Master Scholarships in Canada 2012/2013
The purpose of these scholarships is to foster student interest in research and to financially assist the best candidates in undertaking or continuing a Master’s or Doctoral research program or research doctorate in theme areas deemed priorities for Fonds québécois de la recherche sur la nature et les technologies (FQRNT) partners.
The scholarships granted by the Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation aim to foster student training in areas that are in line with the ministry’s research and innovation directions.
ELIGIBILITY CONDITIONS
13. Candidates must meet eligibility conditions as of the deadline for submitting applications, namely, October 5th 2011, until 4 p.m.
Citizenship and residence
14. Candidates must meet each of the following three conditions:
• Be Canadian citizens or permanent residents within the meaning of the Immigration Act (L.R.C. 2001, ch.27) have been living in Quebec for at least one year;
• Have been living in Quebec for at least one year;
• Be residents of Quebec within the meaning of the Quebec health Insurance Act (L.R.Q. c. A-29) and of the Quebec Taxation Act and (L.R.Q. c. I-3).
15. Persons who maintain their Quebec resident status within the meaning of the Quebec health Insurance Act (L.R.Q.c.A-29) and who live outside Quebec solely for the purpose of continuing their studies, are deemed to be living in Quebec.
16. Persons who do not maintain their Quebec resident status and who have been living outside Quebec for fewer than two years after having, for at least five years, been domiciled in Quebec and having been residents within the meaning the Quebec Health Insurance Act, are exempt from residence requirements.
17. Candidates who become FQRNT scholarship holders must meet citizenship and residence requirements for the duration of the scholarship.
Minimum grade point average
18. Candidates for a Master’s program scholarship in agri-food (A1) transportation (A4), energy (A7) or aerospace (A8) must have a high grade point average (3.55) or the equivalent for their undergraduate degree. Candidates whose average is less than the required grade point average are not eligible. Candidates may consult the equivalency table for minimum grade point average Tableau des équivalences pour la moyenne minimale requise.
19. In the case of candidates who are changing careers, grades from degrees unrelated to the program of study for which the scholarship is being sought are not considered. However, a degree used as the basis for admission to a Master’s or Doctoral program is deemed to be relevant. Transcripts for these grades must be enclosed with the file.
Restrictions
20. It should be noted that:
• Candidates cannot ask the scholarship for preparatory studies.
• Candidates with Ph.D.s are not eligible for a Master’s scholarship.
• Candidates who have already received financial assistance from a recognized funding agency, (e.g. SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR, FRSQ, FQRSC, FQRNT, FCAR, etc.) over a period totaling five years (15 sessions) cannot apply for the current competition for starting or continuing a Master’s or Doctoral program.
Eligibility period
21. The rules governing scholarship eligibility periods take into account the sessions (Master’s and Doctoral level) completed before May 1st , 2012, whether funded or not.
22. The FQRNT also considers part-time or unregistered sessions in calculating the eligibility period, provided the registrar’s attestations are enclosed with the candidate’s file. Candidates must verify whether they are eligible for the competition by consulting the Equivalency table for terms taken or a non-registered or part-time basis Tableau des équivalences pour les sessions sans inscription ou effectuées à temps partiel.
23. To determine the funding period for the Master’s and Doctoral levels the FQRNT takes into account the number of sessions during which the candidate received financial assistance from all recognized funding agencies so that total funding does not exceed 15 sessions.
Master’s scholarship eligibility period
24. A candidate is eligible for the Master’s research scholarships competition during the first six sessions of his/her Master’s degree (or the equivalent). The sessions followed in a Master’s program (or the equivalent) prior to the effective date of the scholarship will be deducted from the duration of the funding. No funding will be granted after a student’s sixth session in a Master’s program.
25. Scholarship holders who go on to the Doctoral level without having used all the instalments of their Master’s scholarship can use them to begin their Doctoral program. However they have to successfully complete in the Doctoral scholarship program in order to receive the subsequent nine scholarship instalments.
Qualifying period for students who proceed directly from a Bachelor’s to a Doctoral program and for students who fast-track from a Master’s into a Doctoral program
26. A candidate admitted into a Doctoral program from a Bachelor’s program and one who fast-tracks into a Doctoral program without writing a thesis must apply to the Master’s scholarships competition (B1) during the first six sessions of his / her graduate studies program. In this case, the master’s
scholarship will be increased to be of the same value as the doctoral scholarship. A candidate must apply to the PhD scholarships competition (B2) during the 3th, 4th and 5th years of his / her graduate studies (sessions 7 to 15). The sessions followed in a program prior to the effective date of the scholarship will be deducted from the duration of the funding. No funding will be granted after a candidate’s sixth (B1) or fifteenth session (B2).
27. A candidate who holds a Master’s degree when beginning his / her Doctoral studies must apply to the Doctoral scholarships competition.
Doctoral scholarship eligibility period
28. A candidate is eligible for the Doctoral research scholarships competition during the first nine sessions of his/her Doctoral degree (or the equivalent). The sessions followed in a Doctoral program (or the equivalent) prior to the effective date of the scholarship will be deducted from the duration of the funding. No funding will be granted after a student’s ninth session in a Doctoral program.
29. A scholarship recipient beginning his/her post Doctoral research and who has not used his/her entire scholarship may transfer the payments in order to start his/her post Doctoral research. However, he/she has to successfully compete in the postdoctoral scholarship competition in order to receive subsequent scholarship instalments.
Exceptions in calculating the eligibility period
30. The only exception to the rules governing the eligibility period for scholarships concerns circumstances beyond the candidate’s control, such as a serious illness that forces students to suspend their studies. Exceptions cannot be made for grade point averages below the minimum required for the
Master’s level competition.
31. Candidates who suspended their studies due to maternity or parental leave can request an extension of their eligibility period for a maximum of 12 months. The request must be accompanied by supporting documents.
32. When the student is a person with a disability as stipulated in the Act to secure the handicapped persons in the exercise of their rights with a view to achieving social, school and workplace integration (L.R.Q. chapter. E-20.1), the rules pertaining to the eligibility period do not apply. The duration of the scholarship is two years at the Master’s level and three years at the Doctoral level. Documents must be then passed on with the demand.
33. The FQRNT may refuse any request not adequately justified.
Candidates must mail their application directly to the FQRNT by October 5th, 2011, at the latest. The file must be in an envelope postmarked no later than October 5th, 2011.
Programmes de bourses 2012-2013
Fonds québécois de la recherche sur la nature et les technologies 140, Grande Allée Est , 4e étage, bureau 450
Québec (Québec) G1R 5M8
Information Access Act of the FQRNT officer
France Busque Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer
E-mail: france.busque@fqrnt.gouv.qc.ca
Deadline: October 5, 2011
