Graduate Student International Experience Award application

Applications and supplementary documents must be submitted to GSPA using the Graduate Student Bursary/Award Submission Form.

Applicants travelling internationally must adhere to the requirements outlined on the Safety Abroad website prior to departure.

Use this form to:

• Complete this general form to be considered for an international experience award, including those listed below.

General Award Description

Several international experience award funds (some listed below) 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, duration, location and nature of experience, etc. For some awards, preference will be given to students who will be travelling to an unfamiliar country where they will experience a different culture in a new learning environment.

You only need to submit one application form in order to apply for any/all of the International Experience Awards, however you may need to submit various supporting documentation for each award as outlined in the award descriptions. This application form is for graduate students only.

Value

The value and number of awards vary. International experience awards are not intended to fully cover all expenses but rather to provide assistance to as many eligible students as possible based on the available funds.

General Eligibility and Selection Criteria

• The experience must be undertaken outside of Canada.
• These awards are intended to provide support for upcoming international experiences, not past experiences. (Students should apply as soon as they are able to confirm details of their intended experience by one of the deadlines below).
• Most awards require that students travel for a minimum 8-week period, however travel lasting at least 4 weeks may be considered and awarded at a reduced value for the UW International Experience Award only.
• Students must be full‐time and in good academic standing at the time of travel in order to be considered. Some awards require a specific level of academic achievement. Students who degree complete prior to travel dates will be deemed ineligible and will not receive funds. 
• 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.

Application/Deadline

Submit the completed application, including all required supporting documentation (as outlined in the application checklist) on or before the appropriate deadline through the Graduate Student Bursary/Award Submission Form.

*If the application deadlines above fall on a weekend or holiday, applications will be accepted until the following Monday. 

Awarding

Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs will communicate with applicants within four weeks of the award deadline. If successful, the award will first be applied toward any outstanding fees on your Quest account, if applicable. Thereafter the award funds will be deposited to the Canadian bank account you have set up on Quest.

Specific Award Details

Please carefully review the award description, eligibility & selection criteria and application details for each award that you are interested in, found on the Graduate funding and awards database.

Canadian Friends of the Hebrew University Award - 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). Students must be approved to participate in a study abroad program at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem or the Rothberg International School

Croatian Travel Awards Travel funds – Open to Canadian Citizens/Permanent Residents or international students, participating in a recognized Croatian language or cultural study abroad program, an exchange program, or an approved co-op term in Croatia.

David Johnston International Experience Awards – Open to Canadian Citizens/Permanent Residents or international students, min. 75% graduate average required, travelling for at least 8 weeks, 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).

Ellsworth and Karen LeDrew International Experience Award – Open to Canadian Citizens/Permanent Residents or international students registered full time in any year in the Faculty of Environment for travel anywhere, with preference given to students who demonstrate financial need. Note: this award will be awarded starting in fall 2022.

NA Engineering Associates Inc. Research Travel Award in Hellenistic Studies - Open only to Canadian Citizens/Permanent Residents of Ontario, must have demonstrated financial need (have applied for OSAP for the term travelling unless restricted). Students must be enrolled in the department of Classical Studies who wish to travel to Greece in order to enhance their research in the study of Greece and Classical Greek heritage or for those pursuing a low-paying co-op work term in Greece.

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), travelling normally for 8 weeks (however award can be reduced for a min. 4-week travel period), for travel anywhere.