Tools and Resources

External award applications often require both undergraduate and graduate transcripts from all previous and current institutions.

If you are applying for the Vanier, CIHR Doctoral, NSERC Doctoral, SSHRC Doctoral or CGS-M at the University of Guelph you may order your University of Guelph transcript free of charge. To obtain a free transcript (for eligible Scholarship purposes only) from the University’s Office of Registrarial Services, please email transcript@uoguelph.ca and indicate that the official transcript will be used for scholarship purposes. Please include the name of the scholarship you are applying to in the subject line of the email.

Please also include your name and student ID number. If you are requesting that the transcript be mailed, the you must provide the full mailing address with your name.

You may request a digital transcript, but it can only be sent to your University of Guelph email account.

Deadline to request transcripts free of charge for scholarship purposes:

Vanier CGS - September 12, 2022

CIHR Doctoral - September 20, 2022

NSERC Doctoral - September 20, 2022

SSHRC Doctoral - September 20, 2022

CGS-M - November 18, 2022

Note: There is a five-day turn-around time from the initial ordering of the transcript, so please order your transcript well in advance of the scholarship application deadline. Ordering before the above listed deadlines is advised.

If you require the transcript prior to the standard five days, you will need to request RUSH service. RUSH orders will not be accepted by email. Please request a RUSH copy through the online application form.

The University of Guelph will not provide students with copies of transcripts from previous institutions unless you have transcripts from institutions outside of North America. For transcripts from outside of North America, we will accept copies of the final and official transcript if they are certified by your home department/school (ONLY if you are applying for the Vanier, CIHR Doctoral, NSERC Doctoral, and/or SSHRC Doctoral). Please contact your department's Graduate Program Assistant for assistance.

Ensure that transcripts are ordered from all other institutions early to allow time for delivery. This is especially important given the COVID-19 pandemic may impact transcript processing times at various institutions. 

• Start preparing your application early!  Know deadlines and applications requirements for each scholarship that you plan to apply.
• Give yourself time.  Completing an application takes a lot of time and effort.  Hastiness will be reflected in the quality of your submission.
• Don’t get discouraged if you are not successful.  Each competition is different so apply each year if eligible.
• Make sure your application is complete.  If not included with the application, make a check list and use it.
• Only provide what is asked for.  Respect page limits and word counts; additional pages will be removed.
• Use 12 point font size and plain font such as Times New Roman or Arial.  Set margins.  No part of the application should be handwritten!
• Pay close attention to grammar and spelling.
• Have someone who knows you well, like your Advisor or a peer from your program, review your application.  They may notice inaccuracies or omissions.
• Have a friend or relative who knows you, but not necessarily your research, review your application.  They will be able to evaluate your application in an objective way without any prior assumptions.
• Take a break!  Look over your application a few days later with fresh eyes and a refreshed mindset.
• The following article from University Affairs may be useful: Increase your chances of winning a scholarship

• Choose your referees carefully.  Request letters from referees who know you well and who you know will provide a positive reference.  Some scholarships require letters from specific types of referees, so read the requirements carefully.  Reference letters from faculty tend to carry more weight.
• The endorsement from a referee is a huge part of any awards application and can help you to stand out from everyone else.  Letters that seem like templates, or do not substantiate their claims about your abilities and experience can be harmful to your application.
• Choose referees who have strong communications skills.  If you know your referees, you will know from experience if they communicate well.
• Provide your referees with all required information including a list of your research contributions, the appropriate form or link to the referee form if applicable, a copy of your program of study, and the deadline to submit the letter.   The more tools you give the referees to work with the better!
• If the reference letter must be mailed, give each referee an envelope, postage paid, so they can easily mail the letter by the deadline.
• Most importantly, give them time!  The best referees are probably very busy people so be cognizant of their time.
• Remind faculty of the Award Reference Letters - Tips, Templates, and Recommendations for Writers Document

• Carefully read the application instructions regarding the research proposal/summary section.  Provide the adjudicators with the information they are looking for; no more, no less.
• Write in a clear, concise way, avoiding use of jargon.   Say what you mean in an accessible and dynamic way so that anyone reading it will be engaged and understand your point.
• Organize your ideas efficiently.  You don’t have a lot of space to work with, so make every word count.  Make sure you are relating your research to the mandate of the specific award, providing evidence of your connection to that mandate. 
• Emphasize what makes your proposal special/original, and how it will contribute to your specific field of study.
• Take the time to write, and re-write.  This is the part where you sell yourself to the adjudicators.  Every applicant will have a top notch GPA, but if you can sell yourself on paper, you will stand out from the rest.

Ben Bradshaw, Assistant VP, Graduate Studies
Andrew Bailey, COA
Leonid Brown, CEPS
Graham Holloway, CBS
Rebecca Hallett, OAC
Francesco Leri, CSAHS
Sean Lyons, LANG
Shayan Sharif, OVC

Last updated July 27, 2022

Ben Bradshaw, Assistant VP, Graduate Studies

Andrew Bailey, COA

Noella Gray, CSAHS

Karen Landman, OAC

Sean Lyons, LANG

Jordi Diez, CSAHS

John Russon, COA

Elizabeth Kurucz, LANG

Danny O'Quinn, COA

Sylvanus Afesorgbor, OAC

Hwan Suk Choi, LANG

Kristel Thomassin, CSAHS

Sharada Srinivasan, CSAHS

TBA, COA

Fulei Liu, LANG

Leith Deacon, OAC

Last updated July 27,2022

NSERC:

Ben Bradshaw, Assistant VP, Graduate Studies

Animesh Dutta, CEPS

Iris Joye, OAC

Marc Habash, OAC

Jennifer Murray, CSAHS

Graham Holloway, CBS

TBA, CBS

Shayan Sharif     OVC - ADR&GS

Barbara Morrongiello, CSAHS

Shoshanah Jacobs, CBS

Faisal Moola, CSAHS

Theresa Bernardo, OVC

Leonid Brown, CEPS

Hermann Eberl, CEPS

Manish Raizada, OAC

Neil MacLusky, OVC

CIHR:

Ben Bradshaw, Assistant VP, Graduate Studies

Scott Ryan, CBS

Roger Moorehead, OVC

Jess Haines, CSAHS

Julang Li, OAC

Last updated July 27,2022

Saerom Lee, LANG

Ray Lu, CBS

Kimberly McLeod, COA

Rajesh Pereira, CEPS

Vivian Shalla, CSAHS

Rakhal Sarker, OAC

Theresa Bernardo, OVC

Last updated July 27, 2022