Awards & Funding

The UBC Rehabilitation Sciences Alumni Margaret Hood Scholarship in Occupational Therapy is endowed by alumni, friends and The British Columbia Society of Occupational Therapists in honour of Margaret R. Hood, a founding member of the School of Rehabilitation Medicine. The scholarship is awarded to a MSc or PhD student in Rehabilitation Sciences who is making significant contributions to the profession of Occupational Sciences and Occupational Therapy with their research.

Eligibility: PhD or MSc students in UBC Rehabilitation Sciences who are occupational therapists (must have proof of license, certificate or transcript stating individual has graduated from a MOT program) and conducting research based in Occupational Therapy. While applicants are reviewed primarily based on academic excellence and research, factors such as character, school involvement, community involvement, and athletic achievement may be considered.

Candidates are allowed to hold the Margaret Hood award once per degree (i.e., if you held the award as a MSc trainee, you are allowed to apply for and hold the award as a PhD trainee), however, preference will be given to those who have not held the award in the past.

Award Amount: $5,050

Award Number: #4898

Number Awarded: 1 per year

Application Deadline: Friday, October 18, 2024 by 4pm PT.

How to Apply: Application Instructions 2024

Apply Now: RHSC Internal Awards Portal

The UBC Rehabilitation Sciences Alumni Jane Hudson Scholarship in Physical Therapy is endowed by alumni and friends in honour of W. Jane Hudson, a founding member of the School of Rehabilitation Medicine. The scholarship will be awarded to a student in UBC Rehabilitation Sciences who is making significant contributions to the profession of Physical Therapy with their research. Preference will be given to students who do not have significant funding from Tri-Council or major UBC scholarships (i.e. 4YF).

Eligibility: PhD or MSc students in UBC Rehabilitation Sciences who are physiotherapists (must have proof of license, certificate or transcript stating individual has graduated from a MPT program) and conducting research based in Physical Therapy. While applicants are reviewed primarily based on academic excellence and research, factors such as character, school involvement, community involvement, and athletic achievement may be considered.

Candidates are allowed to hold the Jane Hudson award once per degree (i.e., if you held the award as a MSc trainee, you are allowed to apply for and hold the award as a PhD trainee), however, preference will be given to those who have not held the award in the past.

Award Amount: $7,750

Award Number: #4899

Number Awarded: 1 per year

Application Deadline: Friday, October 18, 2024 by 4pm PT.

How to Apply: Application Instructions 2024

Apply Now: RHSC Internal Awards Portal

The Louise McGregor Memorial Scholarship in Neurorehabilitation is endowed in memory of Louise McGregor, a former faculty member in the School of Rehabilitation Sciences. This award is offered to a MSc or PhD student making significant research contributions in the area of neurorehabilitation within Graduate Programs in Rehabilitation Science (RHSC).

Eligibility: PhD or MSc students in UBC Rehabilitation Sciences conducting research in the field of neurorehabilitation. While applicants are reviewed primarily based on academic excellence and research, factors such as character, school involvement, community involvement, and athletic achievement may be considered.

Candidates are allowed to hold the Louise McGregor award once per degree (i.e., if you held the award as a MSc trainee, you are allowed to apply for and hold the award as a PhD trainee), however, preference will be given to those who have not held the award in the past.

Award Amount: $2,550

Award Number: #4132

Number Awarded: 1 per year

Application Deadline: Friday, October 18, 2024 by 4pm PT.

How to Apply: Application Instructions 2024

Apply Now: RHSC Internal Awards Portal

A scholarship has been endowed by the Vancouver Branch of The Arthritis Society, B.C. & Yukon Division. The award is offered to a student in the Graduate Programs in Rehabilitation Sciences interested in research in Rheumatology or who has a physical therapy focus to their research. The award is adjudicated by the Rehabilitation Sciences Awards committee and is recommended by the Department of Physical Therapy. 

Candidates are allowed to hold the Arthritis Society Vancouver Branch Scholarship award once per degree (i.e., if you held the award as a MSc trainee, you are allowed to apply for and hold the award as a PhD trainee), however, preference will be given to those who have not held the award in the past.

Eligibility: MSc, PhD students in UBC Rehabilitation Sciences conducting research in the field of Rheumatology or has a physical therapy focus to their research. While applicants are reviewed primarily based on academic excellence and research, factors such as character, school involvement, community involvement, and athletic achievement may be considered.

Award Amount: $1850 (value varies from year to year)

Award Number: #4124-PT

Number Awarded: 1 per year

Application Deadline: TBA (likely mid-October 2024) at 12pm noon PT

How to Apply: Application Instructions 2024

Apply Now: RHSC Internal Awards Portal

A scholarship has been endowed by the Vancouver Community Group of The Arthritis Society, B.C. & Yukon Division for a student in the Graduate Programs in Rehabilitation Sciences who is interested in research in Rheumatology or who has a physical therapy focus to their research. The award is adjudicated by the Rehabilitation Sciences Awards committee and is recommended by the Department of Physical Therapy.

Candidates are allowed to hold the Arthritis Society Vancouver Community Group James Kwan Scholarship award once per degree (i.e., if you held the award as a MSc trainee, you are allowed to apply for and hold the award as a PhD trainee), however, preference will be given to those who have not held the award in the past.

Eligibility: MSc, PhD students in UBC Rehabilitation Sciences conducting research in the field of Rheumatology or has a physical therapy focus to their research. While applicants are reviewed primarily based on academic excellence and research, factors such as character, school involvement, community involvement, and athletic achievement may be considered.

Award Amount: $1150 (value varies from year to year)

Award Number: #4126-PT

Number Awarded: 1 per year

Application Deadline: TBA (likely mid-October 2024) at 12pm noon PT

How to Apply: Application Instructions 2024

Apply Now: RHSC Internal Awards Portal

Eligibility: Post-Doctoral Fellows, and PhD and MSc students in UBC Rehabilitation Sciences who do not hold an existing travel stipend through CIHR, MITACS, etc.

Award Amount: up to $1,000 for PhD, MSc students in UBC Rehabilitation Sciences and Post-Doctoral Fellows appointed in the Departments of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy.

Number Awarded: Each student is eligible for 1 award during their program. Each Post-Doctoral Fellow is eligible for 1 award during their employment.

Application Deadline: Ongoing

How to Apply: The application form is here. Submit the completed application to the Graduate Research Program Coordinator.

Effective September 2024 onward, all full-time students who are offered admission to begin the UBC-Vancouver MSc RHSC program must be provided with a minimum funding package equal to CIHR MSc Funding (currently $17,500) for each of the first two years of their MSc. The funding package may consist of any combination of internal or external awards, teaching-related work, research assistantships, and graduate academic assistantships.

Students should discuss the minimum funding package with their supervisors.

Effective September 2024 onward, all full-time students who are offered admission to begin a UBC-Vancouver PhD program in September 2018 or later must be provided with a minimum funding package equal to $24,000 for each of the first four years of their PhD. The funding package may consist of any combination of internal or external awards, teaching-related work, research assistantships, and graduate academic assistantships.

For more information: UBC Minimum Funding Policy for PhD Students

This award is given to the top incoming PhD student(s) in the program.

Eligibility: PhD students. Students cannot hold a 4YF and tri-council funding concurrently

Award Amount:  at least $18,200 per year for four years, plus a tuition waiver.

Number Awarded: 2- 4 per year (can change year to year)

Application Deadline: N/A

How to Apply: No application necessary. All incoming PhD students are automatically eligible for this award. Applications are adjudicated 1-2 weeks after the January 15th admissions deadline and based on information detailed within the application form at the time of application. For example, students who commenced study in January will still be considered for the award, but their application will be adjudicated based on information provided at the previous June admissions meeting.

Other Award Details: Students must apply for tri-council funding until no longer eligible or until they are successful in receiving external funding. More details here.

UBC has a large number of affiliated awards - Criteria are based on publication record, transcripts, previous awards, and service.

Eligibility: PhD and MSc students

Award Amount: varies, typically one-time awards for $3,000 or less

Number Awarded: varies, the RHSC program receives a quota for how many students we can put forward to the UBC-wide competition

How to apply: Details are on the MSc or PhD Affiliated Fellowships Page.

The Faculty of Graduate Studies provides funding for travel for graduate students.

Eligibility: PhD and MSc students

Award Amount: $500

Number Awarded: Each student is eligible for 1 award during their program

How to apply: Details are on the UBC Faculty of Graduate Studies website.

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies is responsible for merit-based graduate awards at the Vancouver campus of the University of British Columbia. Graduate Awards manages a number of award competitions each year and administers payment of both internally- and externally-funded awards.

Eligibility: Post-doctoral Fellows, PhD students and MSc students

How to apply: Information can be found here.

UBC and its donors provide a range of financial support to reward academic and extracurricular achievements and support financial needs.

Eligibility: PhD students and MSc students

How to apply: Please follow the information listed here.

This is a very prestigious scholarship awarded to outstanding students who demonstrate a combination of leadership and academic excellence. The RHSC graduate program submits a pre-specified number (currently, ~ 3) of our PhD students to the UBC adjudication panel, who will be judged with other UBC department students. Selected candidates will then be forwarded to the national competition.

Eligibility: PhD students; Canadian, Permanent Resident, International

Award Amount: $50,000

Number Awarded: varies year to year

Application Deadline: Thursday, 31 August 2023 at 12:00 noon Pacific Time

How to apply: Application details can be found here.

The RHSC graduate program submits a pre-specified number of our PhD students to the UBC adjudication panel, who will be judged with other UBC department students across all three Tri-Council agencies. Selected candidates will then be forwarded to the national competition.

Eligibility: PhD students; Canadian or Permanent Resident

Award Amount: $35,000

Number Awarded: varies year to year

Application Deadline: September 12, 2023 at 12 PM noon Pacific Time

How to apply: Application details can be found here.

The RHSC graduate program receives one CIHR allocation annually, which means that one of our MSc students will receive this award. We also submit an additional number (varies each year, currently ~6) of MSc candidates to the UBC adjudication panel, who will be judged with other UBC department students across all three Tri-Council agencies. Selected candidates will then be forwarded to the national competition.

Eligibility: MSc students

Award Amount: $17,500

Number Awarded: 1 guaranteed, possibly more

Application Deadline: December 2023; exact date to be determined.

How to apply: Application details are found here.

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 Postdoctoral Research Fellowships are provided annually from the Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Fund for Advanced Studies and are available for most fields of research. It was Mrs. Killam's desire that those selected to receive fellowships: "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."

Eligibility: Postdoctoral Students

Award Amount: An annual stipend of $50,000 for a maximum of two years plus a travel and research allowance of $4,000 over two years

Number Awarded: The number of new awards offered each year presently varies between three and five.

Application Deadline: October 2023 at 12:00 pm noon Pacific Time; exact date to be determined.

How to apply: Application details are found here.

CACR is the national leader of cardiovascular disease prevention and rehabilitation.

Eligibility: PhD and MSc students

Award Amount: $3,000

Number Awarded: 4 (at least one for a PhD student and 1 for a MSc student)

Application Deadline: Refer to their website.

How to apply: Application details can be found here.

This fellowship is awarded to RHSC students conducting research in respiratory rehabilitation.

Eligibility: Post-doctoral fellows and PhD students

Award Amount: $12,500

Number Awarded: 2

Application Deadline: April 1, 2024, 4pm PST

How to Apply: The application can be found here. Email completed application to the Rehabilitation Sciences Graduate Program Coordinator (rehab.gradprogram@ubc.ca).

ENRICH, Empowering Next-generation Researchers in perinatal & Child Health, offers Salary and Other Awards to PhD and Post-doctoral fellows conducting research in the field of perinatal and child health.

Eligibility: Post-doctoral fellows and PhD students

Award Amount: Refer to their website under SOAR-Support.

Number Awarded: Refer to their website under SOAR-Support.

Application Deadline: Letter of Intent due September 1. Full Application due November 1.

How to Apply: Refer to their website under SOAR-Application Requirements. Please contact Dr Liisa Holsti (liisa.holsti@ubc.ca ) well in advance of the deadline if planning to apply.

The China Scholarship Council (CSC) is a government agency in China which provides scholarships to students for doctoral and postdoctoral studies abroad. UBC has developed an agreement with the CSC to be a preferred host institution for CSC scholarship holders. These scholarships will be awarded to students across a wide range of disciplines.

Eligibility: PhD students who are citizens of China

Award Amount: Approximately $26,400 stipend plus tuition costs

Number Awarded: N/A

Application Deadline: Spring 2023

How to apply: Please follow the information listed here.

Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation

The Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation of Canada offers a graduate scholarship to female Canadian citizens pursuing Ph.D. studies.

Eligibility: PhD students

How to apply: Please follow the information listed here.