Tri-Agency Scholarships
The School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (SGPS) is committed to supporting ongoing research, scholarship, and creative activity at Western University by encouraging more graduate students to apply for Canada’s leading government scholarships.
The federal Tri-Agency scholarships, and the provincial Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) and Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology (QEII-GSST), are the largest scholarship programs that support graduate students at Western.
As both are merit-based scholarships, with similar award criteria, students are required to submit one application to be considered for both awards. This single application reduces duplication, increases efficiencies, and optimizes student potential.
To be considered for an OGS/QEII-GSST at Western, a domestic student must apply, and be eligible to apply for, the appropriate Tri-Agency scholarship.
SGPS has allocated several OGS/QEII-GSST to each Faculty. Individuals in the three categories below may be considered for an OGS/QEII-GSST in a process designed by their Faculty Office.
- Admission applicants who did not apply for a Tri-Agency Doctoral scholarship.
- Western students who are beyond their ‘time in program’ eligibility window for their respective Tri-Agency competition yet will still be eligible to hold an OGS/QEII-GSST.
- Western students whose Tri-Agency scholarships are expiring in the 2025 calendar year yet will still be eligible to hold an OGS/QEII-GSST.
Awarding of the OGS/QEII-GSST scholarships will follow the announcement of the results of the Tri-Agency scholarship competitions in April.
“Tri-Agency” is the umbrella term used to describe the three Canadian government scholarship funding agencies:
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)
- Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)
Both Master’s and doctoral students can apply for the appropriate Tri-Agency scholarship before and during their graduate program.
Students apply for a scholarship with one of the Tri-Agencies based on their area of research; if successful, they receive significant financial support to pursue their studies, enhance their credentials, and act as leaders in the pursuit of scholarly excellence.
Tri-Agency Scholarship Application Support
The School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (SGPS) is committed to providing our students with strategic support as they prepare for the
Our services range from providing students with critical information on processes and eligibility, to connecting students with experts who share their experiences and insights into scholarly excellence.
Preparing Your Application
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.
SGPS is excited to deliver to you an enhanced program of strategic scholarship support designed to effectively help you prepare your application 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 from The Writing Centre. Make an online appointment well in advance of scholarship deadlines! - Incorporating EDI-D in Scholarship Applications Given the importance of equity, diversity, inclusion, and decolonization considerations to the Tri-Agency and the requirement that EDI-D principles be adhered to in all aspects of research, we are providing you with some guidance here on how to approach it.
- Lunch & Learn - Incorporating EDI-D in Funding Applications
- Western Research Why EDI?
- Guiding Questions to Help Develop EDI-D Strategies for Your Research (use your Western login)
CIHR | Medical and Health Sciences
- CIHR Awards Program - Q&A Sessions
CIHR will be offering two MS Teams Q&A sessions to graduate students regarding award programs that are offered. The sessions will start by providing a quick overview of the CIHR programs, however the majority of the session will be spent answering participant questions.
CIHR will be using Slido, an interactive tool where participants will have the opportunity to ask questions during the session. CIHR also encourages you to submit your questions in advance to Slido, and they will do their best to answer them during the session.
- English: Tuesday, June 13, 2023 starting at 1:00pm EDT - MS Teams Link
- French: Thursday, June 15, 2023 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.
NSERC | Natural Sciences and Engineering
- 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.
SSHRC | 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
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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.
