2023/24 Graduate Student

Scholarships
May 29, 2023
The information below outlines the 2023/24 Graduate Student Scholarships
program. This program is administered by Athabasca University, Concordia
University of Edmonton, the University of Alberta, University of Calgary, and
University of Lethbridge.

Please contact your Alberta university of choice for information regarding

university-specific application processes and procedures. University contact
information is located on page 13 of this document.
This document provides information for scholarship applicants and also
describes the terms and conditions for recipients of an Alberta Innovates
Graduate Student Scholarship.

About Alberta Innovates

Innovation is the catalyst for sustainable jobs, economic and community strength, improved
health and environmental benefits. Alberta Innovates leads and accelerates innovation
from discovery to use across all sectors in all parts of the province. As Alberta’s largest
research and innovation agency, we are uniquely positioned to propel great ideas forward
to improve the lives of Albertans today and for generations to come.
Alberta Innovates believes the research and innovation (R&I) ecosystem is stronger and more
sustainable when it is broadly representative of the overall diversity of our community. We strive to
ensure that all interested and qualified parties have an equitable opportunity to participate and
contribute to the ecosystem and that our processes are inclusive.
The projects that our programs invest in are critical to how Alberta Innovates achieves positive impact
for Albertans in alignment with the Government of Alberta’s R&I priorities, as expressed in our
corporate Business Plan. (See the most recent Business Plan on our Publications page on our website.)
Accordingly, it is essential for project outcomes to align with those of the program.
The Graduate Student Scholarships program is administered by Alberta universities and overseen by
Post Secondary Investments and Emerging Technologies (PSIET) within Alberta Innovates. PSIET provides
funding, enabling and matchmaking to emerging technology inventors to increase the volume of
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commercial outcomes for Alberta’s future prosperity. Please visit https://albertainnovates.ca/focus-
areas/postsecondary-investments/.

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General Conditions
These scholarships are intended for graduate students conducting full-time research in key emerging
technology areas of information and communications technologies (ICT) and advanced materials and
manufacturing technologies (AMM), ensuring that Albertan universities and companies are able to
recruit top talent. Learn more about the emerging technology areas here.
Alberta Innovates Graduate Student Scholarships are open to Canadian, Permanent Resident and
International Students.
Students in the following categories may apply, provided that they are pursuing graduate studies at an
Alberta university in one of the research areas outlined below and meet eligibility requirements:
• Canadian candidates, whether or not they hold a major (i.e., NSERC) award;
• International candidates
All applications should be made to the appropriate university.

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Program Overview
Each year, Alberta Advanced Education, in partnership with Alberta Innovates invests in the support of
academically superior graduate students undertaking full-time research education at an Alberta
university, leading to a research-based master’s or doctoral degree.
The Alberta Innovates Graduate Student Scholarships program (GSS) is designed to enable these
promising students to succeed in Emerging Technology Areas of scientific research which are strategically
important to Alberta. These areas are Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Advanced
Materials and Manufacturing Technologies (AMM) in and of themselves or which additionally support
the innovation priority areas of Environment, Energy, Agriculture, Manufacturing, and Health.
Further explanation of the eligible Emerging Technology Areas of Research can be found here.

* * *
The scholarship is intended to support the recipient in concentrating his/her full-time attention to the
proposed research. In addition to living expenses, tuition, etc., recipients are encouraged to use a portion
of the scholarship for the following:

• Travel expenses to attend scientific meetings and conferences

• Travel expenses for relocation
• Purchase of scientific materials, books, periodicals and journals
• Supplies and expendables
• Computer hardware and software
• Costs for the use of libraries, computer and animal facilities
• Costs associated with the publication of research results

Timeline and Application Process

Specific to each individual university; please contact your university of choice for deadline information.
(Contact information can be found on page 13)

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Eligibility (Please refer to Eligibility and Term
of Scholarship chart on page 14)
If a candidate is not yet registered at an Alberta university, their eligibility to apply for the GSS is
contingent upon meeting all eligibility requirements for admission to an Alberta university. The
candidate should contact the university of their choice for information on those requirements.
Students cannot simultaneously hold support from more than one Alberta Innovates studentship program.
A student cannot receive more than a total of four years of combined master’s/doctoral support from
Alberta Innovates (across all programs). This includes support from the Alberta Innovates Graduate
Student Scholarship, Alberta Innovates Graduate Student Scholarship for Data-Enabled Innovation, the
Alberta Innovates Graduate Studentship (Health), and the Alberta SPOR SUPPORT Unit (AbSPORU)
Graduate Studentship.

Sponsoring Supervisor
Each candidate must be sponsored by a faculty supervisor, possessing both a record of productive
research within a research area described below and sufficient resources to ensure the satisfactory
conduct of the research.

University Review Procedure and Selection Criteria

Each Alberta university will review all applications and evaluate them based on excellence and strategic
alignment in Emerging Technology Areas of scientific research important to Alberta. These Areas are
Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Advanced Materials and Manufacturing
Technologies (AMM) in and of themselves or which additionally support the innovation priority areas of
Environment, Energy, Agriculture, Manufacturing, and Health.

Alberta Innovates Evaluation Process

Alberta Innovates will then review applications forwarded by the universities for alignment with
Government of Alberta, Alberta Innovates, and Post-Secondary Investments and Emerging Technologies
(PSIET) priorities. The applicant must clearly articulate in the application how the results of the research
can produce potential environmental, health, economic, social and other impacts for Alberta.
All applications are reviewed and evaluated to determine fit with the Graduate Student Scholarship
program objectives and intended outcomes. Alberta Innovates staff and external expert reviewers are
engaged to evaluate Applications.
Alberta Innovates retains the sole right to determine the evaluation process and assessment criteria and
does not disclose the names of its reviewers to ensure their objectivity and impartiality. Internal and

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external parties involved in the evaluation are subject to confidentiality and conflict-of-interest policies
set by Alberta Innovates.
All investment decisions are at the sole discretion of Alberta Innovates.

Start Date:
Recipients may choose to commence the GSS on September 1, 2023, or January 1, 2024, subject to the
rules and regulations governing graduate awards at the chosen university.

Location of Award
Scholarships are only valid at the following Alberta universities:

• Athabasca University
• Concordia University of Edmonton
• University of Alberta
• University of Calgary
• University of Lethbridge

Term of Scholarship (Refer to eligibility and Term of Scholarship chart on

page 14):
Master’s students awarded a scholarship, when not holding a major (i.e., NSERC) award, will receive
a stipend of $26,000 per year.
Doctoral students awarded a scholarship, when not holding a major (i.e., NSERC) award, will receive
a stipend of $31,000 per year.
Students who receive a major (i.e., NSERC) award do not receive the full GSS stipend but do receive a
top-up award (see Funding and Payments chart on page 4 to 5). The Faculty of Graduate Studies at each
Alberta University determines which awards are considered major awards for the purposes of Alberta
Innovates scholarship terms.
Students who receive a 2022 Alberta Graduate Excellence Scholarship (AGES) may receive an AGES top-
up award. This top-up reflects changes to the recent 2023 AGES and the amount is determined by the
Faculty of Graduate Studies at each Alberta University. Please contact your university of choice for further
information.
Master’s students are eligible for a maximum of two years of funding. This would apply to a student who
has not yet begun their master’s program at the competition deadline. For degrees already in progress,
the term of the scholarship will be reduced by one year for each academic year or portion of an academic
year spent participating in the graduate program, prior to commencing the scholarship, as determined
by the registration date on their transcripts.* see note below.
Students who transfer to a doctoral program during the tenure of their master’s award may continue to
hold the master’s level GSS at its original value and duration until the end date of their award. The GSS
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is to be held at the same institution, whether or not they have completed the master’s degree, provided
there is no gap in registration and/or enrolment.
Doctoral students are eligible for a maximum of four years of funding. This would apply to a student who
has not yet begun their doctoral program at the competition deadline. For degrees already in progress,
the term of scholarship will be reduced by one year for each academic year or portion of an academic
year spent participating in the graduate program, prior to commencing the scholarship, as determined
by the registration date on their transcripts. This includes any time spent in a master’s program (transfer
from master’s to doctoral program). * see note below.

*Please note Alberta Innovates considers an academic year to be any time (up to and including the
last month of study in a term) spent participating in a program. For example, if a candidate begins their
first year of study in September, and applies for a scholarship in January, that time will be considered their
first year of study and one full year would be reduced from the candidate’s term. The candidate’s
first year of study (although only partially complete upon application) would be reduced from the term
of the scholarship. That candidate would be eligible for one year if they are a master’s candidate and
three years if they are a doctoral candidate.

Award terms for Athabasca University applicants are determined by time remaining to program
completion. See page 15 for more information.

Funding and Payments*:

SCHOLARSHIP GSS STIPEND OTHER MAJOR TOTAL
VALUE (PER YEAR) (i.e., NSERC) (PER YEAR)
AWARD VALUE
MASTER’S GSS $26,000 $0 $26,000
DOCTORAL GSS $31,000 $0 $31,000
MAJOR (i.e., NSERC) AWARD $12,000 VARIES VARIES
TOP-UP
2023 AGES AWARD TOP-UP** VARIES VARIES VARIES

*Please note, GSS Stipend Values listed above apply to the 2018/19 to 2023/24 scholarship recipients.
They are not applicable to students awarded funding in previous competitions from Alberta Innovates.
**This top-up refers to students that have been awarded an AB Innovates GSS. If the student holds both a
GSS and for example, an AGES, the GSS award will be adjusted accordingly.
Scholarships are provided to the sponsoring university for distribution through the institution’s payment
system.
For students who receive a major (i.e., NSERC) award, the Alberta Innovates Graduate Student
Scholarships stipend will increase to a rate of $26,000 (master’s) or $31,000 (doctoral) per year when
the external funding ends, for the remainder of the scholarship term.

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 It is the student’s responsibility to inform their institution of any changes to funding as soon as he/she
becomes aware of them.

Reporting:
Annual Reports (To University)
Scholarships are annual and recipients may renew the scholarship, if eligible, up to the maximum term as
indicated in the Program Guidelines and Handbook, provided acceptable progress report(s) are received.
Details on progress reports and deadlines to renew a scholarship are university-specific. Students should
contact their university for further information.

Reports to Alberta Innovates

A condition of accepting the scholarship is that scholarship recipients will be contacted and must respond
to Alberta Innovates reporting requests during and after the scholarship tenure.
A scholarship report will be requested of and must be completed by each scholarship recipient. The
scholarship recipient will be contacted during the last year of their scholarship tenure requesting
submission of this report. This report will describe the outcome(s) of the funded research project, and both
the recipient’s immediate and long-term plans. Alberta Innovates will specify the due date and the
completed report should be completed within the student’s Alberta Innovates account. Report forms and
further information on the requirements of this report will be provided by Alberta Innovates.
Failure to submit the final report may result in withholding remaining scholarship payments until the
report is received.
Alberta Innovates scholarship recipients will also be surveyed over several years after the end of the
scholarship to measure the impact and benefits of Alberta Innovates funding for recipients and for Alberta.
Recipients will be asked to report on research and training achievements, current location, and ongoing
career progression.
Please note, the report information may also be shared with the Government of Alberta’s Ministry of
Advanced Education.

Changes to Approved Awards

Students must seek and receive approval in writing from the university prior to any significant changes to
the research as outlined in the approved application. This includes, but is not limited to, changes in
supervisor, project, department and program of study.
Further, Alberta Innovates and Alberta Advanced Education require the university to be responsible for
monitoring any changes to a recipient’s graduate registration that would affect eligibility for this
scholarship, including termination of graduate studies, completion of degree requirements, leaves of
absence, etc.

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LEAVES Of Absence:
Unpaid Leave of Absence (For Leave of Absence Other Than Internship)
Unpaid leaves of absence which result in the Alberta Innovates scholarship being put on hold will be
granted with approval of the sponsoring university. Students considering leave should contact their
Graduate Awards office.

Internships & Co-ops

Alberta Innovates and the Government of Alberta recognizes the importance of internships and co-op
opportunities to graduate student professional development. Internships and co-ops are intended to
support the transition of graduate students to the work environment, allowing them to gain valuable
industrial experience and exposure to potential career opportunities prior to completing their degree.
Students may participate in multiple internships and co-ops, up to a cumulative maximum of twelve
months during the tenure of their Alberta Innovates scholarship, providing the following terms and
conditions are met:
The internship is taken during the tenure of the Alberta Innovates scholarship
A written request is provided to the host institution at least six weeks prior to the start of the internship or
co-op, outlining the expected term of the internship/co-op
The internship leave is approved by the student’s academic graduate program/department and supervisor
The student’s Alberta Innovates scholarship will be paused and reinstated once the Faculty of Graduate
Studies is notified of the student’s return from the internship or co-op opportunity.
The scholarship term will be extended for the duration of the internship/co-op.

Mitacs
The terms and conditions above apply to students participating in a Mitacs internship(s). It is the
responsibility of the student to notify the Faculty of Graduate Studies of the Mitacs award.

Paid Parental Leave

Students may request a paid parental leave at the current stipend level for up to six months, providing the
following terms and conditions are met:
• The parental leave must be taken within six months following the birth or adoption of the child.
• Scholarship recipients may request a paid parental leave for every occasion of birth and/or
adoption that occurs during the tenure of their award.
• Multiple births upon the same occasion (e.g., twins) do not increase the duration or the value of
the leave.

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 • Requests require supporting documentation such as proof of birth or adoption before
reinstatement of the scholarship.

• Recipients receiving a paid parental leave must be the primary caregivers for the entire duration
of the interruption.

• The stipend is equivalent to the value of the monthly stipend for up to six months.
• If both parents hold an Alberta Innovates scholarship and both choose to request paid parental
leave, they must share the paid leave for a cumulative maximum of six months.
• Interruptions for this purpose do not affect the period of time allowed for other interruptions.
• Approval of paid parental leave is subject to the availability of Alberta Innovates scholarship funds
at the home university.
• A written request is provided to the host institution at least six weeks prior to the start of the leave
outlining the expected term of the leave
• The student’s university/supervisor verifies that during this leave of absence, the student will not
be engaged in research activities or employment and will resume full-time research activities upon
return from the leave
The scholarship term will be extended for the duration of the parental leave.

Privacy
Alberta Innovates reserves the right to publish and/or disseminate information regarding its
scholarships, including titles and non-proprietary details of the research, images, researcher’s names and
photos. Alberta Innovates also reserves the right to contact funded researchers, their supervisors and
university to involve them in events, news and happenings related to Alberta Innovates and Alberta’s
innovation system.
Student personal information will be collected by the university from the application form and shared with
Alberta Innovates for the purposes of administering, evaluating, and reporting the program. The
information will also be used to provide reporting to the Government of Alberta.
Information collected is subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy
(FOIP) Act, any Personal information is collected specifically pursuant to Section 33(c). This collection is
in relation directly to the Graduate Student Scholarships program. Should you have any questions about
the collection of this information, you may contact the Senior Business Partner, Talent, at (780) 450-5553.

Contact and Communication: Alberta Innovates

From time to time, Alberta Innovates may audit scholarship recipients. When scholarships are
granted, recipient names and contact information will be forwarded to Alberta Innovates so that

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Alberta Innovates representatives may contact the student for auditing and communications
purposes.

Visits
From time to time, Alberta Innovates representatives may arrange visits with scholarship recipients. The
purpose of these visits is to get to know the graduate students, and see the research being funded.
Further information will be provided if the recipient is contacted to set up a visit.

Outcomes & Intellectual Property

Publication of Results
Results of the supported research must be available in the public domain. The recipient, each supervisor
and the sponsoring institution are encouraged to structure the proposed research project in a way that
permits the publication of non-proprietary research findings in a timely manner. When
commercialization of research outcomes is planned, a delay of up to one year in publication or public
presentation will be allowed to support filing for intellectual property protection or commercializing
findings.

Intellectual Property
Intellectual property (IP) developed during the Alberta Innovates graduate student’s tenure will fall
under the sponsoring institution’s IP policy. If the student is hosted at another institution, the student
and sponsoring institution must ensure that IP arrangements are made between the sponsoring and
host institutions.

Communicating Research:
Acknowledging Support:
All publications, presentations and public messages arising from Alberta Innovates Graduate Student
Scholarships funding must acknowledge the support of Alberta Innovates and Alberta Advanced
Education.
Please use the full corporate Alberta Innovates, rather than any acronym. Further information regarding
how to acknowledge our support can be found within our Communications Toolkit under the Sample
Messaging section of the Toolkit.

Alberta Innovates Logo

Alberta Innovates’ logo is a proprietary symbol. Without exception, prior written approval from the
Communications department is required before the logo may be used. Subsequently, and thereafter, if
any changes are made, a copy of the material on which the logo is to be used must be provided to the
Communications department to ensure the symbol is being used correctly, (i.e., placement, size, screens,
colour, etc.). Our logo guidelines can be found within our Communications Toolkit under the Alberta
Innovates Logo section of the Toolkit.

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Anyone with permission to use the logo in an electronic form must ensure that there is a link to
albertainnovates.ca from the logo.
Please contact communications@albertainnovates.ca if you have questions about the Alberta Innovates
logo.

Award Termination
When a student completes or terminates the research program, or the university terminates the
program during the tenure of the scholarship, funding will also terminate.
A final report is required at the end of the funding term. The final report can be found in the student’s
Alberta Innovates account.

Unused Funds
Any funds remaining in the stipend account as of the scholarship end date will be re-claimed by the
university. These funds are only considered unused if the account has a credit balance after the award
end date (not annual renewal dates).

Conditions of Award
The scholarship is subject to the terms and conditions described in the most current version of the
Program Guidelines and Handbook, including any amendments to these documents.
All scholarships are subject to the availability of funds.
It is the responsibility of the scholarship recipient to stay apprised of the Program Guidelines and
Handbook, as they may be updated from time to time.
Students should also consult the rules and regulations governing graduate awards at their chosen
university.
During the tenure of the award, students are expected to make satisfactory academic progress to
maintain their scholarship eligibility.

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Contact Information:

Athabasca University
Graduate Awards Scholarship Liaison Officer
fgsawards@athabascau.ca

Concordia University of Edmonton

Financial Aid and Awards Office
finaid@concordia.ab.ca

University of Alberta:
Graduate Scholarship Services
grad.awards@ualberta.ca

University of Calgary:
Graduate Scholarship Office
gsaward@ucalgary.ca

University of Lethbridge:
Graduate Funding Facilitator
sgs.awards@uleth.ca

Alberta Innovates
Sarah Lee
Senior Business Partner, Talent
Sarah.lee@albertainnovates.ca

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 Eligibility and Term of Scholarship Chart
Applicable to Concordia University of Edmonton, University of Alberta, University of Calgary, and University of Lethbridge Applicants
(Students can receive no more than four years of combined/total funding from Alberta Innovates)

Graduate Program Start Date Graduate Program Level Eligible Years of Funding
Spring 2021 Master’s Ineligible
Spring 2022 Master’s 1
Spring 2023 Master’s 2

Summer 2021 Master’s Ineligible

Summer 2022 Master’s 1
Summer 2023 Master’s 2

Fall 2021 Master’s Ineligible

Fall 2022 Master’s 1
Fall 2023 Master’s 2

Winter 2022 Master’s Ineligible

Winter 2023 Master’s 1
Winter 2024 Master’s 2

Spring 2019 Doctoral Ineligible

Spring 2020 Doctoral 1**
Spring 2021 Doctoral 2**
Spring 2022 Doctoral 3**
Spring 2023 Doctoral 4**

Summer 2019 Doctoral Ineligible

Summer 2020 Doctoral 1**
Summer 2021 Doctoral 2**
Summer 2022 Doctoral 3**
Summer 2023 Doctoral 4**

Fall 2019 Doctoral Ineligible

Fall 2020 Doctoral 1**
Fall 2021 Doctoral 2**
Fall 2022 Doctoral 3**
Fall 2023 Doctoral 4**

Winter 2020 Doctoral Ineligible

Winter 2021 Doctoral 1**
Winter 2022 Doctoral 2**
Winter 2023 Doctoral 3**
Winter 2024 Doctoral 4**

**Award terms for students who transfer from a Master’s program into a doctoral program without completing a Master’s
degree will be based on the start date of the master’s program.

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 Eligibility and Term of Scholarship
(Athabasca University Pilot Program)

Athabasca University is Canada’s open university. Its mission is dedicated to the removal of the barriers that restrict access to and
success in university-level study and to increasing equality of educational opportunities for adult learners worldwide.

Set apart from traditional universities, Athabasca University’s world-class accredited online programs and courses offer students
the flexibility to learn at their own pace, on a schedule that suits their lifestyle. This unique programming, combined with the
Alberta Innovates Graduate Student Scholarship, allows Alberta’s students the capacity to advance their careers, gain industry
experience, build partnerships, and engage in meaningful research that can benefit the province.

Students can receive no more than four years of combined/total funding from Alberta Innovates

The following term and eligibility requirements are applicable to Athabasca University students only.

To be eligible for two years of combined/total funding (i.e. full award valued at $26,000 per year for up to two years for a total of
up to $52,000, paid in equal installments), the applicant must be able to demonstrate that they have a minimum of two full years
remaining to program completion.

To be eligible for one year of combined/total funding (i.e. partial award valued at $26,000 for one year, paid in equal installments),
the applicant must be able to demonstrate that they have a minimum of one full year remaining to program completion.

Applicants must include a cover letter including a program plan/schedule to be signed by the faculty Dean, project supervisor,
Dean (Faculty of Graduate Studies), or other approved designate.

IMPORTANT: Award terms for students who transfer from a Master’s program into a doctoral program without completing a
Master’s degree will continue until the tenure of the award term has been completed. The award total will not be modified.

Award terms for students who withdraw or complete their program earlier than the anticipated timeline will not receive payments
beyond the date of withdrawal or program completion.

Visit https://www.athabascau.ca/graduate-studies/about/graduate-funding.html for more details about eligibility.

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