Opportunities for new and current graduate students
Students enrolled in the Quantum Information graduate program will be eligible for Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC) scholarships.
All applicants, current and new, must be nominated by their supervisor. For full scholarship consideration, please apply to your appropriate home unit by its program application deadline. Application deadlines for each program can be found here by searching for the program you're applying to. For a list of IQC's collaborative programs, please visit IQC's Graduate Studies - Programs page.
In addition to these scholarships, there are a variety of opportunities to help support you in funding your education at the University of Waterloo.
IQC Entrance Award
Several awards valued at $5,000 are available each term. These awards are supported by a variety of sources, including the Bell Family Fund and Industry Canada. The awards are made to graduate students entering studies in quantum information at the University of Waterloo and IQC, based on academic excellence and research potential. Students must be nominated by a faculty member who supervises in the QI graduate program to be considered for the award.
IQC Achievement Award
Several awards valued at $5,000 are available each term. These awards are supported by a variety of sources, including the Bell Family Fund and Industry Canada. The awards are made to Waterloo graduate students working on quantum information at IQC, based on exceptional achievement in research. Applications should include published papers or pre-prints of relevant work done while an IQC student, explain their contributions to the results, and describe the significance and potential impact of the work. Students nominated by a faculty member are invited to submit an application for this award and will be contacted by the Graduate Program Manager.
Mike and Ophelia Lazaridis Fellowships
Graduate fellowships are available to be awarded to international graduate students based on academic excellence and research potential in quantum information. Effective January 1, 2025, the Masters award is $20,000 per year plus an additional $11,000 from a Graduate Research Studentship and/or Teaching Assistantship for a total package of $31,000. The PhD award is $34,400 per year plus an additional $9,600 from a Graduate Research Studentship and/or Teaching Assistantship for a total package of $44,000. Fellowship holders also receive a University of Waterloo award equivalent to tuition*. The fellowship can be a multi-year award, up to a maximum of 4 years, subject to approval based on academic and research performance. Students must be nominated by a faculty member who supervises in the QI graduate program to be considered for the award.
*Recipients of a tuition award will not receive an International Doctoral Student Award (IDSA)
IQC David Johnston Award for Scientific Outreach
This award was created to celebrate David Johnston’s pivotal contributions to IQC at the University of Waterloo, his passion for leadership and his enthusiasm for continuous learning, innovation and achievement. David Johnston was President at the University of Waterloo from 1999 to 2010.
Raymond Laflamme and Janice Gregson Graduate Scholarship for women in Quantum Information Science
This scholarship was created to celebrate Raymond Laflamme’s leadership and contributions over his 15-year tenure as IQC’s Executive Director (2002-2017). One scholarship, valued at up to $7,500, is awarded annually to a new female graduate student entering IQC in the Fall or Winter term. The scholarship not only acknowledges students who demonstrate strong academic achievement and potential for research excellence but also recognizes women in quantum information science and technology. Recipients for this award are selected by the IQC Scholarship Committee.
Samit & Reshma Sharma Graduate Scholarship in Quantum Information
The funds are endowed by Samit & Reshma Sharma foundation to celebrate the Institute for Quantum Computing at University of Waterloo. One scholarship, valued at least $3,000, will be awarded annually to a graduate student registered full-time in a research-based master’s or doctoral program in the Faculty of Engineering, Math or Science who are part of the Quantum Information program. It is awarded to a student who demonstrates outstanding academic achievement and research excellence for graduate studies in quantum information research. Students nominated for this scholarship by a faculty member will be contacted by the graduate program manager and be required to submit an application by February 1st.