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The Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) Program at
Western
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Eligibility

• You may apply if you
• Plan to be enrolled full-time in an eligible
  program leading to a masters or doctoral degree
  at an eligible institution in Ontario.
• Note Students who are unable to study full-time
  due to a disability are eligible to apply for and
  hold an OGS award. These students must meet all
  eligibility requirements and conditions.

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Eligibility (contd)

• You may apply if you
• Are a Canadian citizen, Protected Person, or
  Permanent Resident or have received aTemporary
  Resident Visa - Student Class.
• If applicable, the date on your Protected Person,
  Permanent Resident, or Temporary Resident Visa
  Student Class documentation can be no later than
  November 18, 2009.

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Eligibility (contd)

• Academic Standard
• Applicants who are entering the first or second
  year of graduate studies at the time of
  application, must have an overall average of at
  least A- (80.0 at Western), or the equivalent,
  on the last 20 half courses completed, or the
  equivalent.
• Applicants who are in the third year of graduate
  studies or beyond at the time of application,
  must have an overall average of at least A-
  (80.0 at Western), or the equivalent, on all
  graduate courses completed.

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Do I Apply Through Western?

• If you are currently enrolled at Western, you
  apply to your current department by the
  departmental deadline, or
• If you are not currently enrolled at Western and
  you graduated from Western on or after November
  18th, 2008, you apply to your previous department
  by the departmental deadline

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How To Apply

• Apply online using the OSAP on-line application.
  Print all items listed in the Last Step of your
  online application.
• OSAP Online application
• Using paper application form. If you do not have
  a Social Insurance Number (SIN), you must apply
  using a paper application form.

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Academic Assessment Reports

• You require two letters of support written by two
  professors who are most familiar with your
  academic performance
• An Academic Assessment Report is comprised of one
  form on which the professor will rank you in
  eight different categories in relation to all
  students at a similar stage that the professor
  has previously evaluated, PLUS a one-page signed
  letter of support elaborating on the assessment

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Academic Assessment Report Tips

• Provide your two referees with the following
  tools to aid them in writing the best possible
  letter of support
• Lots of time before the departmental deadline
• A copy of your statement of interest (Masters
  level) or Plan of Study (Doctoral level)
• Copies of your academic transcripts
• C.V. or resumé highlighting your academic,
  research, leadership, communication, outreach
  skills and achievements
• The link to the .pdf fillable Academic Assessment
  Report
• The information they need to input into Section A
• A pre-addressed/pre-stamped (if necessary)
  envelope
• A thank you e-mail a few days before the
  departmental deadline

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Page 4 - Notice, Consents, Declaration and
Signature of Applicant

• You must sign the Applicants Declaration in
  black ink.
• Part III at the bottom is optional in case you
  wish to authorize the Ministry to release to the
  one or two persons (family members, friends,
  faculty, staff) you list any information
  contained in your OGS file for the 2010-2011
  academic year and all prior academic years. The
  consent is valid only for the 2010-2011 academic
  year

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Preparing your Statement of Interest (Masters
Level) one page

• Explain why you want to pursue graduate studies
• Indicate at which university you intend to
  undertake your studies and the degree program you
  intend to pursue
• Your application may be reviewed by someone
  outside of your specific discipline
• Focus on tangible aspects of your interest
• If applicable, outline the research training
  component of your proposed degree program and
  your research proposal

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Preparing your Plan of Study (Doctoral Level)
one page

• Entering first year of doctoral studies
• Clearly state your current level of study.
• Give the title and a brief description of your
  Master's thesis, if applicable.
• Identify the field of concentration or subject of
  your proposed doctoral studies and describe your
  special interests in this area.
• Describe to the extent possible the program of
  doctoral study you plan to pursue during the
  period for which support is requested.

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Preparing your Plan of Study (for Doctoral
Level)

• Currently in a doctoral program
• Clearly state your current level of graduate
  study.
• Outline your thesis and explain how it will build
  on existing research and contribute to the
  advancement of knowledge in the field.
• Indicate what stage you are at in your thesis.
• Describe what you plan to accomplish during the
  award tenure and what will remain to be done.

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List of Scholarships and Awards (one page)

• List your awards and scholarships in reverse
  chronological order starting with your most
  recently won
• List only competitive awards and remember to list
  those you have won but declined. Do not include
  WGRS.
• If you have many to list, limit the list to your
  top 10 and consider the impact factor of each
  award/scholarship you choose to list
• Use a table to present your list of competitive
  awards and scholarships

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List of Academic Accomplishments(one page)

• Be sure to include all relevant accomplishments
  including publications properly documented,
  clearly identifying refereed contributions,
  non-refereed contributions, and other refereed
  contributions
• Avoid embellishing, or including a paper
  described as in progress
• Provide brief explanations for accomplishments or
  accolades that may not be clear to a reviewer
• Deans Honour Roll would be mentioned here

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List of Academic Accomplishments (contd)

• A Bibliography or references may be included only
  on either the Plan of Study or Statement of
  Interest page. No extra pages are allowed.
• Publications must be included on the List of
  Significant Academic Accomplishments page only.
  No extra pages are allowed.
• Do not include a resumé/curriculum vitae in your
  application.

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List of Academic Accomplishments (contd)

• You may add a maximum of 100 words at the bottom
  of the Academic Accomplishments page to describe
  any special considerations such as health
  problems, family responsibilities, disabilities
  or other circumstances that have had an effect
  on your academic performance or productivity,
  including any delays in disseminating research
  results or completing a degree.
• The weight to be given to any special
  circumstances will be determined by the OGS
  panels evaluating the application.

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Transcripts

• OGS requires all official university transcripts
  for studies completed up to August 31, 2009
• Your department will provide your Western
  academic record for the purpose of the
  departmental review and ranking
• SGPS will provide your official Western
  transcript for the provincial competition
• Applicants are responsible for ordering official
  transcripts from any previous institution(s).
  These transcripts should be mailed to your
  departments graduate external scholarship
  coordinator

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International University Transcripts

• OGS will accept a photocopy of a transcript from
  an international university only when it is not
  possible to get another official transcript
  certified as a True Copy of the Original
  Document by your department.
• OGS only requires the official English
  translation of a foreign language transcript and
  legend, not the original foreign language
  transcript and legend.
• Do not include diplomas, certificates, laminated
  documents, letters or attestations from
  translators, photographs of yourself

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A Successful Application

• Demonstrates
• strong academic ability
• excellent potential to conduct advanced scholarly
  research/advanced clinical training
• strong communication and leadership skills
• the ability to successfully complete your studies
  in a timely manner
• Is clear, concise, error-free and complete
• Presents a focused program of study

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Important Reminders

• Assume your plan of study will be read by a
  multi-disciplinary committee
• Reviewers, who are not experts in your particular
  area, must be able to see the importance of the
  research being planned. Explicate your plan of
  study in such a way as to make it relevant and
  significant.
• Avoid jargon, acronyms, highly technical terms
  and density of writing that will only serve to
  obscure rather than enlighten

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Made a Mistake? But Already Submitted your
Application On-line?

• The Change Form
• ONLY for changes to student number, name,
  address, phone number, birth date, citizenship
  status, discipline code and level of study for
  proposed and current studies or number of OGS
  awards held
• The Change Form is available from your
  scholarship coordinator

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Consult the Experts

• A well-structured and well-written proposal is
  the key tosuccess
• Bring along a one-page draft of your plan of
  study, statement of interest
• These sessions are intended to allow you to have
  your outline reviewed by a member of the SGPS
  academic leadership team

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Consult the Experts Sessions

• Evenings from 700pm 900pm in the Conference
  Room of the Grad Club on the following dates
• Monday, September 14th  
• Tuesday, September 15th  
• Wednesday, September 16th
• Monday, September 21st
• Thursday, October 1st starts at 730pm
• Consultation time will vary with the number of
  applicants in attendance.

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Final Reminders

• Know who the external scholarship coordinator is
  in your department
• Know your department deadline
• It is your responsibility to ensure that your
  application package and any required supporting
  documentation are received by your department by
  its deadline

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Competition Results

• All eligible OGS files across Ontario are
  forwarded to the OGS Office of the MTCU every
  November
• Provincial selection panels are convened and
  applications are adjudicated from January to
  March
• Results are released individually to applicants
  by mail in April followed a few days later by the
  release of results to each universitys
  scholarship liaison officer
• Log in to your OSAP account to check the status
  of your OGS application