This page gives information on two types of awards:
- Federal and provincial programs
- Other external funding opportunities
For detailed information about scholarships, awards, and bursaries, please consult the Graduate Studies and Postodoctoral Affairs (GSPA) Awards and Funding page.
See the External scholarship recipients page for a list of students who have received external scholarship funding.
Federal and provincial programs
Student submission deadlines are bolded below. It is the students' responsibility to keep track of their submission deadlines.
Please note: The Department cannot nominate students for the Trudeau and Vanier awards without applications. Please see application submission deadlines below.
Please note: Information and dates may be updated depending on further information from the tri-agency and resources available.
| Scholarships | Transcript request deadline |
Application/Department deadlineStudents must submit to the Department |
Information Sessions |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSERC Doctoral |
Friday, September 18, 2020 |
Application deadline to submit through the NSERC portal: Saturday, October 17, 2020 at 8:00 p.m. |
|
| SSHRC Doctoral | Friday, September 18, 2020 |
Application deadline to submit through the SSHRC online system: Saturday, October 17, 2020 at 8:00 p.m. |
|
| CGS-M (Tri-Council MA) | Friday, November 20, 2020 |
Application deadline to submit via the Research Portal: Tuesday, December 1, 2020 at 8:00 p.m. Check recent changes. |
|
| 2021-2022 Canada Graduate Scholarship â Michael Smith Foreign Studies Supplement (CGS-MSFSS) | May 25, 2021 and September 20, 2021 | NOTE: The agency online system does not allow applicants to submit their application or upload supporting documents. Applicants must save and email their application, along with supporting documents, to Elena Machado (emachado@uwaterloo.ca) by May 25, 2021 or September 20, 2021 |
|
| Trudeau Doctoral | TBD | TBD |
|
| OGS | Friday, October 9, 2020 at 4:00 p.m. | Friday, October 9, 2020. |
Other external funding opportunities
Please find below the most recent award funding, scholarships, and bursary opportunities sent to the English Department:
Laura Bassi Scholarship
The Laura Bassi Scholarship was established in 2018 with the aim of providing editorial assistance to postgraduates and junior academics whose research focuses on neglected topics of study, broadly construed. The scholarships are open to every discipline and the next round of funding will be awarded in Winter 2023:
Winter 2023
Application deadline: 30 November 2023
Results: 11 December 2023
Applicants are required to submit a completed application form along with their CV through the application portal by the relevant deadline. Further details, including previous winners, and the application portal can be found at: https://editing.press/bassi
The Professor Linda Munk Graduate Futures Scholarship
This is a transformational $20,000 scholarship offered to an outstanding applicant to the Master of Arts in English program at the University of Toronto (U of T).
For more information, please visit the Department of English website
Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships
Applications for the Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships (QECS) are now open. The scholarships offer a unique opportunity to study a two-year Master’s degree in a low or middle-income Commonwealth country.
Aimed at students who are committed to creating change in their communities, the scholarships are a life-changing opportunity to experience a new country and culture, to broaden horizons, and to build a global network that will last a lifetime.
Through cultural exchange and academic collaboration, Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholars help bring about positive change and find solutions to the shared challenges we face - both in their home countries and those that host them. As an active part of the Commonwealth network, scholars will help shape its future.
Bertram Scholarship
In recognition of the growing importance of good governance to all Canadian institutions, the Canadian Foundation for Governance Research is offering up to three annual Bertram Scholarships of $15,000 to PhD students registered at Canadian universities. The scholarship will support the work of students who are conducting research into governance as part of their doctoral research project.
Dan David Prize
The Dan David Prize is offering $15,000 in scholarships to outstanding doctoral and post-doctoral students.
Canada-China Scholars' Exchange Program
Global Affairs Canada and the Chinese Ministry of Education are offering short-term scholarships to Canadians wishing to study abroad in China. Scholarships are awarded for studies, research, language studies or a combination of studies and language studies at participating Chinese institutions.
- Program name: Canada-China Scholars’ Exchange Program
- Funding organizations: Global Affairs Canada and the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China
- Target audiences: Canadian students (college, undergraduate and graduate levels in Canada); Canadian faculty members and research staff at a post-secondary institution in Canada; Canadian mid-career professionals
- Number of scholarships: Over 20
- Duration: 4 to 12 months for students; and 8 weeks to 12 months for faculty members and mid-career professionals
- Inclusions: Airfare, tuition fees, monthly living stipend, on-campus accommodation and medical insurance
- Deadline: TBD for 2023
For full program details and to submit an online application, visit: Canada-China Scholars’ Exchange Program.
All inquiries regarding this program should be directed to: scholarships-bourses@cbie.ca or 613-237-4820.
The Canadian Bureau for International Education is the scholarship administrator for the International Scholarships Program of Global Affairs Canada.
2021 Pierre Elliott Trudeau Doctoral Scholarship
The Pierre Elliott Trudeau Doctoral Scholarship is a three-year leadership program designed to train engaged leaders, equipping outstanding doctoral candidates with the skills to translate their ideas into action, for the betterment of their communities, Canada, and the world. Up to 16 doctoral Scholars are selected each year and receive generous funding for their studies in addition to leadership training in the context of Brave Spaces.
Value:
The annual value of the award is up to $60,000 per year for a maximum of three years ($40,000 per year to cover tuition and reasonable living expenses plus up to $20,000 per year as a research and travel allowance). Successful recipients who hold their scholarship at Waterloo will also receive the President's Graduate Scholarship!
Deadlines:
Online Application Portal Deadline: January 5, 2021 at 11:59 PM EST
Eligibility & Selection Criteria:
- You must be already accepted into or in year one, two, or three of a full-time doctoral program in the humanities or social sciences
- 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
- You must 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
For full eligibility and selection criteria, please visit the Trudeau Foundation website.
Application Process
Applicants must submit an application via the Trudeau Foundation Application portal. Complete applications include 2 reference letters and transcripts from all current and previous post-secondary institutions. Note: Official transcripts are not required for your application, but you may be asked to provide official copies if your application is successful. GSPA will provide official Waterloo transcripts to successful recipients if required.
NEW for 2021 - Institutions no longer endorse candidates. Instead, all eligible candidates who submit a completed application will be reviewed by the Foundation and will go through a rigorous selection process. Shortlisted candidates (Round One) will be contacted in February 2021 and invited to group interviews. Finalists (Round Two) will then be invited to meet for individual interviews with members of the ANRC in March 2021.
Helpful links:
Scholarship Overview and FAQ’s: https://www.trudeaufoundation.ca/scholarship
Eligibility Criteria and Application Process: https://www.trudeaufoundation.ca/become-scholar
Application Portal: https://fdnpetf.smartsimple.ca/s_Login.jsp
Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Graduate Scholarship
CSA Group launched a graduate scholarship for Masters students in 2019. This scholarship is $10,000 per year for a maximum of two years with the purpose of supporting graduate students in the pursuit of research related to standards. The thesis can be conducted in any field (e.g. engineering, social sciences, health sciences) and must include standards as a component of the research. Applications are due March 31st and more information can be found on our website at https://www.csagroup.org/scholarship/
Mackenzie King Scholarships 2021-2022
The Mackenzie King Scholarships were established as an independent trust under the will of the late Rt. Hon. William Mackenzie King (1874-1950). The two categories of scholarship are:
- Mackenzie King Open Scholarship: The Open Scholarship is available to graduates of Canadian universities who pursue graduate studies in any discipline, in Canada or elsewhere. One Open Scholarship is awarded each year. The value has recently been about $9,000 but it is subject to change.
- Mackenzie King Travelling Scholarship: The Travelling Scholarship is available to graduates of Canadian universities who pursue graduate studies in the United States or the United Kingdom in the areas of international relations or industrial relations. Recently four scholarships of about $11,500 each have been awarded annually, but the number and the amount are subject to change.
Selection Criteria:
- High academic achievements (typically all A’s or very nearly so)
- Personal qualities, and demonstrated aptitudes
- Consideration will also be given to the applicant’s proposed program of study
Instructions for Applicants:
Applicants may apply for both scholarships with a single application if the eligibility criteria are met for both. Full application details can be viewed on the Mackenzie King Scholarship webpage.
- Application Package:
Complete application packages must be submitted to the student’s Department Graduate Co-ordinator by February 1 Complete application packages include the following:
- Application: available at http://www.mkingscholarships.ca/download.html
- Attachments (see application for description of these items):
- Sheet A: Supplementary Information on academic achievements and experience
- Sheet B: Personal statement
- Reference Letters:
- Three letters of reference are required from persons who have an intimate knowledge of your record and ability and are able to give a critical evaluation of your plans for graduate study. At least two of these testimonials must be from persons under whom you have taken your major work at university, or from senior colleagues with whom you have been associated in academic teaching or research.
- These must be signed, on letterhead and sent directly by your referee to the department graduate co-ordinator by February 1.
- Transcripts:
After you submit your application to your department, your department co-ordinator will produce/print copies of all post-secondary transcripts (Waterloo and non-Waterloo) which were submitted at the time of admittance to Waterloo. These will be used for review purposes. You do not need to order new official hard-copy transcripts unless Waterloo does not have a copy on-file, in which case you should contact your department co-ordinator to arrange to have these submitted by February 1.
Facebook Fellowship Program
| The Facebook Fellowship is a global program designed to encourage and support promising doctoral students who are engaged in innovative and relevant research in areas related to computer science and engineering at an accredited university. The program is open to students in any year of their PhD study. People of diverse backgrounds and experiences are encouraged to apply, especially those from traditionally under-represented minority groups. Applications are evaluated based on the strength of the student’s research statement, publication record, and recommendation letters. The Fellowship award includes:
|
J. Alan George Student Leadership Award
Description:
The J. Alan George Student Leadership Award is presented to an entering graduate student, chosen from among students within three terms of first receipt of a Provost Doctoral Entrance Award for Women and based on a record of student leadership.
The value and number of awards vary from year to year.
Eligibility:
To be eligible for the award applicants must:
- currently registered full-time within their first year of doctoral studies at the University of Waterloo
- applicants must be within three terms of first receipt of a Provost Doctoral Entrance Award for Women
- applicants must demonstrate outstanding student leadership
Application:
Completed application must be submitted to the department for ranking purposes (by October 15) before being forwarded to Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs. (GSPA)
For more information, visit the J. Alan George Leadership Award application (digital signatures accepted).
2021 Google PhD Fellowship
Google PhD Fellowship recipients are a select group recognized by Google researchers and their institutions as some of the most promising young academics in the world. The Fellowships are awarded to students who represent the future of research in the following fields:
- Algorithms, Optimizations and Markets
- Computational Neuroscience
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Machine Learning
- Machine Perception, Speech Technology and Computer Vision
- Mobile Computing
- Natural Language Processing (including Information Retrieval and Extraction)
- Privacy and Security
- Programming Languages and Software Engineering
- Quantum Computing
- Structured Data and Database Management
- Systems and Networking
Applicants must submit the following material in a single PDF file to the Computer Science department via email (cs.graddir@uwaterloo.ca):
- Student Curriculum Vitae (CV) with links to website and publications (if available)
- Short (1-page) CV of student’s primary advisor
- 2-3 letters of recommendation from those familiar with the nominee's work (at least one coming from the thesis advisor)
- Research/dissertation proposal (recommended length 4-5 pages, no longer than 8)
- Student essay response (350-word limit) to: Describe the desired impact your research will make on the field and society, and why this is important to you. Include any personal, educational and/or professional experiences that have motivated your research interests.
- Student essay response (350-word limit) to: Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time.
- (A leadership role can mean more than just a title. It can mean being a mentor to others, acting as the person in charge of a specific task, or taking the lead role in organizing an event or project. Think about what you accomplished and what you learned from the experience. What were your responsibilities? Did you lead a team? How did your experience change your perspective on leading others? Did you help to resolve an important dispute at your school, church, in your community or an organization? And your leadership role doesn’t necessarily have to be limited to school activities. For example, do you help out or take care of your family?)
- Official transcripts of current and previous academic records
- Students may ask their department graduate co-ordinator to generate their UW transcript and to also provide an electronic PDF file of their official final non-UW transcripts which were submitted at the time of admission to UW (from OnBase). If UW has not been supplied with a specific institution’s transcript or the version on-file is not the final version, the student is responsible for ordering the most recent transcript themselves and including it with their application package.
Note: Each institution is able to nominate more than two students (up to a max of 4), however the 3rd and 4th must have self-identified as one of the groups below. If you wish to self-identify as any of the following underrepresented groups, please include this information in the body of your email when submitting your application to cs.graddir@uwaterloo.ca
- woman, Black/African American, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Hispanic/Latinx, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and/or person with a disability.
For further details, applicants should review Google’s Frequently Asked Questions, or visit the Google PhD Fellowship webpage.
Eligibility Requirements (North America):
- Full-time graduate students pursuing a PhD
- Must complete graduate coursework by the Fall of the award year, when the Fellowship begins (Fall 2021)
- Students must remain enrolled full-time in the PhD program for the duration of the Fellowship or forfeit the award.
- Google employees, and their spouses, children, and members of their household are not eligible.
- Students that are already supported by a comparable industry award are not eligible.
Graduate Studies Conference Assistantship (GSCA)
Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA) and the Graduate Studies Endowment Fund (GSEF) assist University of Waterloo graduate students to attend academic conferences, and present their research. Students should use this application form to reserve funds from their supervisor, Department/School, Faculty and/or GSPA/GSEF.
For deadlines, guidelines and eligibility criteria, please refer to our Graduate Studies Conference Assistantship web page.
Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire (IODE) War Memorial Scholarship
The National Chapter of Canada IODE initiated War Memorial Doctoral Scholarships in 1918 to commemorate Canadians who sacrificed their lives for peace and freedom. Initially, bursaries were granted to children of men and women who lost their lives or who were permanently disabled while fighting for Canada. Since the first scholarships were awarded in 1921, IODE War Memorial Scholars have made important contributions to Canada and the world in medicine, science, business, politics and academia.
IODE Canada is delighted to announce the offering of War Memorial PHD Scholarships for 2021/2022 .
All information (letter of intent, application form and guidelines) has currently been entered on the IODE web site.
Black Warriors Annual Contest
Black Warrior Review has an annual contest in Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, and Flash. Winners in Poetry, Fiction, and Nonfiction will receive $1,000 each and publication. Winners in Flash will receive $500 and publication.
Facebook Reality Labs Liquid Crystal Research Awards
Facebook Reality Labs (FRL) brings together a world-class team of researchers, developers, and engineers to create the future of virtual and augmented reality, which together will become as universal and essential as smartphones and personal computers are today.
In order to support academic work that addresses our challenges and opportunities while producing generalizable knowledge, FRL is pleased to offer six research awards. The awards include one Diamond Award of $5000, two Platinum Awards of $3500, and three Gold Awards of $2500.
Laura Bassi Scholarship
The Laura Bassi Scholarship, which awards a total of $8,000 thrice per annum, was established by Editing Press in 2018 with the aim of providing editorial assistance to postgraduates and junior academics whose research focuses on neglected topics of study, broadly construed. The scholarships are open to every discipline and the next round of funding will be awarded in December 2019:
Spring 2022
Deadline: 27 March 2022
Results: 20 April 2022
Summer 2022
Deadline: 27 July 2022
Results: 20 August 2022
All currently enrolled master’s and doctoral candidates are eligible to apply, as are academics in the first five years of their employment. Applicants are required to submit a completed application form along with their CV through the application portal by the relevant deadline. Further details, previous winners, and the application portal can be found at: https://editing.press/bassi
Graduate Student Medical Leave Award
Award description:
Effective January 1, 2018 eligible research-based master’s and doctoral students who must go inactive for medical reasons (e.g., physical or mental health) may be eligible to receive a Graduate Student Medical Leave Award, valued at a maximum of $5,000.
Students must have been registered full time for at least one academic term and have been in receipt of a financial package from their Department/School in the term immediately prior to going inactive for medical reasons. Eligible students who provide medical documentation (e.g., official medical documentation completed by a health care practitioner) to AccessAbility Services, to support their request for going inactive due to medical reasons, will be automatically considered for this award. Details regarding the process for submitting medical documentation to AccessAbility Services can be found on the AccessAbility website.
Value description:
One-time award with a maximum value of $5,000 for eligible research-based master’s and PhD students who have been registered for at least one academic term prior to going inactive for medical reasons. The value will be automatically assigned without the need for a complete needs assessment.
Based upon the department funding details in the offer of admission, students registered in a research-based master’s program will receive up to 1/3 of their annual funding package value (including IMSA) to a maximum medical leave award of $5,000; doctoral students will automatically receive the medical leave award maximum of $5,000. University refund and government reporting regulations and the date of the accommodation may also affect the value of the award.
Visit the Graduate Student Medical Leave Award webpage for more information.
International Experience Awards
Several international experience award funds are available to University of Waterloo graduate students who participate in: an academic exchange, a study term related to their research (field work) or an academic requirement (placement), work, or volunteer experience. Award selection is based on a variety of factors such as academic achievement, financial need, length, location, nature of experience and whether it is an applicants first time travelling to a destination etc. Only one application is required in order to be considered for any of the International Experience Awards (see brief descriptions below).
Value:
The value and number of awards vary.
General Eligibility and Selection Criteria:
- These awards are intended to provide support for upcoming international experiences, not past experiences while you are a graduate student. (Students should apply as soon as they are able to confirm details of their intended experience by one of the deadlines below).
- Travel duration:
- Full-term Experience (for UW Student Mobility Funding Program)
- Minimum of 8 weeks (for David Johnston International Experience Awards)
- Minimum of 8 weeks, however travel lasting at least 4 weeks may be considered and awarded at a reduced value (for UW International Experience Award)
- Students must be full-time and in good academic standing in order to be considered. Some awards require a specific level of academic achievement.
- Some of these awards are based fully or partially on financial need.
- Funding is generally limited to one award per student in a given year due to the large number of applications received.
Specific Awards:
David Johnston International Experience Awards - open to Canadian Citizens/Permanent Residents or international students, min. 75% graduate average required, for travel anywhere however several specific awards fall under this broader award, including one for travel to Israel (see Lebovic) and another for travel to developing countries (see McCall MacBain).
UW International Experience Awards - open only to Canadian Citizens/Permanent Residents and residents of Ontario, must have demonstrated financial need (have applied for OSAP for the term travelling unless restricted), for travel anywhere.
UW Student Mobility Funding Program - for travel anywhere, with preference given to students with financial need. Several awards fall under this broader award which have specific eligibility requirements (see UW International Travel Award, Hume , Johnson, Kerr and LeDrew.)
For full award descriptions including eligibility and selection criteria, please search for the awards in the Graduate Funding & Awards Database.
Application/Deadline:
Apply by completing the Graduate Student International Experience Award application. This general application will be used to consider you for any of the international experience awards that you may be eligible for. Submit the completed application and all required supporting documentation (as outlined on the application checklist) on or before the deadline to emachado@uwaterloo.ca or to The Centre, Ira G. Needles Hall (NH), first floor. Award selection takes place each term. Please apply by the deadline for the term in which you will be travelling:
Spring (May-August) term travel - March 15
Fall (Sept-Dec) term travel - July 15
Winter (Jan-Apr) term travel - November 15
GSPA will communicate with applicants regarding the competition results within approximately three weeks of the award deadline.