province in which you currently reside or the province in which you have most recently lived and worked for 12 consecutive months (excluding residence for full-time attendance at a post-secondary institution).
Emergency Loans If, as a registered student, you run into unexpected expenses or your student loan is delayed, you may be able to borrow up to $700 from the University’s emergency loan fund until your other funds arrive. Applications are available from the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs Office.
Parker Loans If you are enrolled as a full-time student, you may be eligible to borrow up to $1,000 if you are in your first year of studies at Carleton, and $1,500 in future years to meet your educational expenses for the academic year. Payment is due July 1. Applications are available from the Awards Office.