NOTICE – The Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ) was established on June 1, 2024, in accordance with the Act to amend the Act respecting the Ministère de l’Économie et de l’Innovation with respect to research. The Fonds de recherche du Québec – Nature et technologies (FRQNT), the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé (FRQS) and the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Société et culture (FRQSC) have since been regrouped into the new FRQ, which continues their existence. The rights and obligations of the FRQNT, FRQS and FRQSC have become those of the FRQ; activities continue as usual.

Please note that if you come across an old name or logo of one of the Fonds de recherche du Québec in the program rules or on the website, it should now read as follows:

  • The FRQNT becomes the Nature et technologies sector;
  • The FRQS becomes the Santé sector;
  • The FRQSC becomes the Société et culture sector.

Thank you for your understanding.

Competition year : 
2022-2023

Deadline (application) : 
At all times

Amount : 
$3,500

Duration : 
15 weeks

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PROGRAM DETAILS

This program refers to the Common General Rules (CGR), which apply to all FRQ programs. It is the responsibility of applicants and/or funding holders to read the CGR, which set out all rules governing competitions and managing awards. Only the special conditions applicable to the FRQSC College Initiation to Research Scholarship program are indicated in this document, and these prevail over the CGR.

For any questions about the documents to be provided, please contact the FRQSC program officer at birc.sc@frq.gouv.qc.ca. Priority will be given to email enquiries.

This version was updated on July 7, 2022, subject to the approval of the Ministre de l’Économie et de l’Innovation.

Table of contents

  1. OBJECTIVES
  2. TARGET GROUP
  3. ELIGIBILITY
  4. APPLICATION
  5. EVALUATION
  6. ANNOUNCEMENT OF RESULTS
  7. TERMS OF THE SCHOLARSHIP
  8. OPEN ACCESS POLICY
  9. EFFECTIVE DATE

1. OBJECTIVES

The mission of the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Société et culture includes promoting and providing financial support for the training of a new generation of researchers, by awarding:

A Chief Scientist’s award, the Relève Étoile Paul-Gérin-Lajoie Award, also recognize the achievements of Québec student researchers.

Complementary to these initiatives, with its College Initiation to Research Scholarship program, the FRQSC wishes to contribute to stimulating an interest in research among college students in areas covered by the FRQSC, by funding research internships in a college setting. Specifically, the goal of this program is to encourage college students to discover the world of research in areas covered by the FRQSC, in any social sciences and humanities, arts and literature-based discipline. It also aims to support them in their transition to university, where applicable.

2. TARGET GROUP

The College Initiation to Research Scholarship program is intended for all students pursuing a pre-university program at a Québec college and whose internship is supervised by a college researcher currently funded under a FRQSC program, or by a CCTT researcher working in an area covered by the FRQSC (the list of these institutions can be found in the Toolbox) and who has Status 3 as defined in the CGR.

Specifically, this scholarship is intended for college students who meet the eligibility requirements described below.

3. ELIGIBILITY

In addition to the conditions indicated in the CGR, applicants must meet the eligibility requirements  specific to this program at the time of application and throughout the duration of the scholarship. If awarded, the terms of the scholarship must also be respected.

APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY

Anyone who has been enrolled for at least two consecutive full-time semesters or three consecutive part-time semesters in a college program at the scholarship effective date is eligible to apply.

USE OF THE SCHOLARSHIP

College researchers currently funded by the Fonds and CCTT researchers may supervise several interns per year under this program.

DURATION AND VALUE OF SCHOLARSHIP

The scholarship is awarded for one or two consecutive semesters, for a total of 200 hours to be distributed according to needs.

4. APPLICATION

Before applying, applicants must create a user account on the Fonds website, if this has not already been done. Individuals who already have a personal identification number (PIN) have direct access to a FRQnet account and must update their profile in the FRQnet electronic Portfolio. The electronic College Initiation to Research Scholarship application form can be accessed in the FRQnet electronic Portfolio under “Available competitions”.

It is preferable that the funding application be written in French, but it can also be written in English. However, the title and abstract must be in French. These may be used by the Fonds for promotional and dissemination purposes (CGR, Section 3.6). The following presentation standards are suggested for all submitted documents:

Font: Times New Roman

Size: 12 points

Left and right margins: 1.25 cm or 0.49 in.

Top and bottom margins: 1.25 cm or 0.49 in.

Justification: left

The following forms are required:

College Initiation to Research Scholarship (BIRC) PRE-APPLICATION FORM. Once the pre-application form has been submitted and accepted, the applicant will receive an email indicating that the application form is now available in in his/her FRQnet electronic Portfolio.

College Initiation to Research Scholarship (BIRC) APPLICATION FORM:

The following required documents must be scanned in PDF format and attached to this form:

1. Proof of enrolment

An official letter from the registrar’s office confirming the applicant’s enrolment at a college in the Québec network.

If the internship is in the summer and the applicant does not intend to enrol for the summer semester:

a) A letter from the registrar’s office certifying the applicant’s enrolment for the winter semester prior to the internship or the fall semester following the internship

OR

b) Proof of university admission or of an official university application.

2. College transcript

A copy of the official transcript for all college studies, whether the semester was completed or not.

Any missing documents must be justified.

3. Letters of support

a) A letter of no more than one page written by the applicant, demonstrating the applicant’s motivation, the quality of the application, the relevance of the internship, the applicant’s potential for research training, and any other element deemed relevant.

b) A letter written by the internship supervisor, accompanied by a schedule of activities planned in connection with the objectives of the internship, and specifying the number of hours per week the intern will be required to spend at the internship site.

IMPORTANT NOTE

Throughout the application process, applicants are encouraged to check that no correspondence from the Fonds has ended up in the “junk” or “spam” folder of their email inbox.

5. EVALUATION

Applications to this program are evaluated by the FRQSC based on the following criteria and weighting:

  • Quality of academic record – 40 pts
  • Relevance of the internship and potential for research training, as demonstrated by the student and the supervisor – 60 pts

Evaluation process

A funding period is recommended based on the proposed time frame and the objectives of the internship. The recommended length of the internship may therefore differ from that indicated in the application.

The number of recommended applications that receive funding will depend on the budget available for the program.

6. ANNOUNCEMENT OF RESULTS

The results will be announced no later than 6 weeks after submission of the scholarship application, via the applicant’s FRQNet electronic Portfolio.

7. TERMS OF THE SCHOLARSHIP

Internship scholarship recipients must maintain full-time registration in their study program throughout the duration of the internship – the institution will be asked to provide proof of enrolment. If the internship is in the summer, a letter from the registrar’s office certifying the applicant’s enrolment for the winter semester prior to the internship or the fall semester following the internship is required. Any change in status must be reported to the Fonds beforehand or as soon as possible.

It is up to the intern to ensure that he/she has insurance coverage throughout the internship. If insurance coverage is not provided by the institution, the intern is responsible for taking out private insurance.

The internship start and end dates can be modified, subject to Fonds approval of a documented modification request submitted through the FRQNet electronic Portfolio. The proposed changes must meet all eligibility conditions and cannot change the nature of the internship as evaluated by the Fonds. After analysis, the Fonds may decide to pursue, reduce, suspend or terminate the payments. The Fonds may also require that the amounts paid be reimbursed. The decision will be communicated by email.

VALUE OF THE SCHOLARSHIP

The annual value of the scholarship is $3,500, for a total of 200 hours to be distributed according to needs.

FINAL REPORT

A final report summarizing the research initiation activities carried out during the internship must be sent to the Fonds no later than 30 days after the end of the internship, by email to the address birc.sc@frq.gouv.qc.ca. The “Final report” form can be downloaded in the Toolbox.

8. OPEN ACCESS POLICY

Peer-reviewed publications resulting from the research made possible by this scholarship must be released as immediate open access (without embargo), under an open license, in accordance with the FRQ Open Access Policy (revised in 2022).

9. EFFECTIVE DATE

The provisions of this document apply to the 2022-2023 financial year.

Updated on July 7, 2022