Scotia Scholars – Undergraduate

To be eligible to apply and hold an award, applicants must:

• be enrolled full-time in and completed at least two full years of an honours or advanced major undergraduate degree program at a participating institution.
• have obtained, over the previous two years of study, a minimum first-class average, full time equivalent.
• be in good standing for enrollment in the upcoming school year.

To be eligible to hold an award, applicants must:

• hold only one Scotia Scholar Award at a time.
• maintain eligibility throughout the full duration of the award. If program completion occurs before the end of the award period, the recipient can maintain eligibility to hold the award during the period approved by the supervisor and institution.
• not exceed any funding caps as determined by the institution. All external funding must be reported to the institution.

Please note: Awards are not transferable.

Subject Matter Eligibility

Research Nova Scotia uses a mission-oriented approach to research. This means we start with what we want to accomplish and build a research agenda and coalition of partners and projects to help achieve these goals. We seek to support creativity, diversity, and ingenuity in the research community’s responses to our mission challenges: proposed projects and research areas may include foundational/discovery research or applied research, in a wide variety of fields and disciplines.

All submissions considered for funding must reflect the health pillar of Research Nova Scotia’s mission-oriented strategy, which uses research to support a healthy population and strong health care system. Please demonstrate how the project contributes to one or more of the Research Nova Scotia health missions:

• Advance disease detection, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention
• Strengthen our health care delivery system
• Care for vulnerable populations
• Promote better opportunities for future health and wellbeing

Additional information on the Research Nova Scotia Health Missions can be found on our website: www.researchns.ca/our-missions/.

Awards are valued at up to $6,000 and can be held for a period of a minimum of 10 weeks to a maximum of 16 weeks.

Award value will be prorated to the number of weeks and hours as determined by supervisor and institution.

Applications Open: November 28, 2023

Application Deadline: Thursday, February 9, 2023 at 1:00 PM (AST)

Letter of Reference Deadline: Thursday, February 9, 2023 at 1:00 PM (AST)

All applicants will be notified of decisions in March 2023. Funding may begin post official notification. Final start date will be determined by supervisor and the institution in coordination with recipient.

You must work under the supervision of a person who has been deemed eligible by your institution. An eligible supervisor is a person authorized by your institution to independently supervise students. Co-supervision is welcome.

If you have any questions about potential supervisors, please connect with the graduate studies representative noted below for your institution. Supervisors will be copied on all reporting reminders and will review and approve all reports.

Step 1: Confirm Eligibility

Consider whether you are eligible for this opportunity using the criteria outlined above.

If you are unsure of your eligibility, please contact the Research Support Officer for confirmation before beginning your application.

Step 2: Review Requirements of Application

Please carefully review all application requirements, as outlined in the document below:

2022-23 Scotia Scholars Undergraduate Application Requirements (PDF)

Step 3: Register for a Jura Account

All applications will be submitted via Research Nova Scotia’s online portal, Jura.

In order to access the application, this individual must create an account in Jura by clicking the ‘Register’ button found here.

Step 4: Submit Application

To complete your application submission, log in to Jura to access the application, where information will be either entered directly to the form or uploaded as PDF documents.

IMPORTANT: Be sure to select the correct funding opportunity for your university!

Be sure to refer to the 2022-23 Scotia Scholars Undergraduate Application Requirements (PDF). Undergraduate Application Requirements (PDF)’ for detailed instructions while filling out your application.

When your application is complete, select ‘submit’. Confirmation of successful submission will be available in your applicant portfolio and will be sent to you via email.

Step 5: Ensure Letters of Reference are Submitted

Ensure your academic and leadership letters have been submitted by the referees to Research Nova Scotia at apply@researchns.ca prior to the reference letter deadline. Letters provided via the applicant will not be accepted.

Letters of reference will not be accepted after the deadline under any circumstances.

Note: This is the only component of the application completed outside of Jura.

Applications must be submitted via Research Nova Scotia’s online submission portal, Jura. Follow the link below to create an account, select the opportunity, and upload all requirements as detailed above. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure all the above requirements are provided for consideration. Additional details regarding Jura are available on the submission form.

Jura Online Platform: researchns.smartsimple.ca 

Please note: no applications or application components will be accepted after the posted deadline. All materials for review must be provided via the online submission form. Materials will not be accepted via mail or email. 

1. Your institution will assess applications to determine whether they are complete and meet the eligibility criteria.
2. Complete and eligible applications will be reviewed by your institution in accordance with their review practices and the assessment criteria outlined below.
3. Your institution will submit a list of applicants recommended for funding and a list of alternates, if applicable, to Research Nova Scotia.
4. Research Nova Scotia will notify applicants of funding decisions and implement the process for award acceptance and payment for successful applicants.

Assessment Criteria 

Inquiries regarding potential supervisors, opportunities, and application creation should be directed to:

Technical issues related to application submission via Jura can be directed to:

RNS Jura Helpdesk
helpdesk@researchns.ca | 902.410.2862
Jura Helpdesk Hours are 8am-4pm AST Monday to Friday.
Responses will be provided as soon as possible but please allow up to 24 hours for a response.