Ph.D. Scholarships

Applicants must meet all the following conditions to be eligible for the program:

• Be registered or to plan to register into a Université Laval Ph.D. program


• Be supervised by a research supervisor and co-supervisor from different disciplines or have an agreement with a research supervisor and co-supervisor from different disciplines to supervise the doctorate


• Present a Ph.D. research project whose results and outcomes have potential applications and impact in the North, consistent with Sentinel North’s research program.


• Have at least a B grade point average (3.0/4.3) at the bachelor’s level and an A- (3.6/4.3) at the Master’s level

This competition is open to all applicants, with no citizenship or residency restrictions. Applicants whose research proposals are not covered by projects already funded by Sentinel North are eligible and encouraged to apply.

To submit an application, the candidate must fill out the online scholarship application form. This form requires the candidate to provide :

• General information and motivations
• Academic curriculum and professional experience
• Other scholarships and awards obtained, social involvement
• Information on the research project
• The transdisciplinary aspect of the research project and relevance with the Sentinel North research program

The following documents must be attached to the application form :

• A copy of the applicant’s university transcripts¹ for all years of study, completed or not, if applicable (certificate, diploma, bachelor's and master's degree, Ph.D, etc.). Transcripts from a same cycle must be combined into a single file.


• A copy of award letters or attestations of all scholarships received by the applicant while pursing university studies (where applicable), combined into a single file.


• A recommendation letter from the Université Laval research supervisor or co-supervisor providing an overall assessment of the applicant and the resources (human, financial, material, etc.) that will be available to the applicant to carry out the research project.

In addition to the above-mentioned documents, 2 assessment reports concerning the candidate must be completed by referees other than the candidate's supervisor. They must be submitted directly by the referees to the e-mail address formation@sn.ulaval.ca before the competition deadline. The subject line should begin with the candidate's first and last names and clearly indicate the name of the program for which the application is being submitted. An automatic acknowledgement will be sent to confirm receipt of the documents.

The forms are available through the following links :

• Report on candidate form - English version
• Formulaire de rapport d'appréciation - French version

¹In the event that equivalency has been granted for courses completed at other institutions or in previous programs, transcripts for those courses must be included with the application. For academic transcripts from institutions outside of North America, applicants must attach a letter explaining the grading system in effect at the institution in question. For original transcripts issued in a language other than English or French, a translation must be provided. Sentinel North reserves the right to verify the authenticity of information provided with the institutions of origin.

Applications are assessed and judged by the Sentinel North evaluation committee according to the evaluation criteria and weighting process. Only proposals consistent with Sentinel North's research program and supported by applicants' supervisors will be considered.

Sentinel North's Commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)

Recognizing the richness of diversity within research teams and its benefits to society, Sentinel North endorses the principles of EDI in all of its programs and is committed to ensuring a rigorous, inclusive, non-discriminatory and transparent evaluation process.

We also encourage applications with atypical profiles and take into account educational or career breaks in the evaluation of applications.

Indicators by evaluation criteria

Excellence of the academic record (20 points)

• Grade point averages for previous university studies


• Academic background (length of studies, general course)


• Excellence of academic record in general (awards, scholarships, distinctions obtained)

Applicant's aptitude for research (30 points)

• Justification for application, including research interests and reasons leading the applicant to pursue a Ph.D.


• Applicant's experience and achievements (publications, research assistantships, professional experiences, etc.)


• Social involvement, leadership and communication skills


• Recommendation letter and assessment reports


• Overall presentation of the application

Quality of the research proposal (50 points)

• Clarity of the scientific objectives set out in the proposal


• Appropriateness of the methodology in relation to the objectives


• Contribution to advancement of knowledge


• Relevance of the proposal in relation to Sentinel North's research program


• Expected support from the host institution


• Quality of the supervising team


• Multidisciplinary nature of the proposal

Announcement of the results

Each applicant will receive an email informing them of the evaluation committee's decision at the end of the evaluation process.

Applicants must accept or decline the scholarship within ten (10) business days of receipt of the notice of award by sending an email to formation@sn.ulaval.ca. If acceptance is not received within this time limit, applicants will be deemed to have declined the scholarship.

Sentinel North's decisions are final and binding.

Scholarship validity period

• The maximum term of a scholarship is three years. A scholarship is granted for the duration of the validity period and renewed annually subject to the presentation of annual progress reports deemed satisfactory by the Sentinel North evaluation committee and the research supervisor. 


• The tenure of a scholarship begins at the start of a semester and runs for four months, following the grant date. For applicants whose program of study is already underway, tenure will begin at the start of the following semester (January, May, or September).


• Scholarships are not retroactive. Semesters completed before the effective date of a scholarship cannot be funded.


• The term of the award cannot extend beyond the deadline for which the Canada First Research Excellence Fund is funding Sentinel North.

Value of a doctoral scholarship and payment arrangements

• The maximum annual value of a Sentinel North doctoral scholarship is $21,000. Each payment of up to $7,000 covers a period of four months or one semester. A scholarship holder may receive up to nine payments totaling $63,000 within the eligibility period.


• Eligible students can receive doctoral scholarship payments for a period of three years or until their Ph.D. programs are completed, whichever comes first.


• International students must pay their tuition and health and hospitalization insurance costs, if applicable.

Required documents

• Scholarships are awarded upon proof of registration in a Ph.D. program at Université Laval.


• Scholarships are awarded on the condition that students obtain the required legal travel documents (visa, work permit, etc.), if applicable. Obtaining such documents is the sole responsibility of students. Scholarship payments will not be authorized without proof that the required legal documents have been obtained.

Change in program or proposal

• Scholarship holders must request permission from Sentinel North in writing prior to making any change in their program or proposal. Sentinel North will verify whether the nature of the change affects the results of the evaluation the applicant received so that it can recommend whether their funding should be maintained.

Restrictions

• Students may not apply for a scholarship to complete full-time preparatory studies (propedeutics).

Concurrent scholarships

• Applicants who receive scholarships from a provincial or federal agency, or any other private sources, including universities, research chairs, consortiums, private, international, and foreign foundations, governments of other Canadian provinces, and foreign governments, and/or loans and bursaries from MÉES may combine such sources of support with a Sentinel North doctoral research scholarship if permitted under the rules of concurrence of such bodies. However, the accumulation of a Sentinel North scholarship is not authorized with funds from the CFREF Program, including Sentinel North.

Compensation

• Scholarship holders may take a position that does not exceed 150 working hours per semester (equivalent to a period of four months or 15 weeks) provided that the research supervisors approve and such activities do not hinder their research program.


• The salary that a student receives from their director of studies to work solely on their research proposal is considered to be a scholarship that may be held concurrently.

Parental leave

• Applicants who interrupt their studies for the birth or adoption of a child may request paid parental leave from Sentinel North, as may recipients of awards from the federal granting agencies (CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC). Paid parental leave is for a maximum period of 12 months, the equivalent of 3 semesters. It may begin during the planned session of childbirth or adoption and ends no later than one year after the birth of the child.


• Candidates must have already begun at least one semesters as a Sentinel North scholarship holder in order to receive paid parental leave. The period of coverage of the award cannot extend beyond the deadline date for which the Canada First Research Excellence Fund funds the Sentinel North program. It is important to note that only one parental leave may be granted per couple of parents for each birth or adoption.


• Individuals affected by this situation must notify the Sentinel North Training Programs Coordinator as soon as possible so that administrative steps can be taken.

Further details on the procedure for awarding scholarships

• The number of Ph.D. scholarships available is different for each competition. However, the selection committee reserves the right not to grant all available scholarships in the event that the number of available scholarships exceeds the number of applicants who meet the requirements.


• Scholarship holders must meet program conditions throughout the term of their scholarships to remain eligible.


• Applications presented by a supervising team where at least one member (supervisor or co-supervisor) has not received research funds from Sentinel North are encouraged.


• The selection criteria and the specific program terms and conditions to the next. In such cases, modifications will be duly posted at the start of each competition.