SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship/CGS Doctoral Scholarship 2014-2015

[Konstantin]

I started a new thread for 2014/2015 SSHRC/CGS Doctoral applications for everyone who is willing to share their comments and thoughts on the application process and results.Good luck to all applicants!

 

 

- Konstantin

[Nerd_For_Life]

Alrighty, another new thread! So, I am still working on this year's draft as my dept. deadline isn't for another week.

Background info: First year PhD, Received MA SSHRC, waitlisted last cycle for PhD SSHRC. Here we go again!

[Konstantin]

Great -- thanks for sharing! My deadline was Oct 18th, and the grad committee has already met (as far as I know) to rank the applications internally before sending them to grad studies. Held an MA SSHRC, 3rd time applying for a PhD SSHRC (still eligible to receive a CGS because eligibility criteria was expanded this year), 

[Macavity]

I submitted my application yesterday.  Already feeling panicked about the internal ranking after seeing the list of applicants within the deparment.  First attempt at a doctoral sshrc (I currently hold an MA sshrc).  This is going to be a long wait!

[Pol]

Submitted mine two weeks ago. I was A-listed by the dep. I currently hold a M.A. SSHRC and I'm fast-tracking to a Ph.D. program. It's a long wait indeed.

[Konstantin]

My university (Carleton) usually sends notifications to all SSHRC applicants just before Christmas holidays indicating whether their applications will be forwarded to SSHRC for adjudication or not (after the department internally ranks all applicants). I wonder if other universities do the same? I wasn't successful last year and got the letter from university in the first week of January saying my app wasn't forwarded. So I guess for unsuccessful applicants the wait is a little shorter!

[Pol]

My university (Carleton) usually sends notifications to all SSHRC applicants just before Christmas holidays indicating whether their applications will be forwarded to SSHRC for adjudication or not (after the department internally ranks all applicants). I wonder if other universities do the same? I wasn't successful last year and got the letter from university in the first week of January saying my app wasn't forwarded. So I guess for unsuccessful applicants the wait is a little shorter!

 

Every Canadian university with a quota as to proceed to departmental evaluations (A: recommended or B:not recommended). They also need to communicate the results of those evaluations as per the SSHRC's rules. The applications which are A-listed by the department are entered in the national competition and then evaluated by one of the five committees.

Edited October 31, 2013 by Pol

[Konstantin]

Every Canadian university with a quota as to proceed to departmental evaluations (A: recommended or B:not recommended). They have to communicate the result of those evaluation as per the SSHRC's rules. The applications which are A-listed by the department are entered in the national competition and then evaluated by one of the five committees.

So, does this mean that graduate studies departments in this universities play no role in determining which applications are forwarded and which are not? My letter came from grad studies and not from my dept. for some reason.

 

I know for a fact that once my department ranks its applicants (no one is A-listed, but is rather ranked from 1 being the strongest, etc.), the list is forwarded to grad studies, who has a quota of how many applicants they are able to recommend for adjudication by SSHRC (i.e. forwarding the qualifying applications). Grad studies amalgamates applications from all depts based on their rank. This way only strongest applications from each dept are forwarded. This is why quotas matter -- they are university-wide, not department wide. So, A and B lists are created by grad studies and later by SSHRC, while rankings are generated by the department you are currently in. I think other schools have similar procedures.

Edited October 31, 2013 by Konstantin

[Nerd_For_Life]

So, does this mean that graduate studies departments in this universities play no role in determining which applications are forwarded and which are not? My letter came from grad studies and not from my dept. for some reason.

 

I know for a fact that once my department ranks its applicants (no one is A-listed, but is rather ranked from 1 being the strongest, etc.), the list is forwarded to grad studies, who has a quota of how many applicants they are able to recommend for adjudication by SSHRC (i.e. forwarding the qualifying applications). Grad studies amalgamates applications from all depts based on their rank. This way only strongest applications from each dept are forwarded. This is why quotas matter -- they are university-wide, not department wide. So, A and B lists are created by grad studies and later by SSHRC, while rankings are generated by the department you are currently in. I think other schools have similar procedures.

This is my understanding of how the process works, or at least that is how I have been told it works from the three different Canadian universities I have attended

[Pol]

My bad. 

[Carthage32]

Hi all,

 

Nice to come across this thread and hear from all of you. I'm also applying for SSHRC this year, as an independent candidate (I'm at at a US school). I have never held or applied for SSHRC before, so the whole thing is bit new for me. So far, so good!

 

The deadline for us independents is November 6th. 

[Konstantin]

Welcome Carthage32! Ah, a direct SSHRC application... I had to do that once, a couple of years ago, I found the process a bit alienating since I wasn't in school at the time and had to put together the application without the benefit of a departmental review. My app wasn't successful, but hopefully you will have better luck!

[Aubergine]

Hello! I too am in the process of putting the finishing touches on my application for the Nov. 6th direct applicant deadline. I'm a PhD student in the US. 

 

I have a question regarding the listing of fellowship amounts in the Credentials section that I'm hoping someone can answer. Currently, I'm on a university fellowship that includes tuition remission, a stipend, and health insurance. Do I factor in all of those to calculate the worth of the fellowship, or just list the amount of the stipend?

 

Thanks, and good luck to all!

[Konstantin]

Hello! I too am in the process of putting the finishing touches on my application for the Nov. 6th direct applicant deadline. I'm a PhD student in the US. 

 

I have a question regarding the listing of fellowship amounts in the Credentials section that I'm hoping someone can answer. Currently, I'm on a university fellowship that includes tuition remission, a stipend, and health insurance. Do I factor in all of those to calculate the worth of the fellowship, or just list the amount of the stipend?

 

Thanks, and good luck to all!

 

Hi Aubergine, I was advised by my grad chair to include only the amount awarded for the fellowship part of the offer (i.e. the stipend) and exclude the amount for the TA-ship (since it is not a scholarship, but rather a part-time job). And I would definitely exclude health insurance. I'm not certain about tuition remission (unless this is in the form of a TA-ship, then I would exclude it).

[theogeek]

I'm finishing my MA this year, held a Master's SSHRC and am hoping to start doctoral studies in Sept. I found the application process very awkward because I had to pick one school to gear it towards, and I really have no idea where I'll be going. Someone at grad studies said if I wind up getting a doctoral award and go to a different school than the one I listed on the application, I have to check with SSHRC to see if they'll allow me to hold the award somewhere else. Has anyone else had experience with this type of situation? 
 

[Pol]

I'm finishing my MA this year, held a Master's SSHRC and am hoping to start doctoral studies in Sept. I found the application process very awkward because I had to pick one school to gear it towards, and I really have no idea where I'll be going. Someone at grad studies said if I wind up getting a doctoral award and go to a different school than the one I listed on the application, I have to check with SSHRC to see if they'll allow me to hold the award somewhere else. Has anyone else had experience with this type of situation? 

 

 

My previous roommate had no problem.

[Aubergine]

Thanks, Konstantin! 

[Kirialax]

I'm finishing my MA this year, held a Master's SSHRC and am hoping to start doctoral studies in Sept. I found the application process very awkward because I had to pick one school to gear it towards, and I really have no idea where I'll be going. Someone at grad studies said if I wind up getting a doctoral award and go to a different school than the one I listed on the application, I have to check with SSHRC to see if they'll allow me to hold the award somewhere else. Has anyone else had experience with this type of situation? 

 

I don't think you have to worry about it. I suspect that there are a lot of us in the same boat (although I have the advantage of having been accepted to my choice program in the past but having turned it down, so I'm confident about getting in again.)

[theogeek]

Thanks Pol and Kirialax! That makes me feel a bit better. 

[Safferz]

I'm a second year PhD student in the States, and will be mailing off my application directly to SSHRC tomorrow. I'm not sure what to expect as this is my first SSHRC application, but I think I put together the best application I could have and I don't think I've ever put more effort into two pages in my life  Best of luck, everyone!

[surefire]

My department deadline was Oct. 21. I just heard that my department is forwarding my app to SGS (School of Graduate Studies); I really needed that boost this week, so it's nice to hear! I'm a 2nd-year PhD student and I guess, including my MA SSHRC app, this is my fourth time applying (though only my 2nd time applying through a department)!

 

This round, the SSHRC app went through 7 major drafts, two seminars, one writing centre consult and 3 major sit-downs with my supervisor, I'm SO happy that it's at least getting out of the department!

 

Good luck all!

[Konstantin]

I'm a second year PhD student in the States, and will be mailing off my application directly to SSHRC tomorrow. I'm not sure what to expect as this is my first SSHRC application, but I think I put together the best application I could have and I don't think I've ever put more effort into two pages in my life  Best of luck, everyone!

 

I think we are all in the same boat here Safferz! It's a lot of work to put together a strong application, and the process is always a lottery! 

 

Just watched Jerry Maguire last night -- "SHOW ME THE MONEY!" Let this be our SSHRC motto.

[Macavity]

Ugh, so I made the mistake of re-reading my research proposal today.   I realized that I repeat the same word twice in the same sentence ("____ and ____ feature some of the generic features of ____").  How could I have missed this through countless revisions? Guys -- don't make the mistake of analysing your proposal after it's too late to make changes!

[Aubergine]

My application is now in the mail. Which, given how many problems I've had with USPS since I moved to the States, I find terrifying. (All those original documents!)

 

I'm currently a 2nd year in a humanities program in the US. This is my first time applying for a doctoral SSHRC. I did win an MA SSHRC a couple of years back, but ended up coming to the states and so declined it.

 

I do have a couple things I'd like to double check with someone in order to appease my anxiety. First, we don't need to do anything with the online form we've filled out beyond verifying it, right? There's no "send" button that I'm missing? And second, our attachments are attached only in hardcopy, correct? In other words, we're not supposed to upload them to the online application? I'm paranoid that I've missed some silly little thing that will disqualify me, after those hours and hours of work.

 

Okay... breathing!

[Safferz]

My application is now in the mail. Which, given how many problems I've had with USPS since I moved to the States, I find terrifying. (All those original documents!)

 

I'm currently a 2nd year in a humanities program in the US. This is my first time applying for a doctoral SSHRC. I did win an MA SSHRC a couple of years back, but ended up coming to the states and so declined it.

 

I do have a couple things I'd like to double check with someone in order to appease my anxiety. First, we don't need to do anything with the online form we've filled out beyond verifying it, right? There's no "send" button that I'm missing? And second, our attachments are attached only in hardcopy, correct? In other words, we're not supposed to upload them to the online application? I'm paranoid that I've missed some silly little thing that will disqualify me, after those hours and hours of work.

 

Okay... breathing!

 

Yes, unless I did it wrong as well  Off to USPS to mail my application off now! I think I will pay for tracking lol.