Master's Research Scholarships (B1Z) and Scholarships for re-entering the Research Community / Master's 2022-2023

Competition year :
2022-2023

Deadline (application) :
October 6^th, 2021 at 16:00 (EST)

Announcement of results :
End of April 2022

Amount :
17 500 $ / year

Duration :
Maximum 6 terms

Master’s level: boursesm.sc@frq.gouv.qc.ca
Doctoral level: boursesd.sc@frq.gouv.qc.ca

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.

In the event of a discrepancy between the English and French versions of this program, the French version prevails.

These programs refer to the Common General Rules (CGR), which are applicable to all FRQSC programs. Only the specific conditions applicable to the master’s and doctoral research scholarship programs are indicated in this document, and these prevail over the CGR

IMPORTANT NOTE: Any application that is incomplete at the competition deadline will be deemed ineligible by the Fonds

This version was updated on August 25, 2021, subject to the approval of the Ministre de l’Économie et de l’Innovation.

OBJECTIVES
TARGET GROUP
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION
APPLICATION ASSESSMENT
ELIGIBILITY PERIOD, VALUE AND DURATION OF SCHOLARSHIP
SCHOLARSHIP TERMS AND CONDITIONS
SCHOLARSHIP FOR INTERNSHIP OUTSIDE QUÉBEC (BSHQ)
SUPPLEMENT FOR STUDYING OUTSIDE QUÉBEC
SCHOLARSHIPS OFFERED IN PARTNERSHIP
EFFECTIVE DATE
LINKS

1. OBJECTIVES

These scholarship programs have the following objectives:

Stimulate student interest in humanities and social sciences, arts and literature research;
Support research excellence by providing the best applicants with financial assistance to undertake or pursue a master’s or doctoral research program in humanities and social sciences, arts and literature fields.

In keeping with its Knowledge Mobilization Strategy , the Fonds encourage funding recipients to carry out such activities (sharing, valorization, dissemination, etc.) for the general public, whenever such activities are relevant in the context of their research.

In accordance with the Fonds de recherche du Québec open access policy for the dissemination of research, all funding recipients must agree to provide open access to their scientific publications no later than 12 months after publication. To learn more about the FRQ’s requirements on this subject, please visit our page on open science .

Finally, the Fonds de recherche du Québec wish to contribute to supporting a research ecosystem based on equity, diversity and inclusion. Measures have been put in place to strengthen the integration of these principles. Funding recipients are also encouraged to consider them in the context of their research activities. For more information, please visit our website .

2. TARGET GROUP

Master’s (B1) and doctoral (B2) research scholarships

Intended for applicants who wish to undertake or pursue a master’s or doctoral program in an area covered by the FRQSC , namely the humanities and social sciences, arts and literature.
Scholarships for re-entering the research community (A2M and A2D)
Intended for applicants who wish to re-enter the research community by carrying out graduate studies at the master’s or doctoral level in an area covered by the FRQSC , namely the humanities and social sciences, arts and literature, and who, at the competition deadline:

have not been enrolled in a graduate study program for at least five years;
have not received any university credits for at least five years.

3. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Applicants must meet all eligibility requirements set out below on the application deadline of October 6, 2021 at 4 pm for master’s scholarships or October 13, 2021 at 4 pm for doctoral scholarships.

3.1 Citizenship and residency
To be eligible to apply for a master’s or doctoral research scholarship, the applicant must have been enrolled at a Québec university on a full-time basis (or equivalent) for at least 2 of the 3 terms prior to the competition deadline* OR have a valid Régie d’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) card** or proof that he or she has applied for a RAMQ card and that the card will be valid at the application deadline.

* The fall 2021 term is not taken into account.

** The RAMQ card is issued by the Québec government and allows the holder to benefit from the services covered under the Québec health insurance plan. Private health insurance cards do not replace the RAMQ card and are not accepted.

To use a training award outside Québec, the recipient must have a valid RAMQ card or proof that he or she has applied for a RAMQ card AND be a Canadian citizen at the time of application.

Individuals who do not have a valid RAMQ card or proof that he or she has applied for a RAMQ card, or who are not Canadian citizens at the time of application, must pursue their studies in Québec. Their continuous physical presence in Québec is required throughout the duration of funding, apart from break periods listed in the university calendar. Those under co-supervision (cotutelle) are also subject to this rule. In their case, co-supervision (cotutelle) with a study period outside Québec is not permitted.

FRQSC scholarship holders must meet the citizenship and residency requirements throughout the duration of the scholarship.

3.2 Required minimum grade point average – master’s scholarship (B1 and A2-M)

For a master’s scholarship, applicants must have obtained a grade point average of A- or the equivalent in their undergraduate studies. See the required minimum GPA equivalents table.

Exception for students applying from an LLB law program:

Applicants must have completed their studies with a GPA of 3.55.
For Université de Montréal and McGill University graduates, the required minimum GPA is 3.4.

Applicants whose GPA is below the required minimum GPA are ineligible.

When several transcripts are provided, the FRQSC can, on request, calculate a GPA for those undergraduate studies on which the applicant’s eligibility for the program was based.

In the case of a career change, grades obtained for courses that are not relevant to the program of study for which the scholarship is being sought will not be taken into account. However, any courses that served as a basis for the applicant’s admission to the master’s or doctoral program for which the scholarship is being sought are deemed relevant in calculating the GPA and must be included with the application.

3.3 Eligibility restrictions

The scholarship may not be used for preparatory studies.
Professional master’s and doctoral programs are not eligible. To be considered a research program, a master’s program must have at least 18 credits (or 40% of program credits) dedicated to research training and lead to the writing of a thesis (for example an essay, a research report, a dissertation or an article are not accepted). A doctoral program must have at least 36 credits dedicated to research training and lead to the writing of a doctoral thesis*.

To verify psychology program eligibility, consult the document Eligible psychology program list to the FRQSC training grant .
* Master’s and doctoral programs in research-creation in an artistic field are not subject to these requirements.

Individuals who have received a doctoral scholarship from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) or any other recognized funding agency may not apply to the Fonds to complete a study program.
Individuals who have received a master’s or doctoral scholarship from a recognized agency (e.g. SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR, FRQSC, FRQNT, FRSQ, etc.) for a total of six years (or 18 terms) are not eligible.
Applicants may only submit an application to one of the following FRQSC scholarship programs in the same year: Master’s Research Scholarships (B1); Doctoral Research Scholarships (B2); Scholarship for Re-entering the Research Community (A2); Postdoctoral Fellowship (B3); Postdoctoral Research-Creation Fellowship (B5).
Applicants may only hold a scholarship from one Fonds (CGR, Section 3.1).
Individuals who hold a master’s degree are not eligible to apply for a master’s scholarship.
Individuals who hold a doctoral degree (PhD) are not eligible to apply for a master’s or doctoral scholarship.

3.4 Eligibility period

The eligibility period takes into consideration all academic terms of the master’s or doctoral program completed by April 30, 2022, whether funded or not.

Part-time studies

When calculating the eligibility period, the Fonds will take into consideration any unregistered and/or part-time terms if an official letter by the registrar is attached to the application. The applicant should consult the Equivalents table for unregistered or part-time terms to verify eligibility for the competition.

Master’s scholarship eligibility period

To be eligible, applicants must have been enrolled in master’s studies for no more than 3 full-time terms (1 year), as of May 1, 2022. This includes all terms at the master’s level including those in another discipline. Previous studies completed as part of a professional master’s degree are excluded from this total.
Applicants who are not enrolled in a master’s degree program but who intend to begin graduate studies are eligible provided their program begins between May 1st, 2022 and January 15th, 2023.

Doctoral scholarship eligibility period

To be eligible, applicants must have been enrolled in doctoral studies for less than 5 years (the equivalent of 15 full-time terms) as of May 1, 2022. This includes all terms at the doctoral level including those in another discipline. Previous studies completed as part of a professional doctoral degree are excluded from this total.

Applicants directly admitted to a doctoral program after their undergraduate studies and applicants who have fast-tracked to the doctoral level without obtaining a master’s degree must have been enrolled in the doctoral program for less than 6 years (the equivalent of 18 full-time terms), as of May 1, 2022.

Applicants directly admitted to a doctoral program after their undergraduate studies and applicants who have fast-tracked to the doctoral level without obtaining a master’s degree are advised to apply for the master’s competition, provided that they meet the eligibility requirements.

3.5 Exception regarding eligibility period

Exceptions regarding master’s and doctoral scholarship eligibility periods will only be considered for circumstances beyond the applicant’s control. Supporting documents are required and must be submitted along with the application. The Fonds reserves the right to refuse any eligibility period exception request with insufficient justification.

Parental leave, sick leave or family obligations

Applicants who suspend or postpone their studies for parental leave may ask to extend their eligibility period for up to 12 months. A 12-month extension may also be granted in the case of serious illness or major family obligations. The Fonds will determine the extension to be granted based on the supporting documents provided by the applicant.

Persons with disabilities

Applicants who suspend or postpone their studies due to reasons related to a disability are exempt from the eligibility period requirements. Supporting documents are required and must be submitted with the application. This exemption is in accordance with the Act to secure handicapped persons in the exercise of their rights with a view to achieving social, school and workplace integration (CQLR c. E- 20.1).

4. SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION

IMPORTANT NOTE: Applicants are advised to prepare their application well in advance to be sure of obtaining the required documents and submitting the application before the deadline. They must also take into account the large number of applications and requests received by the Fonds at the end of the competition period.

The competition deadlines are as follows:

Master’s scholarship: October 6, 2021 at 4 p.m.
Doctoral scholarship: October 13, 2021 at 4 p.m.

Master’s and doctoral scholarship applicants are strongly advised to apply for equivalent funding at the federal level.

4.1 Contents of the application

Activation or creation of a user account

Individuals with a Fonds de recherche Personal Identification Number (PIN) must activate their user account. They have direct access to a FRQnet account and need to update their E-Portfolio profile using their PIN before completing the application form. Other applicants must begin by creating a user account on the Fonds website (see “Premier accès à votre profil” video).

In accordance with the Politique sur la collecte de données sociodémographiques visant à planifier des mesures en matière d’équité, de diversité et d’inclusion, adopted by the boards of directors of the three Fonds in April 2021, all applicants applying through the FRQnet platform are now required to fill out a self-identification questionnaire to complete the My Profile section of their E-portfolio. For more information, please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions on this topic.

Choice of evaluation committee

Applicants are responsible for selecting the appropriate committee to evaluate their application, using the document List of evaluation committees . This selection is based on various indicators: discipline, research topic, field, planned program of study, degree sought, etc. The Fonds will not analyze the applicant’s choice of committee and will not transfer the application to another committee. As this choice has a significant impact on the evaluation of their application, applicants are encouraged to contact the Fonds in case of doubt or difficulty in selecting the appropriate committee.

APPLICATION FORM

IMPORTANT NOTE: It is the applicant’s sole responsibility to choose the right application form, the right funding program and the right Fonds for their application. In the event of an error in any of these respects, the Fonds will not transfer the application and the application will be deemed ineligible, either when assessed for eligibility or by the evaluation committee.

The application form will be available on the Fonds website at least one month before the competition deadline. It must be completed in French or English and submitted electronically no later than the competition deadline.

Presentation standards

Please refer to the FRQNet Application Presentation Standards document to properly format any texts to be attached to the application.

The number of pages required for each section may vary and is specified in the form.

Applicants may include links to web pages as bibliographic references, where relevant. These web addresses may also be listed in the bibliography. However, the application must not be based in whole or in part on online content available to members of the evaluation committee.

Required documents

IMPORTANT NOTE: The absence of any of the documents mentioned above, when required, will automatically render the application ineligible.

Required documents, detailed below, must be scanned and inserted directly into the application form in the appropriate sections of the ” Activity details” box. It is the applicant’s responsibility to provide documents that are clearly legible. Documents must be in .PDF format and must not be read protected in any way or have special double tab configuration. No document transmitted by email, mail or fax will be accepted.

Any official document submitted in a language other than French or English must be accompanied by a professional translation certified as a true copy of the original document. Any other document submitted in a language other than French or English must include a basic translation.

An incomplete application that does not contain the information necessary to establish eligibility or which cannot be evaluated will be deemed invalid by the Fonds. Any documents that are not required and which are included with the application will not be submitted to the evaluation committee. Applicants will not be notified of any information or documents missing from the application. Any documents received after the deadline for application will not be considered and applications cannot be updated.

The FRQSC reserves the right to verify the authenticity of all documents and information provided in the application with the organizations concerned.

TRANSCRIPTS (mandatory – any missing, incomplete, unofficial or out-of-date transcripts, as well as the absence of any other required document listed below, will render the application ineligible):

A copy of all transcripts is required, for all university studies pursued by the applicant, whether completed or not. This includes transcripts from exchange programs or courses (equivalencies), where applicable.

Transcripts must be up-to-date and include all completed semesters and grading scales (back of transcript).

Transcripts sent to the Fonds must be official. What makes a transcript official may differ from one academic institution to another. Nonetheless, to be deemed official by the Fonds, each transcript must:

1) be issued by the institution in question

2) include elements indicating that it is an official transcript for that academic institution. This may be the seal or stamp of the issuing institution AND/OR the registrar’s signature AND/OR the notation “Official Transcript”, etc.

THE PRESENCE OF A WATERMARK will not render a transcript unofficial, as long as it meets the requirements specified above.

Any transcript that does not meet the requirements specified above or is not a certified copy of the original will be considered UNOFFICIAL and will render the application ineligible.

A transcript delivered in a sealed envelope by the registrar’s office can be opened and its contents scanned. Opening the envelope to scan the transcript will not render it unofficial for the purposes of the Fonds.

PLEASE NOTE: For a current program of study, the transcript must include the last semester completed before the competition deadline, including the summer session.

Other documents to be provided with the transcripts, where applicable:

· Document explaining the grading system for transcripts from institutions outside North America. This letter must clearly explain the institution’s grading system, in order to allow a proper understanding of the transcripts.

· If the university where the applicant’s studies took place does not provide a transcript, the applicant must attach a letter of explanation from this institution (registrar’s office or equivalent administrative body) stating the reasons for the missing transcripts.

· If such a letter from the institution is not available, a letter of explanation written by the applicant, justifying the absence of a transcript and endorsed by the department director at the host institution, must be attached to the application.

· Either of these two documents should allow the Fonds to verify the eligibility of the application, and then allow the evaluation committee to understand the situation and take it into consideration. The absence of either of these two letters, when required under the circumstances described above, will automatically render the application ineligible.

These documents must be grouped into a single PDF document in chronological order starting with the most recent, and scanned in vertical (portrait) orientation.

It is the applicant’s responsibility to check with the relevant educational institutions to determine the processing time for obtaining official transcripts.

Valid RAMQ card or proof of registration for RAMQ (mandatory)

An applicant who is resident in Québec within the meaning of the Act respecting the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) must provide a copy of their medical insurance card, which must be valid at the competition deadline, or proof that an application for a RAMQ card has been submitted. A copy of an expired card is not accepted.

An applicant who is not resident in Québec within the meaning of the Act respecting the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec or who is unable to provide a copy of a valid RAMQ card must provide proof that they were enrolled as a full-time student* (or equivalent) at a Québec university for at least 2 of the 3 terms prior to the competition deadline.

Proof of full-time enrolment will be confirmed by the transcripts included with the application. If a transcript does not clearly demonstrate that this requirement is met, a letter from the registrar’s office identifying all terms in which the applicant was registered full-time must be attached to the application.

The following documents must be inserted in the “Other documents” section of the form.

Submitted, in press or accepted articles

All submitted articles must be accompanied by a letter of acknowledgement from the editor. Articles accepted for publication or in press must be accompanied by a notification from the editor. The applicant must be identified by name, or the article in question will not be considered in the application evaluation.

Medical certificate for eligibility period exception

Applicants seeking eligibility period exceptions must provide a medical certificate attesting to the duration of the sick leave or parental leave or the disability to justify the delay or interruption of studies. A certificate from the university may replace the medical certificate in the case of parental leave.

Proof of part-time or unregistered studies

Applicants having completed one or more part-time terms since registering for graduate studies must provide a registrar’s letter identifying any part-time or unregistered terms in the program of study for which the scholarship is being sought.

NOTE IMPORTANTE : L’absence d’un des documents ci-haut mentionnés lorsque requis rend automatiquement la demande non admissible.

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.

NOTE IMPORTANTE : Tout le long du processus, la personne candidate est invitée à vérifier qu’aucune correspondance en provenance du Fonds ne se trouve dans la section « Indésirables » de sa boîte courriel.

5. APPLICATION ASSESSMENT

Committee members evaluate the applications according to the criteria, indicators and weighting described in this program, using the Fonds Scores and Ratings Grid .To be recommended, an application must obtain an overall score of 70% or more. Applicants are advised to attach equal importance to both the evaluation criteria and their associated indicators.

MASTER’S

Academic record – 30 points

Transcripts
Honours (awards, distinctions and scholarships)
Applicant’s ability to present his or her background in an integrated manner (relationship between experiences and interests and career and education choices, trajectory, etc.)

Research interest and potential – 50 points

Relevant experience (participation in research projects, training internships, assistantships, etc.)
Scientific achievements (conferences, presentations, publications, etc.)
Proposed research (originality, clarity and coherence of the research problem, relevance of the methodology, feasibility and, if applicable quality of supervision)

Social mobilization – 15 points

Ability to facilitate dialogue between science and society (outreach activities or participation in events intended for the general public)
Capacity for engagement (volunteering, community projects, civic and non-profit involvement, event organization, etc.)
Consideration of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including equity, diversity and inclusion*

* SDG and equity, diversity and inclusion considerations can be incorporated in the training program, the proposed research, science-society dialogue activities, or engagement activities. More information is available in the program Toolbox.

General presentation of the application – 5 points

DOCTORATE
Academic record – 30 points

Transcripts and honours (awards, distinctions and scholarships)
Relevant experience (teaching, supervision, assistantships, etc.) and scientific achievements (conferences, presentations, publications, etc.)
Applicant’s ability to present his or her background in an integrated manner (relationship between experiences and interests and career and education choices, trajectory, etc.)

Research project – 45 points

Originality of the project and contribution to the advancement of knowledge
Clarity and coherence of the research problem
Relevance of the methodology
Feasibility (realism of the time frame, quality of supervision including the environment available to the applicant for his or her development and the realization of the project, etc.)

Social mobilization – 20 points

Ability to facilitate dialogue between science and society (outreach activities or participation in events intended for the general public)
Capacity for engagement (volunteering, community projects, civic and non-profit involvement, event organization, etc.)
Consideration of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including equity, diversity and inclusion*

General presentation of the application – 5 points

To learn more about the rules governing the evaluation process and funding decisions, see sections 4 and 5 of the CGR.
The results will be announced at the end of April via the applicant’s E-Portfolio.

6. ELIGIBILITY PERIOD, VALUE AND DURATION OF SCHOLARSHIP

The eligibility period of the scholarship refers to the period during which the scholarship holder is eligible to receive scholarship payments.
The duration of the funding is based on the information provided in the application form.

Master’s scholarship

The eligibility period of the master’s scholarship is limited to the first 9 academic terms of master’s studies.
The annual value of a master’s scholarship is $17,500 for a period of 3 terms or 12 months of study.

Master’s scholarship holders may receive up to six instalments totalling $35,000 during the eligibility period of the scholarship, covering 6 terms or 24 months, whether the funding comes from the FRQ, another recognized granting agency or a foundation that awards merit scholarships. Each instalment of $5,833 covers a period of one term or 4 months.

Duration of the master’s scholarship: 2 years or until the end of the master’s studies (final thesis submission), whichever is shorter.

Doctoral scholarship

The eligibility period of the doctoral scholarship is limited to the first 15 academic terms of doctoral studies.

The annual value of a doctoral scholarship is $21,000 for a period of 3 terms or 12 months of study.

Doctoral scholarship holders may receive up to 12 instalments totalling $84,000 during the eligibility period of the scholarship, covering 12 terms or 48 months, whether the funding comes from the FRQ, another recognized granting agency or a foundation that awards merit scholarships. Each instalment of $7,000 covers a period of 4 months or one term.

Duration of the doctoral scholarship: Maximum 4 years (12 terms*) or until the end of the doctoral studies (final thesis submission), whichever is shorter, non-renewable.

* The 11th and 12th term instalments are conditional. They are withheld until proof of initial thesis submission is provided if the thesis is submitted before the end of the 12th funded term.

7. SCHOLARSHIP TERMS AND CONDITIONS

7.1 Basic conditions

To retain the scholarship, the scholarship holder must satisfy the following basic conditions throughout the duration of funding:

Respect the conditions relating to citizenship and residence.
Be enrolled full time in the program of study for which the scholarship is awarded.
Respect the rules relating to concurrent funding.
Respect the rules relating to paid employment.

Scholarship holders who are enrolled in a program outside Québec must ask their university for official proof of enrolment at the beginning of each academic term and send it to the Fonds. In the case of Québec universities, proof of enrolment is sent directly to the FRQSC by the institution.

Scholarship holders are required to inform the Fonds immediately if they cease to satisfy any of these conditions. Failure to respect these conditions may result in a request for full reimbursement of all amounts received.

7.2 Exception for part-time enrolment

In all the following cases, the Fonds reserves the right to refuse any request with insufficient justification.

Major family obligation

A scholarship holder who is unable to pursue full-time studies for reasons arising from major family obligations has the possibility of enrolling part time and receiving partial scholarship payments (50%), if the university allows part-time enrolment and upon presentation of a medical certificate or other official document justifying the situation.

Person with a disability

A person with a disability who is unable to pursue full-time studies has the possibility of enrolling part time and receiving full scholarship payments provided the university authorizes the part-time enrolment and upon presentation of a medical certificate or other official document justifying the situation.

This exception is in accordance with the Act to secure handicapped persons in the exercise of their rights with a view to achieving social, school and workplace integration (CQLR c. E-20.1).

7.3 Scholarship start date and progress reports

The scholarship start date refers to the academic term during which the first payment can be requested.
Scholarship holders whose program has not yet started:

May 2022 (summer term)
September 2022 (fall term)
January 2023 (winter term)

Scholarship holders whose program is already underway:

May 2022 (summer term) when the scholarship offer is made before May 1.
September 2022 (fall term) when the scholarship offer is made after May 1, 2022. An instalment may be paid retroactively for the summer term if the basic conditions are met.

Payment must be requested at the beginning of each academic term via the E-portfolio.

A progress report is required after each full year of funding indicating the progress of your research. This report is required at the time of the 4th, 7th and 10th instalment requests, where applicable, unless it is the last scheduled payment, and must be submitted via the E-portfolio. Entitlement to the scholarship will be maintained if progress is judged satisfactory by the Fonds.

The scholarship is not transferable from one year to the next and terms completed before summer 2021 will not be funded.

A scholarship that has been refused cannot be reinstated.

7.4 Concurrent funding

The following table summarizes the rules for concurrent funding and partial concurrent funding.

RULES FOR CONCURRENT FUNDING