2008-2009 Ontario-Quebec Exchange Fellowship Program

In this section . . . 

• Purpose of the Program
• Value of the Award
• Eligibility
• Conditions of the Award
• Application Procedure - including supporting documentation
• Application Deadline
• Selection and Payment Procedures
• Renewal of the Award
• Help

Purpose of the Program

The Ontario-Quebec Exchange Fellowship Program allows students from Ontario to pursue full-time graduate studies at the master’s or doctoral level at a university in Quebec. This program offers outstanding students from Ontario the opportunity to live and study in the cultural milieu of Quebec. The program is sponsored by the Ontario-Quebec Commission for Co-operation in accordance with the interprovincial Agreement for Co-operation and Exchange in Educational and Cultural Matters.

Value of the Award

The Government of Ontario will award eight fellowships in 2008-2009. Candidates at the master’s level will receive$10,000 each; those at the doctoral level will receive $12,000 each.

Eligibility 

In Ontario you are eligible to apply for an Ontario-Quebec Exchange Fellowship if you:

• plan to register as a full-time student in the first year of a program leading to a master’s or doctoral degree. Unless you are a renewal candidate, you are not eligible to apply if you have completed one or more years of a program leading to a master’s or doctoral degree;
• have maintained an overall average of at least B+ or its equivalent in each of your last two years of study;
• are a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident, or a protected person. The “landed on” date on your permanent resident document can be no later than January 31, 2008;
• have lived in Ontario for the last twelve consecutive months. This twelve-month period cannot include time spent at a postsecondary institution;
• plan to register in September 2008 at a university in Quebec.

Conditions of the Award

If you receive an Ontario-Quebec Exchange Fellowship, you must comply with the following conditions:

• You must be registered as a full-time student in a graduate program for the tenure of the award. 
• If you withdraw from university, transfer to part-time status, or fail to complete a term, you will be required to repay the award.
• You may hold a fellowship for a maximum of two years of study at the master’s level and three years at the doctoral level. However, you may not receive more than three Ontario-Quebec Exchange Fellowships in total.
• You may accept other awards, provided that:  
  a) the award is not made, directly or indirectly, by the Government of Ontario or the Government of Quebec; 
b) the amount awarded is not greater than one-half of the value of your Ontario-Quebec Exchange Fellowship.
• You may not accept employment that will affect your status as a full-time student.

Application Procedure

You must submit the completed application form and all required supporting documentation by January 31, 2008, to:

Student Support Branch
Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities
PO Box 4500
189 Red River Rd, 4th floor
Thunder Bay ON P7B 6G9

Telephone: (807) 343-7257
Toll-free: 1-800-465-3957
Telephone Device for the Deaf: 1-800-465-3958

Application Form includes the following:
Application Form
Report 1
Report 2

To view and print these forms, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. Information on how to download this free program is available by going to Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Supporting Documentation

It is your responsibility to ensure that all supporting documentation is received by the ministry by the deadline date. The ministry is not responsible for lost or incomplete applications. Applications with incomplete supporting documentation will not be considered.

Supporting documentation includes:

• official transcripts of your complete academic record at the university level;
• Report 1 – the attached form, completed by the professor who is most familiar with your work;
• Report 2 – the attached form, completed by a professor who is familiar with your work; Note: Under the Ontario Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, the use of Reports 1 and 2 is mandatory. Other forms or letters will not be accepted as substitutes.
• an outline, no longer than one page, describing the program you have chosen and explaining how it relates to your wish to study in Quebec; 
• a photocopy of your proof of Canadian citizenship, permanent resident status, or protected person status. One of the following will be accepted as satisfactory proof of: 
  1. Canadian citizenship:
     • a photocopy of a Canadian birth certificate,
     • a photocopy of a valid Canadian passport, 
     • a photocopy of a valid Canadian citizenship certificate,
     • a photocopy of a Department of National Defence Identification Card; 
  2. permanent resident status:
     • a photocopy of a Canadian Immigration Record of Landing form, 
     • a photocopy of a Canadian Immigration Record Card, 
     • a photocopy of a Canadian Immigration Identification Card.  
  3. protected person status:
     • a photocopy of a protected person status document  

Application Deadline

Selection and Payment Procedures

A selection committee composed of educators will review the applications. Where applicants of comparable academic excellence are being considered, preference will be given to applicants who intend to pursue their studies in French (i.e., non-francophone students pursuing studies in French and francophone students pursuing studies that are not readily available or not available at all in French in Ontario). 

Please note: Your one-page outline describing your reasons for studying in Quebec will count for 20 per cent of your overall assessment. Applicants will be informed of the decision of the selection committee by mid-May 2008.

Ontario-Quebec Exchange Fellowships are payable in two separate instalments, which are forwarded to the institution at which you are enrolled in full-time studies. You will receive the first instalment soon after you register for the fall term, and the second one at the start of the second term. 

Renewal of the Award

Ontario-Quebec Exchange Fellowships are not renewed automatically. If you were awarded a fellowship in 2007–2008, you must apply for renewal of your fellowship for 2008–2009 by submitting a completed application form and the required supporting documentation by January 31, 2008. Your application will be considered by the selection committee in competition with all other applications. Where applicants of comparable academic excellence are being considered, preference will be given to applicants who are requesting a renewal of their fellowship, provided that they have made satisfactory progress in their studies in Quebec.

Help

Questions should be directed to:

Ontario-Quebec Exchange Fellowship Program
Student Support Branch
Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities
PO Box 4500
189 Red River Rd, 4th floor
Thunder Bay ON P7B 6G9

Telephone: (807) 343-7257
Toll-free: 1-800-465-3957
Telephone Device for the Deaf: 1-800-465-3958