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 : 
2020-2021

Amount : 
$1,000

Duration : 
One deposit

Back to programs

These program rules are now out of competition.

The call for applications for the theee Relève étoile Awards has been standardized during Fall 2022 and will now be offered only once a year.

DESCRIPTION

The Relève étoile Jacques-Genest awards are being given by the three Fonds de recherche du Québec to recognize student researchers in training.

The Common General Rules apply to this program. Only the special terms and conditions applicable to this competition are indicated in the rules below, and these prevail over the Common General Rules .

Table of contents

  1. OBJECTIVES OF THE COMPETITION
  2. AWARD
  3. COMPETITIONS
  4. ELIGIBILITY
  5. EVALUATION CRITERIA
  6. EVALUATION PROCESS
  7. APPLICATION PROCESS
  8. ANNOUNCEMENT OF RESULTS
  9. APPENDIX 1 - RESEARCH DISCIPLINES
  10. APPENDIX 2 - RESEARCH AREAS FOR EACH FONDS

1. OBJECTIVES OF THE COMPETITION

  • Recognize the exceptional research contributions of university students (master’s, doctorate), postdoctoral fellows and members of professional orders who are enrolled in advanced research training programs in any of the areas covered by the three Fonds de recherche du Québec;
  • Promote research careers in Québec;
  • Develop strong ties between the Fonds de recherche du Québec and the province’s student researcher community.

2. AWARD

  • $1,000 awarded every month by each Fonds;

  • Dissemination of an overview of the recipient’s work (article, book or chapter, patent, creation or performance) as well as a photo of the recipient will be featured on the website of the awarding Fonds www.frqs.gouv.qc.ca/en.

3. COMPETITIONS

  • Two competitions per year;

  • Every month, each Fonds will reveal the name of a recipient among the competition winners.

4. ELIGIBILITY

  • Student researchers whose projects have been released to the public for less than seven months at the competition deadline are eligible (September competition: publication date between February and August; March competition: publication date between August and February). The project must be in the form of an article (in a journal with an editorial review board), a book or book chapter, a patent, a creation or a performance of which the applicant is the author.
  • Oral presentations and posters are not eligible; 
  • Articles that are in press or submitted for review are not eligible;
  • Articles published electronically are eligible. Eligibility will be determined based on the electronic publication date; in the case of publication in paper form following publication of the electronic version, eligibility will be determined on the online publication date;
  • For publications with several authors, the following rules apply:
    • If several student researchers collaborated on a project in the same capacity and the published article explicitly states that the authors all equally contributed to the work, the student researchers shall share the award;
    • If several student researchers collaborated on a project in the same capacity (without being mentioned in the article) and their contributions are explicitly stated by the applicant on the application form, the student researchers shall share the award.
  • When submitting an application, the student researcher must meet the requirements regarding citizenship and domicile set out in the Common General Rules. The student researcher must be enrolled full-time in an educational institution, affiliated university centre or research centre in Québec. Québec students enrolled in an institution outside Québec are also eligible (see Application Process section);
  • One application per student researcher per competition. A project may only be submitted once;
  • A student researcher may receive the award only once.

5. EVALUATION CRITERIA

  • Demonstration of the project’s contribution to the advancement of knowledge in a sector covered by one of the three FRQ;
  • Demonstration of the project’s social relevance and/or benefits;
  • Demonstration of the ability to explain the subject matter in plain language.

The quality of the written language, the applicant’s actual contribution to the project and, in the case of an article, the quality of the journal, will be taken into consideration.

6. EVALUATION PROCESS

Applications must be submitted to the Fonds that oversees the research sector specified on the application form by the applicant. All applications will be assessed based on program criteria by an evaluation committee assembled by the Fonds.

7. APPLICATION PROCESS

Deadlines for submitting required documents

  • March 1st and September 1st of each year, 4:00 p.m.
    Attention: For the March 2020 competition, the deadline is March 2nd, at 4 p.m.

  • Any document missing or non-compliant with program rules and electronic forms, but deemed crucial for eligibility or evaluation, makes the funding application ineligible.
  • Applicants will not be contacted to provide the missing documents or information. 
  • Any document received after the submission deadline will not be added to the application file as no update is allowed once submitted.
  • Any unrequested document transmitted with the application will be removed from the file before its evaluation.
  • No extension will be granted. After the deadline application, forms that are not already submitted will be automatically rejected.
  • IMPORTANT : Once the application is submitted, it will no longer be possible to modify it.

Documents to be sent electronically

  • The electronic application form including required documents. PDF version – for information
    Applicants may fill out the form in French or in English. However, the project summary must be in French. The required documents have to be attached in the electronic form section “Autres documents” (Other documents) :

    • The form Formulaire Complément publication available in the FRQS Electronic Portfolio, menu Documents and in the toolbox;
    • A copy of the project. The PDF document size must not exceed 8 Mo. It is recommended to use tools to reduce the file size, if needed;

    • Documents for assessing the eligibility of the submitted project, clearly indicating:

      • the exact publication date of the project;

      • its review by a review board (in the case of a journal article).

For example: a copy of an e-mail or letter from the publisher, screen capture of the journal’s website on which the article is presented and/or the peer review report, or any other relevant supporting document.

  • A document attesting that the applicant is enrolled as a full-time student in a Québec educational institution or an institution outside Québec on the date of submission of the application or, in the case of a postdoctoral fellow, an attestation from the applicant’s host organization or a confirmation letter from the supervisor.

  • A copy of a valid Quebec health insurance card OR evidence of eligibility to the RAMQ (official RAMQ document before the issuance of the card)

    • If the RAMQ card or a proof of eligibility to the RAMQ is not provided (for students in a Québec university), please include a proof of registration at a Québec university for at least two full-time trimesters (or equivalent) among the three trimesters preceding the competition deadline.

To receive the award, winning student researchers will be asked later to provide the following documents

  • A photograph;

  • Different administrative information.

8. ANNOUNCEMENT OF RESULTS

Award recipients will be contacted by the FRQ Scientific Office and a monthly announcement will be made by news release.

9. APPENDIX 1 - RESEARCH DISCIPLINES

Consult the list of research disciplines

10. APPENDIX 2 - RESEARCH AREAS FOR EACH FONDS

Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé (FRQS)

  • Aging
  • Cancer
  • Child, Youth and Maternal Health
  • Circulatory and Respiratory Health
  • Gender and Health
  • Health Services
  • Human Genetics
  • Infection and Immunity
  • Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis
  • Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction
  • Nutrition and Metabolism
  • Population Health

 Source : FRQS website

Fonds de recherche du Québec – Nature et technologies  (FRQNT)

  • Abstract structures
  • Energy
  • Environment
  • Information and communications technologies
  • Living organisms
  • Manufacturing and construction
  • Materials
  • Natural resources
  • Nature and interaction of matter
  • Techniques, measurement and systems

Source : FRQNT website

Fonds de recherche du Québec – Société et culture (FRQSC)

  • Arts, Literature and Society
  • Writing and Fine Arts
  • Cultures, Religions and Civilizations
  • The Development and Functioning of Individuals, Communities and Social Living
  • The Economy, Employment and Markets
  • Education, Knowledge and Skills
  • Fundamental Issues and Meaning of Life
  • Organizational Management
  • Language and Languages
  • Media, Communication and Information
  • Living Environments, Planning and Appropriation of Human Spaces
  • The Nature, Transformation and Governance of Society and Institutions
  • International Relations and Development

Source : FRQSC website