The Canadian government established the Government of Canada Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Vanier CGS) in 2008 to increase Canada’s capacity to recruit and maintain world-class doctoral students and to build Canada as a worldwide center of excellence in research and higher education. Vanier Scholars display leadership abilities and high academic success in graduate studies in the social and human sciences, natural sciences, engineering, and health.
The Vanier Scholarships are named after former Governor General Georges Vanier, who was a politician and hero. The Vanier Scholarship 2023 seeks brains with leadership skills and exceptional academic accomplishments in the social sciences, humanities, natural sciences, engineering, and health-related sectors. As a result, this Canadian post-graduate scholarship program selects Ph.D. candidates based on three factors with equal weightage.
Academic quality, research potential, and leadership characteristics are the selection criteria. Because there is no interview for the Vanier CGS 2022 nominated scholars, all three selection criteria are evaluated based on the papers given by the candidates.
This Canadian Government Scholarship features a unique application and selection process. Under this scholarship, Canadian institutions get Vanier’s CGS quota. Applicants must apply to their institution and express their desire to receive a Vanier Canadian Government grant for a Ph.D. program. The institutions nominate all of the chosen applicants for this Vanier fellowship in Canada. The next lines go through the whole application process and procedure in depth.
The Vanier-Banting Secretariat administers the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Vanier CGS) program on behalf of Canada’s three granting agencies: the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).
Benefits Of The Government Of Canada Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships
- The Vanier is one of Canada’s most distinguished graduate scholarships, worth $50,000 annually for three years.
- Applicants may be able to complete their Ph.D. in their preferred Canadian universities.
- The applicant’s studies will be entirely or partly sponsored depending on their academic accomplishments, research idea, and leadership characteristics.
Eligibility Criteria Of The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship 2022/ 2023
- The candidate must be a Canadian or international student enrolled in a program in Canada.
- The candidate must be a full-time student at a Canadian university pursuing a Ph.D. program.
- The applicant must be nominated by a university eligible for the Vanier CGS universities quota.
- The candidate must be in their first year of a Ph.D. program.
- The candidate must not be receiving any other doctorate fellowship or scholarship from any of the three Canadian organizations, CIHR, NSERC, or SSHRC.
- The applicant must have earned a first-class grade point average in the previous two years of study.
- Students pursuing combined professional degree programs (MD/Ph.D., DVM/Ph.D., JD/Ph.D.) are eligible. However, only Ph.D. tenure is sponsored.
- Candidates’ research proposals must include a considerable amount of research.
- The candidate must not be a faculty member at a Vanier-quota institution or any other university. The candidate must be given leave from the institution for the Ph.D. program to be eligible.
- The candidate must be enrolled full-time. If the student is disabled or needs to support their family, they may enroll as a part-time student.
- Compared to a full-time student, a two-month study will be deemed a one-month study for part-time students.
- Employees of the Canadian Federal Government are only eligible if they will be on unpaid leave from the government.
- Candidates who meet the eligibility requirements may apply for Vanier and agency-specific Ph.D. scholarships. However, if they are chosen for more than one scholarship, they must pick just one.
Required Documents For The Vanier CGS 2022/2023
To apply for the Vanier scholarships in Canada, applicants must have the following documentation.
- A ResearchNet application form.
- Two reference letters.
- A curriculum vitae/resumé.
- The research contributions should not exceed one page.
- A personal statement demonstrates the candidate’s leadership skills.
- Two leadership reference letters.
- A research proposal of no more than two pages.
- Project preferences of up to five pages
- Academic evidence, transcripts, and certificates
- In the case of a part-time student, proof of exceptional circumstances is required. The proof may not be longer than 0.5 pages.
Application Procedures Of The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship 2022/ 2023
Applicants interested in applying for the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship Competition in 2023-2024 must first complete a Vanier Preliminary Assessment package. Students are required to:
- Check your eligibility as described above under “Eligibility.”
- Inform your department of your decision to compete in the Vanier competition, and establish a departmental deadline for application submission.
- Finish the Vanier Preliminary Assessment package and submit it to the department by the deadline. FGSR will not accept packages provided directly by candidates. Ensure that all essential attachments are included in the correct sequence.
- A session on the Vanier leadership statement will be held at the Academic Success Center. The leadership statement is an essential and sometimes misunderstood component of the Vanier application, yet, its importance should not be overlooked. The workshop addresses questions and gives insight throughout the writing phases, allowing candidates to improve their leadership statements for maximum effect. There is no charge for Vanier candidates to attend. Other interested parties are invited to attend.
- Each applicant’s current graduate supervisor must complete and sign one Reference Assessment Form (or equivalent).
The Vanier Preliminary Assessment Package must be completed and submitted by all students who want to be eligible for the Vanier competition. The goal of this package is to find exceptional Vanier candidates. Members of the FGSR Graduate Scholarship Committee (GSC) will assess the packages, and candidates chosen by the committee will progress to the next phase of completing the entire application package. Committee conclusions will be communicated to students (and their departments) by early September. Please do not submit a full Vanier application packet unless requested by FGSR.
Applicants who do not submit the Preliminary Assessment Package by the departmental deadline will be disqualified from the Vanier competition. Applicants who skip the Preliminary Assessment procedure and submit a full Vanier application will immediately be denied. After the nomination or application deadline, no other materials, modifications, or adjustments (for example, publications approved after the deadline) may be submitted.
Deadlines And Timelines (Preliminary Vanier Competition)
Departments establish their internal deadlines for receiving preliminary packages from students. Students must confirm the deadline with their Department.
- 1:30-2:30 p.m. (MST) on May 24, 2022 – The online information session, hosted by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research (FGSR) Award Services, will cover research proposals, reference letters, and the University of Alberta’s general adjudication procedure. This event is not particular to Vanier and is open to all candidates for all prizes.
- 1:00-2:20 p.m. (MST) on June 9, 2022 – The Academic Success Center will host a virtual session on the Vanier leadership statement. The leadership statement is an essential and sometimes misunderstood component of the Vanier application, yet, its importance should not be overlooked. The workshop addresses questions and gives insight throughout the writing phases, allowing candidates to improve their leadership statements for maximum effect.
- By 4:00 p.m. on June 30, 2022, departments must submit Vanier preliminary packages and a ranked/signed list of Vanier nominations to FGSR by email to [email protected]. The signed list of nominations must be delivered together with the preliminary packets, but as a separate pdf.
- From July 4 to 22, 2022, the FGSR will conduct eligibility/completion evaluations.
- FGSR Graduate Scholarship Committee (GSC) Review: July 23 – August 31, 2022
- Early September 2022 – Applicants whose preliminary packages have been delivered to FGSR will be notified via email of their selection to complete the full Vanier package. FGSR will also notify those students who were not selected to compete. These emails will be forwarded to departments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Vanier Scholarship Competitive?
Yes, it is. Given the Vanier CGS program’s goal of being a globally competitive scholarship program that allows Canada to recruit world-class doctorate students (a major element that separates it from other government scholarship programs) and institutions’ reluctance to propose foreign applicants.
Is Vanier The Same As Ottawa?
Vanier, previously Eastview, is a neighborhood in Ottawa, Ontario’s Rideau-Vanier Ward, on Canada’s east end. Historically francophone and working-class, the neighborhood was a different city until 2001, when it was merged into Ottawa. It no longer has a majority of francophones.
When Did Eastview Become Vanier?
The city, formerly known as Eastview, was renamed Vanier in 1969 to honor the first French-speaking governor general, Georges Vanier. In 2001, it became a part of the merged City of Ottawa.
How Many Students Are At Vanier?
Today, about 6,700 full-time Diploma students and an additional 2,000 students attend via the Continuing Education Department (credit and non-credit courses and programs).
Is Vanier College English?
Yes, it is. Because all Vanier students must take four college English courses, English is the College’s biggest department, with over 50 full- and part-time faculty members. All their faculty members are committed to assisting students in achieving their objectives and improving their English skills and abilities.
Reference
- https://vanier.gc.ca/en/selection_committee_guide-comite_selection_lignes.html#b3.1
- https://knowledgesteez.wordpress.com/2020/06/06/scholarships-fully-funded-scholarships-in-university-of-canada-west/
- https://www.scholarshipsads.com/government-of-canada-vanier-canada-graduate-scholarships-20222023//
- https://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/english/about-us/
- https://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/about-vanier-college/
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