Doctoral Training / 2021-2022

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In your application, you will be able to describe how the COVID-19 pandemic may have affected your training or research activities during the past few months, in order for this information to be considered in the evaluation. Please refer to the document “Considering the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in the evaluation of funding applications” for further information.

REMINDER
In addition to these program rules, it is the responsibility of the applicant to financial support to consult the Common General Rules (CGR) of the Fonds de recherche du Québec, which apply to all FRQS programs. If special conditions apply to this program, they are described below and take precedence over the CGR.

Objectives

This program aims to support university students seeking to pursue health research training in a doctoral university program. All human health themes are eligible, regardless of the proposed methodology or models.

Important note: It is the responsibility of the applicant to choose the right program and the right form for the award application. No program transfer will be made following the applicant’s file eligibility review.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
DURATION OF THE AWARD
AMOUNT OF THE AWARD
OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDING
CHANGE OF TRAINING LOCATION, RESEARCH PROJECT, STUDY PROGRAM OR SUPERVISOR
EVALUATION
FINAL REPORT
COMMITMENTS
OPEN ACCESS
KNOWLEDGE MOBILIZATION
EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
IMPORTANT MODIFICATIONS SINCE THE LAST COMPETITION
AWARDS IN PARTNERSHIP

1. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Eligible applicants	To be eligible to apply, applicants must : Hold an undergraduate or a master’s degree have been enrolled at a Québec university on a full-time basis (or equivalent) for 2 of the 3 semesters prior to the competition deadline (not including the semester of the competition), OR have a Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) card that is valid at the competition deadline or proof of eligibility for RAMQ covering the competition deadline (see section 2.1 of the Common General Rules). Health professionals with a valid licence to practice in Québec should apply to one of the following award programs: Doctoral Training for Applicants with a Professional Degree in Human Health (see program rules) Professional Postgraduate Training in Research (Fellowship) (see program rules)
Terms and regulations	Must be enrolled in a full-time research doctoral program no later than January 15^th, 2022 and whose research project is directly concerned with human health. Doctoral awards are intended for applicants who are enrolled in a doctoral research program for 14 terms or less as of April 30^th, 2021. The number of enrolment terms is calculated from the first application date to a research doctoral program related to human health. It is recommended that those undertaking a doctoral degree directly after a bachelor’s degree or a professional master’s degree, and those who are taking an accelerated path to the doctoral level without obtaining a Master’s degree, should apply to the Master’s competition if eligible to do so (3 terms or less as of April 30th 2021). To be considered “a research program,” the doctoral program must consist of a minimum of 36 credits dedicated to research and lead to the writing of a doctoral thesis. Individuals must be supervised by a university researcher or clinical university researcher (as defined in the Definitions section of the Common General Rules). If the candidate’s supervisor is located outside of Québec, that person should still meet the criteria of university researcher or clinical university researcher in terms of university affiliation and autonomy (see the Definitions section of the Common General Rules). Individuals enrolling in a post-master’s qualification program in France (Diplôme d’études approfondies, D.E.A. or the equivalent) must apply for master’s award.
Training location	To use a training award outside Québec, you must have : a Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) card that is valid at the competition deadline or proof of eligibility for RAMQ covering the competition deadline AND Canadian citizenship at the time the application is submitted. People who do not have a valid RAMQ card or a proof of eligibility for the RAMQ, as well as those who are not Canadian citizens at the time the application is submitted, must do their training in Québec (see section 2.1 of the Common General Rules). Awardees must complete their research training in the physical location of the host institution. Distance learning is not allowed.
Exceptions	Students who suspended their doctoral studies to take parental leave or because of serious illness or major family obligations may defer their eligibility period for up to one year. If an applicant is a person with disabilities in accordance with the Act ensuring handicapped persons their rights for academic, professional and social integration (L.R.C. chapter E-20-1), the rules pertaining to program registration do not apply.
Restrictions	Professional master’s or doctoral programs are not eligible. For a program in psychology, consult the document Eligibility of programs in psychology for FRQS training awards to check its eligibility. An individual who already holds a research doctoral degree (Ph. D.) in the field of human health, is not eligible to submit an application in this program. An individual who has received financial support from a recognized funding agency (e.g. SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR, FRQNT, FRQS, FRQSC, etc.) over a period totaling six years (or 18 terms) cannot submit an application to the FRQS to undertake or pursue a doctoral program (see section 6.1 of the Common General Rules). Students who are awarded a regular Master’s scholarship and are subsequently accepted into a M.D. program, with the agreement of their supervisor, qualify for the 1^st year of funding only. To obtain the 2^nd year of funding, they will have to apply to the MD-MSc program.
Basic research ethics training	Basic research ethics training is mandatory for all FRQS awardees conducting research projects that involve human beings. Research on human beings involves: Participation of human beings Use of human biological materials (parts, products, tissue, cells, genetic materials, derived from a living or dead individual) Assisted procreation activities or the use of human embryos derived therefrom, within the meaning of the Act respecting clinical and research activities relating to assisted procreation (CQLR c. A-5.01) The use of administrative, scientific or descriptive data from human participants Awardees must therefore successfully complete levels 1 and 3 of the Online Tutorial in Research Ethics developed by the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux. This training must be completed within one year of the date of confirmation by the FRQS that the award was granted. The FRQS encourages awardees to follow a one-credit research ethics training course in addition to the mandatory basic research ethics training, whenever possible.

2. REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

HINT: Take the time to read in the Toolbox the document Tips for filling out your application. Without being exhaustive, these valuable tips are based on recurring comments made by the evaluators. They therefore point out critical elements for the evaluation of your application.
By October 15, 2020, 4:30 pm (EDT) Documents sent via mail or e-mail will not be accepted Letters of recommendation will not be accepted Transmission via the FRQS electronic Portfolio only Any document missing or non-compliant with program rules and electronic forms, but deemed crucial for eligibility or evaluation, makes the funding application ineligible. Applicants will not be contacted to provide the missing documents or information. Any document received after the submission deadline will not be added to the application file as no update is allowed once submitted. Any unrequested document transmitted with the application will be removed from the file before its evaluation. No extension will be granted. After the deadline application, forms that are not already submitted will be automatically rejected. Any official document submitted in a language other than English or French must be accompanied by a certified translation of the original. Any other document submitted in a language other than English or French must be accompanied by a simple translation. IMPORTANT : Once the application is submitted, it will no longer be possible to modify it.
Applicants	Canadian Common CV, Funding CV version, for the FRQS (updated since June 2019) Detailed contributions updated since June 2019 (attachment required through the FRQS Electronic Portfolio on the Canadian Common CV page), consult the document entitled Guidelines for the CV attachment in the Toolbox IMPORTANT and crucial for evaluation : in the CCV : scholarships or fellowships must be listed in the Research Funding History section, and honours and distinctions in the Recognitions section; in Detailed contributions: the summary table regarding scholarships/fellowships, honours and distinctions at a university level, as reported in the appropriate sections of the CCV. Electronic application form : Formation de doctorat/ Doctoral training PDF version – for information A copy of a Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) card that is valid at the competition deadline or proof of eligibility for RAMQ covering the competition deadline (official RAMQ document before the issuance of the card) (crucial for eligibility) If the RAMQ card or a proof of eligibility to the RAMQ is not provided, please include a proof of registration at a Québec university for the fall trimester (crucial for eligibility) Form to calculate the number of training program terms (Calcul du nombre de sessions au programme de formation) available in the FRQS Electronic Portfolio, menu *Documents* and in the toolbox (crucial for eligibility) Copies of official academic transcripts (the unofficial electronic version is not accepted) for all years of university courses completed or not (crucial for eligibility and evaluation) For a current program of study, the transcript must be the most recent and include the summer trimester preceding this competition, if applicable Academic transcripts must be complete and include grading scales (at the back of the transcript), for candidates from Québec as well as for candidates outside of Québec. For transcripts from institutions located outside North America, the applicant must include a note explaining the institution’s marking system If no transcript is issued by the institution where the studies are pursued, an explanatory letter must be attached to the application. Acknowledgements from publishers for articles submitted and accepted for publication Candidates will be notified by email regarding the eligibility or ineligibility of their applications in November
Research supervisor (and co-supervisor, if applicable)	Canadian Common CV, Funding CV version, for the FRQS (updated since June 2019); Detailed contributions updated since June 2019 (attachment required through the FRQS Electronic Portfolio on the Canadian Common CV page), consult the document entitled Guidelines for the CV attachment in the Toolbox Supervisor’s electronic form PDF version – for information
At the start date of the award
At the start date of the award and for each subsequent term	For candidates pursuing their training in Québec: the university will have to confirm that the awardee is officially registered. For candidates pursuing their training outside Québec: the awardee must provide an official proof of registration at the university.
Before the start of the second year of the award	To start the second year of the award, the awardee will have to provide: a confirmation from the supervisor indicating that the student is still under his/her supervision (and annually thereafter) (by email) ethics training certificates (levels 1 and 3), if applicable (by email in a single PDF document)

3. DURATION OF THE AWARD

Effective start date	May 2021 (Summer term), September 2021 (Fall term) or January 2022 (Winter term), according to the start date of the study program. If the study program is already in progress in May 2021, the award should begin in May 2021, with some exceptions.
Duration	*4 years maximum (12 terms) or until the completion of the awardee’s doctoral studies (final submission of the thesis),** whichever the earliest, non-renewable. when applicable, the payments of the 11^th and 12^th terms are conditional upon the submission of the thesis by the end of the 12^th term (proof of submission to the University) The period of validity during which doctoral awards may be issued is limited to the first 15 terms of enrollment* in the doctoral program that is the subject of the award. The initial calculation of the duration of the scholarship is based on the number of terms of doctoral studies completed on April 30^th, 2021. In the event that the award does not start in May 2021 but the study program is already in progress, a new downward calculation will have to be made based on the number of terms completed at the actual inception of the award. Refer to the table for the calculation of the potential duration of the award based on the number of terms of study completed on April 30^th, 2021 (Toolbox).
Parental leave	The awardee may benefit from an award payment deferral during parental leave (maternity, paternity or adoption) for a maximum period of 12 months as described in section 6.13 of the Common General Rules. Awardees must fill out the “Award payment deferral” form, accompanied by the documents supporting the leave, to inform the FRQS of their intention to receive a supplement to their award for a parental leave. The FRQS reserves the right to reject any request that is not properly justified.
Sick leave or other reasons	Awardees may defer their award due to illness or other reasons provided by the Loi sur les normes du travail as described in section 6.14 of the Common General Rules. Aawardees must fill out the “Award payment deferral” form accompanied by the documents supporting the leave. The FRQS reserves the right to reject any request that is not properly justified.
Acquiring relevant experience	It is possible, for each full year of funding provided by the FRQS, to suspend and postpone award installments for one term (4 months) in order to acquire relevant experience (working with a research team, acquiring teaching experience in the awardee’s field of study or research, language development trip, etc.). These installments are then rescheduled at the end of the funding period. Deferrals with the goal of acquiring relevant experience can be consecutive if they are approved by the research supervisor. To benefit from this measure, the award holder must submit a request to the FRQS by filling out the Award payment deferral form (Report de versement de bourse). Furthermore, the research supervisor should provide a letter confirming his or her agreement and the relevance of the paid activities that are involved. The FRQS reserves the right to reject any request that is not properly justified or relevant.
Part-Time	Part-time studies are permitted exclusively for caregivers, parents and persons with disabilities. To benefit from this measure, the award holder must submit a request to the FRQS by filling out the “Part-time studies” form (Études à temps partiel) and provide the required documentation. Caregiver or Parent This measure applies only to the award holder who acts as the caregiver for a close family member or for a person that is the main care provider for a young child. During the terms that will be part-time, the awardee will receive 50 % of the value of the regular award installments. The awardee will need to fill out the “Part-time studies ” form (Études à temps partiel) and provide the following documents: a proof of part-time studies from the University a letter of support from the research supervisor a copy of the medical certificate (for caregiver) or the birth certificate or certificate of adoption of a child (parent) If applicable, this can be cumulated with the benefits paid by the Parental Insurance Plan. Person with disabilities This measure applies only to a person with disabilities in accordance with the Act ensuring handicapped persons their rights for academic, professional and social integration (L.R.C. chapter E-20-1) During the terms that will be part-time, the awardee will receive the full value of the regular award installments as long as the University authorizes the part-time studies of the individual. The awardee will need to fill out the “Part-time studies” form (Études à temps partiel) and provide the following documents: a proof of part-time studies from the University a letter of support from the research supervisor a medical certificate confirming the condition As stated in section 6.5 of the Common General Rules, any change in an award holder’s status must be reported in the Manage My Funding module of the ePortfolio.

4. AMOUNT OF THE AWARD

Amount	*Maximum $ 21,000/year according to the number of eligible terms (refer to Duration)** * except in some cases (see section on Awards in partnership)
Administration	The award will be paid to the awardee by installments. Three installments per year will be made at the end of May, end of September and end of January. Instalments are conditional upon receipt of all required documents and compliance with eligibility requirements.
Cancellation of an installment or the scholarship	If all the required documents are not received or if the eligibility conditions are not met within two months of the start of the trimester and if no request for postponement has been received, the FRQS will cancel the instalment for that trimester. The FRQS will terminate the scholarship if instalments must be cancelled for two consecutive trimesters due to missing documents or failure to meet the eligibility requirements.
Income Tax	The awardee is responsible for paying the income tax due on the amounts received from the FRQS. The FRQS does not make any deductions on the amounts disbursed during the taxation year. The payment date determines the year in which the awardee must declare the amounts received as income for personal tax calculations. Revenue Canada’s T4A slip and Revenu Québec’s RL-1 slip are made available in the Manage My Funding module of the FRQS ePortfolio in February of the year following the taxation year in question. The details provided in this program rules are for information purposes only. The FRQS is not responsible for the validity of any income tax information.
Indirect Costs of Research	This program does not benefit from the amount paid out by FRQS to cover indirect costs of research of the institutions.

5. OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDING

Authorized paid work	Awardees may accept a teaching load of 45 hours per session or a position that does not involve more than 225 hours of remunerated work per term, provided the research supervisor is in agreement and that the work does not interfere with their research activities.
Additional funding	Awardees may accept additional funds from their institution or their research supervisor.It is the responsibility of the FRQS award holder to check whether this kind of additionnal funding is allowed by the institution or the research supervisor.
Concurrent funding	Holding several scholarships is not allowed. Awardees who obtained an award from another public agency or a foundation recognized by the FRQS must notify the FRQS and decline the FRQS funding as soon as the award is offered, except in the case of the supplement given by the Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST). However, if the amount value of the other award is lower than the one given by the FRQS, the awardee is eligible to receive the amount needed to make up the difference between the two scholarships.
Research internship	Holding an FRQS training award concurrently with a research internship to be done in another organization and that is not part of the training program of the awardee, is allowed under certain conditions. For internships of $5,000 or less, awardees must notify the FRQS by email before the beginning of the internship. For internships of $5,000 and more, awardees must ask the FRQS for authorization by completing the Internship authorization form (see Toolbox) before the internship begins. If the internship is approved, it will be allowed to either 1) combine the training award and internships amounts or 2) defer the amount of the FRQS award for a period equal to the duration of the internship or a maximum of 6 months.

6. CHANGE OF TRAINING LOCATION, RESEARCH PROJECT, STUDY PROGRAM OR SUPERVISOR

Awardees who wish to change their research project, supervisor, program or training institution must submit to the FRQS the Change of research project, supervisor or training location form (see Toolbox) and the required documents in a single PDF file.

For the sake of fairness, the Fonds ensures that the requested modification does not call into question the scientific evaluation of the original application and that it complies with the eligibility conditions and the rules of the program. The modification request is analyzed by the Fonds for approval, if applicable. The Fonds may decide to continue, reduce, suspend or terminate the payments. The Fonds may also require the reimbursement of the sums already paid to the candidate. The decision is shared by email.

The FRQS reserves the right to reject any request that is not properly justified or relevant.

As stated in section 6.5 of the Common General Rules, any change in an award holder’s status must be reported in the Manage My Funding module of the ePortfolio.

7. EVALUATION

Process	All applications are reviewed by committees of experts representing various disciplines and institutions.
Criteria and weighting	Quality and scientific value of the research project – Clarity of the research problem and concordance of the hypotheses and objectives – Relevance of the methods and analyses – Feasibility – Originality of the project and contribution to the advancement of knowledge	30 97 7 7
	Quality of training environment – Justification of the applicant’s choice – Quality of supervisor’s publication record as it pertains to student training	15 8 7
	Excellence of academic record – Global academic record: rating, progession and continuity – Scholarships/fellowships, honours, and distinctions	25 15 10
	Skills and experiences – Publications – Lectures and presentations – Research projects and research training programs	30 15 7 8

8. FINAL REPORT

A final report is required at the end of the payment of the award, approximately one month after the last funded term. Award holders are notified by email of the availability of the form to be completed in their FRQS electronic portfolio. It is required to fill out and submit this form with respect to the mentioned deadline. Further funding in other FRQS programs is conditional to the reception of the duly completed report.

9. COMMITMENTS

Any application submitted to this program is subject to compliance with the conditions set out in the FRQnet electronic portals and forms.

10. OPEN ACCESS

In accordance with the Fonds de recherche du Québec Open access policy for the dissemination of research, all funding recipients must agree to make their publications freely available in open access within 12 months of publication. For further information concerning FRQ requirements on the subject, please consult our Open science Web page.

11. KNOWLEDGE MOBILIZATION

The FRQS encourages awardees to conduct and participate in knowledge mobilization activities (transfer, sharing, development, enhancement and dissemination) with practice settings and the general public, where such activities are relevant. Please read the document Knowledge Mobilization in the toolbox.

12. EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

The Fonds de recherche du Québec wish to contribute to supporting a research ecosystem based on equity, diversity and inclusion. Measures have been put in place to strengthen the integration of these principles. Funding recipients are also encouraged to consider them in the context of their research activities. For more information, see our statements on equity, diversity and inclusion.

13. IMPORTANT MODIFICATIONS SINCE THE LAST COMPETITION

Eligibility requirements
Required documents
Duration of the award
Amount of the award : Cancellation of an installment or the scholarship
Change of training location, research project, study program or supervisor

14. AWARDS IN PARTNERSHIP

The FRQS offers a number of awards in collaboration with partners. The share of funding from the FRQS and the partner may vary according to the agreements in effect. Eligible applicants are selected through a three-step process: The applicant selects, in the Partnership [Partenariat] section of the application form, one or more partners whose targeted research areas correspond to the theme of their application. The FRQS sends to the partners a list of candidates and useful information for them to assess the relevance of the request according to their research priorities and strategy. After evaluation of the applications by a committee of experts or peers, applications having obtained the scientific excellence rating of 70 % and which have been deemed relevant by one or more partners, may receive a partnership award offer. As with all the awards offered by FRQS, the awards granted in partnership are based on merit following a scientific evaluation by a committee of experts or peers. Note that by choosing to be considered for an award in partnership, and that you obtain such an award, you agree that the partner communicates with you for activities related to the award.
Alzheimer’s disease	Alzheimer Society of Canada Candidates must also submit an application to the Alzheimer Society of Canada. Amount of the award: $22,000 per year.
Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular health	Heart and Stroke Foundation of Québec Priority will be given to applicants collaborating with a new researcher currently funded by the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
Childhood diseases	Foundation of Stars Training awards in the Pediatric research field, primarily in the area of childhood diseases.
Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis	Crohn’s and Colitis Canada (CCC) Training Awards in the Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis research fields.
Multiple Sclerosis	Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada Training Awards in the Multiple Sclerosis research field. All candidates must also submit an application to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada. Amount of the Ph.D. award: $21,000 to $22,000 per year.
Parkinson’s disease	Parkinson Canada Training Awards in the Parkinson’s Disease research field. Candidates must also submit an application to Parkinson Canada. Amount of the Ph.D. award: $21,000 to $25,000 per year.
Parkinson’s disease	Parkinson Québec Training Awards in the Parkinson’s Disease research field. Amount of the doctoral award: $25,000 per year.
Patient-Oriented Research	Unité de soutien SRAP du Québec (SPOR Support Unit in Québec) The Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) in Quebec is to engage the various stakeholders involved, including patients, caregivers and the public, in the development and delivery of patient-oriented research projects (POR). The SPOR Support Unit in Quebec contributes to capacity building and professional development in POR of these stakeholders. The awards offered in partnership with the Unit allow award recipients to hone their skills and develop or consolidate valued expertise in POR, and to expand their network of collaborators and mentors in this area. Priority themes: primary care, proximity care, integration of care and service trajectories.