Application Deadline: For students with a May 1, 2026 start date, the deadline is March 26, 2026

For students with a July 1, 2026 start date, the deadline is May 28, 2026

The purpose of the Graduate Recruitment Scholarship (GRS) is to recruit superior graduate students who have the potential to contribute to the University of Alberta’s community and research.

The purpose of the Graduate Student Award (GSA) is to provide financial support to current graduate students undertaking full-time research. Additional selection criteria may be considered and may include financial need.

ELIGIBILITY:

Both awards are open to Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or students on a study permit. Specific eligibility criteria for each award are as follows:

Graduate Recruitment Scholarship (GRS):

Students must be newly admitted to a doctoral or thesis-based master’s graduate degree program or have transferred (fast-tracked) from a master’s to a doctoral degree program.

Will be registered full-time in a doctoral degree or thesis-based master’s degree program by the admit term.

Must have an admission grade point average (AGPA) of at least 3.5. Current students transferring (fast track) from a master’s degree to a doctoral degree are eligible provided that both their AGPA and current program GPA are 3.5 or over, or the average if one mark is less.

Students admitted to course-based or qualifying programs are not eligible.

Students may receive a GRS only once (unless they transfer from a master’s to a doctoral degree program). Faculties wishing to fund a GRS recipient may nominate them for a GSA in each year during which they meet the eligibility requirements.

Graduate Student Award (GSA):

Students must be currently registered full-time in a doctoral degree or thesis-based master’s degree program.

Must have satisfactory academic standing (equivalent to a grade point average (GPA) of 2.7 or greater) over the most recent 15 units of course weight in the current program. Where there are less than 15 graded credits in the current program, the admission GPA (AGPA) is a weighted factor.

Students registered in course-based or qualifying programs are not eligible.

These awards are NOT automatically renewable. However, faculties may nominate students for a new award in each year during which they meet the eligibility requirements.

Faculties might have additional selection criteria; for more details, departments/students may consult their faculty.

BENEFIT:

The GRS and GSA both have a minimum value of $5,000 (one unit) in increments; however, faculties may choose the number of units they wish to award to eligible nominees based on the allocation table.

The award value varies and is indicated in the original letter of offer.