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The Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) Program at
Western
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Value and Duration

• An Ontario Graduate Scholarship is awarded for
  one academic year, which may consist of two or
  three consecutive terms.
• One-term awards are not granted.
• For 2008-2009, the value of the OGS is 5,000 per
  term.
• You may receive 10,000 for two consecutive terms
  or 15,000 for three consecutive terms.

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How Many are Awarded?

• OGS receives well over 10,000 eligible
  applications from Ontario universities every
  November.
• This year 2,000 scholarships will be awarded of
  which 60 will be awarded to students who have
  been admitted to Canada as visitors with a
  student authorization/study permit.

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Do I Apply Through Western?

• If you are currently enrolled at Western, you
  apply to your current departmental office by the
  departmental deadline, or
• If you are not currently enrolled at Western and
  you graduated from Western on or after November
  19th, 2007, you apply to your previous
  departmental office at Western by the
  departmental deadline

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Eligibility and Conditions

• You may be considered for an OGS if you
• Plan to be enrolled full-time in an eligible
  program leading to a masters or doctoral degree
  at an eligible institution in Ontario. Check with
  your graduate studies office to determine if your
  program of study and your institution are
  eligible for the purposes of this scholarship.
• Note Students who are unable to study full-time
  due to a disability are eligible to apply for and
  hold an OGS award. These students must meet all
  eligibility requirements and conditions.

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Eligibility and Conditions (contd)

• You may be considered for an OGS if you
• Are a Canadian citizen, Protected Person, or
  Permanent Resident or have received a temporary
  resident visa as a member of the student class
  under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act
  (Canada). If applicable, the date on your
  Protected Person, Permanent Resident, or
  Temporary Resident Visa Student Class
  documentation can be no later than November 19,
  2008.
• You are not eligible for an OGS if you are a
  refugee claimant and do not have a Temporary
  Resident Visa Student Class.

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Eligibility and Conditions (contd)

• Academic Standard
• Applicants who are in the first or second year of
  graduate studies at the time of application, or
  who will be in the first or second year of
  graduate studies when they hold the award, must
  have an overall average of at least A- (80.0 at
  Western), or the equivalent, on the last 20 half
  courses completed, or the equivalent.

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Eligibility and Conditions (contd)

• Academic Standard
• Applicants who are in the third year of graduate
  studies or beyond at the time of application, or
  who will be in the third year of graduate studies
  or beyond when they hold the award, must have an
  overall average of at least A- (80.0 at
  Western), or the equivalent, on all graduate
  courses completed.

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Eligibility and Conditions (contd)

• Academic Standard
• If masters or doctoral degree marks used for
  calculating an applicants eligibility average
  are not available (e.g. courses were graded on a
  pass-fail basis), then the departments will use
  the most recently available undergraduate/graduate
  marks to determine eligibility.

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Eligibility and Conditions (contd)
You can receive a lifetime maximum of four years
of government-funded student awards. Awards
received under the following programs are counted
toward this lifetime maximum- the Ontario
government, through the Ontario Graduate
Scholarship Program (OGS),- the Social Sciences
and Humanities Research Council of Canada
(SSHRC),- the Natural Sciences and Engineering
Research Council (NSERC),- the Canadian
Institute of Health Research (CIHR).
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Eligibility and Conditions (contd)

• You cannot hold a scholarship from SSHRC, NSERC,
  or the CIHR, or an Ontario Graduate Scholarship
  in Science and Technology (OGSST) at the same
  time as an OGS.

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Eligibility and Conditions (contd)

• You can receive up to two OGS awards at the
  masters level. The award is tenable during
  either one or both of the first two academic
  years (12-month periods) of a masters degree
  program, but not after the second year.
• You can receive up to four OGS awards at the
  doctoral level. The awards are tenable during any
  of the first five academic years (12-month
  periods) of a doctoral program, but not after the
  fifth year.

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How To Apply

• you must ensure that all supporting documentation
  is included in your OGS Application Package.
• apply for an OGS using the OGS on-line
  application. Check out all of the details on
  Application Procedures.
• If you do not have a Social Insurance Number
  (SIN), you must apply using a paper application
  form.

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How To Apply (contd)

• OGS strongly urges you to apply on-line. Just
  look at the benefits
• The on-line application on the OSAP Web site is
  available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 
• It is quick and easy to use. 
• Your information is secure. 
• It has built-in "smarts" to help you to avoid
  making entry errors. 
• You can print your personalized application to
  submit with your supporting documentation

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Computer Technical Requirements

• It is important that your computer be set up
  properly in order to use the on-line OGS
  application and to print your personalized OGS
  application package. Go to Technical Requirements
  for details. 
• In order to print your OGS Application Package
  you need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0 or
  higher  installed on your computer. Go to
  Technical Requirements for details. 

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Made a Mistake? But Already Submitted your
Application On-line?

• If you need to correct any of the following items
  student number, name, address, phone number,
  birth date, citizenship status, discipline code
  and level of study for proposed and current
  studies or number of OGS awards held, simply
  complete the Change Form, and include it in your
  OGS application in the correct order of
  documents.

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Academic Assessment Reports (2 required)

• You require two letters of support written by two
  professors who are most familiar with your
  academic performance
• An Academic Assessment Report is comprised of
  one form on which the professor will rank you in
  eight different categories in relation to all
  students at a similar stage that the professor
  has previously evaluated, PLUS a one-page signed
  letter of support elaborating on the assessment

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Academic Assessment Reports (2 required)

• Provide your two referees with the following
  tools to aid them in writing the best possible
  letter of support
• Lots of time before the departmental deadline
• A copy of your research plan/statement of
  interest
• Copies of your academic transcripts
• C.V. or resumé highlighting your academic,
  research, leadership, communication, outreach
  skills and achievements
• The link to the .pdf fillable Academic Assessment
  Report
• The information they need to input into Section A
• A pre-addressed/pre-stamped (if necessary)
  envelope
• A thank you e-mail a few days before the
  departmental deadline

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Page 4 - Notice, Consents, Declaration and
Signature of Applicant

• You must sign the Applicants Declaration in
  black ink.
• Part III at the bottom is optional in case you
  wish to authorize the Ministry to release to the
  one or two persons (family members, friends,
  faculty, staff) you list any information
  contained in your OGS file for the 2009-2010
  academic year and all prior academic years. The
  consent is valid only for the 2009-2010 academic
  year

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Preparing your Statement of Interest (for
Masters Level) one page

• Explain why you want to pursue graduate studies
• Indicate at which university you intend to
  undertake your studies and the degree program you
  intend to pursue
• In some Divisions, the application may be
  reviewed by someone outside of your specific
  discipline
• Focus on tangible aspects of your interest
• If applicable, outline the research training
  component of your proposed degree program and
  your research proposal

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Preparing your Plan of Study (for Doctoral
Level) one page

• Entering first year of doctoral studies
• Clearly state your current level of study.
• Give the title and a brief description of your
  Master's thesis, if applicable.
• Identify the field of concentration or subject of
  your proposed doctoral studies and describe your
  special interests in this area.
• Describe to the extent possible the program of
  doctoral study you plan to pursue during the
  period for which support is requested.

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Preparing your Plan of Study (for Doctoral
Level)

• Currently in a doctoral program
• Clearly state your current level of graduate
  study.
• Outline your thesis and explain how it will build
  on existing research and contribute to the
  advancement of knowledge in the field.
• Indicate what stage you are at in your thesis.
• Describe what you plan to accomplish during the
  award tenure and what will remain to be done.

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List of Scholarships and Awards (one page)

• List your awards and scholarships in reverse
  chronological order starting with your most
  recently won
• List only competitive awards and remember to list
  those yo have won but declined. Do not include
  WGRS.
• If you have many to list, limit the list to your
  top 10 and consider the impact factor of each
  award/scholarship you choose to list
• Use a table to present your list of competitive
  awards and scholarships

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Sample Table of Scholarships and Awards
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List of Academic Accomplishments(one page)

• Be sure to include all relevant accomplishments
  including publications properly documented,
  clearly identifying refereed contributions,
  non-refereed contributions, and other refereed
  contributions
• Avoid embellishing, or including a paper
  described as in progress
• Provide brief explanations for accomplishments or
  accolades that may not be clear to a reviewer
• Deans Honour Roll items would be mentioned here

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List of Academic Accomplishments (contd)

• A Bibliography or references may be included only
  on either the Plan of Study or Statement of
  Interest page. There are to be no extra pages
  other than what is specified.
• Publications must be included on the List of
  Significant Academic Accomplishments page only.
  There are to be no extra pages other than what is
  specified.
• Do not include a resumé/ curriculum vitae in your
  OGS application package.

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List of Academic Accomplishments (contd)

• You may add a maximum of 100 words at the bottom
  of the Academic Accomplishments page to describe
  any special considerations such as health
  problems, family responsibilities, disabilities
  or other circumstances that have had an effect on
  your academic performance or productivity,
  including any delays in disseminating research
  results or completing a degree.
• The weight to be given to any special
  circumstances will be determined by the OGS
  panels evaluating the application.

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Matching OGS Awards

• The province of Ontario contributes two-thirds of
  the value of every OGS held at Western, and the
  university provides one-third through
  fund-raising and donor contributions.
• Every OGS award is matched to an eligible donor
• The Western OGS Cover Page provides the
  information SGPS needs to match your award should
  you win and decide to hold it at Western

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Westerns OGS Cover Page

• The form is two pages. Page 1 is an information
  sheet detailing how the OGS matching program
  works at Western. Keep this page for your own
  records. Do not include it with your application.
• Complete and submit Page 2 along with a copy of
  your one page Statement of Interest/Plan of
  Study, and your one page List of Academic
  Accomplishments
• Your signature on Page 2 acknowledges 1. your
  agreement to the OGS competition rules as well as
  2. your permission allowing SGPS to order your
  official Western transcript if required.

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If You Receive an OGS Award

• You must be enrolled as a full-time student in an
  approved graduate program for the tenure of the
  award at an Ontario university. If you withdraw,
  transfer to part-time status, or fail to complete
  a term, you will be required to repay the award.
• You may hold one OGS award for either two or
  three consecutive terms. 
• You cannot hold an award for only one term.
• You cannot be enrolled in a qualifying or
  "make-up" year or be on a paid educational leave
  or sabbatical.

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Transcripts

• OGS requires official transcripts for all
  universities you have attended
• OGS will accept a photocopy of a transcript from
  a foreign university only when it is not possible
  to get another official transcript.  The
  photocopy must be verified as a True Copy of the
  Original Document by the students department
  and signed by the department official.
• OGS only requires the official English
  translation of a foreign language transcript, not
  the original foreign language transcript

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Transcripts (contd)
SGPS will provide official Western transcripts
for all eligible Western students applying
through their departments for a 2009-2010 Ontario
Graduate Scholarship. Your department will
provide a copy of your Western academic record
for your OGS file for the purpose of the
departmental review and ranking.
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A Good Application

• Demonstrates
• strong academic ability
• excellent potential to conduct advanced scholarly
  research/advanced clinical training
• strong communication and leadership skills
• the ability to successfully complete your studies
  in a timely manner
• Is clear, concise, coherent, error-free and
  complete
• Presents a focused program of study

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Important Reminders

• Assume your plan of study will be read by a
  multi-disciplinary committee
• Reviewers, who are not experts in your particular
  area, must be able to see the importance of the
  research being planned. Explicate your plan of
  study in such a way as to make it relevant and
  significant.
• Avoid jargon, acronyms, highly technical terms
  and density of writing that will only serve to
  obscure rather than enlighten

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Competition Results

• All eligible OGS files across Ontario are
  forwarded to the OGS Office of the MTCU every
  November
• Provincial selection panels are convened and
  applications are adjudicated from January to
  March
• Results are released individually to applicants
  by mail in April followed a few days later by the
  release of results to each universitys
  scholarship liaison officer