GPE Awards

Graduate Awards and Scholarships

About applying for awards

To all students:

  • You must apply for graduate awards; you are not automatically considered
  • Award application requirements may vary for every award. It is the applicants responsibly to fully read and submit the completed application in order to have your application reviewed

To prospective students:

  • You may apply for awards after you have submitted an application for admission and receive a University of Calgary student number (UCID)
  • You do not need to be accepted into your program before you apply for awards. 

To international students:

  • Some awards are restricted by citizenship; however, there are many awards for which international students are eligible. 

University of Calgary, Faculty of Graduate Studies - Scholarships and Awards

Graduate Award Compettion

The Graduate Award Competition (GAC) encompasses a broad range of awards funded by donors and the University of Calgary.

Competition Opens: November 1

Werklund deadline*: December 15
*Please note:

  • The internal application deadline differs from the FGS deadline
  • Students in course-based and professional degree programs are NOT eligible

Awards you can apply to through the GAC application:

Indigenous Awards

Indigenous external awards

The following awards are administered through the University of Calgary via Indigenous Graduate Award Competition (IGA) *new for 2023 award year the ii’taa’poh’to’p and Metis moved to IGA

Competition Open and Deadline Dates: As the launch and deadline vary from year to year, please check the to the Indigenous Graduate Award Competition (IGA) page which FGS update as details become available.  Please note: FGS also advertises this information in both GRADvisor and GRADpost three times in each once this award launches.

Entrance Competition Awards

The Faculty of Graduate Studies offers awards to new students through the annual Entrance Competition. Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) applicants to Graduate Programs in Education are encouraged to apply for Entrance Awards.

Competition Opens: November 1

Werklund deadline*: December 15
*please note, the internal application deadline differs from the FGS deadline

Students are Eligible to submit an application: if you have not started your PhD program prior to the November 1 launch of the Graduate Award Competition. 

How to Apply: An application for this competition is submitted using the online scholarship application and selecting the Graduate Award Competition Application. Please refer to the Terms of reference section of the Faculty of Graduate Studies Entrance Awards page for further details on how to apply.

Please Note:  The GAC application can only be submitted once you submit your admissions application and receive your University of Calgary student number (UCID). You are not required to meet the eligibility requirements in the terms of reference of an award when you apply, but if successful, you must meet the eligibility requirements at the time the award is paid.

University of Calgary, Werklund School of Education – Program Specific Awards

Program Recommended Awards

Werklund School Program Recommended Awards are available specifically to Werklund School graduate students.

Competition Opens: September 1

Application Deadline: February 1

Students are Eligible to submit an application: if you are a current and entering students.  Please see the eligibility criteria for each award.

How to Apply: An application for this competition is submitted using Elevate. 

Current Werklund Graduate Programs in Education students, can log into Elevate by selecting Students and following the steps found in the How to Apply student job aid.

Applicants who submitted an application to a Werklund Graduate Programs in Education program (i.e., incoming students) and have been issued a UCID, need to log into Elevate by selecting Students one time to activate the account and following the steps found in the How to Apply student job aid.  

Special Note:

Curriculum Vitae (CV):  This template is provided as a suggested format for CVs required for program-recommended award applications.  You do not have to use this template if you already have one you prefer to use.  Please remove the red instructions as you fill out the template. 

Transcripts: If you’ve completed University of Calgary graduate course work, you are required to submit a copy of your University of Calgary unofficial transcript.  The Graduate Programs in Education Office will not provide copies of unofficial transcripts to students. The unofficial transcript must provide grades up to Fall 2023. Final grades for Fall 2023 will appear on transcript by January 2024.  Unofficial transcripts can be viewed and downloaded at any time through your Student Centre. Learn how to view your unofficial transcript.

Adjudicated by: The Werklund School Graduate Programs in Education Scholarship and Awards Committee. If nominated for an award the Faculty of Graduate Studies will email with formal notification. If not nominated, the Graduate Programs in Education will email with this notification.

Receive award status notification: Beginning of July

For a complete list of program-recommended awards, refer to the Graduate Studies Awards Database and search “program-recommended” for your specialization (Educational Research or Educational Psychology)

List of awards

Werklund Doctoral Scholarship

The Werklund Doctoral Scholarship enables an exceptional new scholar working in the Werklund School of Education to consolidate his/her research training, to develop and initiate original research in creating Bold Solutions for a Complex Connected World and to participate in Werklund School of Education strategic academic initiatives and activities.

Competition Opens: September 1

Application Deadline: May 18

Students are Eligible to submit an application: By the application deadline the student must have completed at least 1 term in program

Receive award status notification: Beginning of July

Award details

Achievement Awards

Recognizing outstanding graduate student work and leadership.

J.B. Hyne Research Innovation Award

Purpose:  The Faculty of Graduate Studies created this award to recognize graduate students in any discipline who excel in research. It is named to honour Dr. James B. Hyne, the first Dean of Graduate Studies (1966-1989).   

Qualifications: Open to students registered full-time in a thesis-based graduate program

Value: A commemorative plaque and $500 cash prize

Application Package: You must provide the following as one PDF document:

  • An up-to-date curriculum vitae that clearly indicates your contribution to publications and collaborative research activities
  • A one-page summary of your thesis that explains the research objectives and the significance, impact, and the originality of the results. This summary must be written, dated and signed by you.

Applications are to be emailed to gpe@ucalgary.ca with the subject line "2023 J.B. Hyne Research Innovation Award".

Werklund internal application deadline which differs from the FGS deadline: May 15

Faculty of Graduate Studies Achievement Awards

Michael Lazar Community Service Award

Purpose:  This award is presented to a graduate student from any discipline who, through a sense of personal commitment, has served the university community well beyond meeting academic requirements. Michael Lazar was someone who cared for the university and the community in which he lived. He served as Graduate Students’ Association president in 1992/93, was a member of the Alumni Association Board, a fundraising volunteer in the Faculty of Graduate Studies, a member of University search committees, and was appointed adjunct professor in the Faculty of Engineering. Michael’s longstanding commitment to the university was recognized in 1995 with the Order of the University of Calgary.

Qualifications: Open to students registered full-time in a thesis-based graduate program

Value: A commemorative plaque and $500 cash prize

Application: You must provide the following as a PDF document:

  • An up-to-date curriculum vitae that clearly indicates your leadership and involvement in the university community

Applications are to be emailed to gpe@ucalgary.ca with the subject line "2023 Michael Lazar Community Service Award".

Werklund internal application deadline which differs from the FGS deadline: May 15

Faculty of Graduate Studies Achievement Awards

Medals and Prizes

Recognizing graduates whose dissertations make an original and significant contribution to their academic field.

Application Information

Students who submitted a thesis or doctoral dissertation to the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) within the eligible time frame are included on the FGS Medals List.  The Graduate Programs in Education (GPE) office selects nominees from this list based on the awards terms of reference.  If nominated, students will be contacted by the GPE Office. 

Internal medals and prizes

Click to see the terms of reference for each:

External medals and prizes

External medals and prizes that are administered through the university.

University of Calgary

External Grants

Federal awards are funded by the Government of Canada and administered either through the University of Calgary or the Government of Canada. They are often considered the most prestigious awards for graduate students, requiring a very high standard of scholastic achievement and exemplary leadership. Of the tri-agency awards (SSHRC, CIHR, NSERC), most Werklund students are eligible for SSHRC.

The following federal awards are administered through the University of Calgary:

  • Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). Please note the internal SSHRC application deadline is traditionally in October. The specific deadline date is communicated by various means to students.
    https://grad.ucalgary.ca/awards/award-opportunities/sshrc
  • Killam Trust at the University of Calgary, Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR).
  • EdD students may be eligible for Tri-council awards.  Before submitting an application, it is highly recommended that the review the eligibility criteria on the Tri-council site and contact FGS at Faculty of Graduate Studies Award email, gsaward@ucalgary.ca to confirm eligibility.
  • Alberta Graduate Excellent Scholarship (AGES) – Research: All eligible Canadian/Permanent Residence students who apply for a tri-agency scholarship (including EdD students) will automatically be considered for this award.  For more information about AGES, see https://grad.ucalgary.ca/awards/award-opportunities/ages

Other Awards

University of Calgary Internal Grants - Office of Research

Research Services assists researchers in obtaining internal and external operating research grants, prizes and awards. They advise on and facilitate the nomination of University researchers for provincial, national and international awards.
Details

Graduate Student Association (GSA) Scholarships and Awards

Scholarships and awards administered by the Graduate Student’s Associate.
Details

Conference Travel Awards

Awards available for eligible students to offset costs incurred for conference presenting:

  • Werklund School of Education Graduate Student Conference Travel Awards - Currently available for 2023-2024 academic year
  • Graduate Students Association Professional Development Grant
  • Faculty of Graduate Studies Profiling Alberta Graduate Students (Travel Award) Canadian and Permanent Resident - cancelled until further notice

Here is the link to the Travel Award Criteria.