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Nigerians who must have completed a first-degree program and looking to further their studies through a graduate program may find the QNX Graduate Scholarship interesting. Awarded by the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, the scholarship helps you study in the institution and get some financial assistance.
In this article, we break down who the award is offering, what it covers, and how to start your application.
What is the QNX Graduate Scholarship?
It is a scholarship program the University of Waterloo offers to graduate students looking to continue the next leg of their studies at the institution. Offered through the Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs, the award is the brainchild of Mr. Dan Dodge, the founder of QNX System Software Systems.
What’s the Objective?
The award was created not just to help graduate students with funding, but also created for the following purposes too:
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- To help graduate students receive similar (financial) opportunities as those received by undergraduate students of the University of Waterloo.
- The QNX Graduate Scholarship helps applicants to receive generous funding that can go towards partly funding their tuition or living expenses.
Who Is It for?
The QNX Graduate Scholarship is open to Canadian students, the Permanent Residents of the country, and international students or those with a study permit to school in Canada.
Also Read: President’s Scholarship for World Leaders
Eligibility Criteria
In terms of the demographic, the QNX Graduate Scholarship is open to all students of the University of Waterloo.
However, the eligibility is streamlined across other important areas like:
Level of Study
As a graduate study scholarship, the award is only open to applicants who are looking to start Master’s or Doctoral study programs at the University of Waterloo.
Programs of Study
You’re expected to apply for admission to specific programs before being considered eligible:
- Physics
- Astronomy
- Chemical Engineering
- Architecture
- Systems Design Engineering
- Civil & Environmental Engineering
- Computer Science
- Management Sciences
- Electrical & Computer Engineering
- Mechanical & Mechatronics Engineering
Know When to Apply
The application for the QNX Graduate Scholarship opens in the Fall term. Make sure to apply when it’s time as anything outside this window wouldn’t be considered.
Selection Criteria for the QNX Graduate Scholarship
This award is a scholarship and the selection process often lies with the Faculty, Department, or both.
However, there are general requirements that aid the selection process:
Admission Application
As an award to first-time graduate students, it’s open to students who make their applications as soon as the admission process is settled.
Award Considerations
This is where things get a little bit twisted. As part of the selection process, applicants to the QNX Graduate Scholarship are to hold any of the following:
- Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science & Technology (QEII-GSST)
- Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS).
Faculty Considerations
The QNX Graduate Scholarship is also suitable for applicants to the following faculties and departments at the University of Waterloo:
- Faculty of Engineering
- Faculty of Mathematics
- Department of Physics
- School of Computer Science
- Faculty of Science
Exceptions to the Selection Criteria
While holding any of the aforementioned awards (QEII-GSST or OGS) is a major consideration, exceptions are also possible. As an international student from Nigeria, you’re still eligible to apply only that the awarded amount will be lower.
Value of the QNX Graduate Scholarship
The scholarship is valued at the sum of $15,000 each for full-time graduate students who hold any of the awards (QEII-GSST or OGS) and who applied to any of the aforementioned faculties, schools, or departments at the University of Waterloo.
You are eligible to funding even if you don’t hold those awards but still apply to any of the faculties, schools, or departments for a Master’s or Doctoral level of study. Instead of $15,000, you’ll receive only the sum of $5,000 to pursue your education.
Irrespective of the sum you receive, it is a full award paid over 3 academic terms.
How to Apply for the QNX Graduate Scholarship
As this is an award from the institution, applicants cum new graduate students at the University of Waterloo don’t necessarily need a separate application. The basis of consideration will be:
- Completing your admission requirements to become a graduate student at the institution.
- Meeting all the eligibility criteria for the scholarship.
- Applying for Master’s or Doctoral studies at any of the faculties, schools, or departments mentioned earlier.
- Up to the respective department, school, and or faculties to determine the eligible students to qualify for the QNX Graduate Scholarship.
How to Increase Your Chances
Generally, graduate student applicants for Masters and Doctoral programs at the University of Waterloo don’t need to make separate applications for the award.
However, there are a couple of things you may have possessed that’ll possibly sway the selection team to give a higher consideration:
- Publications if applicable.
- Having higher academic scores in the previously completed degree.
- Include a Curriculum Vitae (CV) that highlights your professional experience before applying for a graduate program at the University of Waterloo.
- Letters of Recommendation speaking to your behavior and professional experience.
Deadline for the Application
The application opens during the Fall term of each year. As the selection process is niched down to the respective school, department, and faculties involved, applicants should expect the deadline for submission to be within the same timeframe as when the admission window closes for the year.
Post-Events: How to Know You’re Qualified
The selection process will be internally conducted by the faculties, schools, and departments shortlisted in the QNX Graduate Scholarship. On completion, the names of the qualified students will be declared along with the admission notification.
Also Read: How to Apply for Mitacs Elevate Postdoctoral Fellowship from Nigeria
Conclusion
The QNX Graduate Scholarship, sponsored by Dan Dodge, the founder of QNX Software Systems, helps graduate students receive similar funding as the undergraduate students of the University of Waterloo.
The process is entirely online and doesn’t need an extra application, as your application for admission to the institution already serves a veritable purpose in deciding your eligibility. To get better funding, have either the QEII-GSST or OGS awards for a chance to receive up to $15,000. But if you don’t, the award amount would be $5,000 and would be paid over three (3) academic terms.
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