Canada: University of British Columbia (UBC) Killam Doctoral Scholarships 2025 for International Students

The University of British Columbia (UBC) in association with Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Fund for Advanced Studies is offering the Killam Doctoral Scholarship to top doctoral candidates.

Application Deadline: 13th September, 2024

Offered annually? Yes

Eligible Countries: 

• Canadian
• Permanent Resident
• International

To be taken at (country): Canada

Eligible Fields of Study: Health Sciences, Natural Sciences and Engineering, Social Sciences and Humanities

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About the Award: Killam Doctoral Scholarships are the most prestigious awards available to graduate students at UBC. The Killam Scholarship and Prize Programmes were established in memory of Izaak Walton Killam through the Will of his wife, Dorothy Johnston Killam, and through gifts made during her lifetime. Their primary purpose is to support advanced education and research at five Canadian universities and the Canada Council for the Arts.

The UBC Killam Doctoral Scholarships are provided annually from the Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Fund for Advanced Studies. It was Mrs. Killam’s desire that those selected to receive scholarships: “Be likely to contribute to the advancement of learning or to win distinction in a profession. A Killam scholar should not be a one-sided person…Special distinction of intellect should be founded upon sound character.”

Type: Doctoral

Eligibility: To be eligible to apply for Killam Doctoral Scholarship funding, applicants must have completed no more than 24 months of doctoral study as of the start date of the scholarship. Therefore, applicants to the 2024-2025 competition must have completed no more than 24 months of doctoral study as of 1 September 2025.

Selection Criteria:

• Research ability and potential – 50%
  • Quality of research proposal
    • specific, focused and feasible research question(s) and objective(s)clear description of the proposed methodology
• • • significance and expected contributions to research
    Relevant training, such as academic training, lived experience and traditional teachingsResearch experience and achievements relative to the applicant’s stage of study, lived experience and knowledge systemsQuality of contributions and extent to which they advance the field of research. Contributions may include: publications, patents, reports, posters, abstracts, monographs, presentations, creative outputs, knowledge translation outputs, community products, etc.Demonstration of sound judgment and ability to think criticallyDemonstration of responsible and ethical research conduct, including honest and thoughtful inquiry, rigorous analysis, commitment to safety and to the dissemination of research results and adherence to the use of professional standardsEnthusiasm for research, originality, initiative, autonomy, relevant community involvement and outreachThe ability or potential to communicate theoretical, technical and/or scientific concepts clearly and logically in written and oral formats
  Relevant experience and achievements obtained within and beyond academia – 50%
  • Scholarships, awards and distinctions (amount, duration and prestige)
  • Academic record:
    • Transcripts
    • Duration of previous studies
    • Program requirements and courses pursued
    • Course load
    • Relative standing in program (if available)
  • Professional, academic and extracurricular activities as well as collaborations with supervisors, colleagues, peers, students and members of the community, such as:
    • teaching, mentoring, supervising and/or coaching
    • managing projects
    • participating in science and/or research promotion
    • community outreach, volunteer work and/or civic engagement
    • chairing committees and/or organizing conferences and meetings
    • participating in departmental or institutional organizations, associations, societies and/or clubs

Number of Awardees: Approximately 15-20 awards

Value of Scholarship: $30,000 per annum and a $2,000 allowance for research-related travel during the 24 months of the scholarship.

Duration of Scholarship: Two years

How to Apply: Students who are eligible for the Canada Graduate Scholarships-Doctoral (CGS-D) (such as Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada) are required to apply for CGS-D. Students who submit an NSERC, SSHRC or CIHR doctoral award application to UBC Okanagan are also eligible for Killam Scholarship funding, and do not need to submit a separate application.

Killam applicants (such as international students) must submit their application materials to the College of Graduate Studies by the deadline indicated above.

The Killam Doctoral Scholarships are part of the Affiliated Fellowships-Doctoral award competition. To be considered for the Killam Doctoral Scholarships, you must apply for the Affiliated Fellowships-Doctoral award competition.

Please ensure all application materials and references are received by the College of Graduate Studies at [email protected] by the competition deadline indicated above.

See Application Form and Instruction link in the Scholarship Webpage (link below)

Visit Scholarship Webpage for details