Canada Graduate Scholarships – Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplements Program

A Tri-Council (SSHRC, NSERC and CIHR) program

Program overview and objectives

The Canada Graduate Scholarships – Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplements (CGS-MSFSS) Program will support high-calibre Canadian graduate students in building global linkages and international networks through the pursuit of exceptional research experiences at research institutions outside of Canada. By accessing international scientific research and training, CGS-MSFSS 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 as a scholarship to active CGS-Master’s or Doctorate 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 are available each year. They will be divided among the three granting councils and will reflect the distributions of CGS and Vanier CGS 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 SSHRC: 80 NSERC and 45 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-MSFSS funds) to forward to the respective granting council for review.

Eligibility

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

• be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada;
• have accepted or hold an active Joseph-Armand Bombardier, Alexander Graham Bell, or Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarship (CGS) (Master’s or Doctoral level) or Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship (Vanier CGS) in a discipline area supported by the granting agencies;
• be registered at an eligible Canadian institution at the time of application.

In order to maximize the number of students benefitting from this program, applicants are eligible to receive only one CGS-MSFSS during the course of their graduate studies.

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

• hold an active Canada Graduate Scholarship (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 time abroad.
• take up the award within one year of receiving the notice of award for the Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplement.
• return to graduate from your Canadian institution.

Where can you travel with your CGS-MSFSS?

You may use your CGS-MSFSS 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.

What can be the duration of the research study period abroad with your CGS-MSFSS?

The minimum length of stay abroad the CGS-MSFSS program will support is three months and the maximum duration of support will be for six months. If the research study period abroad is longer than six months, support will only be given for six months to a maximum of the award amount of $6,000.

Note: The CGS award must be active at the time the research study abroad begins.

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 council in advance if you are unsure about the eligibility of a particular host supervisor or host institution.

Award value

The value of the CGS-MSFSS is up to $6,000, based on the information and budget justification provided in the application.

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

What kind of expenses does the CGS-MSFSS 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.

Application procedures

Universities have been allocated a certain number of CGS-MSFSS supplements based on the number of CGS and Vanier CGS 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-Council form is available on the respective granting agencies Web sites. This form must be used to apply for the CGS-MSFSS supplements.

In general, you will be required to provide the following information.

• The name and contact information of your current research supervisor and of the host supervisor and name and location of the foreign institution where you intend on pursuing your research / study activities;
• Timelines 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 as to 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 which 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 (maximum one page each). 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.

SSHRC Applicants:

To be considered for a CGS-MSFSS funded by SSHRC, you must hold a Joseph-Armand Bombardier (CGS) (Master’s or Doctoral level) or Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship (Vanier CGS) administered by SSHRC.

NSERC Applicants:

To be considered for a CGS-MSFSS funded by NSERC, you must hold an Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship (CGS) (Master’s or Doctoral level) or Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship (Vanier CGS) administered by NSERC.

CIHR Applicants:

To be considered for a CGS-MSFSS funded by CIHR, you must hold a Frederick Banting or Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarship (CGS) (Master’s or Doctoral level) or Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship (Vanier CGS) administered by CIHR.

Application deadlines

There are two application deadlines.

University deadline

Your university Faculty of Graduate Studies has an internal deadline for your application and selects which applications will be submitted to the granting agencies.

Granting agency deadline

There are two deadlines for this program: June 10th and October 10th.

Late and incomplete applications will be rejected.

Note: If a university's allocation has been filled by the June 10th deadline then there may not be an opportunity for further applications to be accepted on the October 10th deadline from that university.

Review procedures

University review

Each university is assigned an allocation of CGS-MSFSS 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-MSFSS 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 criteria:

Selection criteria

• Linkage between the current program of research goals, the proposed research/study activities at the host institution and the 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;
  • 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 a CGS-MSFSS 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-MSFSSs will be paid directly to the institutions who 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 Web sites. 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 which 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;
  • advice on how the CGS-MSFSS 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 the supervisor’s perspective.

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

Program Contacts

NSERC

Scholarships and Fellowships Division
Tel.: 613-996-6104
E-mail: schol@nserc-crsng.gc.ca
Web site: www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca

SSHRC

Fellowships and Institutional Grants Division
Tel.: 613-943-7777
E-mail: fellowships@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca
Web site:  www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/

CIHR

Research Capacity Development
Tel.: 613-946-0088
E-mail: CGSMSFSS@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
Web site:  www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/780.html