Graduate Student Bursaries and Scholarships

Description: The Faculty of Social Science is deeply committed to encouraging, mentoring, and supporting Indigenous scholars. Through the Indigenous Social Science Doctoral Fellowship, we aim to prioritize the recruitment and support of Indigenous applicants who exhibit exceptional research potential and a strong dedication to scholarly pursuits. As an alternative avenue of support, Indigenous scholars will also be considered for the Equity and Diversity Social Science Doctoral Fellowship (EDSSDF).

Value: One award totaling $20,000, paid out as $5,000/year for four years. This award is on top of Departmental funding and is not subject to any downward adjustments.

How to Apply: https://www.ssc.uwo.ca/graduate/awards/indigenous_social_science_doctoral_fellowship.html

Deadline: March 1

Description: The Faculty of Engineering is committed to increasing the diversity of Canadian workforce in the engineering and technology sector, especially, the participation from Indigenous and Black communities. As part of Western Engineering's efforts to encourage, mentor, support and enhance the preparation of tomorrow’s diverse leaders in academia and industry, the faculty is offering the Indigenous and Black Engineering/Technology (IBET) Momentum Fellowship to attract and financially support highly qualified domestic applicants who identify as Indigenous or Black.

How to Apply: https://www.eng.uwo.ca/graduate/funding/IBET-Fellowship.html

Deadline: Please visit the link above for more information

Description: Awarded annually to a full-time graduate student, in any year of any Master's or Doctoral program, who has demonstrated financial need. Eligible students are those who have been admitted to Canada from any country as a refugee and have current refugee status or are now permanent residents or Canadian citizens; or are international students from Kosovo; or are students who are Indigenous to Canada – First Nations, Métis and Inuit (status or non-status).

Value: One at $10,000

How to Apply: https://grad.uwo.ca/finances/western_funding/kelly.html

Deadline: The deadline to submit an online application to the attention of Erin Daley (edaley2@uwo.ca) is February 14.

OGS awards are merit-based scholarships available to students in all disciplines of graduate study. Visit SGPS OSG Scholarships website https://osap.gov.on.ca/OSAPPortal/en/A-ZListofAid/PRDR019245.html, for full details and application

OGS awards are merit-based scholarships available to students in all disciplines of graduate study.
QEII-GSST awards are merit-based scholarships available to domestic students in graduate study undertaking research in science and technology fields.
Successful applicants will win the following award:

$15,000 for one year (three consecutive terms)
The one-year award will start September 1, May 1, or January 1 based on the award holder's program start date.

Description: SOGS Bursaries are awarded each term (summer, fall, winter) to full-time members of the Society of Graduate Students (Masters or Doctoral) who have demonstrated financial need.

How to Apply: Applications are completed on-line through the SGPS Graduate Student Portal

Deadline: September 30, January 31 and May 31

Visit the Donor Funded Awards Search page to search graduate student awards by Faculty or Program.

https://grad.uwo.ca/finances/western_funding/DonorFundedAwardSearch/

Description: The Indigenous Mentorship Network of Ontario (with funds from the Ontario NEIHR located at the University of Toronto) provides financial support for Indigenous graduate students (master’s or doctoral degrees) or health professional students (MD, OT, PT degrees) pursuing research in applied community-based Indigenous health and based at an Ontario institution. Financial support is provided in the form of scholarships.

All scholarships/fellowships are considered for a one-year term. Applicants may re-apply for each year of their program; however, awards are limited to two years per degree. Students pursuing a Master’s, Doctoral, or Professional degree are eligible to receive up to $20,000 per year. The amount will be pro-rated at 50% for part-time students.

IMN-Ontario will award a minimum of 4 scholarships in 2025/26. The CIHR scholarships will be paid by IMN-Ontario via McMaster University. All other awards will be paid by the awarding institution and only students enrolled at that institution will be eligible, for example, only Western University students are eligible for the Western University Scholarship.

Graduate Level Scholarships amount available from IMN-Ontario for 2025-26:
CIHR Research Scholarships: $20,000 X 4
Western University Scholarship: $20,000 (Students must be enrolled at awarding institution to be eligible.)
ICES Scholarship: $20,000 (The ICES scholarship will be awarded to a student enrolled at any Ontario institution with interests in quantitative research and use of ICES data to support their research.) 
Other Institutional funding: TBD

Eligibility Criteria
In order to qualify for an IMN-Ontario scholarship:

1) The applicant must self-identify as an Indigenous student.
2) The applicant must be accepted by an accredited graduate or professional program in province of Ontario for the 2025-26 academic year. Proof of acceptance is not required at the time of application, but is mandatory before any award funds can be released.
3)The applicant must be undertaking or planning to undertake study in the area of community-based Indigenous health and well-being research.

How to Apply: To apply, fill out the Scholarship Application Form at IMN-O Graduate/Health Professional Scholarship Application Form (2025/2026) (cognitoforms.com) and submit along with all required documentation

Deadline:All applications must be received by Monday March 31, 2025, at 4pm EST. No late applications will be accepted. All applicants will be notified of their result by mid-June.

For full information package (including evaluation criteria), please download the 2025 IMN Graduate/Health Professional Scholarship Information for Applicants document.

Description: Western University’s Local First Nations Scholarship Program is awarded to local First Nations students based on their outstanding academic excellence, meaningful and impactful contributions toward First Nations communities. The scholarships are awarded annually to current Western students who are First Nation from the local Territory and enrolled at Western’s main campus at the undergraduate, graduate, or professional levels on a full-time or part-time basis. Applicants must submit an essay (up to 2000 words), a reference letter, and their most recent transcripts will be reviewed. The deadline to submit applications annually (including essay, letter of reference and copies of transcripts) is September 30th.

Western University offers an array of financial aid options for all Indigenous (First Nations, Métis and Inuit) students, however this particular scholarship program is designated for local First Nations students associated with the London District Chiefs Council (LDCC) whose nations have longstanding relationships with the land and place upon which Western University is geographically located.

These communities include the following:

· Aamjiwnaang First Nation

· Caldwell First Nation

· Chippewa’s of Kettle & Stony Point First Nation

· Eelünaapéewi Lahkéewiit Delaware Nation

· Munsee-Delaware Nation

· Oneida Nation of the Thames

Bkwejwanong Territory

How to Apply: For more information or to apply for the Local First Nations Scholarship Program please go to https://indigenous.uwo.ca/students/financial/local-first-nations-scholarship-program.html to download the application and reference form.

Deadline: September 30th Annually

Description: The Mobilizing Insights in Defence and Security (MINDS) program of the Department of National Defence (DND) is committed to fostering the next generation of security and defence scholars in the Canadian academic community and to encouraging a strong Canadian knowledge base in contemporary defence and security issues. To this end, the MINDS program has partnered with SSHRC to deliver the MINDS Scholarship Initiative.

This initiative offers research training awards and supplements to master’s and doctoral students and to postdoctoral researchers in the social sciences and humanities whose work is related to one or more of the MINDS Policy Challenges and/or Canada’s defence policy Strong, Secure, Engaged (PDF, 13.5 MB).

How to Apply: https://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca

Deadline: Please visit website for deadlines

Supports include: Mental Health Fund, Financial Asistance Fund, Food Support Fund, Summer Support Fund, and Extended Health Plan.

Visit the PSAC website for details