Frequently Asked Questions – Funding and scholarship competitions

I received a QBIN scholarship last year. Can I apply again?

No, the scholarships are non-renewable and can only be requested once per program. However, if you received a QBIN PhD scholarship in the past and are now enrolled as a postdoc, you may apply for the postdoc scholarship competition. Likewise if you received a master’s scholarship in the past and are now enrolled in a PhD program, you may apply for the PhD scholarship competition.


Can I submit my application in English?

Yes, you may submit your application in either English or French.


What information should be included in the supervisor’s letter of support for a scholarship application?

The supervisor’s letter of support should include the name of the applicant, which competition they are applying to (MSc, PhD or postdoc), and information about why the supervisor supports the application. The letter must be dated and signed by the supervisor.


My transcripts are from a foreign university with a different grading scale than the one used in Quebec. Should I provide a grade/GPA conversion scale with my transcripts?

Yes, the evaluators should be able to compare your transcripts to those of other applicants, so it would be helpful to provide a conversion scale.


Are foreign students eligible for the scholarship competitions?

Yes, foreign students who are enrolled in a Quebec university and who meet the other eligibility criteria can apply.


I am a foreign student currently completing an internship or research stay in Quebec under the supervision of a QBIN regular member. Am I eligible to apply for the scholarship competitions?

To be eligible for the scholarship competitions, you must be enrolled full-time at a Quebec university (i.e. your final degree must be granted by a Quebec university). If you are enrolled at a foreign university, you are not eligible to apply.


Do summer semesters count towards the maximum of one year of enrollment to be eligible for the scholarship competitions?

Yes, summer semesters are counted since research activities go on as usual during the summer. To be eligible, you must have been enrolled for three terms/semesters or less, or no longer than one year.


I am enrolled as a doctoral student in a rotation program. Do the rotation semesters count towards the maximum of one year of enrolment to be eligible for the scholarship competitions?

Yes, rotation semesters are counted. To be eligible, you must have been enrolled for three terms/semesters or less, or no longer than one year.


I am about to complete my master’s program and start a PhD position, but I am not yet enrolled as a PhD student. Am I eligible to apply for the PhD scholarship competition?

Yes, if you have been accepted in a PhD program, you may apply for the PhD scholarship competition. Please provide proof of your confirmed PhD position in your application.


I am about to complete my PhD and start a postdoc position, but I am not yet enrolled as a postdoc. Am I eligible to apply for the postdoc scholarship competition?

Yes, if your postdoc position is confirmed, you may apply for the postdoc scholarship competition. Please provide proof of your confirmed postdoc position in your application.


I had recently read that to be eligible for the postdoc scholarship competition, the applicant must be ineligible for the regular competitions of national and international funding agencies. Is this still an eligibility criteria for the postdoc scholarship competition?

No, we recently broadened the eligibility criteria for the QBIN postdoc scholarship competition. It is now intended as a support scholarship to help make applicants more likely to obtain larger grants/fellowships from national and international funding agencies in the future. Any postdoc who does not hold a nominal fellowship and meets the other eligibility criteria may apply for the QBIN postdoc scholarship competition. The QBIN scholarship cannot be combined with a nominal scholarship from a funding agency (CIHR, FRQ-S, etc.).


I am a foreign researcher about to start a full-time postdoc position at a Quebec university under the supervision of a QBIN regular member, but I have not yet arrived in Canada. Am I eligible to apply for the postdoc scholarship competition?

Yes, if your postdoc position is confirmed, you may apply for the postdoc scholarship competition. Please provide proof of your confirmed postdoc position in your application.


Are postdocs eligible to apply for the Pilot Projects funding program as a PI (principal investigator) or co-PI?

No, only QBIN regular or emerging members are eligible to apply for the pilot projects funding program as a PI or co-PI.