Competition year :
2019-2020
Deadline (application) :
January 15th, 2020 at 16:00 (EST)
Amount :
$ 3,000
Duration :
10 weeks
PROGRAM DETAILS
In your application, you will be able to describe how the COVID-19 pandemic may have affected your training or research activities during the past few months, in order for this information to be considered in the evaluation of your application. Please refer to the document “Considering the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in the evaluation of funding applications” for further information.
Note: In the event of a discrepancy between the English and French versions of this program, the French version prevails.
This program refers to the Common General Rules (CGR), which are applicable to all FRQSC programs. Only the special conditions applicable to this program are indicated in this document, and these prevail over the CGR.
In addition to the CGR, applicants must meet the program’s eligibility requirements at the time of application. Successful applicants must also comply with the terms of the scholarship.
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 June 30 2019, subject to the approval of the Ministre de l’Économie et de l’Innovation.
FOREWORD
The mission of the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Société et culture includes promoting and providing financial support for the training of new researchers, which the agency does through its:
- merit scholarships for graduate and postgraduate students – including those wishing to re-enter the research community – and postdoctoral research fellowships;
- scholarships for internships in practice settings;
- award in recognition of student research contributions (the Relève Étoile Paul-Gérin-Lajoie Award);
- Undergraduate Introduction to Research scholarships.
Complementary to these funding offers, in inaugurating its new College Research Initiation Internship Scholarship program, the FRQSC wishes to contribute to stimulating an interest in research among college students. This program aims to provide financial support for applicants proposing the best research initiation internship projects at a college centre for technology transfer (CCTT) in Québec in a field covered by the FRQSC, in order to support them in their transition to university, where applicable.
1. PROGRAM OBJECTIVES AND DESCRIPTION
The College Research Initiation Internship Scholarship program aims to fund research internships at CCTTs. Its goal 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.
2. TARGET GROUP
The College Research Initiation Internship Scholarship program is intended for all students pursuing a pre-university program at a Québec college and whose internship is supervised by a CCTT researcher who qualifies for the status of “College researcher” as defined by the CGR, that being:
College researcher
Individuals who hold a PhD and who are employed in the equivalent of a full-time position in one or several college-level training institutions recognized by the FRQ to manage funding or Québec college centres for technology transfer (CCTT). In addition, College researchers possess the professional autonomy required to supervise research projects and hold i) a position as a college-level training institution professor or ii) a position as a CCTT researcher or iii) a position in a college-level training institution in which at least 75% of their time is dedicated to research activities. (p.6)
More specifically, this scholarship is intended for students who have successfully completed at least two consecutive full-time college terms or three consecutive part-time college terms and are registered full-time in college for the term following the internship or have been accepted into an undergraduate university program for the fall term following the internship.
Individuals registered in a university program or who already hold a college diploma are not eligible for this program.
3. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY
Anyone who has been registered for at least two consecutive full-time terms or three consecutive part-time terms in a college program in an area covered by the FRQSC at the scholarship effective date is eligible*.
*The rules regarding applicant eligibility allow for exceptions only in specific circumstances. This could be an interruption or delay of studies due to parental leave, major family obligations, a disability or for serious health reasons. In all cases, supporting documents must be provided with the application at the time of submission.
USE OF THE SCHOLARSHIP
The research initiation internship for which the schoarship is being sought must be carried out at a CCTT working in an area covered by the FRQSC. A list of these institutions can be consulted in the program Toolbox.
One scholarship can be awarded per eligible CCTT. Exceptionally, should any funds remain available, a second scholarship may be awarded.
DURATION AND VALUE OF SCHOLARSHIP
The scholarship is awarded for one term, for a total of 200 hours to be distributed according to needs.
4. APPLICATION PROCESS
Eligible CCTTs can send the Fonds the files of two selected applicants: a principal applicant and a reserve, who may receive a scholarship should sufficient funds remain available. The files must be accompanied by the following supporting documents no later than one of the following dates*: September 15, January 15 or April 15 of each year, via the email address birc.sc@frq.gouv.qc.ca . If these dates fall on a Saturday or Sunday, the deadline is extended to the next business day.
The “Presentation form” for the selected applicants can be downloaded from the College Research Initiation Internship Scholarship program Toolbox.
The following required documents must be scanned in PDF format and attached to the presentation form:
1. Proof of registration (one of the following options, depending on the situation)
a) An official letter from the registrar’s office confirming the applicant’s registration at a college in the Québec network 1) for the fall term following the internship if it takes place during the winter or summer term; 2) for the winter term following the internship if it takes place during the fall term,
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 term was completed or not.
Any missing documents must be justified. Furthermore, the Fonds reserves the right to refuse any exception request with insufficient justification.
3. Letters of support
Two letters, no longer than one page each, one written by the applicant, the other by his/her research supervisor, demonstrating the applicant’s motivation, the quality of the application, the relevance of the internship, its potential for research training, and any other element deemed relevant.
The internship supervisor’s letter must be accompanied by a schedule of activities planned in connection with the objectives of the internship, and must specify the number of hours per week the intern will be required to spend at the internship site.
4. Supporting documents for an eligibility exception (where applicable)
Supporting documents justifying an exception to the eligibility requirements.
The Fonds reserves the right to refuse any exception request with insufficient justification.
5. APPLICATION ASSESSMENT
Applications to this program are evaluated by the institutions using their own procedure and based on the following criteria:
- Quality of academic record
- Relevance of the internship and potential for research training, as demonstrated by the student and the supervisor
6. AWARDING OF SCHOLARSHIPS AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF RESULTS
Each CCTT wishing to nominate an intern must send his/her application to the Fonds (see Section 4), which will confirm reception and verify that the application is complete and that the applicant meets the eligibility requirements. If an application is incomplete or ineligible, the CCTT will be informed of the rejection of the application via email.
After being notified by the Fonds, the CCTT will announce the competition results and, where applicable, the awarding of the scholarships. The Fonds will publish the names of the scholarship recipients on its website.
7. TERMS OF THE SCHOLARSHIP
Internship scholarship recipients must maintain full-time registration in their study program throughout the duration of the scholarship* – the institution will be asked to provide proof of registration. Any change in status must be reported to the Fonds beforehand or as soon as possible.
* If the internship takes place during the summer term, a proof of full-time registration in winter term prior to the internship or the fall term following the internship will be required.
PERIOD OF USE
The period of use begins no earlier than the first day of the college term and ends no later than the last day. Scholarships cannot be transferred or carried over to another year. Any change to the period of use as indicated in the initial application must be reported to the Fonds. The Fonds will analyze the change request and announce its decision by email.
VALUE
The annual value of the scholarship is $3,000 for the period of one term, for a total of 200 hours to be distributed according to needs.
The amount is paid directly to the scholarship holder by the college in the form of a scholarship. It may be paid in one or several instalments, in accordance with a prior agreement. The scholarship recipient must have received the entire scholarship amount no later than two weeks after the end of the internship.
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 uploaded in the Toolbox section of the College Research Initiation Internship Scholarship program rules page.
Access to future funding under any other Fonds de recherche du Québec program is contingent on receipt of this final report (see CGR, Section 7).
8. APPROVAL
The Fonds reserves the right to modify the value of the scholarship and/or the program rules detailed in this document without prior notice.
9. EFFECTIVE DATE
The provisions in this document apply to the 2019-2020 fiscal year.
Updated on October 9, 2019.