CGRS M - Indigenous Scholars Awards and Supplements
Supporting Indigenous students who demonstrate a high standard of achievement in undergraduate and early graduate studies.
CGRS M Update
The scholarship and fellowship programs administered by the three federal research funding agencies – the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) – have been streamlined into a new harmonized talent program called the Canada Research Training Awards Suite (CRTAS) that will open for applications in summer 2025.
The changes of note to the Master's funding program at this time:
- Master's funding program has been renamed the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Master’s (CGRS M)
- Increase of 300 additional awards at the master’s level nation-wide
- The master’s-level Indigenous Scholars Awards and Supplements program currently offered by NSERC and SSHRC will be extended to CIHR for the 2025/2026 competition cycle.
The Graduate Award Office will continue to share updates as more information becomes available.
For information, please refer to the Press Release from the Government of Canada.
The Indigenous Scholars Awards and Supplements Pilot Initiative provides financial support to meritorious Indigenous students who have applied to the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship - Master’s program (CGRS M).
At a glance
Preparing your application
You are encouraged to apply for awards when you have submitted your admissions application and received 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.
Please ensure that you have completed the following two steps before submitting your application:
Read the terms of reference
Awards are based on merit. It is important to read and understand the award terms of reference listed on this page and/or on the agency, or donor website.
Know your eligibility
Read our guide to discover the polices and regulations that determines a student's award eligibility at the University of Calgary.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the Canada Graduate Research Scholarships - Master’s Program (CGRS M) students must have achieved a first-class average, as determined by the university issuing the transcripts, in the last two completed years of study (full-time equivalent). At the University of Calgary, a student must have achieved a grade point average of 3.5 or higher in the last 2 years of study. Each institution has their own definition of first-class average. The University of Calgary does not convert scales.
Committee
The CGRS M committee members will be drawn from the Graduate Scholarship Committee. The committee will be interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary in nature.
CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC do not share self-identification information with institutional selection committees.
Selection process
Each CGRS M application will be reviewed by three committee members at the institutional level and assessed according to the Selection Criteria. Committee members will be assigned to applications based on field of research (health, natural sciences and engineering and social sciences and humanities).
CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC staff will review the self-identification documentation to ensure that applicants have provided the requested information.
While the CGRS M merit review process is used to determine funding recipients under the Indigenous Scholars Awards and Supplements Pilot Initiative, should there be more applications than funds available, a selection committee will be formed by CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC to rank the CGRS M applications eligible for the award and supplement using the CGRS M selection criteria.
Conflict of Interest
Committee members will declare a conflict of interest if their relationship with the student is other than an academic one; if they supervise or have provided a letter of reference for the applicant; or if they have a direct or indirect financial interest in the application being reviewed.
Note: An administrator in the student’s program or on the student’s supervisory committee (excluding the supervisor) is not considered a conflict unless they have provided a letter of reference for the applicant.
Application
Research Portal opens September 1. Applications are submitted electronically through the Research Portal.
The Tri-agency portal list of programs available at the University of Calgary includes research units and administrative offices as well as graduate programs. To ensure correct processing of your application, choose a graduate program available at the University of Calgary. If you need assistance, please contact us at gsaward@ucalgary.ca
Applicants select “Indigenous Scholars Award and Supplement Pilot Initiative” in the drop-down menu in the “Supplements/Joint Initiatives” section of the application form, under the “social sciences and/or humanities” or “natural sciences and engineering” field of research.
Applicants must also submit a personal statement. In their personal statement, applicants must describe how their proposed research project, career and/or education goals have been informed by their experience as a First Nations, Inuit and/or Métis person. If appropriate, applicants can discuss their existing connection, or efforts to develop or re-establish a link, with their Indigenous community.
Transcripts
You are required to include transcripts from all post-secondary institutions that you have attended, including the University of Calgary, even if no grades were assigned or you did not complete the degree.
You must request official copies form each institution you have attended and upload them according to the application instructions.
Transcript Criteria
All Official transcripts must be uploaded to the application (printed by issuing institution in either electronic or hard copy format). If printed as a hard copy, you must attach a high-quality scan of the document. Watermark security features are expected and allowed.
- If transfer credits are issued, they must either
- Have their own transcript uploaded to the application
or - Be clearly indicated on the degree granting transcript.
- Have their own transcript uploaded to the application
- Copies of transcripts provided by the UCalgary program in which you are registered or the UCalgary Record of Grades (as provided by the program or Grad Award Office) are accepted.
- Screenshots, Printouts from the Student Centre, and/or missing transcripts are not accepted and the application is automatically Ineligible.
Student responsibility
It is your responsibility to ensure the transcripts uploaded are correct, complete, legible once uploaded and in the correct format.
Review the final version of your online application before it is submitted.
Attend a workshop
Set yourself up for success and attend one of our workshops.
UCalgary workshops are hosted by the the Graduate Leaders Circle (GLC). The Graduate Leaders Circle is comprised of Vanier, Killam, and Doctoral tri-agency recipients, the most prestigious awards available to graduate students in Canada. Members serve as mentors to help other graduate students improve their chances for various awards.
One-on-one mentoring
The Graduate Leaders Circle (GLC) is hosting scholarship cafes, dedicated one-on-one mentoring sessions for students applying for Tri-agency master's scholarships. Scheduled sessions are available.
If you have eligibility questions or you experience difficulties with the portal, please contact the Faculty of Graduate Studies office (gsaward@ucalgary.ca) or contact the research portal directly.