External Funding

Millions of dollars are available every year from government agencies and foundations to support the work and research of graduate students across the country. External funding bolsters your resume, enhances your scholarly reputation, and develops your career as a highly qualified researcher. The School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies is excited to deliver to you an enhanced program of strategic scholarship support designed to hone your skills and talents so that you can secure maximum funding for your studies.

All Disciplines

• Writing Support Centre for Graduate Students A well-written research proposal persuades reviewers that your project merits funding, and that you have the ability and the plan to complete it. Generally, a research proposal should contain all the key elements involved in the research process and include sufficient information for the readers to easily grasp and evaluate the proposed study. Learn how to write for funding competitions with writing experts Paul Schmidt and Doug Campbell. Make an online appointment via Western Connect well in advance of scholarship deadlines!

 Medical and Health Sciences

• CIHR CGSD Scholarships Information Sessions
  

  CIHR will be offering a series of MS Teams live events to trainees and institution staff regarding award programs that are offered. We will do an overview about relevant policies, tips for applicants, guidelines on how to submit an application and other relevant information. A computer with internet connection is required to access the event, view the PowerPoint presentation as well as accessing Slido, an interactive tool where participants will have the opportunity to ask questions during the live event. Mark your calendar for the session of your choice.

  • English: Tuesday, September 7, 2021 starting at 1:00pm EDT - MS Teams Link
  • French: Wednesday, September 8, 2021 starting at 10:00am EDT - MS Teams Link
  • English: Thursday, September 9, 2021 starting at 10:00am EDT - MS Teams Link
  • French: Thursday, September 9, 2021 starting at 1:00pm EDT - MS Teams Link
• How to Integrate Sex and Gender into Research It is imperatve that you learn more about how and why to consider sex and gender in your research projects. The following tools are available and more are HERE:
  • What is Gender? What is Sex?
  • Online training modules:
    • Sex and Gender in Biomedical Research
    • Sex and Gender in Primary Data Collection with Human Participants
    • Sex and Gender in the Analysis of Secondary Data from Human Participants
• Responsive Research: Competitive Scholarship Applications in the Medical and Health Sciences The CIHR Doctoral Research Awards program provides special recognition and support to students who are pursuing a doctoral degree in a health-related field in Canada or abroad. All applicants are expected to have an exceptionally high potential for future research achievement and productivity. Watch Erin Huner, Research Consultant (formerly of Research Western) explain how you can best position yourself for success in competition.
  • Western's YouTube Channel  

Natural Sciences and Engineering

• Virtual NSERC CGSD Scholarships Information Session NSERC staff will be offering a presentation on how to prepare a scholarship or fellowship application.
  
  • Wednesday, September 15, 2021 at 2:00pm EDT until 5:00pm EDT
    • 2:00-3:30pm - Streaming of select informational videos 
    • 3:30-5:00pm - Q&A session for doctoral and postdoctoral applicants with NSERC program officers
  • You can access the event at: https://nsercvideo.webex.com/nsercvideo/j.php?MTID=maef3cf50bf40842f3eb9941901ef0134
    
  • If you can't attend the streaming portion of the session, the full playlist of NSERC's Scholarships & Fellowships tutorials can be accessed HERE
    
• Guide for Applicants: Considering Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in your Application Equity, diversity, and inclusion strengthen the scientific and engineering communities and the quality, social relevance and impact of research. Increasing diversity and gender equity in the research enterprise are key priorities for NSERC and for the Government of Canada. Think this doesn't apply to your research? Chances are it does!  Read the Guide HERE.

Social Sciences and Humanities

• SSHRC invites all applicants to review Imagining Canada’s Future’s 16 future global challenges, and to consider addressing one or more of these areas in their research proposals.
  • Future Challenge Areas  - here 

• All applicants for SSHRC funding should consult the following guidelines while preparing their applications:

  SSHRC’s Definitions of Terms for terms used in the application process;
  • the Guidelines for Effective Research Training, which may also be useful to reviewers and postsecondary institutions; and
  • SSHRC’s Indigenous Research Statement of Principles and Guidelines for the Merit Review of Indigenous Research for applications involving Indigenous research.

Faculty-Based Tri-Agency Workshops

Don Wright Faculty of Music

• SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship Workshop
  DATE: TBA
  TIME: TBA

Faculty of Information and Media Studies

• SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship Workshop
  DATE: TBA
  TIME: TBA