Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Doctoral Scholarships

Information on this page is subject to change pending updates from the agency.

This web page relates to the fall 2020 SSHRC Doctoral Scholarships competition and the University of Waterloo's internal administration of the program. For information pertaining to the Tri-Agency Canada Graduate Scholarships Master's (CGS M) competition, please visit Waterloo's Tri-Agency (CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC) Canada Graduate Scholarships Master's (CGS M) website.

• Overview
• Important dates
• Critical steps
  • Eligibility
  • Confirm where your application should be considered
  • Transcripts
  • Read the application instructions
  • Selecting referees
  • Research proposal
  • Components of a complete application
• Ranking and results
• Timeline
• Helpful resources

Overview

Important dates

Critical steps

1. Eligibility
 
It is the applicant's responsibility to confirm that the minimum eligibility criteria are satisfied before they begin the application process. Some eligibility requirements for the SSHRC Doctoral Fellowships differ from those of the CGS-D Scholarships. Interested applicants must review the official eligibility criteria on the SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship website and the CGS D Program website before beginning their application.

Note 1: Applicants may also be eligible to apply for the Vanier CGS; applicants MUST apply for the Vanier CGS and for the SSHRC Doctoral Scholarships separately. Details about the Vanier CGS are available on the official agency website or for those applying to take it up at Waterloo on Waterloo's Vanier web page. Successful applicants can only take up one award.

Note 2: Applicants who are or will be registered in a fast-track program (accelerating from a master's program into a doctoral program without obtaining the master's degree) or direct-entry PhD program (never enrolled in a master’s program), may be eligible to apply for a CGS Master's Scholarship for the first year of doctoral funding which could maximize their potential funding. If eligible for both a CGS M and a SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship/CGS D, then the decision of which competition to apply through lies with the applicant.

2. Confirm where your application should be considered

The student’s registration status at the time of application will determine where their application will be considered through, i.e., either through Waterloo, another Canadian university, or directly by SSHRC. Applicants should review the flowchart regarding “Where should I submit my application?” on SSHRC’s web page to ensure their application is submitted appropriately. Applicants who apply incorrectly will be deemed ineligible.

3. Transcripts

Transcripts are required for all programs of study listed in the SSHRC CV, including if you just started your program in Fall 2020. Students are unable to submit their application until they have uploaded all transcripts to their application.

The process to obtain these transcripts is as follows:

1. Applicants must complete and submit a SSHRC Doctoral Scholarships - applicant transcript request (Graduate studies forms website). This request is free of charge and is due by September 18, 2020.
2. GSPA will fulfil transcript requests by retrieving official transcripts that were submitted as part of the student’s Waterloo admission application*. In order for GSPA to fulfil these requests, students must have provided their official transcripts from previous institutions as part of their application for admission.
3. If there are any transcripts which GSPA is unable to provide because they are not on-file, the student is responsible for ordering a new hardcopy version. The student must then scan the hardcopy and merge it with the pdf sent by GSPA. It is the student’s responsibility to then upload the file to their  SSHRC Online Application.
4. GSPA will email a single pdf file of the requested transcripts to the student via the email provided in the form. It is the student’s responsibility to then upload the file to their SSHRC Online Application.

*Applicants who are in the following situations are responsible obtaining their own final official transcripts from previous post-secondary institutions:

• Waterloo undergraduate students who attended a previous post-secondary institution for an exchange (ONLY if CR shows on Waterloo transcript) or for a previously completed undergraduate degree.
• Students who went on exchange for any terms and the courses do not have an actual grade showing on your home university transcript, you will require official transcripts from the exchange institution.
• Students who have not provided their final official transcripts from previous institutions to GSPA for graduate admission purposes.

Note: Students who are in the above situations and are having issues with obtaining their official transcripts must contact Elena Machado in the GSPA, by Friday, September 18, 2020 for further direction.

4. Read the application instructions

Applicants must follow the detailed instructions provided on SSHRC's website including how to complete the application, how to confirm the proposed research falls under the correct agency's mandate, the number of referees required, presentation standards of the free form documents, etc. There is also a separate set of instructions for the SSHRC Curriculum Vitae (CV) which should also be consulted.

5. Selecting referees

Two completed Letters of Appraisal (reference letters) are required to apply through the SSHRC Online System.

1. Instructions regarding referees, including recommendations for who should be completing the appraisal, can be found in the Application Instructions (SSHRC website).
2. Applicants must contact potential referees as soon as possible, but no later than 3 weeks prior to the deadline. Invitations for the referees are initiated through the SSHRC Online System and a deadline must be set for the referee (refer to instructions). Referees should be given a deadline at least 3 days in advance of the application deadline.
3. Applicants must provide the potential referees with SSHRC's evaluation and adjudication guidelines (see SSHRC website), as well as the SSHRC’s Instructions for Referees.
4. Once submitted, applicants will only be able to see that the referees have submitted their appraisals but will not be able to see the content of them.

Tips for selecting referees and reference letters:

• Applicants should select referees who know them well and are capable of making an informed assessment from an academic perspective (i.e. past or current supervisor) based on the evaluation criteria.
• Applicants should be up front and ask their potential referees if they have the time and are able to provide a supporting reference letter that can address the applicant's strengths based on the evaluation criteria.
• Applicants should provide their referees with a package of information that will assist them with writing the appraisal. This package should contain:
  • current curriculum vitae
  • transcripts
  • a list of research contributions; applicants are encouraged to request referees to address the importance of their publications and contributions in the letters of appraisal (e.g., highlighting that a paper is published in a journal with a high impact factor; identifying that a paper has been widely cited; research that has received recognition outside of the academy; research that has applied outcomes that have positively influenced society, governance, industry or other sectors, etc)
  • a copy of the research proposal/program of study, and a list of community involvement or other extracurricular activities that demonstrate leadership qualities

6. Research proposal

The proposed research project and doctoral program of study must be eligible within the mandate of the agency to which the application is being submitted. To confirm the proposal falls under the correct agency, applicants should refer to Selecting the Appropriate Federal Granting Agency (Government of Canada website) or Subject Matter Eligibility (SSHRC website) for more details about applying to the correct agency. Applicants can only apply to one Tri-Agency competition and it is important to ensure it is the correct one; otherwise, there is a risk of being disqualified.

7. Components of a complete application

Applicants must complete a SSHRC Doctoral Awards application form (including attachments) and their SSHRC web-based curriculum vitae (CV).

• SSHRC web-based CV (not the Canadian Common CV)
• Web based application form – several sections (required)
• Research Proposal (required - max. two pages):
• Bibliography and citations (max. five pages)
• Official and/or certified copies of all undergraduate and graduate level transcripts (required) and an official letter to confirm part-time study and/or Leave of Absence (max. one page for this letter, if applicable)
• Allowable inclusions (only if applicable, max. one page)
• Research contributions, Relevant Experience and Activities (max. two pages)
• Supplement justification (only if applicable, max. one page)
• Joint or Special Initiatives Justification (only if applicable, max. one page)
• Two completed letters of appraisal (max. one page each)

Ranking and results

Timeline

Helpful resources