Extramural Funding:
Canadian Studies Grant Program
Graduate Study & Research in Canada
For UCI Students
Sections:
Introduction 
The Graduate Student Fellowship Program promotes research in the social sciences that contributes to a better knowledge and understanding of Canada, its relationship with the United States, and its international affairs. Priority topics focus on Canada-U.S. relations, strengthening Canada’s social foundations; building a robust 21st century economy in Canada; and restoring Canada’s role in the world. This research examines key themes in Canada-U.S. bilateral relations, such as border security, trade and economics, energy, softwood lumber, environment, defense cooperation, and agriculture. The grant is designed to give doctoral students an opportunity to conduct part of their research in Canada. The Graduate Student Fellowship Program welcomes efforts to integrate the research findings into the applicant’s conference presentations.
Applications will be considered in accordance with the procedures, guidelines and conditions described below. The program is administered by the Government of Canada, through the Canadian Embassy, Washington, D.C., in cooperation with Canadian Consulates General throughout the U.S. Over the past three years applicants have had a 40-percent success rate.
You can review online samples of successful projects and recipients under the Graduate Student Fellowship section.
Eligibility
This program is intended for full-time doctoral students at accredited U.S. and Canadian four-year colleges and universities whose dissertations are related in substantial part to the study of Canada, Canada/U.S. or Canada/North America. Candidates must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States and should have completed all doctoral requirements except the dissertation when they apply for a grant.
Terms and Conditions
The Government of Canada, through the Canadian Embassy, Washington, D.C., will provide the successful graduate students with funds to help meet the expense of conducting research in Canada in accordance with the following conditions:
- Applicants must personally apply for the grant and carry out their own research. Funds are to be provided only for work undertaken as part of the applicant’s formal doctoral program of studies and are to be given only to help defray direct costs (travel within Canada, lodging, meals, photocopying, etc.) resulting from a period of time spent in Canada while doing research. Membership fee for the Association for Canadian Studies in the United States is an allowable budget item;
- Applicants may request funding up to US $8,000;
- The total amount awarded minus US$500 will be forwarded to the successful candidates upon receipt of a signed Notice of Grant. The final payment of US$500 will be made only after the Embassy receives two copies of a report on the candidate’s research activities in Canada and general progress in writing his or her dissertation. Failure to provide such a report prior to February 15, 2006, may result in the cancellation of the second payment;
- All rights to the dissertation remain the exclusive property of the candidates. The Embassy requires a copy of the dissertation when completed. The dissertation should acknowledge that the research was completed with the assistance of the Government of Canada.
Application Procedures
Applicants need to provide six copies, or an electronic version, of the following in the order listed below:
- The application form. This is a simple form consisting of name, title of research project, professional affiliation and a proposal budget. (The original form is attached to the Canadian Studies Grant Program booklet, available at the Office of Graduate Studies, 120 Administration, Lisa Gauf, or at the website: http://www.canadianembassy.org/education/guidelines-en.pdf);
- An abstract of the proposal not to exceed 200 words;
- A concise letter (four to six pages) which will:
- Identify the key issues or the main theoretical problem in the study;
- Describe and justify the appropriate methodology;
- Provide a schedule of activities in Canada, including dates, locations and contacts for liaison with Canadian scholars, universities and libraries, and describe how this travel relates to your research;
- Indicate clearly both the nature and scope of the project's contribution to the advancement of Canadian Studies;
- Explain clearly the present status of the candidate's doctoral studies;
- A detailed budget, including a description of anticipated expenditures and indicate what other funding sources, if any, are available;
- A curriculum vitae;
- A dissertation prospectus, approved by the dissertation committee and/or the advisor;
- An unofficial transcript of grades;
- Proof of U.S. citizenship or permanent residency, i.e., passport, birth certificate or alien resident card (green card). Please do not send originals; and
- The names and addresses of two referees from whom the applicant must solicit recommendations. One of these must be the dissertation advisor, who should clearly assess both the quality of the topic and the candidate's ability to successfully complete the dissertation within a reasonable length of time. Recommendation letters must be sent directly to the Embassy by mail or electronically. These recommendations are essential to the evaluation committee. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that letters of recommendation are postmarked or sent electronically to AcademicRelations@CanadianEmbassy.org no later than November 1, 2005.
Submit applications electronically to AcademicRelations@CanadianEmbassy.org. Mailed applications must be sent to: Academic Relations Office, Canadian Embassy, 501 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001. Applications must be sent electronically or postmarked no later than November 1, 2005 (Please check with the granting agency directly to confirm this date). For inquiries, please call: (202) 682-7727.
Evaluation of Applications
Upon receipt of the application:
- The Embassy will send a copy of the application to the appropriate Canadian Consulate General in the United States for appraisal and comments;
- The assessment process may involve consultation with the applicant's referees and others who can comment on the merits of the proposal. At the discretion of the Embassy, an applicant may be invited to submit an amended application;
- All applications will be evaluated by a multidisciplinary pre-selection committee that will make recommendations based on the academic merit of the proposed project for the International Academic Relations Division of the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. The pre-selection committee will be comprised of representatives of the U.S. academic community. All applicants will be notified in writing of the results of their applications, normally within 90 days of the deadline for submission of applications.
Campus Contact:
Carol Sokolov
Assistant Dean, Graduate Academic Affiars
University of California, Irvine
Graduate Division
120 Aldrich Hall
Irvine, CA 92697-3180
949-824-7458 (voice)
949-824-9096 (fax)
csokolov@uci.edu
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