Dr. Faye Murrin, Dean pro tempore

fmurrin@mun.ca

Dr. Katherine Side, Interim Associate Dean

kside@mun.ca

School of Graduate StudiesNov. 6, 2015

Optimize your chance of Success: CGS-M

Canadian Graduate Scholarship - MastersCIHR, NSERC, SSHRC

This session

1. Introduction to Tri-Agency AwardsWhat awards?

Eligibility Considerations

Evaluation

2. CGS-M ProgramApplication Process

Tips on completing the application: Online & Free form pages

3. Student perspectiveZak Keeping (Psychology/SSHRC)

Emilie Novaczek (Geography/NSERC)

What awards are available? 1. (Undergrad student research award (NSERC/USRA))

2. Canada Graduate Scholarships Master’s (CGS M) Award

1. CIHR – Frederick Banting and Charles Best CGS

2. NSERC –Alexander Graham Bell CGS

3. SSHRC –Joseph-Armand Bombardier CGS

3. Canada Graduate Scholarships (CGS D) and Post Graduate Scholarships (PGS D) Doctoral Award

4. Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship (Vanier CGS D)

5. CGS Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplement

6. Talent Award (SSHRC)

7. Postdoctoral Fellowship

8. BANTING Postdoctoral Fellowship

Max total for one grad student - 4 years

Total = Master’s (1) + PhD support

CGS M Awards

• $17,500

• 12 months

• nonrenewable

• Harmonized Tri-Agency process

• Online

• One application can be submitted to up to five universities

• Hosted on NSERC’s website

http://www.electricalfacts.com/neca/people/history/bell.shtml

PLUS $5,000 SGS Dean’s Award as a top-up to successful applicants!

Eligibility considerations

Only one Tri-Agency at a time/ one per year

For eligibility details visit: http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/NSERC-

CRSNG/Eligibility-Admissibilite/students-etudiants_eng.asp

Citizenship

To apply for CGS – M support you must be:

A Canadian citizen or Permanent Resident

The following awards are also open to international students:

Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships Program (Vanier CGS)

Visiting Fellowships in Canadian Government Laboratories (VF)

Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE)

Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship

Area: Program of Study & Research

• program of study and proposed research must be

in an NSERC/SSHRC/CIHR -supported field

• hold or expect to hold (at take-up date) a degree

in the appropriate area from a university

recognized by CIHR/NSERC/SSHRC

Academic Standing

maintained 1st class average in last two years

MUN GPA 3.5 or better (but ... )

intend to pursue full time* grad studies and

research in the following year

*CGS part time possible in special circumstances

Time in program (as of Dec 31st 2015)

You must have completed as of December 31 of the year of application, no more than 12 months of full-time studies in:

the master’s program for which you are requesting funding;

or

the doctoral program for which you are requesting funding if you were admitted into a doctoral program directly from your bachelor’s program

or

enrolled in a master’s program, but are requesting funding for a doctoral program (students transferring from master’s to doctoral program)

Evaluation Criteria & Weight

CGS-M CGS/PGS - D Postdoctoral Fellow

AcademicExcellence

50% 30% N/A

Research Potential 30% 50% 70%

Personal characteristics and interpersonal skills (Leadership)

20% 20% 30%

Criterion Indicators

Academic Excellence (50%) • duration of previous study

• scholarships/awards

• academic record

Research Potential (30%) • Scholarships/awards

• acad. training/relevant experience

• contributions to research (publications, conf., patents,

reports)

• research proposal

• critical thinking, initiative,

• ability to complete projects

• Initiative, autonomy, independence

Personal characteristics and

Interpersonal Skills (20%)

• work experience

• leadership experience

• project management

• communication of scholarly work

• academic life

• volunteering, community involvement

CGS M deadlines

Deadline: December 1, before 8:00 p.m. (ET)*

But not last minute! It may take a while to successfully submit.

CIHR: 24 hours to obtain registration number

Note additional deadline to apply to university program: Applicants are eligible to receive or accept a CGS-M offer only from an institution where they are currently enrolled or to which they have applied.

* March 31 or University deadline whichever comes first: Memorial Feb 1st

Deadlines: No wiggle-room

Reference letters

• Time sensitive.

o Give the referees a heads up

on the deadline well in

advance. NO WIGGLE-ROOM.

• Contact referee in person

if possible

o Establish that they will give

you a (really) “good”

reference.

• Who?

• Give them information

o Remind them of your

achievements and goals

o so that s/he can

personalize the reference

o and address each of the

three main criteria.

o Referees can access your

file after the invitation is

accepted.

• MAKE IT PERSONAL!

Transcripts

• for academic record / excellence

• to verify registration and time in program

• all those referenced in your application

• even if no grades!

• official

• complete (careful when uploading)

• If your transcript includes Transfer Courses (T) from another university or college: eg. CONA, UofT), you will need to provide a transcript from that institution

• No wiggle-room on deadline.

What happens after you submit?SGS at Memorial :

1. SGS receives applications Dec 1st, and verifies complete applications.

2. SGS confirms acceptance by department .

3. Memorial’s three selections committees (CIHR, SSHRC or NSERC) rank

all applications submitted to Memorial (in camera).

4. Offers made online by April 1st; by quota:

1. CIHR 2 (of 8 applications last year);

2. NSERC 11 (of 38 applications last year);

3. SSHRC 16 (of 39 applications last year).

5. Student has three weeks to accept or decline.

6. If declined, offer will be made to the next student on the list.

Selection committees are multidisciplinary! Aim to write your application so

that they can all understand - particularly true of title and abstract.

Consider carefully in proposal although don’t compromise the scholarly

strengths of the research.

What are you saying yes to?

• Experience in grants crafting

• Money ($17,500 plus $5,000 top up)

• … open doors

http://parent.guide/baby-proof-internal-doors/

What are you saying yes to?

How do you apply?

1. Read/heed web site

Application Requirements

• Application Form (accessed through Research Portal)

• CGS-M Canadian Common CV (CCV)

• Outline of Proposed Research (maximum = 1 page)

• Bibliography/citations for Proposed Research (maximum= 1 page)

• All undergraduate transcripts (including Memorial University)

• 2 Letters of Appraisal (you can confirm receipt, but you cannot view these)

How to apply• Complete the application website (Research Portal):

http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Students-Etudiants/PG-CS/CGSM-BESCM_eng.asp

• Access correct form (FUNDING: CGS-M).

• Register & complete the Canadian Common CV: https://ccv-cvc.ca/indexresearcher-eng.frm & link to the application form using confirmation # provided.

• Add attachments in PDF format to the Research Portal.

• Attach the official transcripts to the application; opening envelopes to attach official transcripts will not render them unofficial (include legend on reverse side).

• Email the links to two reviewers who are familiar with your research abilities. (Letters of Appraisal must be uploaded to the application before the application can be submitted online; the form cannot be submitted if these are not completed)

Information required in advance of

completing CGS-M application FORM

• Title of Proposed Research

• Summary of Proposed Research (limited to 1,500

characters, use lay language)

• Up to 10 keywords

• Up to 5 programme and institutions to which you will

be applying *

* Applicants are not eligible to receive or accept a

CGS-M offer from an institution where they are not

currently enrolled in, nor have they applied for

admission to, an eligible programme of study

Canadian common C (CCV) walk-in clinic

This facilitated session, hosted by the Faculty of Arts, will

provide hands-on assistance, answer your questions & assist

with the transfer of data to the CCV form.

SN-4022 Digital Learning Centre:

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Friday, November 20, 2015

10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

RSVP: Bradley Cooper (Bradley.Cooper@ mun.ca)

Helpful hints• The forms & Proposed Research are time-

consuming processes; begin early.

• Use all of the resources available to you, including

your supervisor.

• Be aware that all required forms have some limited

access because of scheduled maintenance time;

plan accordingly.

• Once your application is completed, preview it &

PROOF READ.

• Do not wait until close to the deadline for the on-

line submission of required forms; the time that is

recorded is the completed submission time.

GUIDELINES for proposed research

• This is a free-form explanation of your proposed

research that outlines the research & it’s context

(indicated by the bibliographic citations), how you

plan to conduct it & why it is important.

• This is a key piece in the application process.

• It is important to contribute your own original ideas

The Research proposal

• Essential Components (in preferred order):

• Masters Thesis project title & brief description

• Context & review of literature

• Goals & research questions (be as specific as possible)

• Methods (outline approach)

• Contributions to knowledge

• Current level of study (significance of your research to the field)

TIPS for a Strong research proposal

• Read the instructions (e.g. student name should be at top of each page).• Give careful consideration to your title & what it says about your research (no

abbreviations/jargon/corporation names in titles).• Do not exceed the stated page limits. • Use headings and sub-titles to distinguish sections.• Use bold or underlining to make important ideas clear (but don’t use them

excessively).• Ensure your research questions, objectives, &/or goals are clear (i.e. number

them).• Use language appropriate for multi-disciplinary readers.• Do not link to URLs or other, external sources within your proposal/bibliography.• Adhere to specified Presentation Standards (i.e., Times New Roman, 12 pt. font,

etc.).• Think about how the page looks to readers (if you can leave a blank line, do

so).• Proofread for typos & other errors.

Some key considerations

• Tri-Council agencies want to know that research

funds are being used wisely; you should explain the

significance of your research.

• Write your Proposed Research for an intelligent,

non-expert readers.

• Ask others to review your application & listen to their

ideas & feedback.

LETTERS FROM REFEREES

• Master’s Awards

• You must include the required information for each of your referees.

(An email containing the links will be forwarded to them so that the

proposed referees can complete their assessment and submit it to

your application).

• One letter should be from a person very familiar with your research

and other abilities, e.g., current supervisor.

• A second letter should be from a person familiar with your research

and other abilities (i.e., leadership, communication skills).

For assistance in preparing your application

• Prior to the deadline, applicants should have asked a supervisor/potential supervisor/faculty member to review the application, including the Proposed Research & provide feedback. Applicants should leave time to incorporate this feedback.

For SSHRC applicants: Dr. Rosemary Ommer, Grantscrafter

ommer@uvic.ca

For technical questions about the application/process:

Gail Lamkin, School of Graduate Studies

glamkin@mun.ca, or 864-2600

Time lines – adjudication & notification

• December 01, 2015 - SUBMISSION DEADLINE

• In December, 2105 & January, 2016, the School of Graduate Studies reviews eligibility, including eligibility based on academic standing.

• At the end of January, 2016, departments view applicants for programme eligibility/acceptance; make recommendations about acceptance to SGS.

• February, 2016-March, 2016 adjudication committee members meet to rank applications for awards (according to quotas) & waitlist.

• End of March, 2016 results entered by SGS into Research Portal

• April 01, 2016 all applicants notified of outcomes through Research Portal.

• April 22, 2016 is the deadline by which students must accept initial offers from Memorial University.

Some Reasons to Apply

• This process helps you to develop & refine clear ideas about

your research & the steps required to complete it.

• It is important for those intending to continue graduate

studies; it provides you with previous experience, & for those

who are successful, it demonstrates federal-level support for

your research potential.

• CGS-M supports graduate students who exhibit academic

excellence, research potential & good communication skills;

they are key for your future employment & study.

The School of Graduate Studies is here to help you

School of Graduate Studies

Scholarships Officer

*Gail Lamkin 864-2600

glamkin@mun.ca

*Bruneau Innovation Centre

2nd Floor IIC2012