FGS RESEARCH GRANT (PHD STUDENTS ONLY)
Please note: Funding for this grant is for doctoral students only.
Research grants to assist thesis research are available for graduate students in disciplines where such funding
would not be available through the research grant(s) of their supervisor or through external grants or awards to
the student. In most cases this will be for minor research expenses in disciplines covered by the mandate of the
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). Students in other disciplines may also apply to the
Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) for research grants but in all cases FGS grants can be awarded only when
the student has not secured external funding, the supervisor does not have research grant support and no
funding is available from the department. Prior to processing, FGS must be in receipt of the student’s Program
Form and up-to-date Progress Report.
A. ELIGIBILITY
i)
Funding
Applications must be accompanied by letters from the supervisor and/or chair/director of the department/school
stating that the project is not supported through faculty research grants, student research support (e.g. NSHRF
awards) or departmental funds.
ii)
Ethics Committee Approval
Where the research uses human subjects in any way, approval must be sought from the appropriate Research
Ethics Review Board, coordinated through the Office of Research Ethics Administration. While the application
for research grant funds can be submitted concurrently with the application for Ethics Approval, no funds will be
released until approval from the Ethics Committee has been received. A copy of the notification confirming
ethics approval must accompany the research grant application or be sent to Graduate Studies later in order to
allow for the release of funds.
iii) Decision
Applications for FGS research grants are reviewed by the Dean of Graduate Studies. Decisions of the Dean are
not subject to appeal, however a student may reapply if new information is available or has been requested by
the Dean. Awards granted to students will be set up as research grants under their supervisor's signing
authority.
iv) Students Undertaking International Activities
Students who plan to travel to countries with travel restrictions as announced on the Department of Foreign
Affairs website must contact International Student and Exchange Services (ISES).
Approved research grants will not be processed for payment without written confirmation from ISES that all predeparture requirements for international travel for research purposes have been met.
v) Health Coverage
Please be advised that international students on Study Permits are eligible for MSI insurance services in NOVA
SCOTIA ONLY. All students should ensure they have adequate health coverage while out of the province (either
through Dalhousie health plans or a private insurance plan).
Revised August 2013
Student Research Grant Guidelines
Page 1
B. TIMING OF THE APPLICATION
Students who require financial assistance to carry out their research may submit a research grant application for
funding no later than the fourth year. Prior to submitting an application, the graduate student must have received
approval of his/her thesis proposal from the department or school involved. A letter confirming thesis approval
must accompany the application.
FGS makes every effort to complete approval of research grant applications within three to four weeks of
receipt. However, students should ensure that they provide sufficient time between submitting the application
and when they intend to start incurring the expenses, in the event there are delays in the approval process.
Awards will not be made retroactively and under no circumstances will awards be given for expenses
already incurred.
C. GRANT AMOUNT AND ELIGIBLE EXPENSES
The maximum allowable grant for doctoral students is $500. Subject to change.
Eligible expenses include: Survey costs: inter-library loan charges; travel costs outside a 100km radius of
Halifax, photocopies of material gathered during research trips only; the purchase of microforms or data sets not
available through the university library; and limited hiring of assistants to help administer and/or transcribe
research tools, up to a maximum of $200.
Ineligible expenses include: Out-of-pocket expenses incurred by every thesis student (e.g. paper, diskettes,
local transportation, local photocopying, typing and reproduction of theses); travel back to Dalhousie/Halifax
unless it is the return part of a round trip; hiring of Research Assistants (graduate students are required to carry
out their own research); honorarium for research subjects; refreshments/hospitality; and equipment available
through departments or university services, such as audio-visual equipment, tape recorders, transcribing
machines, video cameras, etc. Students should discuss access to such equipment with their supervisor or
Graduate Coordinator.
Materials and equipment: Any materials or equipment purchased as part of the FGS research grant (e.g. tape
recorders, cameras, computer accessories or software, etc.) must be returned to the University once the
research is completed.
Further details on the application procedure are provided on the application form.
D. POLICIES ON RESEARCH GRANT ALLOCATIONS
1. Travel: Air discount rates must be used. Where ground transportation is approved, it will be allowed up to
the equivalent of the cost of cheapest airfare. No travel costs within a radius of 100km of Halifax, or local
travel in the city where the research is being carried out, will be allowed.
2. Per diem Expenses: Up to $60.00 per diem expenses (inclusive of accommodation) will be provided.
Applicants are encouraged to arrange for private accommodation. A $25.00 per diem will be provided in
such cases. Receipts are required in either case.
3. Hiring of Assistants: Limited to a maximum of $200.
E. POLICIES ON RESEARCH GRANT EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENTS
1. Original receipts are required for all expenses and must be included when submitting travel claim expense
forms and cheque requisitions to Financial Services for reimbursement from a research grant.
2. All student research grants are held in the name of the student’s supervisor. Therefore, all expense
reimbursement forms must be signed by the student’s supervisor.
3. Additional details on expense reimbursement are included with the grant approval notification letter sent to
students. Details on the research grant are also included with the letter.
Revised August 2013
Student Research Grant Guidelines
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F. APPLICATION PROCEDURES:
1. Students are eligible for one grant only.
2. Applications must be submitted and approved before any expenses are incurred.
3. Students may apply at any time; applications will be considered on an ad hoc basis.
4. Applications must be word-processed or typed (can be completed online and printed for signatures). Handwritten applications will not be accepted and will be returned to the applicant.
5. The application must contain original signatures—photocopies and facsimiles will NOT be accepted.
6. All sections of the application form are to be completed. The application should be written clearly. The use
of technical jargon should be avoided.
7. Copies of research materials, e.g., microfilm, obtained with research grants must be deposited in the
University libraries upon completion of the research. In addition, data files obtained with research grant
funds must be deposited in the Dalhousie University DataBank (applications for the purchases of databases
that have restrictions on access will be considered where reasons are provided as to why the database
cannot be deposited in the university databank, and how the database will be stored and managed after use
by the student). Further information about the latter by can be found at http://is.dal.ca/~databank/. Dalhousie
University is listed in the Directory of Canadian University Data Libraries/Archives.
8. Where necessary, evidence of ethics application and/or approval must accompany an application for
research that uses human subjects. Application guidelines and forms are available from the Office of
Research Ethics Administration, Room 231, Henry Hicks Academic Administration Building or online at
http://researchservices.dal.ca/research_1686.html. Research proposals are to be submitted to the Office of
Research Ethics Administration for review by the appropriate Research Ethics Review Board.
9. Applicants will be notified, via email, of the Dean’s decision and, if approved, an account will be set up with
the Financial Services Office, under the signing authority of the applicant’s supervisor.
10. Grant recipients are to notify the FGS Administrator, in writing or via email, when the funded project has
been completed or when the allotted funds have been expended. This results in the closure of the account
and unspent funds are returned to the FGS budget for subsequent redistribution.
11. Submit the completed application to:
Revised August 2013
Faculty of Graduate Studies
Room 314, Henry Hicks Building
6299 South Street
PO BOX 15000
Halifax, NS, Canada, B3H 4R2
Student Research Grant Guidelines
Page 3
APPLICATION FOR FGS RESEARCH GRANT (PHD STUDENTS ONLY)

APPLICATION MUST BE WORD-PROCESSED OR TYPED.
NAME:
STUDENT ID #:
DEPARTMENT:
PROGRAM:
YEAR OF STUDY:
SIN #:
PHONE:
E-MAIL:
THESIS TITLE:
1.
ONE PARAGRAPH ABSTRACT OF THESIS PROPOSAL:
2.
CURRENT STATUS OF THESIS RESEARCH (EXPLAIN CLEARLY HOW THE BUDGET REQUEST RELATES TO THE RESEARCH):
3.
OTHER SOURCES OF RESEARCH FUNDING:
SOURCE
AMOUNT
APPROVAL RECEIVED
APPROVAL PENDING
TOTAL:
4.
DO YOU HAVE ETHICS APPROVAL?:
YES
NO
N/A
TO BE COMPLETED BY THE SUPERVISOR: THE PAPER/POSTER TO BE PRESENTED IS BASED ON THE APPLICANT’S CURRENT THESIS RESEARCH
SUPERVISOR NAME & EMAIL ADDRESS:
SUPERVISOR SIGNATURE:
DATE:
DEPARTMENT CHAIR/HEAD NAME:
DEPARTMENT CHAIR/HEAD SIGNATURE:
DATE:
HAND DELIVER TO: FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES, DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY
ROOM 314, HENRY HICKS ACADEMIC ADMINISTRATION BUILDING
6299 SOUTH STREET, PO BOX 15000, HALIFAX, NS, CANADA, B3H 4R2
PLEASE ATTACH:
1. PROPOSED BUDGET—ITEMISED
2. DEPARTMENTAL APPROVAL LETTER FOR THESIS PROPOSAL
3. DEPARTMENTAL LETTER OUTLINING LACK OF SUPERVISOR FUNDING FOR RESEARCH
3. ETHICS REVIEW BOARD APPROVAL (IF REQUIRED)
4. ISES LETTER CONFIRMING PRE-DEPARTURE REQUIREMENTS (FOR OUTSIDE CANADA)
NAME OF APPLICANT:
Revised January 2012
SIGNATURE:
DATE:
Application for Student Research Grant