The new Alberta Graduate Excellence Scholarship recognizes outstanding academic achievement of students pursuing graduate studies in Alberta. It was established to incent the best and the brightest students, including international students, to study in Alberta.
Table of Content
Summary
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Benefits
The value of the scholarship at University of Alberta is $12,000 and paid out to recipient as one-time payment. A student may only receive one Alberta Graduate Excellence Scholarship per year; these scholarships are NOT renewable.
Requirements
To be eligible, students must meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Must have aboriginal ancestry and be Status Indian/First Nations, Non-Status Indian/First Nations, Métis, or Inuit
- Be a Canadian citizen
- Open to course-based or thesis-based study programs
- Open to masters or doctoral students. Students registered in a graduate certificate that can ladder into a Master's degree program are also eligible
- Students must be living in Alberta while enrolled (taking classes remotely/online or in-person) at the institution
- Current students must be registered full-time in Fall 2024 and/or Winter 2025 terms. Newly admitted January 2025 students must be registered full-time in Winter 2025. Note: Students who are registered with Student Accessibility Services or have a documented need for accommodation, can apply if they are enrolled in at least 40% of a full course load
- Must demonstrate academic excellence, as evidenced by one or more of the following:
- Current students must have earned a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.3 or greater over the most recent 15 units of course weight in the current program. Where there are less than 15 graded credits in the current program, the admission GPA (AGPA) is a weighted factor. For students newly admitted in Fall 2024 or Winter 2025 terms in which graded coursework is not yet available in the current program, the Admission GPA (AGPA) will be used.
- Research and/or academic contributions that may include published manuscripts, presentations, posters, exhibitions, community engagement, or performances
- Previous record of scholarly achievement through awards, scholarships, prizes, among others
- Must be registered in years 1-4 of the master's program or years 1-6 of the doctoral program during the tenure of the scholarship. If students transferred from a Master’s program to a Doctoral program, the number of months completed during the Master’s program will count towards the Doctoral Program.
- Qualifying students and students on academic probation are not eligible.
Interview Dates and Process
Deadline for students to submit an application through GSMS Awards Portal is Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at 4 PM.
Application Deadline
October 16, 2024How To Apply
Are you qualified and interested in this opportunity? Kindly go to
University of Alberta on graduate-studies-apply.ualberta.ca to apply
Students must apply directly to GPS by completing the online application in the GSMS Awards Portal; nomination by their home department is not required. Students may be nominated by their department for the AGES. Students who are successful in both AGES and AGES-Indigenous will be granted the AGES-Indigenous only.
Search for "Alberta Graduate Excellence Scholarship Indigenous" in GSMS to access the online application and for detailed instructions. It is students' responsibility to ensure their application is complete before submitting in GSMS. Students must click "submit" for GPS to access their application. Successfully submitted applications will indicate the status of "GPS Review".
For additional instructions, steps, and details of the application requirements, refer to the AGES Indigenous Help Sheet. A complete application includes:
- Up to date unofficial UofA Transcript (printed in Fall 2024)
- CV (maximum 5 pages in length)
- Research Proposal (thesis-based students), or Explanation of Courses and End Goals or Final Project-Capstone Project (course-based students) - maximum 1 page in length (and one additional page for references only, if applicable).
- Completed AGES Student Declaration form
- Academic Letter of reference (online request form is sent through the GSMS portal - refer to the Help Sheet)
- Proof of Indigenous ancestry is required. A photocopy (front and back) of one of the following documents must be uploaded to the online application in the GSMS Awards Portal for accepted proof of ancestry. Students are to write their status (Status Indian/First Nations, Non-Status Indian/First Nations, Métis, or Inuit) at the top of the document:
- certificate of Indian Status, a status card or a band membership card
- letter from their band verifying the student's status
- membership card issued by a Métis organization that the student is registered with (Metis organization must be a legal entity)
- a certified copy of a Nunavut Trust Certificate card or Inuit beneficiary card
- letter of support from Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada or Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated
- a letter of support from an First Nation, Metis or Inuit organization (must be a legal entity) confirming the student's aboriginal ancestry
- proof that an ancestor's name has been entered;
- in the Indian Register according to the Indian Act; OR
- as beneficiary of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement
Note: Students unsure about their residency or proof of Indigenous ancestry documents are to contact GPS Award Services.
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