SSHRC

[EJBL]

Does anyone have any info from previous years (or this year) on funding coming through for people on waitlists?

[jerome888]

I was in the "recommended not funded" last year and didn't hear anything after getting the first letter.

[EJBL]

Sorry to hear that. I e-mailed SSHRC last week to ask about the difference between "recommended not funded" and "you have been added to a waiting list". No answer yet.

[jerome888]

Oh I didn't know there was a "waiting list" category.

When I got the "recommended but not funded" last year and it said

"should additional funds become available within the next six months, you will be advised without delay"

which I took to mean that I was on a waiting list. Like I said I didn't hear from them until I got my SSHRC for this year based on a new application.

[finitejane]

In June I recieved a 4-year doctoral SSHRC with a 17.6 score. I was suprized by how low my score was compared to how well I did internally at my university, but after realizing I may have just barely made the doctoral sshrc, I stopped dreaming of the CGS, $35,000 / year SSHRC. Then yesterday I opened my mail to find another SSHRC offer, this time from the business stream for a CGS! In this stream I scored 20.8 (on the same proposal). I did not apply for the business stream, so they just redirected my original SSHRC app because I was focused heavily on organizational sociology and economic development. The letter also said that the additional funding for the business related research will allow for an additional 100 doctoral fellowships and 400 MA fellowships. Hopefully this will free up quite a few regular SSHRCs for those on the waitlist. One in the sociology cluster just opened up for you!

[allornothing]

My situation is similar to finitejane (yet somewhat less enjoyable). Way back in June, I received word that I was not award a SSHRC but was placed on the waiting list (with a 16.4/30). Yesterday, I got a letter notifying me that I had been awarded the Bombardier Business SSHRC (22.8/30)

[dramanda]

My situation is similar to finitejane (yet somewhat less enjoyable). Way back in June, I received word that I was not award a SSHRC but was placed on the waiting list (with a 16.4/30). Yesterday, I got a letter notifying me that I had been awarded the Bombardier Business SSHRC (22.8/30)

[finitejane]

Allornothing, are you not able to trade the CGS for a basic doctoral sshrc in the business stream like you are able to do in the regular stream?

[allornothing]

Allornothing, are you not able to trade the CGS for a basic doctoral sshrc in the business stream like you are able to do in the regular stream?

Not according to my preliminary conversations with SSHRC but I've asked that exact question. No response yet.

[allornothing]

Allornothing, are you not able to trade the CGS for a basic doctoral sshrc in the business stream like you are able to do in the regular stream?

Final answer: no. For whatever reason, they are not letting applicants downgrade the business CGS to take it to an international school as they do with the general CGS.

At least there is one more business SSHRC available for some other worthy candidate.

[jasper.milvain]

For whatever reason, they are not letting applicants downgrade the business CGS to take it to an international school as they do with the general CGS.

It's probably because they're pitching the business SSHRCs politically as a 'stimulus measure' (don't get me started), so they only want them to go to students working directly within the economy they're supposedly stimulating.

[vancouverdave]

Hi all,

I just created my account, but have been following this discussion for quite some time. I was disturbed by Allornothing's case and just found out today that it is the same case as my wife's who has applied to study in the UK. While I'm sure all of us could send a few pages of angry posts about this, I wonder if it might be more productive to organize something a little more formal that might appeal to the SSHRC body at large and have an effect on the actual policy.

First, I'd like to know if there are just two people in this situation or if there are others as well... if there are a large number of "fundable" projects that are being completely denied funding simply on the basis of being at a non-Canadian school. This seems to directly contradict the statements in SSHRCs latest report:

Moreover, Canadian researchers in the social sciences and humanities are becoming more and more connected to the global supply of ideas and talent. International collaboration has been a Canadian strength for many years.

We aim to develop the very best graduates and scholars who are internationally knowledgeable, who are culturally flexible, and who take into account the increasingly interdependent nature of the world.

Please, if you are in this situation, post and let's organize something...

Dave

[allornothing]

I was disturbed by Allornothing's case and just found out today that it is the same case as my wife's who has applied to study in the UK. While I'm sure all of us could send a few pages of angry posts about this, I wonder if it might be more productive to organize something a little more formal that might appeal to the SSHRC body at large and have an effect on the actual policy.

Dave,

I'm sorry to hear that your wife is in the same unfortunate position as I am. I hope that she contacted SSHRC to ensure that this is definitely the position that they are taking towards recipients of the business CGS studying at international universities. I would hate to think that anyone missed an opportunity for funding because of information that I received and passed on.

Unfortunately, I think that SSHRC's hands are tied here. As jasper.milvain noted, this money has been tagged as part of a stimulus approach and, for political reasons, is unlikely to travel past the boarders. I actually appreciate that SSHRC is moving applications around to try to get as many of us funded as possible. That being said, I don't agree with the notion that worthy proposals are not being funded because Canadians are choosing to do part or all of their studies internationally. I would certainly be willing to write a more formal letter to that effect.

Best of luck.

[dramanda]

Hi all,

For those of us unfortunate "recommended but not funded" in the original competition, I wanted to let you know that SSHRC now has a ranked waiting list. If you email, you should be able to find out your ranking.

Please keep posting if you get good news! It keeps the dream alive for all of us!

[jackassjim]

This is quite off-topic, but I thought some of you could weight-in on the dilemma I'm facing. I'm currently preparing an application for admission to an American law school, and I'm rewriting my CV. I was lucky to get a few SSHRC grants over the years (including that new Bombardier business thingie that I can't take with me to the States), but I was wondering how you thought I should go about trying to convey the "prestige" that is attached to those.

Including the grant amount seems quite tacky, no?

[jasper.milvain]

I don't know that including the amount would be tacky. On most of the online grad apps I filled out, they specifically asked for the amount awarded in the scholarships section. If you don't want to state the amount, could you hide it in language like "Four years living and tuition expenses"? Otherwise, describing the award as "highly competitive federal research funding" should sound sufficiently impressive. Good luck with your apps!

[jackassjim]

Thanks Jasper. That's probably what I will do.

Cheers,

[tofunoodle]

I got my first SSHRC check today here in the U.S. I opted to have them convert it and send me a check in U.S. funds, and the converted amount was $9320. Not too shabby!

[mikefriday]

For those of you who got the "recommended but not funded" line and (if you were like me) had written off your chances by this point, just thought I'd let you know that I just got an email from SSHRC saying that they are now in a position to offer me a Bombardier CGS scholarship. Whadayaknow!

[dramanda]

For those of you who got the "recommended but not funded" line and (if you were like me) had written off your chances by this point, just thought I'd let you know that I just got an email from SSHRC saying that they are now in a position to offer me a Bombardier CGS scholarship. Whadayaknow!

Yeah, I got that email too. Unfortunately, I'm in the US and thus ineligible. :cry:

[mikefriday]

Yeah, I got that email too. Unfortunately, I'm in the US and thus ineligible. :cry:

Right. And they won't let you downgrade. My sympathies -- that truly sucks.

[SVV]

Hmm... I got an email from SSHRC today about an upgrade to a Bombardier CGS as well.

Hearing that several other people have received a similar email makes me afraid that they've made a mistake somehow, or sent it out to a whole list instead of individuals or something... unless they just happen to have sent out several emails on the same day? This is a bit worrying...

[dramanda]

Hmm... I got an email from SSHRC today about an upgrade to a Bombardier CGS as well.

Hearing that several other people have received a similar email makes me afraid that they've made a mistake somehow, or sent it out to a whole list instead of individuals or something... unless they just happen to have sent out several emails on the same day? This is a bit worrying...

They probably just gave the last batch of bombardier winners a deadline to respond by, and now that the deadline has passed have moved on to the next batch. I wouldn't worry too much. That's my guess at least.

I guess we never escape from that dreaded "impostor syndrome". :wink:

[allornothing]

Congrats to the newest round of Bombardier winners.

I'm pleased that SSHRC has turned to email to speed up communication. I hope that this is a sign of things to come. Perhaps an automated system for tracking applications? Dare to dream.

[jasper.milvain]

Yikes... from zero to CGS! Congrats!

I think that the extra business money is about to expire if they don't assign it in the current funding year, and that they've gotten permission to just start doling out the extra that was left over after they squeeeeeezed as many projects into the business category as possible.