Applying for a PGS-D after dropping out of a previous PhD

[Catria]

Yay for the Libs actually fixing the scientific damage done, which may render a PGS-D (and also a FRQNT B2) within range.

I'm about to drop out of my current PhD program due to mental health concerns. Suppose that I could get my mental health fixed before I go for yet another round of applications, in which case I would:

1. Spread my applications between Canadian and American schools (within reason) which probably means less US applications
2. Applying for funding such as a PGS-D

Before I go around asking potential (Canadian!) supervisors for potential projects for PGS-D purposes, is there any advice for applying for a PGS-D if one started a PhD but dropped out for personal reasons? (Said advice would likely be applicable for FRQNT B2)

[Oshawott]

Are you Canadian? You still need Canadian citizenship/permanent residency to qualify for PGS-D. There's also the eligibility criteria with regards to how long you've attended graduate school (which includes programs you dropped out of):

• you must have completed, as of December 31 of the year of application, between zero and 24 months (between four and 36 months if admitted to the doctoral program directly from your bachelor’s program) of studies (full-time equivalent) in the doctoral program for which you are requesting funding; and
• you must not hold, or have held, a scholarship or fellowship from SSHRC, NSERC or CIHR to undertake or complete a doctoral program.

I believe there's also a section with regards to any difficulties that may have impeded your research progress in the past (unless they don't have that at the doctoral level), so this would be your opportunity to explain why you dropped out of your previous program.

Edited November 17, 2015 by Oshawott

[Catria]

2 hours ago, Oshawott said:

Are you Canadian? You still need Canadian citizenship/permanent residency to qualify for PGS-D.

Yes; for one of the schools I applied to during last cycle I was the only Canadian applicant for that particular cycle (at that particular school, I was waitlisted and rejected on Apr. 15 off said waitlist due to the class size having been shrunk)

There's also the

eligibility criteria

with regards to how long you've attended graduate school (which includes programs you dropped out of):

• you must have completed, as of December 31 of the year of application, between zero and 24 months (between four and 36 months if admitted to the doctoral program directly from your bachelor’s program) of studies (full-time equivalent) in the doctoral program for which you are requesting funding; and
• you must not hold, or have held, a scholarship or fellowship from SSHRC, NSERC or CIHR to undertake or complete a doctoral program.

I believe there's also a section with regards to any difficulties that may have impeded your research progress in the past (unless they don't have that at the doctoral level), so this would be your opportunity to explain why you dropped out of your previous program.

I will have attended a doctoral program for just one full-time semester...

[TakeruK]

Hi Catria,

I'm also so happy about our recent election results! Although the new Prime Minister's time in office has been short, I am currently very optimistic about the new direction our country is taking on research!!

You will definitely qualify as per the eligibility requirements, as Oshawott stated above. Assuming you drop out at the end of this semester, and that you started in September 2015, you would have completed 4 months of a doctoral program. And, since you were admitted to this doctoral program directly from your undergraduate program, this means that you are eligible as long as, by December 31 of the year of your application, you have completed between 4 and 36 months. In addition, if this number is above 24 months, then you would only be eligible for a 2-year PGS-D.

Since you already missed the application for Fall 2016 awards (that was Oct 15 2015), the next award you can apply to is for awards starting Fall 2017.

Therefore, if you start a new graduate program in Fall 2016 (after taking 8 months off), then you will be eligible for the PGS-D for award year 2017-2018 (you'd completed 8 months by December 31 of the application year = 2016), and award year 2018-2019 (20 months), and award year 2019-2020 (32 months). Note that if you end up applying for award year 2019-2020, you would be eligible for just the 2-year PGS-D.

Alternatively, if you wait a year and start a new graduate program in Fall 2017, then you will be eligible for the PGS-D award for award year 2017-2018 (4 months completed by December of application year = 2016), award year 2018-2019 (8 months), award year 2019-2020 (20 months) and award year 2020-2021 (32 months; but this will limit you to the 2-year PGS-D).

The important thing I wanted to point out is that you don't have to worry about getting the PGS-D before getting into another PhD program--you'll have a few years after starting a new program before you are no longer eligible. In fact, many students do not get PGS-Ds until a year or two into their doctoral program.

And, I want to also point out that the CGS-M is also still available to you, should you choose to attend a Canadian Masters or a Canadian direct-PhD program instead of a US program. All of the above examples were for direct-PhD US programs since I noticed you specified PGS-D, not CGS-D. To qualify for a CGS-M, you need to have completed between 0-12 months of a graduate program, and leaving before the end of the academic year will mean that you will be qualified for the CGS-M both prior to and during your first year of your Canadian Masters (or Canadian direct-PhD program).

---

Okay all of that was just quantitative eligibility. The other issue to consider, that you brought up, is the chances of receiving such an award after dropping out of an existing PhD program. I don't have direct experience with this but I have some thoughts that may be helpful to consider. I will be honest---I hope it doesn't sound too harsh. But I am hoping that honesty is more helpful to you than pretending everything is fine and that you will appreciate that.

First, the fact that you dropped out of an existing program will definitely hurt your chances at a PGS-D. Even though you have a very good reason to do so and that I think it is the right thing for you to do. I know you have not yet dropped out of the program, but I want to emphasize: Please do not make your decision to drop out depend on whether or not you will be eligible for NSERC awards in the future. NSERC awards are nice but your own health is much much more important. I also have experience with PGS-D at a US school and because of the reduced award value and the huge cost of grad students to the school, having this PGS-D award does not make a huge difference. In terms of monetary impact, it's a lot less valuable to US schools than US awards like NSF. Yes, the prestige value is still there, but it's not worth your health.

Second, you have a small section in the PGS-D application under the "Applicant's Statement" (Part III, "special circumstances"). This is the only place where you, as the applicant, can write anything about your circumstances. Note that the entire section (Parts I through Part III) can only be 2 pages, so this will be a fairly limited area. Here you must advocate for yourself that you will succeed in the new graduate program. Unfortunately, I do not have any tips on how to do this well/successfully. Perhaps resources on campus right now could help you, from the Counseling Center and/or your professors that know you. It might be a good idea to continue to meet with the Counseling Center on campus until you actually leave and this could be one of the conversations you have near the end.

Third, I think the LORs will be a very relevant part of your NSERC application. I think it would be very important to get some sort of favourable letter from someone in your current program for NSERC. I hope you can find someone who has been supportive of you and able to speak to your qualities. This is not absolutely necessary though, but I think something to keep in mind as you prepare to leave.

---

And finally, I think if you are thinking about future graduate work, I would first think about applying to graduate programs again before the PGS-D. As I showed in the timelines above, you don't have to get a PGS-D before getting into another PhD program. I think the fact that you are doing well in a new PhD program would go a long way towards helping you get the PGS-D.

From your past posts, I really think that you could benefit from some time away from school to reassess what you would want and how you would work with the stress of graduate student life. I think your own mental and physical health should take priority over any of these above things. After you take care of that, then you can see how you feel about PhD programs and after that, think about awards like the PGS-D. Don't forget that you are eligible for the PGS-D for quite a while!

[Catria]

The reason why I mentioned PGS-D specifically was because I hold a Canadian masters... in which case I know there are Canadian supervisors that I would be able to work under, with a PGS-D in hand, that I wouldn't be able to otherwise. 

This means I have 2 years of PGS-D eligibility. If I start in Fall 2017, and I obtain it for 2017 I will have 3 years, but if I obtained it in 2018 then I have 2 years of PGS-D.

The decision to drop out was made before NSERC awards for future application cycles even entered the equation. I know fixing the kind of mental health issues I am afflicted with is a long-term enterprise.

Edited November 18, 2015 by Catria

[TakeruK]

Ah, I missed that you have a Canadian Masters already. Well, I hope that the numbers still help someone else who is reapplying.