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African Nova Scotian Graduate Scholarship

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Scholarship at a glance

Deadline: February 19, 2025 at 4:00pm Atlantic Time
Value: up to $15,000 per year for up to two years
Scholarship type: Entrance or in-program
Degree level: All master's or doctoral
Available to: Canadian students identifying as African Nova Scotian
Renewable: Yes

Description

Â鶹´«Ã½ offers graduate scholarships valued at $15,000 per year, awarded annually to an African Nova Scotian who has either recently started or is planning to pursue graduate studies at Â鶹´«Ã½. The objective of these scholarships is to reduce systematic barriers and increase representation of African Nova Scotians in the university's wide diversity of graduate programs and in advanced professional occupations. The graduate program may be at the master's or doctoral level, and may include professional, course-based or thesis-based programs.

Successful applicants will be encouraged to connect with a mentor from Â鶹´«Ã½â€™s African Nova Scotian faculty, and to get engaged with peer mentorship programs within the University.

The scholarship may be held for a maximum of two years of full-time studies.Ìý For students who are in-program at the time of application, the award will begin in May following the competition. In-progress master's students may only hold the award up until the end of their second full-time year in program. Eligible in-progress doctoral students can typically hold the award for the full two-yearÌýduration. Part-time students may hold the award at 50% value until the original eligible award amount is reached.

Eligibility criteria

African Nova Scotians (who also self-identify as Indigenous Black,ÌýAfricadian,ÌýAfri-Scotian or Scotian)ÌýwhoÌýare descendants of free and enslaved Black Loyalists, Black Refugees, Maroons and other Black people who were settled across 52 indigenous (original) land-based Black communitiesÌýare eligible to apply. Applicants must self-identify as African Nova Scotian and provide their consent for Â鶹´«Ã½ to use this information in determining eligibility.

In addition to lineage, indicators of connection may include, but are not limited to, any or all of the following:

  • Being born in Nova Scotia;

  • Being raised in Nova Scotia;

  • Residing in an Indigenous Black community;

  • Having family members who reside in one or more of the communities;

  • Having been raised in the culture of the historical Black churches of Nova Scotia;

  • Attending African Nova Scotian community events;

  • Participating in organizations or other activities connected to one or other of the African Nova Scotian communities;

  • Self-identifying as Indigenous Black/African Nova Scotian

Self-identifying applicants will be asked to describe their connection to the African Nova Scotian community and how they meet the definition provided above.ÌýÌýYouÌýwill also be asked to provide the name and contact information of a reference within the community who is familiar withÌýyourÌýcontributions and connections.

YouÌýmust either intend to beginÌýyourÌýgraduate studies at Â鶹´«Ã½ between May and the following January, or must have startedÌýyourÌýdegree no earlier than the previous May (i.e. less than eight months in program as of December 31st of the current year).

If youÌýhold other scholarships managed by FGS, youÌýmay receive this award as a "top-up award" toÌýyourÌýother scholarship, up to the applicable funding caps.

This award may be held by full-time or part-time students.Ìý Part-time students will receive the award at 50% of its value for an extended duration until the original eligible award amount is reached.

Applications will be considered by a special scholarship committee constituted by the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies. This committee will typically include member(s) of the Â鶹´«Ã½ African Nova Scotian Advisory Council and Black Student Advising, the Director of African Nova Scotian Engagement, and when possible, faculty and/or students from the African Nova Scotian community.

While there are no GPA minimums required to apply, decisions of the committee will consider academic merit, community connection and potential impact of support when selecting successful applicant(s).

Award and renewal decisions are final and cannot be appealed.

  1. Log into the . If you already have a Â鶹´«Ã½ NetID, please select "Use Â鶹´«Ã½ NetID"Ìýto log in. If not, please enter an email address and create a password. It is only necessary to create one account, even if you intend to apply for multiple oppertunities.
  2. Create a new scholarship application by selecting "Create New..." and "Major Scholarship Competitions"
  3. Select "African Nova Scotian and Indigenous Graduate Scholarships" as your application category and complete the application
  4. Click "Save and Next" at the bottom of each page to move through the application. Clicking "Save" will allow you to close the application and return to it later to edit or update.Ìý

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