Donor-Funded Awards

Graduate Student Travel/Research Bursary

Indigenous Graduate Student Entrance Award

R. James Travers Fellowship

Grants from the Centre for Research on Inclusion at Work

 Richard J. Van Loon Scholarship

 

Donor-Funded Awards

Donor-funded awards are financial awards valued from several hundred dollars to a maximum of $20,000 and are provided by an individual or organization to Carleton. They are administered by Carleton and are awarded based on academic merit, financial need and/or specific research areas. Students apply online through Carleton Central under Awards and Financial Assistance, Graduate Online Application Forms (please only use the term filter, no other filters should be applied when searching). It is in your best interest to check with your department to see what awards are available and if any of these awards pertain to you. A full list of available awards can also be found below. The selection methods within individual departments will vary. Unless stated otherwise, you must be registered full-time in the term in which the award is to be held in order to be eligible. Students on extension are not eligible for funding.

Students should carefully review the criteria of each award to ensure they meet the requirements prior to submitting an application and should pay close attention to the specific terms of the award when completing their rationale for applying for the award.

Merit-based scholarships will require applicants to submit their transcripts. Please provide up-to-date Carleton transcripts. Students in their first term at Carleton should submit up-to-date transcripts from their previous degree. Applications are opened and closed on an annual basis. Please note that any budget information should be for a one-year period.

Students applying for an award intended to support research or conference travel will need to take into consideration the following policies regarding Government of Canada Travel Advisors:

Applications for the Fall 2024 competition open on August 15, 2024 and close on October 4, 2024 at 12:00AM Midnight EST (e.g. You must submit prior to October 3, 2024 at 11:59PM EST).

Applicants can review their application status in Carleton Central. If you have applied for an award in the Fall term, and have correctly submitted your award application by the deadline, you will receive a notification that it has been “submitted to department for review”. If this status does not change by December 31, 2024, your application has not been forwarded for further consideration.

Click HERE to view the list of Donor-Funded awards for Fall 2024

Graduate Student Travel/Research Bursary

Graduate Studies provides funds to students in financial need who require assistance to conduct or present their research. The fund may cover a portion of the cost related to field travel and supplies, long-distance telephone charges, questionnaire publication, translation, mailing, and the cost of copying journal articles. It may also cover costs related to attend a scholarly conference at which the graduate student is presenting a paper.

This fund is intended to cover modest costs where other sources of support are not available. Costs not covered under this bursary include: costs associated with interview subjects, honoraria, the cost of copying the graduate thesis, journal publishing costs, and attendance at scholarly conferences where no paper is being presented. The bursary account contains a limited amount of funds. Approval of each application is dependent on the availability of funds. It is not possible to fund all applications in any given term.

Applications are considered on a case-by-case and first-come-first served basis. Students are restricted to one application and one conference per year/cycle (May-April). However, if funds are available, a second application may be considered within the same year/cycle. Please note that any budget information should be for a one-year period.

Deadline for Applications

Electronic Application forms must be submitted to your department at least one month in advance of the expected travel activity. Retroactive applications will not be approved.

Registration Requirement and Eligibility

Students requesting funds for either research or travel must be registered full-time in the term in which the bursary is approved (for research) and the travel occurs. Students conducting research will normally be registered in the thesis, research essay or major research project course. Students on extension are not eligible for funding.

Report Requirement

Students are required to submit a report after attending the conference or research, to include proof of attendance (e.g., boarding passes, registration fee receipt). Please submit these documents to your department. If the travel is not completed for any reason, the amount of the bursary must be reimbursed in full.

Application Requirements

The following constitutes a complete application:

  1. Completed Graduate Student Travel / Research Bursary online application form (To apply, go to Carleton Central, look under Awards and Financial Assistance and then click on Graduate Online Application Forms;
  2. Students must submit an application for the term the travel is taking place. Please ensure you select the appropriate term from the drop down menu;
  3. A complete budget and rationale for requiring the bursary;
  4. Official confirmation from the conference organizer that the student’s paper has been accepted for presentation if the bursary is to assist with the costs associated with presenting a paper at an academic conference; and
  5. A letter of support from the student’s thesis supervisor (uploaded at the time of submission) along with any other document that supports the application.
  6. Government of Canada Travel Advisories:
    • Applications to destinations with an “Avoid all travel” risk level as noted on the Government of Canada’s Travel Advice and Advisories website will not be considered. Applications will be declined if submitted.
    • Applications to destinations with an “Avoid non-essential travel” risk level as noted on the Government of Canada’s Travel Advice and Advisories website will require a field/travel safety plan. Students will need to include a copy of the plan with their supporting documentation. Students should consult with their Carleton Supervisor about specific requirements for field/travel safety plan. At a minimum, it should include the following:
      • Site and Location;
      • Information on travel route plan (i.e., how applicant will get to/from conference/field location)
      • Name and contact details of Student;
      • Name and contact details of Carleton Supervisor;
      • Name and contact details of Conference Host or Field Lead on Site;
      • Name and contact details of Emergency Contact;
      • Name, location, and contact details of closest Health Center;
      • Identification of Risks and Mitigation Measures, where applicable;
      • Optional Items to include:
        • List of mediations currently taking
        • List of allergies
        • Other

All supporting documentation must be combined into one PDF and submitted together as one supporting letter package.

Application Process

Please apply online through Carleton Central. Look under “Awards & Financial Assistance. Then, select “Graduate Online Application Forms.”

Carleton University recommends students register in the CU-Travel Registry when completing university-related travel outside Canada. Students may also want to consider enrolling in International SOS services.

Indigenous Graduate Student Entrance Award

The Indigenous Graduate Student Entrance Award is awarded by the Vice-Provost of Graduate Studies to Indigenous Peoples in Canada (First Nation, Metis or Inuit) who are full-time students entering into a Master’s or Doctoral graduate program. Qualifying recipients will be selected based on demonstrated financial need and/or academic merit.

Students apply online through Carleton Central under Awards and Financial Assistance, Graduate Online Application Forms, and search by Term: Fall 2024 and award name. Proof of Indigenous identity documentation must be provided and should be uploaded in the application as a supporting letter. To ensure consideration for this award, please apply by September 1, 2024. (Please note that any budget information should be for a one-year period.)

Grants from the Centre for Research on Inclusion at Work

As part of an effort to encourage and support others in conducting research to seek innovative solutions towards more inclusive workplaces, CRIW has made available research funding opportunities. Application details can be found by clicking here.

Richard J. Van Loon Scholarship

Awarded annually on the recommendation of the Richard J. Van Loon Scholarship Committee to an outstanding international student from an African country. Eligible recipients will be full-time students proceeding from one year to another in any program of study at Carleton University. Consideration will be given to students in financial need. Application is required. If an undergraduate student is selected, the scholarship will be awarded by the Director of Undergraduate Awards and Financial Aid. If a graduate student is selected, the scholarship will be awarded by the Vice-Provost of Graduate Studies. Endowed in 2005 by friends, family and colleagues in honour of Richard J. Van Loon, Carleton’s 10th President, this scholarship is typically valued at $5,000. Two scholarships will be awarded. Applicants who are short-listed, but not selected for the Richard Van Loon Scholarship, may be considered as potential candidates for the African Student Association Bursary. Deadline to apply is February 1, 2025. Application details can be found here.

R. James Travers Foreign Corresponding Fellowship

The R. James Travers Corresponding Fellowship provides an annual award of UP TO $25,000 to cover travel, reporting and research expenses and a stipend for a journalist. It is administered by Carleton University through its School of Journalism and Communication in the Faculty of Public and Global Affairs. The Travers family enthusiastically supports the Fellowship and is actively involved in its development. The award reflects the importance that Jim Travers attached to his six years reporting from Africa and the Middle East. He believed Canadians deserve first-hand, in-depth coverage of important stories outside our borders. He argued passionately that it is crucial for Canadian reporters to “bear witness” – because in our interconnected world, “foreign” news is local news.
For further details, click here.