Merit Scholarship Program for Foreign Students in Canada

•  Choose a Québec University and a director (doctoral degree) or a research supervisor (postdoctoral and short term research) who accepts to supervise your research project and recommend your preselection to the university or to the Réseau Trans-tech.

•  Preselection of candidates by a Québec university, the Réseau Trans-Tech (the Network of College Centers for the Transfer of Technologies), the China Scholarship Council (CSC), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico (SRE), TERI University, the National Science and Technology Council of Mexico (CONACYT). Consult the deadlines to present an application for these organizations on the FRQNT Web site.

•  Deadline – preselection at FRQNT for the applications recommended by a Québec university, the Réseau Trans-tech, TERI University, Mexican SRE or CONACYT: September 23^rd, 2015.

•  Deadline – preselection at FRQNT for the recommended applications from CSC: March 31st, 2016.  

•  Deadline – submitting e-form application and required documents for preselected candidates:  November 1^st, 2014 at Midnight (coordinated universal time UTC-5 Est time zone).

•  Deadline – preselection of applications for scholarships for candidates preselected by the CSC: May 31^st, 2016 at Midnight (coordinated universal time UTC-5 Est time zone).

•  Announcement of results for all Programs : End of March 2016

•  Announcement of results for the students recommended by CSC: June 2016.

The Fonds de recherche du Québec – Nature et technologies (FRQNT) is responsible for managing the program. It was commissioned by the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Research (MEESR) which provides the funding. The program has a component open to students of all countries and five specific components reserved for students from Brazil, China, India, Mexico and Wallonia. These specific components arise from agreement concluded between Québec and foreign governments.

The objective of the Merit Scholarship Programs for Foreign Students (PBEEE) is to support the internationalization of research activities in Québec's institutions of higher education, to attract the best foreign researchers and students, and to promote Québec universities and College Centers for the Transfer of Technologies (CCTT), abroad.

The Programs cover higher education as a whole by giving to the CCTT researchers and administrators the opportunity to participate.

In a more generic way, the attribution of scholarships for foreign students aims at creating cultural links and allowing the setting up of possible common scientific research projects.

The Programs also represents an instrument for MEESR to support the Government of Québec's scientific policy.

These scholarships are intended for foreign students or researchers from all research sectors (health, humanities and social sciences, arts and letters, natural sciences, and engineering) preselected by a Québec university, the Réseau Trans-Tech, the China Scholarship Council (CSC), TERI University, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico (SRE) or the National Science and Technology Council of Mexico (CONACYT) to begin or continue studies or research activities in Québec. There is no privileged research sector.

The Merit Scholarship Programs for Foreign Students has three components:

•  Doctoral research scholarships (V1, 1B, 1C, 1I, 1M, 1W);
•  Postdoctoral scholarships (V2, 2B, 2C, 2I, 2M);
•  Short-term research or professional development scholarships (V3, 3B, 3C, 3I, 3M, 3W)

Value of Scholarships

In addition to the scholarship, MEESR offers all scholarship recipients an exemption from paying the higher tuition fees required of foreign students and the medical insurance coverage offered by the Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ).

Value of scholarships for each component:

Doctoral research scholarships (V1, 1B, 1C, 1I, 1M, 1W): $25,000 a year. The duration of the scholarship is three years, with a possible extension of up to 12 months (monthly allowance of $1,000).

Postdoctoral scholarships (V2, 2B, 2C, 2I, 2M): $35,000 for one year (cannot be renewed).

Short-term research or professional development scholarships (V3, 3B, 3C, 3I, 3M, 3W): $3,000 a month for a period of up to four months.

All countries scholarships

Doctoral research scholarships(V1)
Postdoctoral scholarships (V2)
Short-term research or professional development scholarships(V3)

Québec-Brazil scholarships

Québec-Brazil Doctoral research scholarships (1B)
Québec-Brazil Postdoctoral scholarships (2B)
Québec-Brazil Short-term research or professional development scholarships (3B)

Québec-China scholarships

Québec-China Doctoral research scholarships (1C)
Québec-China Postdoctoral scholarships (2C)
Québec-China Short-term research or professional development scholarships (3C)

Québec-India scholarships

Québec-India Doctoral research scholarships (1I)
Québec-India Postdoctoral scholarships (2I)
Québec-India Short-term research or professional development scholarships (3I)

Québec-Mexico scholarships

Québec-Mexico Doctoral research scholarships (1M)
Québec-Mexico Postdoctoral scholarships (2M)
Québec-Mexico Short-term research or professional development scholarships (3M)

Québec-Wallonia scholarships

Québec-Wallonia Doctoral research scholarships (1W)
Québec-Wallonia Short-term research or professional development scholarships (3W)

Candidates:

•  Must meet all eligibility conditions at the closing date of the competition, namely, November 1^st, 2015 (a different closing date has to be confirmed for the students preselected by CSC).
•  Must have been preselected by a university, the Réseau Trans-Tech (a CCTT), TERI University, the SER or CONACYT before September 23^rd, 2015.
•  To the scholarship Québec-China program must be preselected by the CSC before March 31^st, 2016.
•  Cannot have already received a Merit Scholarship for Foreign Students from MEESR, FRQNT or  Fonds de recherche du Québec – Société et culture (FRQSC).
•  Cannot be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada.
•  Cannot have applied for permanent resident status under Canadian immigration law.

Restriction for programs of study

•  Double doctoral degree programs are not admissible.
•  Québec-Wallonia scholarship applicants must have studied in a French-language university institution in Belgium AT THE TIME THEY ARE GRANTED THEIR SCHOLARSHIP.

Doctoral research (V1, 1B, 1C, 1I, 1M, 1W) scholarship recipients must:

•   Have a Certificat d'acceptation du Québec (CAQ) issued by the ministère de l'Immigration, de la Diversité et de l'Inclusion du Québecand a student permit issued by the Canadian Consulate valid for the entire duration of their scholarship.

Postdoctoral scholarship (V2, 2B, 2C, 2I, 2M) or short-term research or professional development  scholarship (V3, 3B, 3C, 3I, 3M, 3W) recipients must:

•   Have a working permit issued by the Canadian Consulate for the entire duration of their scholarship.

Elegibility period

Doctoral research component (V1, 1B, 1C, 1I, 1M, 1W)

The doctoral research scholarships are intended for post-graduate students. 

Candidates are eligible for doctoral merit program scholarships from MEESR in the first nine sessions of their doctoral studies. All doctoral sessions, funded or unfunded, completed before the scholarship takes effect, are used in calculating the eligibility period.

A candidate admitted into a doctoral program from a bachelor's program and one who fast-tracks into a doctoral program without writing a thesis must apply to the PhD scholarships competition (V1, 1B, 1C, 1I, 1M, 1W) to obtain the scholarship during the 3rd, 4th, and 5th years of his/her graduate studies (sessions 7th to 15th).

The maximum duration of the scholarship is three years (nine sessions), with a possible extension of up to 12 months.

Postdoctoral component (V2, 2B, 2C, 2I, 2M)

Postdoctoral scholarship are intended for researchers who have obtained their degree no more than two years before the deadline of the competition or who submitted their dissertation by January 2017 at the latest, the deadline for the beginning of scholarship use.

Postdoctoral research must be conducted in an institution other than the one that granted the Doctorate. The applicant's doctoral supervisors and co-supervisors may not act as his/her postdoctoral supervisor, even if they have changed institutions.

The duration of this scholarship is one year. This scholarship is not renewable.

A scholarship of lesser duration can be granted if the duration of the research is less than 12 months.

Short-term research or professional development component (V3, 3B, 3C, 3I, 3M, 3W)

Short-term research or professional development scholarships are intended for technical and university students (option A) or researchers who have completed a doctorate no more than five years before the deadline for the competition (option B).

The research or professional development must be conducted in an institution other than the one at which the student was enrolled when he or she applied.

The duration of this scholarship is four months. The scholarship is not renewable. A scholarship of lesser duration can be granted if the duration of the research is less than four months.

Exceptional measures concerning calculation of the eligibility period

The only exception to the rules governing the eligibility period concerns circumstances beyond the candidate's control.

Candidates who suspend their studies due to maternity or parental leave can request an extension of their eligibility period for a maximum of 12 months. FRQNT reserves the right to refuse any request that is not sufficiently justified.

Only candidates preselected by a Québec university, the Réseau Trans-Tech, TERI University, the SRE or the CONACYT as of September 23rd, 2015, can be part of this competition. Candidates to the Québec-China scholarship must be preselected by the CSC as of March 31st, 2016.

The universities, the Réseau Trans-tech, TERI University, the SRE or the CONACYT and the CSC assume full responsibility for candidate preselection. You can consult the various deadlines of the preselection competition for each Québec university and the Réseau Trans-tech on the FRQNT website.

Those in charge of candidate preselection must refer to the instructions for candidate preselection in the Merit Scholarship Program for Foreign Students.

Those in charge of candidate preselection of a Québec university or the Réseau Trans-tech must complete the form for nominating candidates for the Merit Scholarship Programs for Foreign Students, available through the FRQNT EXTRANET website. It must be completed and transmitted electronically by 4 p.m. on September 23rd, 2015.

Those in charge of candidate preselection for TERI University and the SRE or CONACYT  must fill out a nomination form (PDF format) for each preselected applicant. These forms must be sent to the FRQNT via e-mail by 4 p.m. on September 23rd, 2015, to pbeee@frq.gouv.qc.ca.

Those in charge of candidate preselection at CSC must send the same nomination form to the FRQNT via e-mail by March 31st, 2014, at 4 p.m. to pbeee@frq.gouv.qc.ca.

Candidates must meet all Programs eligibility requirements. Candidates proposed by a Québec university, the Réseau Trans-tech, the CSC, TERI University, the SRE or CONACYT may be declared ineligible by the FRQNT if these criteria are not met.

Candidates preselected to the general Program (V1, V2, V3) can also be preselected to the Québec-Brazil-China-India-Mexico-Wallonia Programs. If several demands of scholarships are addressed to the present competition, a single copy of letters and required pieces must be sent to the FRQNT.

All countries scholarships (V1, V2, V3)

Universities can recommend four candidates per year for each of these three components.

The Réseau Trans-tech can recommend four candidates for Postdoctoral scholarships (V2) and Short-term research or professional development scholarships (V3).

There are no quotas per country.

Québec-Brazil scholarships (1B, 2B, 3B)

Universities can recommend one candidate per year for each of these three components..

The Réseau Trans-tech can recommend one candidate for Postdoctoral scholarships (2B) and Short-term research or professional development scholarships (3B).

Québec-China scholarships (1C, 2C, 3C)

The CSC will recommend at least 10 applicants for each of the competition's three components. The CSC must therefore take Québec's linguistic specificities into account.

Québec-India scholarships (1I, 2I, 3I)

Universities can recommend one candidate per year for each of these three components.

The Réseau Trans-tech can recommend one candidate for Postdoctoral scholarships (2I) and Short-term research or professional development scholarships (3I).

TERI University will select one Doctoral and two Short-term research grant holder. 

Québec-Mexico scholarships (1M, 2M, 3M)

The SRE or the CONACYT will recommend at least 10 applicants for each of the competition's three components. The Council must therefore take Québec's linguistic specificities into account.

Québec-Wallonia scholarships (1W, 3W)

Universities can recommend one candidate per year for each of these two components.

The Réseau Trans-tech can recommend one candidate for Short-term research or professional development scholarships (3W).

Preselected candidates are assigned a Personal Identification Number (PIN) and a password. They must then complete an e-form to which will be attached the required documents on this webpage:https://www.fqr.gouv.qc.ca/pls/cv/COFR.base?pOrg=NT&pType=ET.

Only the 2016-2017 competition e-form and the other required documents will be accepted. No appended documents or documents other than those requested are forwarded to the evaluation committee.

E-forms are available only in the secure zone of the FRQNT. They must be completed and sent electronically.

The deadline for sending scholarship applications is November 1st, 2015, at midnight (coordinated universal time UTC-5 Est time zone) (a different closing date has to be confirmed for the students preselected by the CSC). Files cannot be updated after the closing date for applications. It is suggested to keep a printed copy of your form for your records

The form may be completed in French or English. Candidates who apply in English must provide a French title for their project.

IMPORTANT: Files that do not contain the information required to determine eligibility or enable evaluation by the deadline for submitting applications are not receivable by the FRQNT.

A) Documents to include in the electronic form (PDF)

The documents listed below must be attached to electronic form in the order described in two (2) PDF documents. The first includes a copy of the identification page of a valid passport or other official document. The second includes the rest of the documents. The student must ensure that the documents are not protected by a password.

Documents submitted in a language other than French or English must be accompanied by a translation of the original.

Documents required for all components of the program (V1, 1B, 1C, 1I, 1M, 1W // V2, 2B, 2C, 2I, 2M // V3, 3B, 3C, 3I, 3M, 3W)

•  A copy of the identification page of a valid passport from the candidate's country of origin or of any official document that enables the candidate's citizenship to be determined;
•  Transcripts for every year of all university studies, whether completed or not (certificates, diplomas, Bachelor's, Master's, Ph.D. etc.). You do not have to include a copy of the diplomas unless it shows academic grades. Transcripts for equivalences granted for courses taken at other institutions or for previous programs must be enclosed with the file. For transcripts from outside North America, candidates must enclose a letter explaining the grading system used by the institution concerned. The FRQNT reserves the right to verify with institutions the authenticity of any information given by applicants. Transcripts must be organized chronologically from newest to oldest;
•  Acknowledgements of receipt from the editor for all articles submitted and notices received from editors for articles accepted for publication. (Acknowledgements of receipt for articles already published are not sent to the evaluation committee);

Additional documents: Doctoral research component (V1, 1B, 1C, 1I, 1M, 1W)

•  If applicable, an attestation from the registrar's office identifying part-time or unregistered sessions;

•  An official attestation of interrupted enrolment and, where applicable, a medical certificate indicating the duration of and the reason for the interruption

Additional document: Postdoctoral scholarship component (V2, 2B, 2C, 2I, 2M)

•  A copy of the Ph.D. diploma (or attestation of the first reading of the dissertation). If these documents cannot be provided, a copy of the doctoral transcript is required;

B) Letter of reference (Online)

For all components of the program, two letters of reference from referees should be sent to the program manager. The applicant must provide the number of his application and his personal identification number (PIN) to his referees to fulfill the letter.

•  For Quebec referees, it is strongly suggested to use the letter available online in the researcher's personal electronic file. This letter is sent to the Fund through its electronic file.
•  Foreign referees can use the dynamic PDF letter available on the program page. Referees must complete the letter in PDF format, print it, sign it, scan it and send it to the Fund by mail:pbeee@frq.gouv.qc.ca.

C) Letter of acceptation (by email or online)

 For Postdoctoral and Short-term research or professional development components (V2, 2B, 2C, 2I, 2M, V3, 3B, 3C, 3I, 3W), a letter of acceptance of the supervisor should be sent to the program manager. The supervisor most uses the letter available online in his researcher's personal electronic file. This letter is sent to the Fund through his electronic file. The applicant must provide the number of his application and his personal identification number (PIN) to his supervisor to fulfill the letter.

ATTENTION: The supervisor who wrote the letter of acceptance cannot complete a letter of reference.

Procedure for submitting the required supporting documents

It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that the document attached to the electronic form (PDF) includes all the required documents for the application to be considered acceptable. No document requested in the electronic form that would be sent by email or mail will be accepted.

The candidate must ensure that his referees and his supervisor send, if applicable, the letters of reference (all components) and the letter of acceptance postdoctoral and short stay) no later than the competition deadline: 1 November 2015.

Given the impossibility to attach one or more documents within the prescribed period, the applicant must attach to their file a justification for each missing documents. The Fund reserves the right to refuse any requests for extension insufficiently justified.

Acknowledgement of receipt

Candidates will be emailed an acknowledgement of receipt in December. The candidate who has not received this notice must contact the program administrator before December 15th (a different closing date has to be confirmed by the students preselected by CSC).

Evaluation criteria

Applications are evaluated based on the following criteria and weighting:

Criteria	Doctorate	Postdoctorate	Short-term research
Excellence of university record	6 points	4 points	6 points
Aptitude for research and relevant research experience	8 points	6 points	6 points
Scientific quality and interest of the proposed research project and quality of the research environment	6 points	10 points	8 points
TOTAL	20 points	20 points	20 points

Excellence of university record

The following indicators are used:

•  Cumulative average obtained;
•  Progression of studies;
•  Duration of studies;
•  Prizes and distinctions.

Aptitude for research and relevant research experience, where applicable

The following indicators are used:

•  Reason for the application;
•  Candidate's experience and achievements;
•  Leadership skills;
•  Referee's letters of evaluation;
•  General presentation of the file.

Scientific quality and interest of the research project and the proposed research environment

The following indicators are used:

•  Quality of the supervision provided by the environment;
•  Clarity of the scientific objectives;
•  Relevance of the methodology for the objectives sought;
•  Originality of the project;
•  Contribution to the advancement of knowledge in the concerned field;
•  Compatibility of the proposed project with the supervisor's field of research (doctoral scholarships only).

Evaluation procedure

Role of FRQNT

 FRQNT manages the Merit Scholarship Programs for Foreign Students for the MEESR.

Role of multidisciplinary evaluation committees

 Admissible applications are submitted to evaluation committees composed of four members representing all research sectors (health, humanities and social sciences, arts and letters, natural sciences and engineering).

The evaluation committees compare the applications submitted according to the evaluation criteria in effect. Consequently, these committees are responsible for ranking all of the applications on merit.

Role of the Programs administrator

The FRQNT Programs administrator will prepare the annual call for applications and appoint the evaluation committee. The Programs administrator will also follow up with applicants, scholarship holders and the people who oversee student scholarships in Québec universities. The administrator will ensure that committee members respect the Programs assessment criteria and ethical rules in effect.

Role of MEESR

MEESR determines policy directions and grants the subsidy required for Programs funding. It is the depository for the annual Programs report prepared by FRQNT.

The FRQNT board members are not involved in the scientific evaluation of funding applications, and at no time may researchers, students or institutional authorities make contact with the assessment committee chairperson or members. FRQNT have the right to withdraw an application from competition if there is any attempt to lobby the committee or sway the evaluation process.

Every person recruited to sit on an assessment committee must comply with standard rules of confidentiality regarding the application packages, committee makeup, deliberations and recommendations. The assessment committee chairperson, members and outside experts are required to disclose any conflicts of interest and must sign a written statement in this regard.

Awarding of scholarships

Scholarships are offered on excellence basis.

The scholarship holders are selected by multidisciplinary committees formed by professors-researchers.

Scholarships are offered according to the available budget.

Announcement of results

Results are announced by e-mail at the end of March. Candidates can access the letter of announcement in their application e-file. Each candidate is then informed of his/her ranking and can print the letter of announcement.

Contacting members of the committees, who are subject to rules of confidentiality, is strictly prohibited.

Decisions are final and cannot be appealed. There is no review process.

The scholarship holders have to conform to all the rules described in detail in the scholarship holder's guide.

 ATTENTION: Please note that to be awarded the scholarship, FRQNT has to receive a copy of the student permit (for doctorate student) or a copy of the work permit (for postdoctoral and short term research and professional development scholarship).

At the time candidates receive the scholarship instalments, they must be dedicated full-time to the program of study, research, or professional development for which they were awarded the scholarship.

Scholarships are awarded for the duration of the eligibility period, subject to presentation of progress reports deemed satisfactory for each full year of funding in the case of doctoral research (V1, 1B, 1C, 1I, 1M, 1W) scholarships, and at the midpoint of the funding period in the case of postdoctoral scholarship (V2, 2B, 2C, 2I, 2M).

Period for using scholarships

The scholarship period must begin between May 1st, 2016, and January 15th, 2017.

Scholarships cannot be carried over from one year. It is therefore not possible to delay the scholarship starting date after January 15th, 2017.

Doctoral research (V1, 1B, 1C, 1I, 1M, 1W) scholarships are not retroactive and sessions completed before summer 2016 cannot be financed.

Place where scholarship is used

Scholarship recipients must attend the Quebec university or the CCTT at which they were preselected and study or conduct research in Québec.

Double doctoral degree programs are not admissible.

Rules regarding concurrent scholarships

Holding several scholarships concurrently is not permitted in the case of:

Scholarships granted by government departments or by Canadian or Québec government grant agencies.

Holding several scholarships concurrently is permitted in the case of:

Scholarships from the private sector, the government of the scholarship recipient's country of origin, and university scholarships.

Remuneration

Regardless of the exceptions relative to the paid work described in the scholarship holder's guide, scholarship holders may accept a job that does not represent more than 150 hours per session, provided their supervisor is in agreement. These activities can not hinder their research program.

The salary that students receive from their supervisor for working solely on their research project is considered a scholarship for which concurrency is permitted.

Under the Act respecting the ministère de l'Enseignement supérieur, de la Recherche, de la Science et de la Technologie (CQLR, c. M-15,1,0,1), any applicant who gives false or misleading information to obtain or procure financial support is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine. If found guilty, the individual is barred from receiving financial support for a period of up to five years.

Where a legal person commits an offence, every director or representative of that legal person who was aware of the offence is deemed to be a party to the offence and is liable to a fine, unless he proves to the satisfaction of the court that he did not acquiesce to the commission of the offence. In addition, such a statement constitutes a breach of responsible conduct in research (Politique du Fonds en matière d'éthique).

The FRQNT reserves the right to impose any sanction or supplementary measure deemed useful, and initiate legal proceedings to obtain reimbursement of fraudulently obtained amounts and a compensation for suffered damages.

All research projects involving human subjects; biological materials; administrative,   scientific      or descriptive data from human subjects; animals or animal parts, products or tissues require the approval of the research ethics board of the principal applicant's institution (Common Rules and Regulations, section 5.3). Furthermore, if applicable, scholarship holders must indicate on their application form any environmental impacts of their research project and employ reasonable efforts to minimize them. To that purpose, they must obtain any necessary permits and authorizations before starting the project.

FRQNT is not liable for any direct or indirect injury arising from processing of scholarships, bursaries or other applications, and, without limiting the generality of the above, is not liable for any direct or indirect injury arising from unauthorized disclosure by FRQNT of the information contained in candidates' files. Despite all the precautions taken by FRQNT to protect information that must be kept confidential, certain countries to which information is transmitted may not have security procedures such as asymmetric cryptography or encryption.

Act respecting access to documents held by public bodies and the protection of personal information

FRQNT is subject to the Act respecting access to documents held by public bodies and the protection of personal information (R.S.Q., c. A-2.1). The data required are collected, used and preserved in accordance with the requirements of this law.

Applicants can obtain further information on access procedures, the protection of personal information and the recourse rights provided for in the Act by sending a duly signed letter to or appearing in person before the person responsible at FRQNT for the Act respecting access to documents held by public bodies and the protection of personal information.

Responsible for access to documents and protection of personal information:

Mylène Deschênes, B.C.L., LL.B., LL.M.
Advisor, Ethics and Legal Affairs
responsableacces.nt@frq.gouv.qc.ca

MEESR reserves the right to change the value of scholarships and the Programs rules described in this document without notice.

The granting of scholarships and the respect for the financial commitments by FRQNT is conditional to the payment of the subsidy necessary to finance the programs.