CIHR or SSHRC?

[mivey]

Hey all, I am currently an undergrad, hoping to get into a master's urban planning program in Toronto. The research I am currently doing focuses on health and urban form, and I am starting to look into scholarships and grants to help pay for my grad school tuition. The question I have is whether it is easier to get a CIHR or SSHRC grant, and which one you recommend I apply for. In my application, I can ensure that I do not mention health at all and apply for the SSHRC or I could stress my research has to do with health and the city and apply for the CIHR. The only issue that I have is that urban planning is a professional degree master's program, so I don't know how receptive CIHR will be of my application. Any help would be much appreciated!

[KathrynMorrison]

Others may disagree but I was in a similar position for my MSc (in medical geography/GIS) and was advised to go with SSHRC because it's just a little easier to get, and I did end up getting it. With CIHR, you are competing with people who do "wet lab" medical research so it can sometimes be a little tough to sell pop health and especially social science-y subjects if many of the reviewers are medical doctors. Either way, GOOD LUCK :-)

[lewin]

I'd point out that, strictly speaking, you can't just make your application sound SSHRC-y, you actually need to conduct research that falls under SSHRC's mandate afterwards--even if it's not exactly the project you proposed. Though it's unlikely, if they find out you did health research instead they can come after their money. Just apply for the council that's most appropriate.

(From a SSHRC-funded psychologist who points out that CIHR has three times the budget of SSHRC and it would be nice if health researchers didn't poach the limited funding that we have.)

Edited September 15, 2011 by lewin00

[mivey]

Thanks for all the help!

I spoke to my advisor who is on the CIHR council. She says that as someone hoping to go into planning I should apply for SSHRC.

[KathrynMorrison]

Sounds like good advice! Good luck and let us know how it goes :-)