Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) and the Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology (QEII-GSST)

The information contained on this web page pertains to the2025-2026competitionfor the Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) and Queen Elizabeth Scholarship II in Science and Technology (QEII-GSST). Successful recipients will hold their awards during 2025-2026.

Jump to: Overview | Important dates | Eligibility criteria | Evaluation criteria | Critical steps | Ranking and results | Timeline | Helpful resources

The information contained on this web page pertains to the 2025-2026competition for the Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) and Queen Elizabeth Scholarship II in Science and Technology (QEII-GSST). Successful recipients will hold their awards during 2025-2026.

Overview

The and the programs encourage excellence in graduate studies at publicly-assisted universities in Ontario. Both programs are jointly funded by the Ontario government and participating institutions. The government contributes two-thirds of the value of the awards and the university provides the remaining one-third.

Students are considered for the OGS and QEII-GSST at ݮƵ by using one application. Both scholarships are of equal prestige. The differences between the OGS and QEII-GSST scholarships are as follows:

  • OGS – available for all disciplines of academic study; available to Canadian Citizens/Permanent Residents and International students.
  • QEII-GSST – available specifically for students in a research-based graduate program in one of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) disciplines; only available to Canadian Citizens/Permanent residents.

Value

Each OGS and QEII-GSST is valued at a maximum of $15,000 per year. The award is paid as $5,000 per term for either two or three terms.

ݮƵ celebrates outstanding academic achievement of its graduate students by offering the President's Graduate Scholarship (PGS) to students receiving an OGS or QEII-GSST.

Start date

Successful OGS and QEII-GSST recipients will begin their scholarship during 2025-2026. The allowable start terms are spring 2025, fall 2025 or winter 2026.

Duration

Awards are granted for up to one year in duration and are non-renewable. Applicants must apply annually in order to be considered.

Recipients can hold the scholarship for a minimum of two terms (receiving $10,000 total) or a maximum of three terms (receiving $15,000 total). Accepting an OGS/QEII-GSST for only one term is not permitted.

For full details regarding holding an OGS or QEII-GSST, please refer to ourOGS/QEII-GSST Award Holder’s Guide.

Available awards

2025-2026 Awards # of Awards Notes
Indigenous* 2 OGS domestic competition only
Domestic competition 196 OGS and QEII-GSST combined
International competition 5 OGS only
TOTAL 203

Available awards for the domestic competition are allocated to each Faculty and are shown below. TheInternational competition does not have Faculty allocations.

Domestic Competition

 OGS QEII-GSST
HEALTH 24 4
ARTS 35 2
ENG 36 11
ENV 19 3
MATH 22 8
SCI 24 8
TOTAL 160 36

*ݮƵreserves twoOGSawards for Indigenous applicantseach year.For the purpose of this award, an Indigenous person is one who is a citizen or member of a First Nations community (Status/Non-Status), Métis, or Inuit as defined in the Canadian Constitution Act 1982.To protect the integrity of Indigenous graduate students eligible for specific funding, those identifying as Indigenous must be verified by the Office of Indigenous Relations at the University of ݮƵthrough theIndigenous verification process.

Important dates

Reminder as of 2024-2025: The OGS international competition deadlines have been moved to the winter term and are now harmonized with the OGS/QEII-GSST domestic competition.

At ݮƵ, the OGS/QEII-GSST program is divided into two competitions based on citizenship (international and domestic). Applicants will be considered based on their citizenship status as of the application deadline.

International OGS Competition Deadlines

Please note: February 1, 2025 is a Saturday; we will accept application material up until Monday, February 3, 2025 at 4:00 p.m. ET

  • February 1, 2025 at4:00 p.m. (ET) –Deadline to submit transcript request webform for OGS/QEII-GSST scholarship.
  • February 1, 2025 -Deadlineto submit OGS/QEII-GSST application to department graduate co-ordinator.
  • February 1, 2025 -Deadline forreferees to email reference letters tothe applicant's department graduate co-ordinator.

Note:Due to the limited number of awards available, international students must be currently registered in a graduate program at ݮƵ or be on an approved leave of absence/inactive term byFebruary 1, 2025 in order to be considered. All students must be registered full time at the time of holding the scholarship.

Domestic OGS/QEII-GSST Competition Deadlines

Please note: February 1, 2025 is a Saturday; we will accept OGS/QEII-GSST application material up until Monday, February 3, 2025 at 4:00 p.m. ET

The deadline to apply for admission to a graduate program at the University of ݮƵ is February 1, 2025; this deadline is FIRM.

  • February 1, 2025 at4:00 p.m. (ET) –Deadline to submit transcript request webform for OGS/QEII-GSST scholarship.
  • February 1, 2025 -Deadlineto submit OGS/QEII-GSST application to department graduate co-ordinator.
  • February 1, 2025 -Deadline forreferees to email reference letters tothe applicant's department graduate co-ordinator.

Eligibility criteria

Citizenship

  • International applicantsmust hold a valid study permit under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada).
  • Domestic applicantsmust be a Canadian citizen, Permanent Resident, or Protected Person under subsection 95(2) of theImmigration and Refugee Protection Act(Canada)

Minimum Academic Requirements

  • Applicants musthave achieved a first-class average (minimum of A-/80%),in EACH of the last two completed years of study (full-time equivalent).
  • Eligibility averages are calculated using grades from your most recent academic history up to August 31, 2024, regardless of program or relevance to your current or proposed program. ݮƵ is required to adhere to these parameters as dictated by Ontario’s Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU).

Program of Study

  • OGS awards are open toapplicantsin all disciplines of academic study (research-basedAND course-based* programs).
  • QEII-GSST awards are restrictedto applicantsin research-based graduate programs in a STEM discipline only (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math).

*Note:Application packages from course-based students must demonstrate evidence ofallcriteriaunder which their application will be evaluated,includingresearch ability.

Registration/Admission Status

  • International applicants must:
    • be currently registered in a graduate program at ݮƵ or be on an approved leave of absence/inactive term by February 1, 2025 in order to be considered.
      • Due to the limited quota of awards available for international students, prospective graduate students are not eligible to apply.
  • Domestic applicants must:
    • be currently registered in a graduate program at ݮƵ or be on an approved leave of absence/inactive term by February 1, 2025 in order to be considered; OR
    • apply for full-time graduate admissionat ݮƵwith a start term of either spring 2025, fall 2025 orwinter 2026.

Note:all students must be registered full time at the time of holding the scholarship.

Time in Program

Selected recipients must normally be within their program time limits but students over their term limits are still eligible to apply.

MaximumSupport

Master’s students can receive an OGS or QEII-GSST for a maximum of two academic years and doctoral students for a maximum of four academic years.*

In addition, students cannot exceed a lifetime maximum of six (6) years of government-funded graduate awards. Awards under the following programs are counted toward this lifetime maximum:

  • Ontario Graduate Scholarship Program (OGS)*
  • Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology (QEII-GSST)*
  • Ontario Trillium Scholarships (OTS)
  • Tri-Agency Scholarships (CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC, Vanier)

*For the purpose of OGS/QEII-GSST, one or two term awards will count as one full year towards the OGS/QEII-GSST program and lifetime maximums.

Concurrent Support

Eligible students are encouraged to apply for both a tri-agency graduate scholarship and OGS/QEII-GSST within the same competition year. If a student is successful in both competitions, they must be aware that these scholarships cannot be held concurrently. In these situations, successful students will normally accept the tri-agency scholarship due to the higher value and national-level prestige associated with it. Students who were successful in both competitions may be initially offered an OGS/QEII-GSST in “name” only* by ݮƵ which they are welcome to list on their CV or resumé as a declined award.

*Students who would prefer to accept an OGS/QEII-GSSTinsteadof an NSERC PGS or SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship with the goal of reapplying and being considered for a CGS D level tri-agency scholarship in the future should consult with theCo-ordinator, Graduate Financial Aid and Awardsin Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairsbefore declining the tri-agency scholarship. Students retain the abilityto accept their OGS/QEII-GSST should they wish.

  • It is the student’s responsibility, in consultation with their department and graduate supervisor, to determine which scholarship is most advantageous for them to accept, given their circumstances and eligibility.
  • Students are not permitted to partially hold one scholarship and then another in the same competition year.
  • Students are not permitted to hold/overlap an OGS and QEII-GSST from two separate competition years.

Students are also required to check the eligibility of other awards they may be offered to see if an OGS/QEII-GSST can be held concurrently.

Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP)Restrictions

Students who have previously applied for OSAP and have anOSAP restriction on their file are ineligible from receiving their scholarship until the restriction has been cleared. At the time of disbursement, if GSPA finds a restriction on the student’s file, the student will beadvised of a deadline by which they must clear the restriction or forfeit their award.

Evaluation criteria

There are three areas of evaluation under which the application will be considered. Each department and Faculty will determine the weight placed on each of the following criteria within the ranges indicated:

  1. Academic Excellence (40-50%*)as demonstrated by:
    • academic transcripts
    • list of competitive scholarships, awards and honours
  2. Research Ability and Potential in Program of Study (30-40%*)as demonstrated by:
    • research proposal
    • publications
    • conferences
    • presentations
    • originality, artistic performance and creations broadly defined (where relevant to field of study)
  3. Communication and Leadership Abilities (10-20%*)as demonstrated by:
    • list of relevant volunteer, leadership and academic work experience

*Individual faculty weights:

  • Arts, Engineering: (1) 50%, (2) 30%, (3) 20%
  • Health: (1) 50%, (2) 40%, (3) 10%
  • Environment, Mathematics, Science: (1) 40%, (2) 40%, (3) 20%

Successful recipients

When reviewing those who were selected to receive an OGS or QEII-GSST over the last severalcompetition years:

  • Most had averages of 85% or above in each of their last two years of full-time academic study;
  • Most had published journal articles, as well as refereed conference proceedings and posters or presentations; and
  • Most have held previous Provincial (OGS/QEII-GSST) or Federal Tri-agencyscholarships (approximately 50% of applicants).

Critical steps

The OGS and QEII-GSST scholarships are not portable (recipients cannot take their OGS/QEII-GSST toanother institution). Applicants must submit separate applications at each institution where they wish to be considered for an OGS/QEII-GSST. Therefore, applicants may need tosubmit multiple OGS/QEII-GSST applications to several institutions. Each institution has their own application processes and timelines.

1. Confirm eligibility:

  • It is the applicant’s responsibility to review the eligibility criteria as indicated above before beginning the application process. If you are unsure of your eligibility, contact your current/proposeddepartment graduate co-ordinator.

2. Select your department:

  • Your OGS/QEII-GSST application should be submitted to the department at ݮƵ where you are planning to hold the scholarship if you are successful.
    • If you will be enrolled in a graduate program at ݮƵ by the application deadline and will commence the scholarship while enrolled in this department, submit your OGS/QEII-GSST application and reference letters there.
    • Domestic applicants only: If you are not already registered in a graduate program at ݮƵ, submit your OGS/QEII-GSST application and reference letters to the department to which you are applying for admission. This is your “proposed department”.
      • If you are applying to multiple graduate departments at ݮƵ, you must select one of those departments and submit your OGS/QEII-GSST application there. Applicants may only submit one OGS/QEII-GSST application, per annual competition at ݮƵ. Awards are not portable across facultiesandmay not beportable across departments within a faculty.

3. Apply for admission(applicable to domestic applicants only):

  • Domestic applicants– Canadian/PR applicants who are not registered in a graduate program at ݮƵ by the application deadline mustapply for graduate program admissionby February 1, 2025 in addition to submitting an OGS/QEII-GSST application.
  • International applicants– This step is not applicable to international applicants due to the limited number of awards available. International students must be currently registered in a graduate program at ݮƵ or be on an approved leave of absence/inactive term by February 1, 2025 in order to be considered.

4. Transcripts:

  • ݮƵ and non-ݮƵ post-secondary transcripts are required as part of a complete OGS/QEII-GSST application.
  • Applicants must complete theOGS/QEII-GSST applicant transcript request form (webform)by February 1, 2025.
  • By completing the OGS/QEII-GSST applicant transcript request form, GSPA will do the following for applicants free of charge:
    • Generate a copy of their officialݮƵtranscript (if applicable).
    • Retrieve copies of officialnon-ݮƵtranscripts which were declared and submitted as part of their ݮƵ graduate admissionapplication.

      Note: Transcript packages will not be sent to applicants directly. Instead, GSPA willsend transcript packages directly to the graduate co-ordinator of the current/proposed department or school indicated by the student in the transcript request.
    • Domestic competition only:
      • If applicable, applicants should firstapply for admissionandclaim their WatIAMso that they can enter their ݮƵ ID into the webform.
      • Prospective students who areapplying for graduate admission must ensure that their official transcripts from previous institutions are submitted as part of their graduate admission application by the firm deadline of February 1.If a student has not yet uploaded their transcripts as part of their application for admission, GSPA will “hold” the transcript request untilFebruary 1. GSPA will process the transcript request once all transcripts are uploaded, provided this is completed by February 1.
    • In some cases, a specific transcript may not have been submitted as part of the applicant’s original admission application. If it is deemed to be required, GSPA will request the missing transcript by emailing the student.
    • If changes need to be made to a submitted transcript request (e.g., change department/school) applicants should email gspa-awards@uwaterloo.cawith their name,student ID and requested changes.

5. Select referees:

Twoacademic references are required as part of a complete OGS/QEII-GSST application package.Referees must email their letterdirectly tothedepartment graduate co-ordinatorof the applicant's current/proposed department.

Applicants must provide their referees with the following details:

  • The email address where referees should submit their letter and the deadline date. (Referees mustemail their letter directly to thedepartment graduate co-ordinatorof the student’s desired department (see Step 2 - Select your department)by February 1, 2025.
  • Reference letters should be signed and on letterhead (if available to the referee)
  • Referees should incorporate the following into their letter:
    • Applicant’s full name
    • Referee’s full name, affiliated institution, department, and title (if applicable)
    • Description of what capacity they have known the applicant
    • Applicant’s strengths with regard to theOGS/QEII-GSST evaluation criteria(or tri-agency equivalent):academic excellence,research ability and potential,communication and leadership abilities

Tips for selecting referees:

  • Applicants should select academic referees who know them well and are capable of making an informed assessment from an academic perspective. Applicants should ask their potential referees if they have the time and are able to provide a supporting reference letter that will speak to all aspects of the particular strengths of the application.
  • Letters must be current; letters from previous competition years are not permitted.
  • Examples of acceptable referees include:past orcurrent supervisor,industrial supervisor,previous USRA supervisor
  • Applicants should provide the referees with a package of information that will assist them with writing the appraisal. This package should contain:
    • current curriculum vitae
    • transcripts
    • a list of research contributions; applicants are encouraged to request referees to address the importance of their publications and contributions in the letters of appraisal (e.g., highlighting that a paper is published in a journal with a high impact factor; identifying that a paper has been widely cited; research that has received recognition outside of the academy; research that has applied outcomes that have positively influenced society, governance, industry or other sectors, etc.)
    • a copy of the research proposal/program of study, and
    • a list of community involvement or other extracurricular activities that demonstrate leadership qualities

6. Application form:

  • Applicants are required to submit an OGS/QEII-GSST applicationin order to be considered for the scholarship.
  • The application must be emailed to thedepartment graduate co-ordinatorof the student’s current/proposed department (see Step 2 - Select your department)by February 1, 2025.
  • Domestic students will automatically be considered for both OGS and QEII-GSST, if eligible.
  • Refer to theHelpfulresources & formssectionbelow for the application and application instructions, as well as other resources.

7. Components of a complete application:

A complete OGS/QEII-GSST application is comprised of the following:

  1. Transcript request webform
  2. OGS/QEII-GSST application + Appendix A(if applicable)
    1. Email material to thedepartment graduate co-ordinatorof the current/proposed department
  3. Two academic reference letters(see Step 5 - Select referees)
    1. Referees must email their letterdirectly tothedepartment graduate co-ordinatorof the current/proposed department

Applicants who identify as Indigenous on the application form must complete theIndigenous verification process, if they have not already done so, prior to submitting their application to theirdepartment graduate co-ordinator.

Ranking and results

International competition:

  • Applicants complete and email their application to the current/proposed graduate department by February 1, 2025
  • The department will review and rank applications.
  • The faculty will review ranked applications and select the top 3 candidates from their faculty to be considered at a university-level adjudication.
  • Institutional selection committee will review top 3 candidates from each faculty and select 5 international OGS recipients and provide a ranked reversion list.

Domestic competition:

  • Applicants complete and email their application to the current/proposed graduate department by February 1, 2025.
  • In addition to being considered as part of the regular domestic competition, applications from those who identify asIndigenous on the application form will also bereviewed separately by aninstitutional selection committee. The committeewill make final award selection.
  • All remaining OGS/QEII-GSST selections will be made according to each faculty-specific adjudication process below:

Arts,Science:

  • Departments submit ranked applicants to their faculty for faculty-wide assessment.
  • Faculty-level committee reviews and makes award recommendations based on faculty-set quota; GSPA verifies eligibility and makes award offers.

Engineering, Environment:

  • Faculty distributes quotas to departments but reserves some for faculty decision-making.
  • Departments make award recommendations based on departmental-set quota; GSPA verifies eligibility and makesaward offers.
  • The remaining faculty allocation is adjudicated separately by faculty-level committee;GSPA verifies eligibility and makesaward offers.

​ċHealth and Mathematics:

  • Faculty distributes quotas to departments.
  • Departments submit ranked applicants to their faculty for review.
  • Faculty-level committee reviews and makes award recommendations based on Department rankings; GSPA verifies eligibility and makes award offers.

Timeline

Visit theOGS/QEII-GSST timeline pagefor further details on the steps of the OGS/QEII-GSST competition at ݮƵ.

Helpful resources & forms

*If you require an accessible format of this document pleasecontact us.

Contact us

Questions about the OGS/QEII-GSST program can be emailed totheCo-ordinator, Graduate Financial Aid and Awardsin Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs.

August 20, 2024