Opportunities

Scholarships, Awards and Fellowships

A number of scholarships, fellowships, and awards are available to individuals who are interested in joining UBC’s School of Public Policy and Global Affairs.

SPPGA’s Practitioner Fellowship program hosts several practitioners in residence for periods of four to eight months, with start dates in September and January. Appointed as an Adjunct Professor, Practitioner Fellows are professionals with leadership experience in public policy, international development, global affairs and/or government, across a variety of issue areas and sectors. A call for applications will be made regularly.

Established in 2009, the Liu Scholars program brings together exceptional students interested in using their research and disciplinary expertise to work on public policy and global issues.

The Liu Lobby Gallery, a space for creative dialogue and expression about global issues, has been curated by various Liu Scholars over the years.

If you are a PhD student interested in working with our SPPGA faculty while pursuing research on global issues and public policy, consider applying to the Interdisciplinary Studies Graduate Program (ISGP), offered in collaboration with UBC’s Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. As an ISGP student, you will have the opportunity to conduct advanced issue-based research that not only crosses disciplines and departmental boundaries, but also cultivates new interdisciplinary methods and techniques.

The research contributions of our postdoctoral fellows are indispensable to the UBC community and their chosen fields of study. As a postdoctoral fellow, you will work under the general supervision of a SPPGA faculty member and may assist in supervising graduate students.

Apply

If you have completed a doctoral degree and are seeking further training in a particular area of research, speak to a SPPGA faculty member directly about the possibility of a postdoctoral fellowship.

Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship

The most prestigious postdoctoral award in Canada, this fellowship is presented to the very best postdoctoral researchers nationally and internationally. These individuals not only enrich the UBC research community, but also contribute to Canada’s economic, social and research-based growth.

Killam Postdoctoral Research Fellowship

If you recently earned a PhD from a university other than UBC and you are interested in continuing your studies, consider applying for the Killam Postdoctoral Fellowship. Open to candidates in all fields of research from around the world, this award provides funding support for up to two years.

The applications for 2023 Killam Postdoctoral Research Fellowship are now closed.

Olav Slaymaker Scholarship in Environment

Scholarships totalling $12,000 have been endowed by The Simons Foundation and UBC in recognition of Dr. Olav Slaymaker's contributions to research on environmental issues. They are awarded to graduate student(s) pursuing environmental studies who are supervised by a faculty member appointed in the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs. Preference will be given to students studying nuclear environmental issues. The awards are made on the recommendation of the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, in consultation with the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.  Apply by Oct 6, 2023 

Simons Award in Nuclear Disarmament and Global Security

Awards of $1,000 (undergraduate) or $1500 (graduate) each are provided annually by the Liu Institute for Global Issues at the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs to support full-time UBC undergraduate students of at least third year standing or graduate students who are selected to participate in research on topics broadly related to nuclear disarmament and global security, and who satisfactorily complete a research paper or other suitable product.

Selection of participants will be based on (1) the potential and originality of the proposed research project, (2) applicants’ research fit and knowledgeability about nuclear disarmament and/or global security, and (3) applicants’ records of achievement; a balance of disciplines, gender, and experience levels will also be taken into consideration.

The award is funded by an endowment provided by the Simons Foundation to advance the understanding of disarmament and arms control issues among UBC students. Awards are made on the recommendation of the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, and in the case of graduate students, in consultation with the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

Read a sample of the publications developed by Simons Awardees:

Thurlow Fellowship

The James and Setsuko Thurlow Scholarship in Peace and Disarmament Studies offers a $5,000 scholarship for a graduate student who is pursuing studies in peace and disarmament or weapons of mass destruction. The fellowship is awarded at the time of admission on recommendation of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

Tri-Council Awards

Although they are very competitive, Tri-Council Awards provide significant support for full-time graduate students. If you are an eligible master’s or doctoral student with a first-class average (minimum of 80 percent), you are encouraged to apply to the relevant granting council:

  • Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)
  • Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)
  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)

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