Graduate Student Scholarships

The Indigenous Peoples’ Health Research Centre (IPHRC) is a collaboration between the University of Regina, the First Nations University of Canada, and the University of Saskatchewan with broad support from a variety of Aboriginal organizations and health agencies.  IPHRC is funded by the Institute of Aboriginal Peoples’ Health (IAPH), one of the institutes of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Funding provided to IPHRC aims to improve the health of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples through the assertion of Indigenous understandings of health and by fostering innovative community-based scientifically-excellent research. IPHRC’s purpose is to sustain, strengthen and evolve a collaborative Network Environment for Aboriginal Health Research (NEAHR) comprised of researchers and Aboriginal communities in Saskatchewan. As a CIHR-funded NEAHR Centre, IPHRC’s primary goals are:

1. To participate in the development and sustainability of a network of researchers and Aboriginal partners who grow Aboriginal health research locally, nationally and internationally through our four research themes:

• Indigenous identity, place and connectivity, and cultural/linguistic continuity, as they relate to health
• Mental health and addictions
• Complex interactions of factors
• Chronic disease

2. To sustain and evolve the infrastructure, human capacity, research excellence, knowledge translation, and community focus of our Network Environment for Aboriginal Health Research (NEAHR) to meet the health needs of our people through:

• Community involvement and support
• Training and recruitment

3. To facilitate, in partnership with Saskatchewan First Nations and Metis communities, the translation of research knowledge generated by our centre at national and international Aboriginal and other research forums.

4.  To partner with Aboriginal organizations and communities to secure further health research funds.

Part of the IPHRC mandate involves  supporting graduate students registered in degree programs in which research is a major component.

• To support up and coming researchers in Aboriginal Health studies.
• To provide networking and mentoring between students and established IPHRC researchers.
• To enhance regional opportunities in health research capacity.

FUNDS AVAILABLE

• The total amount available for all Graduate Student awards in 2012 is $116,550.00.
• Graduate Fellowships are awarded annually.
• IPHRC directly allocates funding to the student through the University of Regina payroll.
• All single funding awards are based on CIHR guidelines for students, as below:

Master’s Students: The maximum amount awarded is $17,500 per student per annum

PhD Students: The maximum amount awarded is $21,000 per student per annum; however, students holding degrees that give Canadian health professional licensure in dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, physical therapy, and medicine will have a stipend of $36,750 for the first two years of their program and $47,250 for the third year.  

Renewals

• Applications for renewal will be judged on the basis of satisfactory performance.
• Master’s students will normally be eligible to receive support for a maximum of two (2) years.
• Ph.D. students will normally be eligible to receive support for a maximum of four years (4). 

• IPHRC gives preference to students attending Saskatchewan universities but will consider students attending university out-of-province if their research is specific to Aboriginal communities in Saskatchewan.
• The graduate program may be in any health-related discipline; however, preference will be given to students whose research project coincides with IPHRC’s four research themes mentioned above.  These themes shall not usually include biomedical applications and will explore only very relevant clinical applications.  The emphasis will be on health research rather than medical research, and a community-based approach will be fostered and emphasized.
• Preference will be given to Aboriginal students.
• Applications from non-Aboriginal applicants will be considered if their research interests coincide with those of IPHRC. 
• All applicants must demonstrate academic achievement.
• Renewal applications will be prioritized. 

• Funds must be accepted by May 1, 2012.
• Funding will begin September 1, 2012 to either April 30^th, 2013 or August 31^st, 2013.  Students must indicate their preferred funding end date in their written acceptance of this fellowship. 

EXPECTATIONS OF GRANTEE

Please note: With one of IPHRC’s objectives to help advance Aboriginal research and researchers, we created our Graduate student policies, particularly our working policy, to help ensure that you finish your studies in a timely manner.

• Submit a progress report December and April of each year of funding.
• Submit an annual progress report signed by your supervisor by July 1 of each year.
• Limit external employ to a maximum of 12 hours per week. Proof of working hours may be requested.
• Funding may be discontinued if:
  • Students fail to be in good standing in their program of study.
  • Students work more than 12 hours per week.
  • Students fail to abide by conditions of the award.
• Students applying for renewal  are required to apply for Tri-Council student funding. 

Application and Progress/Renewal forms are available for download at www.iphrc.ca and are to be e-mailed to the Research Coordinator.

At times the fillable form is unable to save.  If that is the case, please inform the Coordinator.

First Time Applicants

The application form (available at www.iphrc.ca) and pdf copies of both the CIHR Common CV and attachment (https://www.ccv-cvc.ca/pls/c3/c3.startup?pLANGUAGE=1) are to be emailed to the IPHRC Regina Research Coordinator at the address below no later than March 1.  Please note that before completing the CIHR Common CV, you must register for a CIHR PIN through the link above. 

Original signatures, letters of support, official transcripts, and letter of acceptance/proof of registration are to be mailed as one package to the IPHRC office below.  The package must be post marked no later than March 1, 2012.Late applications will not be included in the competition pool.

• All forms must be typed, using the supplied fillable PDF.
• Letters of support should be submitted by the student, but their confidentiality must be ensured by having the letter contained in a sealed envelope where the signature of the person supplying the reference is signed across the seal of the envelope.

Renewal Applicants

Renewal Applicants must have been funded the previous academic year.  If there is a break between funding, applicants must apply as a first time applicant. Funding renewal is not guaranteed.

• All forms must be typed, using the supplied fillable PDF.
• Application must include an updated CIHR CV. 
• Students must submit transcripts after completion of coursework.
• Students must describe their scholarly activity to illustrate their capacity to achieve.
• Students must report on full or part-time employment.
• Students must provide proof of their application for Tri-Council student funding. 

The closing date for receipt of renewal application is March 1, 2012.  Late applications will not be included in the competition pool.

FORMS

Printable version of this call: 2012 Graduate funding call

First time applicants form: Graduate funding application form

Renewal applicants form: Graduate Renewal funding application form

 

FURTHER INFORMATION