University of British Columbia, Vancouver Canada Public Scholars Awards Canada

The University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, is proud to announce the opening of applications for the Public Scholars Awards for the academic year 2024/2025. This prestigious scholarship, valued at $10,000, is aimed at international students pursuing PhD-level programs across various subjects at the University of British Columbia.

The deadline for submission is May 12, 2024.

Degree Level

The University of British Columbia’s Public Scholars Awards for the academic year 2024/2025 are available for students undertaking PhD-level programs at the university.

Available Subjects:

This scholarship encompasses a wide array of subjects, offering students the opportunity to pursue their doctoral studies in any field of interest.

Scholarship Benefits:

The Public Scholars Initiative (PSI) Fellowship provides substantial financial support of up to $10,000, which can be awarded twice, totaling $20,000 per student. This financial assistance is designed to facilitate innovative and collaborative scholarly endeavors that students may not have the means to pursue otherwise. The funding is intended for the following purposes:

Research Allowance:

Recipients of the PSI Fellowship can utilize the funds for professional development or travel directly related to their scholarly work. This includes covering expenses associated with research, conference attendance, or other activities contributing to the advancement of their proposed projects.

Student Stipend:

In cases where a student’s existing funding sources do not allow for engagement in alternative projects, the PSI Fellowship can allocate funds for a student stipend. This ensures that students have the necessary financial resources to focus on their proposed alternative projects without constraints.

Eligible Nationalities:

This scholarship opportunity is open to students of all nationalities, fostering a diverse and inclusive academic environment.

The Public Scholars Initiative (PSI) is an integral part of the UBC community, aiming to foster connections, community and capacity among doctoral students. It encourages students to explicitly connect their doctoral work to public benefit, integrating diverse and career-relevant forms of scholarship into their education.

The financial support provided by the PSI Fellowship, up to $10,000 per award, is aimed at promoting innovative and collaborative scholarship that students may not otherwise pursue. This funding can cover research allowances for professional development or travel relevant to scholarly work, as well as student stipends for those whose current funding sources restrict alternative projects.

Approximately 30 new students from all faculties of UBC, including UBC Okanagan, are eligible for funding each year. Cohort scholars may also qualify for renewal funding in the second year. Additionally, the 2024/25 applications feature a special ‘Health Equity Stream’ in collaboration with UBC Health, offering dedicated funding to scholars addressing health issues and seeking to impact health equity.

Eligibility Criteria:

To be eligible for the Public Scholars Awards, applicants must meet the following criteria:

UBC Vancouver doctoral students (including PhD, EdD, DMA and part-time PhD students) in years 1-5 and UBC Okanagan doctoral students in years 1-5.
Applicants must have completed a maximum of 48 months of doctoral study by August 31, 2023 and be registered in a UBC doctoral program by September 1, 2023.
Consideration for applicants in their 6th year (48 to 60 months of doctoral study) will be granted only under exceptional circumstances.

Requirements for Funded Students:

Funded students are required to adhere to the following guidelines:

Submission of a report at the end of their first (and if applicable, second) year of funding.
Presentation of their work at a Network event, specifically “PhDs Go Public.”
Completion of a questionnaire by all students, faculty and collaborators at the end of their funding/involvement.
Review of student dissertations and completion and career outcomes as part of the assessment of the initiative.

Evaluation Criteria:

Applications for the Public Scholars Awards are evaluated based on the following criteria:

Student’s Potential:

Assessment of past accomplishments and future promise.
Emphasis on breadth of interest and fit with the proposed project.

Alignment with PSI Goals:

Ensuring that the project aligns with PSI goals for broadening doctoral education.
Considering extension beyond academia and disciplinary boundaries.
Evaluation of impact on post-graduation engagement and diverse forms of scholarship.

Quality of Scholarship:

Evaluation of proposed scholarship quality based on expertise in discipline(s) and methodology.
Realistic, well-defined goals addressing important questions.
Adequate subject preparation and understanding.
Appropriateness of proposed methods.
Effective plans for documentation and dissemination.
Potential positive contribution to the public good.

Need for Funding:

Consideration of the need for alternative funding sources.

Application Procedure:

To apply for the PSI Fellowship for the academic year 2024/2025, applicants must follow these steps:

Download Documents:

Download the “PSI Fellowship Application 2024-2025” and “PSI Fellowship Application Instructions 2024-2025” files.

Edit and Save:

Edit the downloaded form and save it by renaming the file. Name your application as: LastName_FirstName_PSI.

Complete Application Form:

Follow the provided guidelines to complete the Application form. Each section (“Outline of Proposed Scholarly Work” and “Relationship of Proposal to PSI Goals”) is limited to 4000 characters and 1 page.

Upload Documents:

Combine the completed “PSI Fellowship Application 2024-2025” form and your Canadian Common CV into one PDF file.

Qualtrics Form Submission:

Access the Qualtrics form page and carefully read the Overview section. Complete the form, which should take approximately 5 minutes, ensuring correct submission.

Supervisor and Collaborator Support:

For the mandatory supervisor letter of support and optional letter(s) of support from collaborators, direct them to the Qualtrics form page for submission.

Application Completion:

Your application process is complete upon successful submission of all required documents and completion of the Qualtrics form.

FAQ

What is the University of British Columbia, Vancouver Canada Public Scholars Awards 2024/2025?

The University of British Columbia, located in Vancouver, Canada, offers the Public Scholars Awards for the academic year 2024/2025. This prestigious scholarship, valued at $10,000, is open to international students pursuing PhD-level programs in various subjects at the university.

Who is eligible to apply for the Public Scholars Awards?

The scholarship is open to UBC Vancouver doctoral students (including PhD, EdD, DMA and part-time PhD students) in years 1-5, as well as UBC Okanagan doctoral students in years 1-5. Applicants must have completed a maximum of 48 months of doctoral study by August 31, 2023 and be registered in a UBC doctoral program by September 1, 2023.

What subjects are available to study under this scholarship program?

All subjects are available for study under the Public Scholars Awards program, providing students with the flexibility to pursue their doctoral studies in their field of interest.

How much financial support does the Public Scholars Initiative (PSI) Fellowship provide?

The PSI Fellowship offers financial support of up to $10,000 twice, totaling $20,000 per student. This funding can be used for research allowances, including professional development or travel relevant to scholarly work, as well as student stipends for those whose current funding sources restrict alternative projects.