Master’s Training Scholarships - FRQS

The master’s scholarship is valued at $17,500/year.

The maximum amount is six (6) payments totalling $35,000.

The supplement available to students who pursue their training outside Québec is meant to help awardees undertake or pursue a graduate program outside the province.

The supplement is only available to awardees who specify a training location outside Québec in their application. Each Fonds may attribute the supplement to the ten applications that ranked first among all the applications evaluated by the review committees. All applications that specify a training location outside Québec will be automatically considered. Co-supervised programs are not eligible.

The maximum value of the supplement is $1,500/year.

Master’s training scholarship

The master’s training scholarship program is open to applicants who want to undertake or pursue a master’s research program in one of the areas covered by the Fonds.

As part of the master’s research program, the awardee must be required to write a research thesis (essays, research reports, dissertations and articles not eligible). Professional master’s programs are not eligible.

Scholarships for re-entering the Research Community at the master’s level

The scholarship program to re-enter the research community at the master’s level is open to applicants who want to re-enter the research community by pursuing their studies or the equivalent in one of the areas covered by the Fonds.

The program is aimed at applicants who:

• have not been registered in a graduate program for at least five (5) years (applicants may be registered for their first semester at the time of filing);
• have not earned university credits for at least five (5) years at the competition deadline; and
• have held an undergraduate degree for at least five (5) years at the competition deadline.

• Applicants must have been enrolled in a master’s program for up to three (3) full-time semesters (1 year) or less before May 1, 2023. Semesters completed in a professional master’s degree program and those completed in a master’s research program in another area leading to graduation are excluded from the calculation.
• Applicants who obtained a first master’s degree in research and who seek to undertake a second in another area may apply to the Fonds if their initial master’s degree was not funded by a Fonds de recherche du Québec scholarship program. The Fonds reserve the right to deny an application when they deem there are too many similarities between the two master’s programs.
• Applicants who are not enrolled in a master’s program and considering graduate studies are eligible for the program on the condition they start their program between May 1, 2023, and January 15, 2024.
• Applicants who apply to the FRQS are eligible to receive scholarship payments for a period of six (6) semesters or until the end of the program for which the scholarship is sought, whichever comes first.
• To be eligible for a training scholarship, students admitted to a doctoral program directly from a bachelor’s program and students who are fast-tracked to a doctoral program without submitting a dissertation must apply to a master’s training scholarship competition, if eligible.
• The Fonds will consider unregistered semesters and those completed on a part-time basis when calculating the eligibility period. Applicants can verify their eligibility by consulting the Equivalent table for part-time terms.
• The Fonds will also consider the number of semesters during which applicants received financial support from a recognized funding agency of the Canadian or Québec government (e.g., NSERC, CIHR, SSHRC, Fonds de recherche du Québec) to ensure the total funding granted does not exceed six (6) semesters.
• Applicants may not submit concurrent applications to the program re-enter the research community at the master’s level and a master’s or PhD training scholarship program.
• Applicants who apply for a scholarship for their preparatory studies are not eligible.
• Applicants may submit concurrent applications to a master’s and a doctoral scholarship program if, during the scholarship deferral period (Section 9), the eligibility period for the master’s scholarship ends as the eligibility period for the doctoral scholarship begins.

IMPORTANT NOTE

Health professionals who hold a valid license to practice in Québec are encouraged to apply for one of these scholarship programs:

• Master’s training scholarship for applicants with a professional degree
• Professional postgraduate training in research (fellowship)

The Fonds reserve the right to refuse any exception request that is not adequately justified.

The rules pertaining to the eligibility period for training scholarships allow for exceptions in circumstances that are beyond an applicant’s control, such as serious illness, major family obligations or disability.

• Major family obligation or serious illness: an applicant who has suspended or delayed their studies owing to a parental leave, serious illness or a major family obligation may seek to extend the eligibility period for up to twelve (12) months. The Fonds will determine the duration of the extension based on the supporting documents provided by the applicant.
• Disability: as defined in the Act to secure handicapped persons in the exercise of their rights with a view to achieving social, school and workplace integration (E-20.1) and reserved for persons who meet the definition of “handicapped person” in the Act, the rules pertaining to the eligibility period do not apply. The maximum duration of the funding is six (6) semesters at the master’s level. Supporting documents must be submitted with the application.

Applicants should refer to Section 2.1 of the CGR for further details.

To be eligible for a master’s scholarship, the applicant must:

• have a health insurance card issued by the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) that is valid at the competition deadline or provide proof of application for a RAMQ card whose validity covers the competition deadline. The RAMQ card is issued by the government of Québec so citizens can benefit from the services covered by the province’s health insurance program;

OR

• be enrolled in a Québec university for at least two (2) full-time semesters (or the equivalent) in the three (3) semesters prior to the competition deadline. The fall semester of the competition cannot be used to calculate the number of semesters.

Applicant may carry out training outside Québec on the condition they:

• have a valid health insurance card issued by the RAMQ or proof of RAMQ eligibility;

AND

• is a Canadian citizen.

Applicants who do not meet these requirements must carry out their training in Québec and submit a project that does not involve any field work outside the province. Continued physical presence in Québec is required throughout the entire term of the scholarship, excluding the break periods specified in the academic calendar. The rule also applies to applicants who are pursuing a co-supervised program. In their case, studying abroad in the country of a co-supervisor is prohibited.

Applicants who are not eligible to follow training outside Québec at the time of filing their application to the competition will not be eligible to study abroad during the scholarship period, even if their citizenship and domicile conditions change.

Students applying for a master’s scholarship must have:

• an overall average (not rounded up) in their undergraduate university program equal to or greater than B+);

OR

• the equivalent for their undergraduate study program.

Students with a lower overall average are not eligible.For more information on equivalencies see the Table of Equivalencies for Minimum Cumulative GPA Requirements.

In the case of a career change, grades from unrelated degrees shall not be considered. However, the degrees used as a basis for admission are considered relevant when calculating of the overall average and must be included in the application.

• Individuals enrolled in some psychology programs (see the Eligibility of psychology programs to FRQS training grants) are not eligible.

Applicants are responsible for selecting their review committee. No changes may be made after the competition deadline. The choice must be made on the basis of the research topic, field and training program.

Transcripts

• Transcripts that are missing, incomplete, unofficial, uncertified or not up-to-date shall render the application ineligible. 
• Copies of all transcripts are required for all the applicant’s academic studies, whether completed or not, including transcripts from exchange programs and courses (equivalencies), if applicable.
• The transcript for an applicant’s current program of study must include the last semester completed prior to the competition deadline, including the summer semester, if applicable.
• The elements that make a transcript official may differ from one academic institution to the next. Nevertheless, in order to be considered official by the Fonds, each transcript must:
  • be issued by the relevant academic institution;
  • include the elements that prove it is an official transcript from the academic institution, including the university seal and/or signature of the registrar and/or wording such as official transcript, etc.
  • A WATERMARK does not render a transcript unofficial as long as the requirements specified above are met.
  • A transcript submitted in a sealed envelope from a registrar’s office may be opened and scanned.

If there is any doubt as to the authenticity of a transcript, the Fonds reserve the right to confirm the information with the applicant and with the academic institution.

Other documents to be attached with the transcripts (if applicable)

• For transcripts obtained outside North America, a document explaining the current grading system. The attachment must clearly explain the grading system so that the transcripts may be easily understood;
• Explanatory letter from the institution (registrar’s office or equivalent administrative body) when no transcript is issued. The attachment must detail the reason(s) for the missing transcripts. The Fonds reserve the right to verify the admissibility of the reasons given;
• Explanatory letter from the applicant and signed by the department chair of the host institution when no transcript is issued and the applicant is unable to obtain a letter from the university.

RAMQ health insurance card (if applicable)

Case 1: Applicants who have not been registered for at least two (2) full-time semesters in a Québec university in the three (3) semesters preceding the competition deadline

Case 2: Applicants who are Canadian citizens and wish to use or eventually use a training scholarship to study outside Québec

Case 3: Applicants who do not have a RAMQ health insurance AND who were registered for at least two (2) full-time semesters in a Québec university in the three (3) semesters preceding the competition deadline must provide:

Applicants in cases 1 and 2 must provide:

• a photocopy of their RAMQ health insurance card valid at the competition deadline;

OR

• an official document from the Régie de l’assurance maladie that establishes their status as a resident of Québec within the meaning of the Health Insurance Act;

OR

• if an official document is not available, proof that a health insurance card has been requested from the RAMQ and that the card will be valid at the competition deadline.

Applicants in case 3 must provide:

• an attestation from the registrar’s office indicating the full-time semesters completed (if they do not appear on the transcript).

Acknowledgement of receipt from publishers

• Acknowledgements for all papers submitted to publishers and publisher notifications for papers accepted for publication (acknowledgements for previously published papers are not shared with the committee).

Additional documents

Applicants who completed one or more part-time semesters since the date at which they first registered for a graduate program and applicants whose transcripts do not include all registered semesters:

• Attestation from the registrar’s office indicating all semesters.

Applicants seeking to avail themselves of an exception:

• Official document attesting to the duration of the parental leave or sick leave, such as a medical certificate or a copy of the child’s birth certificate.
• In the case of a major family obligation or a person with a disability, documents attesting to the situation.

No appendices or documents other than those required will be shared with the review committee. Applications cannot be updated after the competition deadline.

• Supervisor (and co-supervisor, if applicable) e-form (PDF format for information purposes, in French)

The payments may start in any of the three (3) semesters following the awardee’s acceptance.

The start date of the scholarship refers to the semester in which the first payment may be claimed (see Section 8.10.2 in the CGR for further details).

• For awardees whose training program has not started when the scholarship letter is issued, the first payment may be made as of:
  • May 30 after the scholarship is granted (summer semester)
  • September 30 after the scholarship is granted (fall semester)
  • January 30 after the scholarship is granted (winter semester)
• For awardees whose training program is in progress when the letter of scholarship is issued, the first payment will be made as of:
  • May 30 following the scholarship (summer semester)

• The Fonds will cancel a scholarship upon notice if it is not claimed or deferred or if required documents are not received in the two months following the start of the semester.
• The Fonds will cancel a scholarship upon notice if the awardee has not taken any action in their FRQnet ePortfolio for two consecutive semesters.
• The Fonds will cancel a scholarship upon notice if two consecutive payments must be cancelled due to non-compliance with the basic requirements or if required documents have not been submitted in the two months following the start of the semester.
• In addition, the FRQ reserves the right to cancel any payment or scholarship in accordance with the Policy for the responsible conduct of research.
• A scholarship offer that is declined by the applicant cannot be reactivated.

A final report in the format required by the FRQ must be submitted at the end of the semester in which the last scholarship payment is made.

Basic research ethics training is mandatory for all FRQS awardees whose research project or program involves humans.

Research involving humans consists of:

• the participation of humans;
• the use of human biological material (parts, products, tissue, cells, human genetic material from a living or deceased person)

• assisted human reproduction activities and/or the use of resulting embryos within the meaning of the Act respecting clinical and research activities relating to assisted procreation (CQLR c A-5.01);
• the use of administrative, scientific or descriptive data from humans.

Developed by the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS), the training program includes levels 1 and 3 of the research ethics courseware. Awardees must complete the training program in the year following the receipt of their scholarship offer from the FRQS (see Required documents section).

This exception is only available to an awardee who is the caregiver for a close family member, who is the primary caregiver for a young child (5 years and under) or who has a medical condition that prevents them from following a full-time program (in the case of a disability, see Section 8.3.2). During part-time semesters, the awardee may receive 50% of the value of the scholarship payments.

Awardees who want to avail themselves of this exception must complete their FRQnet ePortfolio and attach the following documents:

• Proof of part-time studies from the university
• Copy of the medical certificate (caregiver, medical condition) or the birth or adoption certificate of a child (parent)

It is possible to receive concurrent parental insurance plan benefits, as applicable.

The Fonds reserve the right to refuse any exception request that is not adequately justified.

A person with a disability who is unable to pursue their training program on a full-time basis may choose to enrol on a part-time basis and benefit from full scholarship payments when the university allows for part-time status and upon presentation of a medical certificate or an official document attesting to the situation. This exception is in accordance with the Act to secure handicapped persons in the exercise of their rights with a view to achieving social, school and workplace integration (E-20.1) and reserved for persons who meet the definition of “handicapped person” in the Act.

Awardees must complete their FRQnet ePortfolio and attach these documents:

• Proof of part-time study from the university
• Medical certificate attesting to the condition

The Fonds reserve the right to refuse any exception request that is not adequately justified.

During the authorised suspension of the research project due to the birth or adoption of a child, a scholarship holder may apply for an eight-month continuous parental leave supplement. This supplement may be requested only by those who have already received their first instalment as a grant holder.

To be eligible for this supplement, the scholarship holder must not be enrolled in a training programme or be in paid employment for the duration of the leave. In the case of partial cumulation, the scholarship supplement cannot be granted when a parental leave allowance is received from a federal agency. In this case, the scholarship holder must take the paid leave offered by the federal agency. If your university permits, parental leave may be extended for an additional four months at no additional cost.

An awardee may hold concurrent scholarships from federal and provincial granting agencies if, at the start date of the scholarship from the Fonds, the awardee is attending an academic institution outside Québec and the annual tuition fees are equal to or higher than the annual value of the scholarship offered by the Fund. The annual value of the tuition fees does not include registration fees, student association fees, etc. Tuition fees must not be reimbursed by another organizations.

Paid work carried out while enrolled in a training program is permitted. There is no limit of time per semester. The employment must be approved by the research supervisor and must not interfere with the research activities.

In addition to the paid work permitted per semester, awardees may earn a salary for working solely on the funded research project. For the sole purpose of interpreting the rules for concurrent funding (Section 8.4), the salary is considered a concurrent scholarship when confirmed by the research supervisor.

Mandatory internship

Part-time enrolment is permitted for the duration of an internship if the internship is required as part of the awardee’s training program and no research credit is granted. It is not possible to ask to defer payments to carry out an internship.

Non-mandatory internship

In the case of a non-mandatory internship as part of the awardee’s training program, the remuneration related to the internship is considered employment income. Where university rules permit, a deferral of payment may be requested if the non-mandatory internship constitutes an opportunity to gain relevant experience (Section 8.7.1).

Deferral of payment is permitted for sick leave (refer to CGR Section 6.14), parental leave (refer to CGR Section 6.13) or family leave or to gain relevant experience.

8.7.1        Gaining relevant experience

For each full year of funding, the Fonds may authorize the suspension of one scholarship payment (one semester/four months) during which the awardee gains relevant experience (experience within a research team, teaching experience related in the field of training, language stay, etc.). The payment is then deferred until the end of the funding period. Awardees cannot use this provision for their first payment, to accept another scholarship with which concurrent funding is prohibited or to return to work while on study leave.

Deferrals to gain relevant experience may be consecutive if approved by the research supervisor. Part-time enrollment is also permitted during the consecutive semester(s), where university rules permit.

To avail themselves of an exception, awardees must submit a request to the Fonds that granted the scholarship. In addition, the research supervisor must provide a letter confirming their approval and the relevance of the activities that will be undertaken. The Fonds reserve the right to deny any request that is insufficiently justified or irrelevant.

8.7.2        Leave for major family obligations or parental leave

The Fund will authorize the deferral of one or more payments when an awardee pauses their training to undertake major family or parenting obligations for as long as the awardee’s university permits.

An awardee who withdraws during the semester or who decides to pursue their studies on a part-time basis, with the exception of the cases described in sections 8.3 and 8.6.2, is no longer eligible for the scholarship and must notify the Fonds to terminate it. The awardee may be required to reimburse the amounts paid.

An awardee is eligible to receive payments until the final submission of the thesis. Full-time enrolment is not required after the thesis has been submitted.

Any change in an awardee’s situation must be communicated to the Fonds via the FRQnet ePortfolio. For reasons of equity, the Fonds will ensure the requested change does not impact the outcome of the application’s initial evaluation and remains in compliance with the eligibility requirements and program rules. The Fonds will assess the requested change and may decide to continue, reduce, suspend or terminate the payments. The Fonds my also require that the awardee reimburse the sums paid.

In all the following cases, the Fonds reserve the right to deny a request that is insufficiently justified or that calls into question the elements set out in the preceding paragraph.

8.10.1     Change in citizenship status

The conditions and privileges of the scholarship as they pertain to citizenship status at the time of application continue to apply throughout the term of the scholarship, even if an awardee’s citizenship status changes during the funding period.

8.10.2     Change in the term of the scholarship or start date

The funding period is determined based on the date of full-time registration in the training program. Two part-time semesters are equivalent to one full-time semester.

This type of change must be made prior to the first payment. It is strongly suggested that the change be requested upon accepting the scholarship. Once the first payment is made, the term of the scholarship and start date cannot be changed.

8.10.3     Change in study level

A master’s training scholarship holder who plans to pursue a doctoral degree may use the remaining payments of the master’s training scholarship to begin a doctoral program, on the condition that the program begins in the next semester. The payments must occur during the term of the initial scholarship. In addition, the awardee must have received at least one payment of the master’s training scholarship for at least one full-time semester in the program for which the scholarship was granted, except in the case of direct or fast-tracked transfer to a doctoral program.

8.10.4     Change in training program

Any change of program during the term of the scholarship must be in line with the research areas of the Fonds that granted the scholarship and the review committee selection, as established in the initial application. However, if an awardee intends to change programs for administrative reasons and remains in the same field of study and research, the Fonds will assess the situation and the scholarship may be maintained.

8.10.5     Change in training location and institution

An awardee may change the training and research location on the condition that the change is consistent with Section 2.1 Citizenship and Domicile in the CGR.

8.10.6     Change in research supervisor

An awardee who continues to study in the same training program and whose research project remains the same may change research supervisor. The request is automatically approved.

8.10.7     Change in research project

The awardee must justify, detail and demonstrate the new research project is of the same scientific quality as the initial project evaluated by the review committee. Before making its decision, the Fonds will ensure that the change does not impact the parameters of the committee’s evaluation. In addition, the awardee must specify whether they are remaining in the same field and department, with the same research supervisor and in the same university or research setting.