UofC

Details of all awards administered by the Faculty of Graduate Studies can be found on the graduate awards website and in the searchable graduate award database at grad.ucalgary.ca/awards.

Scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic standing and demonstrated potential for advanced study and research. Normally, master's students in the first two years of program and doctoral students in the first four years of program are eligible to hold scholarships. If, in the opinion of the Graduate Scholarship Committee, a suitable candidate cannot be found, it reserves the right not to award any one or any number of scholarships in any year. Unless otherwise stated, awards are for one year only. The value and terms of the awards are subject to change without notice.

Graduate Scholarship and Award Regulation

The purpose of this regulation is to provide for fair distribution of university-wide competitive academic awards among eligible graduate students, while maintaining graduate programs’ autonomy in the allocation of Program Recommended awards.

This regulation does not apply to:

• Doctoral Recruitment scholarships adjudicated through the Entrance Competition
• Izaak Walton Killam Pre Doctoral Scholarship - Honorary
• Funds awarded by graduate programs through their Graduate Support Allocation
• Supervisor funding
• Graduate Assistantships (Teaching and Non-Teaching)
• Differential tuition awards
• Indigenous government funding
• Non-academic awards (e.g. Travel awards, Graduate Students' Association (GSA) awards)

This regulation governs graduate students receiving awards from any source. Graduate students are expected to apply for all awards from external funding agencies for which they are eligible, especially the awards available through the Tri-Council, which includes the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).
To provide for fair distribution of University of Calgary academic competitive awards, the maximum amount a student can hold in ‘other awards’ and/or ‘university-wide awards’, as defined below, at any given time is:

• Master’s: $20,500
• Doctoral: $26,000

Students may hold one single award that exceeds the limit.

Students holding the maximum amount or less may also receive one additional Program Recommended award, unless otherwise specified by the award terms of reference.

Students holding a University of Calgary competitive academic award and who are subsequently awarded an external award must take up the external award at the earliest possible date and notify the Graduate Scholarship Office. Holding an external award does not necessarily prevent holding another award. In cases where the regulation is not clear, contact the Graduate Scholarship Office for advice.

A program with an approved tuition differential may combine Program Recommended awards for an individual student up to the value stated above plus the difference between the tuition charged and the regular base tuition.

Definitions:

• Award refers to scholarships, awards, fellowships, internships, research and training grants 
• Competitive awards are awarded for academic merit and research potential through peer  reviewed competition
• Other awards refers to external funding agency awards; major research and training grants; and department, program or institute level awards not administered by the Faculty of Graduate Studies
• Program Recommended awards are nominated by individual graduate programs and administered through the Faculty of Graduate Studies
• University-wide awards are administered through the Faculty of Graduate Studies
• Master’s $20,500: this cap is set as Tri-Council master’s scholarship value, currently $17,500, plus $3,000
• Doctoral $26,000: this cap is set as Tri-Council doctoral scholarship value, currently $20,000 plus $6,000

Additional information on the conditions for holding University of Calgary administered awards can be found in the Graduate Scholarship and Award Guide at grad.ucalgary.ca/awards/regulations-policies-and-guides.

Notification and Payment

Notification of award is sent electronically to successful candidates as soon as possible after the adjudication. All award winners are asked to accept or decline the offer through the Student Centre as soon as possible and no later than the deadline stated in the notification of award. All award payments begin in September unless otherwise stated in the terms of reference and/or in the award offer.

Should it become known that a student is unqualified for any reason, the university reserves the right to terminate the award(s) and funds already paid out must be returned.

Scholarship payments cannot be made if the student has not registered for the academic year. Students who have been awarded scholarships and other awards should register as soon as possible to ensure timely payment.

The following payment schedule applies to all awards in the Faculty of Graduate Studies, unless the terms of reference of the award specify otherwise.

If a student has a successful final oral examination during the tenure of a scholarship, the award will be terminated at the end of the month in which the thesis is submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies, unless otherwise specified in the terms of reference of the award, or at the date of the termination of the award, whichever comes first.

Before accepting other forms of awards or remuneration, especially those involving service, students must check with the Graduate Scholarship Office, to ensure that acceptance of the award does not affect the holder's full-time registration status.

Students holding multiple year funding must submit a Scholarship Progress Report to the Faculty of Graduate Studies Scholarship Office not later than our weeks prior to the renewal date, or submit an electronic Annual Progress Report through the My UofC Student Centre not later than six months prior to the renewal date.

Full terms of reference for each award are available through the Graduate Award Database, found at grad.ucalgary.ca/awards.

Graduate Scholarship Office
University of Calgary
Earth Sciences 1010
2500 University Drive NW
Calgary AB T2N 1N4