Award Holder's Guide 2006

For Postgraduate Scholarship (PGS) or Canada Graduate Scholarship (CGS) Holders at Canadian Universities

Table of Contents

Where Can I Get More Information?

Introduction

General Regulations

Forms

For Postgraduate Scholarship (PGS) or Canada Graduate Scholarship (CGS) Holders at Canadian Universities

Where Can I Get More Information?

Table of Contents | Where Can I Get More Information?
Introduction | General Regulations

For Postgraduate Scholarship (PGS) or Canada Graduate Scholarship (CGS) Holders at Canadian Universities

Introduction

Please read this Guide carefully on receipt of your Notice of Award. This Guide contains important information regarding the payment and administration of your award.

Award holders will receive payment of their awards through their universities, which are also responsible for managing the awards according to NSERC's regulations.

This Guide supersedes previous statements by NSERC on Fellowships and Scholarships regulations. NSERC may, without notice, change award regulations or the terms and conditions of the award. Any major changes will be announced immediately to award holders and/or in Program News on NSERC's Web site. This Guide is intended for use by students holding one of the following awards at a Canadian university:

• NSERC – PGS M and PGS D
• NSERC – PGS A and PGS B
• Julie Payette – NSERC Research Scholarship
• Canada Graduate Scholarship – CGS M and CGS D
• NSERC – Postgraduate Scholarship M Extension

Note: All personal information collected by NSERC is subject to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act, as described in the NSERC Program Guide for Students and Fellows.

In this Guide, "your university" refers to the university at which you are registered during tenure of your award.
   

Table of Contents | Where Can I Get More Information?
Introduction | General Regulations

For Postgraduate Scholarship (PGS) or Canada Graduate Scholarship (CGS) Holders at Canadian Universities

General Regulations
Acceptance or Refusal of Award (New Award Holders Only)
Start Date

• Change in Start Date

Value and Duration of Award

• Postgraduate Scholarship M Extension
• Stipend Increase
• Part-time PGS/CGS Support
  • Disability
  • Family Responsibilities

Deferment of Award
Activation of Payment (For New Awards and Awards Transferred to Another University)

• Payments

Interruption of Award

• Unpaid Leave for Reasons of Maternity, Child Rearing, Illness or Health-Related Family Responsibilities
• Paid Parental Leave
• Leave for Relevant Work Experience
• Vacation Leave

Reinstatement of Award
Change of Program of Study/Supervisor/Research Project/Degree
Change of University

• Changing to a Foreign University (Only for PGS)

Other Sources of Income (Employment and Other Awards)
Annual Progress Reports
Termination of Award
Taxation and Other Issues

• Taxation
• Insurance
• The Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act

General Regulations

To hold an award, you must:

• have been unconditionally accepted into a recognized graduate studies degree program in a field supported by NSERC;
• be registered full-time and progressing satisfactorily in a graduate studies program at an eligible university;
  • NSERC part-time award holders: be registered part-time and progressing satisfactorily in a graduate studies program at an eligible university;
• accept the terms and conditions of the award, as set out in this Guide, in the Notice of Award and in the program description found in the NSERC Program Guide for Students and Fellows;
• comply with the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans and the policies and guidelines regarding animal care and biohazards (see Requirements for Certain Types of Research);
• comply with NSERC's integrity policy (see the NSERC Program Guide for Students and Fellows for more information);
• acknowledge, wherever possible, NSERC's funding assistance for the research;
• not hold or accept full-time employment while holding the award; and
• agree to have your university administer your award.

In addition,

• CGS awards may be held only at a Canadian university;
• the date of degree completion is the date on which all requirements for your degree have been met, including successful defence and submission of the corrected copy of your thesis (in accordance with your university's regulations); and
• awards may be cancelled without notice if the conditions under which they are granted are violated. Any payment made for a period during which you were not eligible to hold the award must be reimbursed.

Acceptance or Refusal of Award (New Award Holders Only)

• You must notify NSERC within six weeks of the date on the Notice of Award of your decision to accept or refuse the award by completing an Acceptance or Refusal of Award (Form 1A).
• NSERC will cancel any award not accepted by the above deadline.
• Notification by telephone is not acceptable.
• NSERC must receive the above-mentioned notification even if you plan to request a deferment of your award (see Deferment of Award).

Activation of Payment (for New Awards and Awards Transferred to Another University)

• You will be required to provide some information to your university and to NSERC in order to receive payment of your award. You must complete a Payment Activation (Form 1B) and submit Part I to your university and Part II to NSERC at least eight weeks before your Start Date, otherwise your payment will be delayed. Please send a copy of your letter of award, along with the duly completed Payment Activation (Form 1B), to the Graduate Studies Office of the university where you are taking up the award.
• If NSERC does not receive your duly completed Payment Activation (Form 1B) by November 1 following announcement of the results, your award may be cancelled.
• Your award payment will be activated based on the information contained in your Payment Activation form, provided you have met all general award conditions applicable to all recipients, as well as any specific conditions that were indicated in your Notice of Award.
• If any of the information that you provided to NSERC changes prior to your start date, contact NSERC and your university immediately; this will reduce the likelihood of a delay in the payment of your award.
• Your university will verify that you have met all the conditions of your award before activating your award.
• If you are uncertain whether all conditions have been met, please contact your university.
• If you wish to transfer to a different university, see Change of University.

Payments

• You will receive payment of your award from your university.
• The payment schedule will be based on your university's schedule, and acceptance of this schedule is a condition of your award.

Start Date

• Your start date is determined by your registration status in the program of studies for which funding was awarded at the time you receive notification of your award.
• If you have already begun the program of studies, you may take up your award on either the first day of the May or September academic term following the announcement of the results, except in the following cases:
• PGS M and CGS M holders: If you began the program of studies for which funding was awarded in January of the year of application, you must take up your award on the first day of the May academic term following the announcement of the results.
• PGS B, PGS D and CGS D holders: You may take up your doctoral award on the first day of January if your prior PGS A, PGS M, CGS M or IPS 1 award ends in December following the announcement of the results.
• If you have not yet begun the program of studies, you may take up the award on either the first day of the May, September or January academic term following the announcement of the results.
• If you anticipate that you will not be able to complete your degree requirements by December 31, you must decline the award. However, you may apply again in the following competition as long as you remain eligible.
• PGS A, PGS M and CGS M holders: Be aware that starting your PGS A, PGS M or CGS M in January might result in a four-month period of zero funding from NSERC if you successfully apply for a PGS D/CGS D.

Change in Start Date

• If, after you have sent your Payment Activation form, you change your start date, you must immediately notify the university.
• Award holders who have already submitted a Payment Activation form must inform the Scholarships and Fellowships Division of any such changes.
• See also Value and Duration of Award and Start Date for additional information on the change of your start date.

Value and Duration of Award

• The value and duration of your award are detailed in your Notice of Award, and may be adjusted to take into account a change in your registration status (e.g., early completion of your degree or termination of your graduate studies program). NSERC will contact you to reclaim any overpayment of your award.
• PGS A: Award holders should note that their scholarship support will not extend beyond the 28th month of their master's program. If you have completed more than four months full-time equivalent in a master's program at the time you take up your award, the normal 24-month duration will be decreased by the number of months in excess of four that have been completed at that time.

Request for the balance of the PGS A support if the duration of your award is less than the maximum of 24 months: You can request the balance of the award if you transfer to a doctoral program during the term of your award, or if you complete your master's degree prior to the termination of your award and immediately enter into a doctoral degree program.

• PGS M and CGS M: Award holders should note that scholarship support will not extend beyond the 28th month of their master's program.

Possible extension of PGS M or CGS M: Award holders who applied for the award before starting their graduate studies and held it during the entire first 12 months of their graduate studies, or who began their graduate studies in the January academic session immediately following the application deadline and held the award within the first 16 months of their graduate studies, may request a Postgraduate Scholarship M Extension ($17,300) for a maximum of 12 months. To request the extension, submit a completed Request for a Postgraduate Scholarship M Extension (Form 5) eight weeks prior to the end of your PGS M or CGS M. The extension must be requested while the PGS M or CGS M is active. If you hold the extension, you will be eligible for a maximum of two years PGS D or CGS D funding.

Stipend Increase

• Request for a stipend increase to the PGS D level: PGS A, PGS M, CGS M and Postgraduate Scholarship M Extension holders who transfer from a master's degree into a doctoral program, who complete their master's degree in less than the maximum duration of their award and proceed into a doctoral program, or who enrol directly in a doctoral program following completion of their bachelor's degree may be eligible to have their stipend increased to the PGS D level for the balance of the PGS A, PGS M, CGS M or Postgraduate Scholarship M Extension. You must have completed a minimum of 12 months of graduate studies and have been admitted unconditionally and be registered in the doctoral program. This increase in stipend is not automatic; you must request it while your PGS A, PGS M, CGS M or Postgraduate Scholarship M Extension is active. You must inform the Graduate Studies Office at your university that you wish to receive the balance of your award and/or the increased stipend if you are pursuing your doctoral program at the same university where you held your PGS A, PGS M, CGS M or Postgraduate Scholarship M Extension.

If you plan to undertake your doctoral program at a university other than the one where you hold your PGS A, PGS M, CGS M or Postgraduate Scholarship M Extension, see Change of University.

Students who receive the increase must still apply successfully for a PGS D if they wish to receive continued support beyond the term of the PGS A, PGS M, CGS M or Postgraduate Scholarship M Extension.

Part-time PGS/CGS Support

• PGS/CGS support is available to those who are restricted to part-time studies for reasons of disability or family responsibilities. For students whose request for part-time status is approved by NSERC, the stipend will be the equivalent of a full-time award spread over a longer period of time. All other PGS/CGS regulations will apply.
• NSERC will notify you of the decision on your request to hold your award part-time.

Disability

• For purposes of holding an award part-time, disability is defined as: "a functional limitation resulting from a physical, sensory or mental impairment, which, for an indefinite period, affects the ability of the student to perform the activities necessary to participate fully in his or her learning."
• If you intend to pursue part-time graduate studies in a field supported by NSERC because a disability prevents you from pursuing a full-time program of studies, you must have a Medical Certification to Hold an NSERC PGS/CGS/PDF on a Part-time Basis for Reasons of Disability (Form 4) completed by the qualified health professional most familiar with your situation. He or she must either mail the form directly to NSERC or return it to you in a sealed envelope to be forwarded to us. This form will be treated as a confidential document to be used only by NSERC staff when considering the eligibility of the candidate for a part-time award.
• Your university must write a letter supporting your request to pursue part-time graduate studies.

Family Responsibilities

• For purposes of holding an award part-time, family responsibility is defined as: "the primary responsibility for providing the personal care to a dependent family member (e.g., pre-school children, infirm spouse or parent) which affects the ability of the student to perform the activities necessary to participate fully in his or her learning."
• As an award holder, you must write to NSERC justifying your need to hold your award part-time for family responsibilities. A letter supporting your request must also be sent by your university.

Deferment of Award

• Before commencing your award, you may request permission to defer it for up to three years, but only for reasons of maternity, child rearing, illness or health-related family responsibilities. You may not defer your award in order to take up another award, to accept or hold employment, or to pursue studies other than those for which you received funding.
• You must complete a Request for Deferment or Interruption of Award (Form 3) and send it to NSERC as soon as possible, but no later than October 1 of the year of the original award. Supporting documentation (e.g., birth, adoption or medical certificate) confirming the reason for deferment must also be included with the request.
• Furthermore, if you are currently registered in the program for which funding was awarded, you must obtain approval from your university to defer your award. Deferments will not be approved if they are in conflict with your university's policies.
• Even though you intend to defer your award, you must submit confirmation to NSERC that you have completed, by December 31 of the year of the original award, all requirements of your previous degree (if not already submitted with your application), or your award will be cancelled.

Interruption of Award

• You may only interrupt active awards.
• You may interrupt your award only for the reasons described in: Unpaid Leave for Reasons of Maternity, Child Rearing, Illness or Health-Related Family Responsibilities; Paid Parental Leave; and Leave for Relevant Work Experience.
• You must obtain approval from your university prior to any interruption of your award.
• For approved interruptions, your university will suspend payment of your award for the duration of the interruption and will resume payment when all the conditions of your award are met, generally, on your return to full-time studies. The interruption will not reduce the total amount of support available to you.
• For the purpose of determining eligibility for future NSERC scholarships, approved interruptions will not count when the number of months spent in graduate studies is being calculated, regardless of your registration status.
• You may not interrupt your award in order to take up another award or to pursue studies other than those for which you received funding.

Unpaid Leave for Reasons of Maternity, Child Rearing, Illness or Health-Related Family Responsibilities

• You are eligible for a leave of absence of up to three years, in accordance with your university's policies, only for reasons of maternity, child rearing, illness or health-related family responsibilities, provided your university permits such leaves.
• You must obtain approval from your university prior to interrupting your award.
• Contact your university to find out what documentation it requires to approve the interruption. This may include birth, adoption or medical certificates.

Paid Parental Leave

• If you will be interrupting your studies/award within six months following a child's birth or adoption in order to be the primary caregiver for the child, you may request a paid parental leave supplement at your current stipend level for up to four months, provided your university permits parental leaves.
• You may not receive this supplement while your award is being deferred.
• You must obtain approval from your university prior to interrupting your award.
• The maximum period of paid leave is four months, even in cases of multiple births or adoption of more than one child at the same time.
• If both parents are supported by NSERC, each parent may take a portion of the leave, for a combined maximum duration of four months.
• Contact your university to find out what documentation it requires to approve the paid parental leave. This may include birth, adoption or medical certificates.
• If leave is approved, your university will administer the supplement and notify NSERC.

In addition, you must certify in writing to the university that:

• you are not eligible for and will not receive employment insurance or other maternity/parental benefits from other sources;
• you will be the primary caregiver of your child during the parental leave; and
• during the parental leave, you will not be engaged in your studies/research activities or employed in any capacity.

Leave for Relevant Work Experience

• You may interrupt your award to obtain relevant work experience.
• You are not entitled to receive your award payments during such interruptions.
• You must obtain approval from your university prior to interrupting your award.
• You are permitted one four-month interruption for this type of leave during your master's studies, and two four-month interruptions for this type of leave during your doctoral studies.
• No two periods of leave for work experience can be consecutive. You must be registered for at least the equivalent of one full-time academic term between the interruptions.

Vacation Leave

• Your university's regulations apply with respect to vacation leave.

Reinstatement of Award

• To reinstate a deferred award, you must notify NSERC in writing at least eight weeks before resuming your studies, confirming the exact date you want your award to be reinstated. See also Activation of Payment.
• To reinstate an interrupted award, you must notify your university in writing at least eight weeks before resuming your studies, confirming the exact date you want your award to be reinstated.
• Awards will be governed by the regulations applicable at the time of reinstatement.

Change of Program of Study/Supervisor/Research Project/Degree

• Requests to change the program of study, supervisor, research project or the degree will be evaluated by your university. Contact the office at your university that administers your award for further information.
  
• In the case of disciplines that fall under the mandate of more than one federal granting agency (e.g., psychology, management studies, geography, physical education, optometry or health sciences), the university is required to consult the relevant agency for a ruling.
• If you modify your research project to the extent that the field of study is not supported by the agency that funds your award, you will no longer be eligible to hold the award and it will be cancelled.

Change of University

To change your university of tenure, you must obtain prior approval from NSERC. Such requests for change of university should be made as soon as possible, preferably at least eight weeks prior to your start or transfer date, to give the new university time to activate payment of your award.

• If you have not yet submitted your Payment Activation form, you must:
• indicate the new university on a Payment Activation (Form 1B, Part I) and submit it, along with a copy of your NSERC Award Notice, to your university; and
• indicate the new university on a Payment Activation (Form 1B, Part II) and submit it to NSERC.
• If you have already submitted your Payment Activation form, you must:
• complete both parts of a Payment Activation (Form 1B). Indicate the new university and submit Part I, along with a copy of your NSERC Award Notice, to your new university and Part II to NSERC;
• complete a Request to Change University (Form 2, Part I) and submit it to NSERC; and
• advise your previous university of your intent to transfer.

To change your university after having taken up the award:

• You must send the following documentation to NSERC:
• the duly completed and signed Request to Change University (Form 2, Parts I and II) supported by the heads of the department of the original university and the proposed university; and
• a letter justifying your reasons for the change.
• If you are a PGS A, PGS M, CGS M or Postgraduate Scholarship M Extension holder who has completed your master's degree before the end of your award and you want to use the balance of the award to commence your doctoral program at another Canadian university and receive the increased stipend, complete a Request to Change University (Form 2, Parts I and III) and submit it to NSERC. You do not need to include a letter justifying the reasons for the change.

NSERC will notify you and the university if your request to change university has been approved. If the request is approved, you must then submit a Payment Activation (Form 1B), along with a copy of your NSERC Award Notice, to the new university.

Changing to a Foreign University (only for PGS)

• CGS awards must be held at a Canadian university (no exceptions).
• If your PGS award has been approved for tenure at a Canadian university, you are not permitted to transfer to a foreign university.
• PGS A, PGS M and Postgraduate Scholarship M Extension holders: If you anticipate that you will complete your master's degree six to 12 months prior to the termination of your PGS A, PGS M or Postgraduate Scholarship M Extension and wish to hold the remainder of your award abroad (while undertaking doctoral studies), you must apply for tenure-abroad consideration in the next competition. Please contact NSERC as soon as possible for application details. Even if you are successful in the competition and receive approval to hold the remainder of your award abroad, if you do not complete your master's degree at least six months prior to the termination of your PGS A, PGS M or Postgraduate Scholarship M Extension, you may not be allowed to hold the remainder of your award abroad.
• If you intend to hold your award at a university outside Canada, you must contact the appropriate agencies for immigration and taxation regulations. NSERC cannot advise award holders on such matters.

Other Sources of Income (Employment and Other Awards)

• NSERC expects award holders to devote the majority of their time to the expeditious completion of their degree program. As a guideline, NSERC strongly suggests that award holders limit the number of hours of employment per 12-month period to 450 hours. Universities may, however, set their own guidelines. Please contact your university for further information.
• You may not hold full-time employment during any period of time in which you hold the NSERC award.
• Payment of the award during paid internships and co-op work terms is permitted, regardless of your registration status, provided that they are a requirement of your program of studies.
• You may not concurrently hold an award from another federal granting agency (CIHR or SSHRC). You may, however, accept awards from other sources, regardless of value (e.g., foreign sources, provincial awards, private organizations or your university).
• You may not accept remuneration or supplements paid from other NSERC grants, whether paid as a scholarship or salary.
• Part-time PGS/CGS holders: No employment is permitted during tenure of the award without NSERC's prior authorization.

Annual Progress Reports

• Your university will process an annual progress report on behalf of NSERC. This report must be completed in conjunction with your supervisor.
• NSERC may cancel the award if your progress is judged unsatisfactory.

Termination of Award

• If you are planning to terminate your award early, contact your university and NSERC as soon as possible.
• In accordance with its policies, your university will determine the end date of your award based on information pertaining to your termination.
• Your registration status may change in certain circumstances (e.g., when you complete your degree, start another program of studies, terminate your studies, change to part-time status or accept full-time employment). If you are uncertain whether your registration status has changed, please contact your university.
• If your registration status changes, the final value of your award will be prorated based on the end date as determined by your university.
• If you accept full-time employment, regardless of whether or not you have completed your degree, your award will be terminated as of the effective date of your contract of employment. The value of the award will be prorated.
• Either your university or NSERC will contact you to reclaim any overpayment of your award.

Taxation and Other Issues

Taxation

• Most income you receive is taxable and you must include it on your income tax return. Taxable income includes scholarships and fellowships, as well as salaries and stipends. NSERC does not deduct any income tax at source (at time of payment), so you should plan accordingly for the possibility that you may owe tax at the time of filing your return.
• NSERC will issue a T4A income tax slip to award holders it pays directly. If your university pays you the scholarship on behalf of NSERC, or if you receive income from other sources (e.g., foreign sources, provincial award, private organizations or your university), those organizations should provide you with the appropriate income tax slips.
• NSERC is unable to dispense advice on income tax matters to individual students and fellows, given the uniqueness of each award recipient's personal financial situation. Consequently, you are encouraged to seek advice from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) or from a qualified income tax specialist.
• You are referred to two documents published by the CRA:
  • Students and Income Tax, publication P105(E), Rev. 04, at the following address: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pub/tg/p105/README.html.
• Scholarships, Fellowships, Bursaries, Prizes and Research Grants, Income Tax Interpretation Bulletin IT-75R4 at the following address: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pub/tp/it75r4/it75r4-e.html.

Insurance

• NSERC is unable to assume liability for accidents, illness or losses that may occur during the tenure of an award. You are responsible for ensuring that you have appropriate insurance.

The Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act

• We encourage you to read these acts as they pertain to application information.

Table of Contents | Where Can I Get More Information?
Introduction | General Regulations