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:

CIHR Doctoral - September 17, 2025

NSERC Doctoral - September 17, 2025

SSHRC Doctoral - September 18, 2025

CGS-M - November 17, 2025

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

Monica Cojocaru, CEPS

Graham Holloway, CBS

Sean Lyons, LANG

Francesco Leri, CSAHS

Eric Lyons, OAC

Alice Defarges, OAC

Last updated March 27, 2025

SSHRC:

Ben Bradshaw, Assistant VP, Graduate Studies

Danny O'Quinn, COA

Susan Nance, COA

Sean Lyons, LANG

Lysa Porth, LANG

Elizabeth Kurucz, LANG

Chris Choi, LANG

Sara Epp, OAC

Kaitlyn McLachlan, CSAHS

Mark Harding, CSAHS

Laura MacDiarmid, CSAHS

John Hacker-Wright, COA

Eric Lyons, OAC

Margot Irvine, COA

Jess Haines, CSAHS

Last updated March 27, 2025

NSERC:

Ben Bradshaw, Assistant VP, Graduate Studies

Marc Habash, OAC

Jennifer Murray, CSAHS

Graham Holloway, CBS

Eric Lyons, OAC

Khashayar Ghandi, CEPS

Monica Cojocaru, CEPS

Michael Rogers, OAC

Anthony Mutsaers, OVC

Alice Defarges, OVC

Cortland Griswold, CBS

Jaclyn Cockburn, CSAHS

Stefan Kremer, CEPS

Steve Brown, CBS

Andria Jones, OVC

Jess Haines, CSAHS

Last updated March 20, 2024

CIHR:

Ben Bradshaw, Assistant VP, Graduate Studies

Roger Moorehead, OVC

Julang Li, OAC

Shaun Sanders, CBS

Samuel Workenhe, OVC

Last updated March 20, 2024

Robert Mullen, CBS

Ben Bradley, COA

Adrian Schwan, CEPS

Troy Riddell, CSAHS

Juan Wang, LANG

Sara Epp, OAC

Andria Jones, OVC

Last updated March 27, 2025