NSERC 2010-2011

[cerulea]

Got my mail sent to my home address in waterloo...even after I clearly wrote that my "mailing" address is in Toronto (at my department), so I have no idea when it arrived.

I know for a fact that the results were given to the university at the latest on the 24/25th of March, cuz I confirmed with both my department and grad studies last week.

I got a PGS D3, but fingers crossed that I get upgraded that 14 k/yr will do wonders for my bank account...

For those who are wondering, yes, they do upgrade people, tho how I do not know.

For my masters, I got the letter in mid Apr saying that my NSERC got upgraded to a CGS.

I suspect that they go by division and then overall ranking if they have any receipients declining or downgrading.

For those who didn't get NSERC, there could be a number of reasons, but I can tell you for a fact that if you apply in your last year at a university and do not intend to stay at that university for the degree you're applying for, they will likely reject you at the university level if not the departmental level. They will give you a bogus excuse, all to maximize the success rate of people who are already a grad student at the university. I know because it happened to me. Having straight A's for my masters degree of 2 yrs and they tell me I don't have the marks to get an NSERC is pure bull.

Also, your proposal is VERY VERY IMPORTANT. For PGSD at least, your proposal is the only way the can judge your research potential aside from your referee report. It's worth the time to ask the writing center of your university to look at your proposal/thesis summary/other freeform sections. They will be able to tell you, from experience, whether it has a chance or not. Publishing papers is good, but lets face it, you'd be lucky if you get 1 paper out of your masters, especially if you're in some field where publishing papers is hard, publishing in a good journal is harder. Also, if you are in a multidisciplinary field like biomedical engineering, be careful on how you spin your project proposal. Phrased incorrectly can have your application sent to the life sci panel, who will have no idea what you're talking about when you say optimization and thermodynamic equilibrium

[ghareeb2010]

Hi everybody, just wanted to say that I finally received my PDF results letter today in Vancouver. Did not get it but got a pre-approved IRDF. Just wanted to post in case anyone was still waiting for PDF in the west coast. It's been fun reading these forums for the past few weeks. Thanks for the company!

Hi vanboy, I got a pre-approved IRDF as well. Do you think this has some value when one would apply for a company?

[saharel]

For those who didn't get NSERC, there could be a number of reasons, but I can tell you for a fact that if you apply in your last year at a university and do not intend to stay at that university for the degree you're applying for, they will likely reject you at the university level if not the departmental level. They will give you a bogus excuse, all to maximize the success rate of people who are already a grad student at the university. I know because it happened to me. Having straight A's for my masters degree of 2 yrs and they tell me I don't have the marks to get an NSERC is pure bull.

Cerulea is right. It was my case, but they still sent my application to NSERC, but they give me a really low ranking, while at my new university they nominated me for vanier. So I couldn't understand why my current university ranked me so low, that I doubted I would receive a scholarship while my new university thougth I was good enough for Vanier....

It is true in university selection they tend to favor those who will be staying and I felt it last fall

See we are all speculating a lot to understand how this review process works at university level and national level...I suggest that one of us try to become a NSERC reviewer and then comes back here and starts a blog on how it really works

[wordbird]

I didn't get the letter yet. I am in Toronto.

Is it possible to check the outcome online?

You might be on a wait list. Unfortunately NSERC doesn't send a letter to notify you of this, only if you won or were rejected. I'd suggest contacting them, just in case they made a decision and it was lost in the mail.

[ALEXTOM18]

I lost in PDF! How many guys could get it ?

[KaliKao]

Has anyone in Alberta got their mail regarding the PGS or CGS M?

[qchromodynam]

Has anyone in Alberta got their mail regarding the PGS or CGS M?

At this point you need to contact NSERC, they were mailed a long time ago. I have not received mine either, but NSERC entered my apt. # incorrectly (their mistake) and just resent my letter last week (only because I contacted them). On the plus side, they unofficially told me I got a PDF.

[waitinggggg]

Does anyone know if NSERCs doctoral awards are taxed? I know that SSHRCs aren't.

[usagi-chan]

Scholarships are not taxable. They used to be though, and I've heard that some universities would give you the entire amount (like without deducting the tax part) so that'd you have a suprise in April :X

Does anyone know if NSERCs doctoral awards are taxed? I know that SSHRCs aren't.

[wlugrad]

Cerulea is right. It was my case, but they still sent my application to NSERC, but they give me a really low ranking, while at my new university they nominated me for vanier. So I couldn't understand why my current university ranked me so low, that I doubted I would receive a scholarship while my new university thougth I was good enough for Vanier....

It is true in university selection they tend to favor those who will be staying and I felt it last fall

See we are all speculating a lot to understand how this review process works at university level and national level...I suggest that one of us try to become a NSERC reviewer and then comes back here and starts a blog on how it really works

Hi guys!! This actually scares me!!! My school does not have a PhD program and I intend to do PhD the following year!!! What should I do? Applying for NSERC PGS D through my current university (where Im doing my M.Sc now) is the only option I have in mind. But if the bias is as you guys say, I mean... I have no hope?

(I had NSERC-CGS for the first year of M.Sc and just got an OGS for my 2nd year)

Anyone could give me any advice? Thanks so much!

[CanuckBoy]

Cerulea is right. It was my case, but they still sent my application to NSERC, but they give me a really low ranking, while at my new university they nominated me for vanier. So I couldn't understand why my current university ranked me so low, that I doubted I would receive a scholarship while my new university thougth I was good enough for Vanier....

It is true in university selection they tend to favor those who will be staying and I felt it last fall

That is what I heard as well, they promote academic incest!

I was told to put down that you are staying at your home institution regardless if you're leaving or not. Last year I put down 2 possible supervisors, one in my home institution and another one elsewhere because I wasn't sure. I was rejected at the university level even though I was ranked high enough at the department compared to the number of awardees for the department. This year I only put down my home institution and I was successful. Of course I also sharpened up my application in that one year.

The other thing I heard, at least for masters, was that it is more difficult to apply for NSERC in your second year if you didn't get it in the first year. To attract more talented fresh blood?

Edited May 27, 2010 by JimMech

[Bubu]

Hi All,

Just got rejected from NSERC PDF. 9 top journal publications, 6 to conference proceedings, some posters. CGS for PhD. But IRDF possible.

What can I do with that? Find an industry and ask them to take me? It is probably unlikely that some industry might be interetsed in my project and pick me up. Any idea? Experience with IRDF? I will really appriciate it.

Thanks,

[Ignignokt]

I also received a reject from NSERC for a PDF (chemistry). Although they do add a glimmer of hope in saying "Your application was considered meritorious, however it is ranked below our capacity to fund. Should sufficient funds become available, you will be notified by June 1st." Has anyone else received a PDF reject letter with this on it? Is it just a form letter, or should I actually be somewhat hopeful that once the Banting winners decline their 'normal' PDFs I could get bumped up?

My record was also quite good: 8 papers from PhD, 5 in top journals, 4 first authors (2 from top journals), several conferences including international, and CGS M and D during my PhD. My PhD supervisor and current postdoc supervisor were shocked that I didn't get one - competition must be fierce. I know people last year who managed to obtain a PDF with half as many papers.

[android]

I am new to this forum and I need all your advice. My university nominated me this year for NSERC PGS-D 2011-2012. When I applied I was First Year PH.D student. But unfortunately got rejected. I am listing my credentials to you guys to enlighten me why did my application get rejected?

1) I listed 9 Conference Proceedings, 3 Journal papers (mostly all above 1.3 Impact Factor) in Elsevier, 2 Filed Patents (which was previously accepted by MARS INNOVATION, GOVT. OF CANADA with acceptance rate of only 10 %) for industrial commercialization and Patent processing. In total I listed around 15 Publications. When I applied I was First Year PH.D student.

2) I am 2 times OGS recipient, OGS 2009-2010 and OGS 2010-2011. I have in total around 8 awards and scholarships.

3) I have almost 3 yrs of extensive TA experience as Head Teaching Assistant in Undergraduate and Graduate Level.

4) My Journal was listed as " SCIENCE DIRECT TOP 25 HOTTEST ARTICLES" from Microelectronics Reliability, Elsevier Journal in First quarter of 2010.

5) Strong recommendation letters.

6) Masters GPA of 4.07/4.33 and Ph.D GPA of 4.17 / 4.33.

I am very dejected as I dont understand as why my application was not considered. Please let me know. By the way, has anyone also got any letters to apply for NSERC Industrial Postgraduate scholarship along with the rejected letter from NSERC?

[android]

I am new to this forum and I need all your advice. My university nominated me this year for NSERC PGS-D 2011-2012. When I applied I was First Year PH.D student. But unfortunately got rejected. I am listing my credentials to you guys to enlighten me why did my application get rejected?

1) I listed 9 Conference Proceedings, 3 Journal papers (mostly all above 1.3 Impact Factor) in Elsevier, 2 Filed Patents (which was previously accepted by MARS INNOVATION, GOVT. OF CANADA with acceptance rate of only 10 %) for industrial commercialization and Patent processing. In total I listed around 15 Publications. When I applied I was First Year PH.D student.

2) I am 2 times OGS recipient, OGS 2009-2010 and OGS 2010-2011. I have in total around 8 awards and scholarships.

3) I have almost 3 yrs of extensive TA experience as Head Teaching Assistant in Undergraduate and Graduate Level.

4) My Journal was listed as " SCIENCE DIRECT TOP 25 HOTTEST ARTICLES" from Microelectronics Reliability, Elsevier Journal in First quarter of 2010.

5) Strong recommendation letters.

6) Masters GPA of 4.07/4.33 and Ph.D GPA of 4.17 / 4.33.

I am very dejected as I dont understand as why my application was not considered. Please let me know. By the way, has anyone also got any letters to apply for NSERC Industrial Postgraduate scholarship along with the rejected letter from NSERC?

[myself]

Hi Bubu,

I am in the same boat as you. Rejection for PDF, pre-approved for IRDF.

I have some friends who have taken their IRDF and are now working on projects DIFFERENT from their initial PDF proposal. What I mean is you don't need to convince a company to take you to do research on your PDF's proposal. Any research-related project proposed by the company is accepted by NSERC.

I am currently waiting for a job application result, if I don't get it, I'll go "wild" and start contacting comopanies.

Hope it helped,

Hi All,

Just got rejected from NSERC PDF. 9 top journal publications, 6 to conference proceedings, some posters. CGS for PhD. But IRDF possible.

What can I do with that? Find an industry and ask them to take me? It is probably unlikely that some industry might be interetsed in my project and pick me up. Any idea? Experience with IRDF? I will really appriciate it.

Thanks,

[nmetery_quantum]

I got a meritorious rejection for a PDF (chemistry) also but got pre-approved for a IRDF and just recently, approved to be placed on the inventory for a VF to postdoc in a Canadian national lab. For the VF, they want me to redo my location of tenure and justification for location of tenure to be placed on the VF inventory. Has anybody done this? I presume I have to contact the people in the national lab to say i'm interested in postdoc'ing in their lab but im not so sure.

[SaskStudent]

Hi Guys,

Recently sent an NSERC VF application - 3 publications, 1 submitted, several posters. Supervisor from government lab is interested and gave letter of interest which was also submitted to NSERC. Just wanted to know from those experienced in this process, how long does the process take, and the success rate. Thanks.