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Canada Graduate Scholarships—Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplements

A tri-agency (SSHRC, NSERC and CIHR) program

Regulations Governing Fellowship and Scholarship Applications
Definitions

Context
Objectives
Value and Duration
Eligibility
Application Process
Evaluation and Adjudication
Administrative Regulations
More Information

Context

This foreign study supplements program is available to Canadian citizens or permanent residents who hold a Joseph-Armand Bombardier, Alexander Graham Bell or Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarship (CGS) at the master’s or doctoral level, or a Vanier CGS at the doctoral level.

Objectives

The CGS Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplements program will support high-calibre Canadian graduate students in building global linkages and international networks through the pursuit of exceptional research experiences abroad. By accessing international scientific research and training, recipients will contribute to strengthening the potential for collaboration between Canadian universities and affiliated research institutions and universities, or other research institutions outside of Canada.

Supplements of up to $6,000 will be awarded to active CGS Master’s, CGS Doctoral or Vanier CGS holders to help offset the costs—including travel and accommodation—of undertaking research studies outside Canada for a defined period. For the purposes of this program, a study period is defined as being no less than three months and no more than six. A total of 250 awards is available each year. These are divided among the three granting agencies to reflect the distribution of CGSs and Vanier CGSs across the social sciences and humanities, natural sciences and engineering, and health-related disciplines. The current distribution of supplements among the three agencies is 125 for SSHRC, 80 for NSERC, and 45 for CIHR.

Each university will be allocated a set number of supplements by each granting agency, as appropriate. The faculty (school) of graduate studies at each university will be informed by the granting agencies of the number of foreign study supplements that will be available to them in each of the three areas of research disciplines. The faculty (school) of graduate studies is required to set up an internal selection process to choose which applications (requesting CGS Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplements funds) to forward to the respective granting agency for review.

Value and Duration

The value of the CGS Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplements is up to $6,000, based on the information and budget justification provided in the application. Supplements are non-renewable. A defined research study period would normally be three to six months.

The supplement will be paid separately from the CGS or Vanier CGS.

What kind of expenses does the CGS Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplement cover?

The supplement will cover costs associated with travel, living and other expenses (such as accommodation, meals, tuition, insurance and other necessary costs) during the research study period abroad.

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply for this program, you must:

• be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada;
• be registered at a Canadian institution at the time of application; and
• for SSHRC applicants: have accepted or hold a Joseph-Armand Bombardier CGS (master’s or doctoral level) or a Vanier CGS administered by SSHRC;
• for NSERC applicants: have accepted or hold an Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship CGS (master’s or doctoral level) or a Vanier CGS administered by NSERC;
• for CIHR applicants: have accepted or hold a Frederick Banting or Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarship CGS (master’s or doctoral level) or a Vanier CGS administered by CIHR; and
• not hold or have held any other CGS Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplement during the course of your graduate studies.

To remain eligible during the research study period abroad, you must:

• hold an active CGS at the time your study period abroad starts;
• be registered full time in a graduate research studies program at a Canadian institution for the duration of the time abroad;
• take up the award within one year of receiving the notice of award for the CGS Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplement; and
• return to complete your degree in Canada.

Where can you travel with your CGS Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplement?

You may use your CGS Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplement for travel to any eligible foreign university or research institution (see below for specific requirements by granting agency). The choice of location for your research studies and how the study period abroad will further your research goals must be justified in your application.

Host supervisors and host institutions

SSHRC:

Host supervisors must be affiliated and employed full time at a foreign university, international or national research institute, or other institution that actively carries out research. Research assistants are not eligible as host supervisors.

NSERC:

Host supervisors must be employed full time at a foreign university, inter-university research institute, national laboratory or other institution that actively carries out research. Research assistants are not eligible as host supervisors.

CIHR:

Host supervisors must hold a full-time independent research appointment at the host university or research institute and have sufficient research funding to support the proposed project. Research assistants are not eligible as host supervisors.

Note: You should contact the respective granting agency, in advance, if you are unsure about the eligibility of a particular host supervisor or host institution.

Application Process

Universities have been allocated a certain number of CGS Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplements based on the number of CGSs and Vanier CGSs held at that university. The allocation is granting agency specific. If you are a qualified applicant, you must complete the necessary documentation and submit it to your faculty (school) of graduate studies for consideration.

A common tri-agency form is available on the respective granting agencies’ websites. This form must be used to apply for the CGS Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplements.

In general, applicants will be required to provide:

• the name and contact information of the host supervisor, and name and location of the foreign institution where you intend on pursuing your research/study activities;
• a detailed timeline regarding your research study period abroad (start and end dates);
• a maximum two-page summary of your intended research activities during your study period abroad (including objectives, methodology and expected outcomes) and an indication of how this relates to your main graduate research topic;
• a description of the potential benefits that you will derive from working at, or attending, the host institution in relation to your current research objectives; and
• a budget that provides estimates for costs of travel, living and other expenses during your research study period (to a maximum of $6,000).

In addition, both your current research supervisor and the potential host supervisor will have to submit letters detailing their support of your foreign research study period. The host supervisor will also need to indicate that they have the resources available (financial, supervision time, equipment, etc.) to support your planned research activities.

Granting agency deadlines

There are two deadlines for this program: June 10 and October 10. Late or incomplete applications will be rejected.

Note: If a university's allocation for CGS Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplements has been reached by the June 10 deadline, there may not be an opportunity for further applications to be accepted for the October 10 deadline from that university.

University deadline

Your university’s faculty (school) of graduate studies has an internal deadline for your application and selects which applications will be submitted to the granting agencies.

Evaluation and Adjudication

University review

Each university is assigned an allocation of CGS Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplements that it can administer. It is up to each university to decide how it will distribute the allocation. The faculty (school) of graduate studies at each Canadian university is responsible for coordinating the university review of CGS Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplements applications. The university submits a limited number of eligible applications (matching the allocation) to the appropriate granting agency.

The selection process and review procedures adopted by the university must maintain a focus on excellence. Supplements must be selected using the following selection criteria:

• Linkage between the current program of research goals, the proposed research/study activities at the host institution and the applicant’s future research/career goals, including consideration of:
  • significance, feasibility and merit of proposed research study activities at the foreign institution;
  • justification for the choice of host institution and/or host supervisor; and
  • relevance and anticipated benefits of the proposed research/study activities abroad to the candidate’s current graduate-degree training.

It is the responsibility of the university to notify candidates of the results of the competition.

Granting agency review

The granting agencies will review the applications received from universities for eligibility and completeness, and CGS Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplements will be awarded to the eligible applicants through the universities.

Notification of decision

The granting agencies will notify the faculty (school) of graduate studies at the respective universities of the results within two months following receipt of applications. The CGS Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplements will be paid directly to the institutions that will administer the supplements for the students on behalf of the granting agencies.

The granting agencies will publish the names (and other basic award information) of supplement recipients on their respective websites. For more information, refer to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act.

Post-award

You must receive approval from the respective granting agency before making any changes pertaining to the location and dates of your foreign research study period, your choice of host supervisor, your choice of host institution or your proposed activities.

Post-activity deliverables

After completing your research study period abroad, you must submit, to the respective granting agency, the following documents:

Activity report:

A one- to two-page report on your experience that describes:

• the activities that were carried out and results achieved;
• the ongoing activities resulting from the research study period abroad, such as joint publications, the development of new techniques, etc.;
• any unanticipated benefits derived from working at, or attending, the host institution in relation to your current research objectives at your Canadian institution;
• problems encountered; and
• advice on how the CGS Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplements program could be improved.

Letter from host supervisor:

A letter from the host supervisor evaluating your performance and summarizing the positive and negative aspects of the study period from his/her perspective.

Note: The post-activity deliverables must be received at the respective granting agency no later than two months after completion of the activity.

Administrative Regulations

All nominees and scholarship holders must comply with the Regulations Governing Fellowship and Scholarship Applications and with the regulations set out in the appropriate award holder's guide.

SSHRC reserves the right to determine the eligibility of nominations based on the information provided in those nominations. The Council also reserves the right to interpret the program regulations set out in its published materials.

More Information

Please address questions about this program to:

Canada Graduate Scholarships—Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplements
Fellowships and Institutional Grants Division
SSHRC
350 Albert Street
P.O. Box 1610
Ottawa, ON  K1P 6G4

Tel.: 613-943-7777
Fax: 613-943-1329
Email: fellowships@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca
Website: http://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca

NSERC
Scholarships and Fellowships Division
E-mail: schol@nserc-crsng.gc.ca
Web site: www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca

CIHR
Research Capacity Development
E-mail: CGSMSFSS@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/780.html