Retention Awards for Black Scholars

Overview

This funding is designed to enable recipients to focus on their research and academic goals without the stress of inadequate resources. This award will be distributed over two terms and is available to newly admitted and current PhD students who maintain good academic standing.

APPLY FOR THE RETENTION AWARDS FOR BLACK SCHOLARS

Eligibility

New or current doctoral students in all disciplines are welcome to apply. Students are only eligible to receive this award once during their studies.

To be eligible, you must meet the following criteria:

Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or an international student.
Be enrolled or accepted into a full-time PhD program at Concordia University.
Self-identify as Black (including African, Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Latin, African Canadian, African/Afro-descendant and African/Afro-diasporic communities).
Commit to contributing to the Black community and fostering inclusivity within the university or broader community.
Maintain good academic standing throughout the funding period.

Value

This financial support, valued at $25,000, is made possible by funds donated to the Foster Black Flourishing Campaign, which aims to improve the academic experiences of Black students.

Application instructions

Applications must include the following:

A statement (maximum 500 words) detailing:
- Academic goals, financial need, and how this award will support your success.
- Specific objectives or motivations for your pursuit of a PhD.
- Skills and experiences that you are bringing to Concordia, your PhD program or your discipline or field.
- Interest in connecting with and contributing to the Concordia Community, Black community at Concordia, Montreal, and/or beyond.
A current CV.
Proof of enrolment or acceptance into a PhD program at Concordia University.

Selection

Applications to the Retention Awards for Black Scholars will be reviewed for eligibility by the Black Perspectives Office and then evaluated by a committee of students, faculty, and staff.

A decision should be rendered by June 1 and communicated shortly thereafter.

Disbursement process

Award payments are issued five (5) working days after the DNE date of each term, once full-time registration is confirmed, unless otherwise specified in your award notification.

Payments are made directly to your students’ account and applied to outstanding tuition and fees. If a credit balance remains in the account, you must submit a cheque refund request via their Student Center.

Cheques are automatically mailed to your address on file within 10 business days after you have requested your refund.

School of Graduate Studies