
CANSSI Graduate Student Enrichment Scholarships
Graduate Student Enrichment Scholarships
Take the next step towards your future.
This program provides graduate students with opportunities to enrich their studies in several ways.
- Support Amount: From $3,750 to $15,000
- Region: National
- Deadlines: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, at least one month prior to the start of the activity.
- Program Duration: From 2 to 12 months
- Eligibility: PhD and master’s students
The Banting-CANSSI Discovery Awards in Biostatistics, which fit within the GSES program, offer funding of up to $30,000 and have separate eligibility and application requirements (see below).
Have questions about the program?
Overview
The CANSSI Graduate Student Enrichment Scholarships program supports enhancement of graduate studies in statistical sciences through collaboration. There are three variations of the program:
- Applied Immersion Scholarships
- Visiting Scholarships
- New Researcher Scholarships
This enrichment is designed to:
- Help students acquire new knowledge and skill sets
- Provide exposure to new areas of research and application
- Encourage the co-discovery of new statistical methodology
- Provide co-supervision of thesis research
- Create new and strengthen existing collaborations

What’s Involved
Applied Immersion Scholarships
Master’s and PhD students undertake an immersive interdisciplinary or applied experience with a faculty sponsor outside of statistical sciences. The program duration may range from 2 months to a full semester, at another Canadian university or the home university.
Visiting Scholarships
PhD students work closely with a faculty member in statistical sciences at another Canadian university. The program duration may range from 1 to 2 semesters.
New Researcher Scholarships
Master’s and PhD students are jointly supervised by a faculty member in statistical sciences within the first three years of their initial faculty appointment and a faculty member in statistical sciences with a record of successful graduate student supervision. The program duration may range from 1 semester to 1 year.
Who’s Eligible
Students
General Requirements
GSES scholarships are available for graduate students currently enrolled in a graduate degree program in statistical sciences at a CANSSI member university.
Participating students are required to maintain registration at their home university during the tenure of the award.
A student may hold only one GSES scholarship.
Applied Immersion Scholarships
The student proposed in the activity must be named in the application along with the required information.
The student may be enrolled in a master’s or doctoral program.
Visiting Scholarships
The student proposed in the activity must be named in the application along with the required information.
The student must be enrolled in a doctoral program.
New Researcher Scholarships
The NR scholarship is available for students in statistical sciences who are currently enrolled in a master’s or doctoral degree program and new students who will be entering a master’s or doctoral degree program. The student does not have to be named in the application.
Faculty
General Requirements
The lead (main, principal, formal academic) supervisor of the student must be a faculty member in statistical sciences at a CANSSI member university.
The sponsor or co-supervisor must be appointed to a position in which they are eligible to supervise graduate students. The graduate student supervision record of the sponsor or co-supervisor is a review criterion.
Applied Immersion Scholarships
The sponsor for an Applied Immersion scholarship must be in a discipline other than mathematics or statistical sciences.
Visiting Scholarships
The sponsor or co-supervisor for a Visiting Scholarship must be appointed to a position at a different institution than the lead supervisor.
New Researcher Scholarships
The following requirements must be satisfied by the faculty member applying for the NR Scholarship:
They are serving or will serve as the academic supervisor of the student.
Their current position is the first academic tenure-track position held.
Their current appointment is within three years of the start date for the posting at the time of application. Supervision may take place during the fourth year.
They have not supervised a student previously supported by an NR scholarship.
The co-supervisor or sponsor must have supervised at least one Ph.D. student who has graduated. The experience of the co-supervisor is a review criterion for applications.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
Students receiving a GSES Scholarship take part in CANSSI EDI (CANSSI’s annual program of activities related to equity, diversity and inclusion), including completion of at least one EDI training course and one additional CANSSI EDI event. The student’s supervisor will also take part in at least one activity in CANSSI EDI.
Banting-CANSSI Discovery Awards in Biostatistics

CANSSI and the Banting Research Foundation have partnered to establish a new funding opportunity that fits within CANSSI’s Graduate Student Enrichment Scholarships program.
The new interdisciplinary Banting-CANSSI Discovery Awards in Biostatistics are one-year awards of up to $30,000 each, aimed to support early-career investigators in biostatistics who collaborate with scientists in the fields of biomedicine, occupational health, or environmental health.
A total of two awards may be awarded to applicants with academic appointments in Canadian universities or at their affiliated research institutes. Eligible applicants must propose innovative statistical or computational methodologies research and demonstrate interdisciplinary collaboration with a health scientist on a project that has the strong potential to advance health, health equity, and/or patient outcomes.
How to Apply
To apply for the CANSSI Graduate Student Enrichment Scholarships:
(Evaluation metrics include the quality of the proposed experience, how it will enhance the training of a student, the relation to the research interests of the supervisor and student, and potential to initiate collaboration.)
To apply for a Banting-CANSSI Discovery Award in Biostatistics:
Budget
Applied Immersion Scholarships
Support is available for a period consisting of a minimum of two months and a maximum of two semesters for a doctoral student and a period consisting of two months for a master’s student. The maximum budget is $7,500 for a visit of at least one semester duration. Periods of less than a full semester have a pro-rated maximum budget, e.g., a two-month visit has a maximum budget of $3,750. The support can be used for any combination of travel and housing expenses or stipend.
Visiting Scholarships
Support must be used for a period of at least one semester in length but not more than one year from the start date of the scholarship. The maximum budget is $7,500, which can be used for any combination of travel and housing expenses or stipend.
New Researcher Scholarships
Provides up to $15,000 towards a student stipend that can be used over a one year period. The funding must be completed within one calendar year from the start date of the scholarship.


Timeline
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. They must be received at least one month prior to the proposed experience.
Supporting Docs
For faculty advisors: