In the February 2003 budget, the Government of Canada announced substantial funding for the three federal granting agencies to introduce a new program: the Canada Graduate Scholarships (CGS). The program supports 2,000 doctoral students and 2,000 master’s students each year, with 60 per cent of the awards administered by SSHRC and going to students in the social sciences and humanities.
Most Canadian universities receive a Canada Graduate Scholarship allocation indicating the number of students they can nominate for scholarships. Students whose university did not receive an allocation apply directly to SSHRC.
Objectives
The CGS Master’s program seeks to develop research skills and assist in the training of highly-qualified personnel by supporting students in the social sciences and humanities who demonstrate a high standard of achievement in undergraduate and early graduate studies. This program, together with the SSHRC Doctoral Awards and Postdoctoral Fellowships programs, helps train Canada’s researchers and leaders of tomorrow.
Description, Value and Duration
The CGS Master’s program offers non-renewable twelve-month awards, valued at $17,500, and tenable only at recognized Canadian universities, to applicants who will be registered as full-time students at the master's level in a discipline supported by SSHRC.
Successful applicants must take up their awards in May 2007, September 2007, or January 2008. The January start date is available only to award holders who cannot begin their program of study earlier, either because of an incomplete previous degree or because their chosen program of study is not available until the later date.
Eligibility
Eligibility to Apply in the 2007 Competition (deadline Fall 2006)
To qualify to apply to this program, you must:
- be a citizen or permanent resident of Canada;
- be applying for support to pursue your first graduate degree (i.e., master's or equivalent) and not have completed more than 12 months of full-time graduate study at the proposed start date of the award: all previous studies at the graduate level, regardless of discipline, will be included in determining eligibility;
- have achieved a first-class average, as determined by your university, in each of the last two years of full-time study or equivalent;
- not have already received an award for master's-level study from SSHRC, NSERC or CIHR;
- not be applying for graduate funding in the 2006-07 academic year to NSERC or CIHR;
- not be pursuing a degree program that combines undergraduate and graduate degrees.
Notes:
If you are or will be registered in a combined MA/PhD program, you must apply to the Doctoral Awards program for funding.
If you completed your bachelor's degree before January 1, 2002 (date all degree requirements were completed, not date of graduation) and have not been registered at a university since that date, you are not eligible to apply to this program.
Eligibility to Hold an Award
At the time of taking up the award, you must:
- be registered full-time, at a recognized Canadian university, in the first year of a master's program in the social sciences or humanities that includes advanced research training (as defined in Program Eligibility below);
or
- be registered full-time, at a recognized Canadian university, in a master's program in the social sciences or humanities that includes advanced research training (as defined in Program Eligibility below), and have completed no more than 12 months of full-time study or equivalent at the graduate level.
- have completed all requirements for the bachelor's degree.
Notes:
A qualifying or "make-up" year of study is not eligible for support.
CGS Master's Scholarships are available to those who are registered part-time because of a disability. For this purpose, disability is defined as "a functional limitation resulting from a physical, sensory, or mental impairment, which, for an indefinite period, affects the ability of the student to perform the activities necessary to participate fully in his or her learning."
Federal government employees are eligible to hold an award only if on an unpaid leave of absence (no salary or special allowances permitted).
Program Eligibility
The scholarship is tenable only in programs of study that include significant research training. Research training normally involves:
- demonstrating the ability to conduct original research by the completion of a thesis, major research paper or project; and/or
- completing course work in research methods and/or statistics appropriate for the discipline or field of study; and/or
- acquiring knowledge and experience sufficient to assess and interpret research and scholarship in the field.
Evaluation Criteria
Multidisciplinary committees evaluate applicants based on:
| Academic Excellence Weighting: 60% | Academic excellence—as demonstrated by academic transcripts, awards and distinctions. |
| Research Potential Weighting: 30% | Quality of analytical skills, ability to think critically, ability to apply skills and knowledge, judgement, originality, initiative and autonomy, determination and ability to complete projects within an appropriate period of time—as demonstrated in the description of program of study and by work experience, research contributions, letters of appraisal and, if applicable, the departmental appraisal. |
| Communication Skills Weighting: 10% | As demonstrated in the description of the program of study and, if relevant, by work experience, community involvement and other extracurricular activities, as well as by letters of appraisal, the quality of presentation of the application and, if applicable, the departmental appraisal. |
Application Process
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Ensure both you and the master’s program for which you request support meet the requirements specified in the Eligibility section.
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Complete the application form and the required attachments.You will find the application instructions inside your application when you begin to create it online.
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Determine your current applicant status from the table below and submit your complete application to the appropriate institution.
| Applicant Status | Where to Submit Application |
| You are currently registered* at, or are on an approved leave of absence from . . . | |
| a university with a Canada Graduate Scholarship allocation | The university at which you are currently registered or from which you have taken an approved leave of absence. |
| a university without a Canada Graduate Scholarship allocation | SSHRC (at address below) |
| a foreign university** | SSHRC (at address below) |
| You are not currently registered at a university, but you were registered* . . . | |
| at a university with a Canada Graduate Scholarship allocation between January 1, 2006 and the present** | The university at which you were most recently registered. |
| at a university with or without a Canada Graduate Scholarship allocation between January 1, 2002 and December 31, 2005 | SSHRC (at address below) |
*That is, registered in any level course, or in any other capacity; for example, part-time, full-time, one course only, course not related to the master's program, or special student.
**Students registered concurrently at a Canadian and a foreign university must apply through the Canadian university if that university has a Canada Graduate Scholarship allocation.
Competition Process
| Those Applying through a Canadian University | Those Applying Directly to SSHRC |
| The student contacts his or her university immediately to determine the university’s internal application deadline, then submits the completed application to the university by that deadline. | The candidate applies directly to SSHRC. Applications must be postmarked no later than November 30, 2006. |
| The university evaluates all applications in accordance with SSHRC’s selection criteria and establishes two categories: A-list applications, which are recommended for awards, and B-list applications, which are not. The university informs all applicants whether they are on the A- or B-list. | |
| The university submits all A-list applications to SSHRC for review and final decision. SSHRC announces competition results by Spring 2007. SSHRC informs all applicants in writing of the outcome of their applications. Competition results are not given over the telephone or by e-mail. | SSHRC evaluates and makes final decisions on all applications and announces competition results by Spring 2007. SSHRC informs all applicants in writing of the outcome of their applications. Competition results are not given over the telephone or by e-mail. |
Administrative Regulations
All applicants and scholarship holders must comply with the Regulations Governing Fellowship and Scholarship Applications and with the regulations set out in the appropriate award holder's guide.
SSHRC reserves the right to determine the eligibility of applications based on the information provided in those applications. The Council also reserves the right to interpret the program regulations set out in its published materials.
More Information
Please address questions about the CGS Master’s Program to:
Canada Graduate Scholarships
SSHRC
350 Albert Street
P.O. Box 1610
Ottawa, ON K1P 6G4
Tel.: (613) 943-7777
Fax: (613) 943-1329
E-mail: cgs@sshrc.ca
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