The Fonds de recherche du Québec – Nature et technologies (FRQNT) is responsible for managing the program. It was commissioned by the Ministère de l’Éducation et de l’Enseignement supérieur du Québec (MEES) which provides the funding. The program has a component open to students of all countries and six specific components reserved for students from Brazil, China, India, Israel, Mexico and Wallonia. These specific components arise from agreements concluded between Québec and foreign governments.
The objective of the Merit Scholarship Program for Foreign Students (PBEEE) is to support the internationalization of research activities in Québec’s institutions of higher education, to attract top foreign researchers and students, and to promote international recognition of Québec universities and College Centres for the Transfer of Technologies (CCTT).
The program covers higher education as a whole by giving to the CCTT researchers and administrators the opportunity to participate.
Target group
These scholarships are intended for foreign students or researchers from all research sectors (health, humanities and social sciences, arts and letters, natural sciences, and engineering) preselected by a Québec university, Synchronex (a CCTT), the China Scholarship Council (CSC), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico (SRE) or the National Council on Science and Technology of Mexico (CONACYT) who wish to begin or continue studies or research activities in Québec. No research sector is given preference.
Value of scholarships
In addition to the scholarship, MEES offers all scholarship recipients an exemption from paying the higher tuition fees required for foreign students and the medical insurance coverage offered by the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ).
Value of scholarships for each component:
Doctoral research scholarships (V1, 1B, 1C, 1I, 1IS, 1M, 1W): $25,000 a year. The maximum duration of the scholarship is three years (nine semesters) with a possible extension of up to 12 months (monthly allowance of $1,000).
Postdoctoral scholarships (V2, 2B, 2C, 2I, 2M): $35,000 for one year (cannot be renewed).
Short-term research or professional development scholarships (V3, 3B, 3C, 3I, 3IS, 3M, 3W): $3,000 a month for a period of up to four months.
Eligibility requirements, citizenship and residence
Candidates
- Must meet all eligibility requirements at the closing date of the competition (a different closing date to be confirmed for students preselected by CSC);
- Must have been preselected by a university or Synchronex (a CCTT);
- For the Québec-China scholarship, must be preselected by the CSC;
- Cannot have already received a Merit Scholarship for Foreign Students from MEES, FRQNT or the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Société et culture (FRQSC);
- Cannot be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada;
- Cannot have applied for permanent resident status under Canadian immigration law.
In addition to the requirements mentioned above, candidates must take note of the following restrictions and administrative requirements:
Restriction on programs of study
Québec-Wallonia scholarship candidates must have previously studied in a French-language university-level institution in Belgium at the time they are awarded their scholarship.
Doctoral research (V1, 1B, 1C, 1I, 1IS, 1M, 1W) scholarship recipients must:
- Have a Certificat d’acceptation du Québec (CAQ) issued by the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Diversité et de l’Inclusion du Québec and a study permit issued by the Canadian Consulate valid for the duration of their studies in Québec.
Postdoctoral scholarship (V2, 2B, 2C, 2I, 2M) recipients must:
- Have a work permit issued by the Canadian Consulate for the entire duration of their stay in Québec.
Short-term research or professional development scholarship (V3, 3B, 3C, 3I, 3IS, 3M, 3W) recipients must:
Preselection of candidates
Only candidates preselected by a Québec university or Synchronex as of September 30, 2021 can be part of this competition. Candidates for the Québec-China scholarship must be preselected by the CSC as of March 31, 2022.
The universities, Synchronex, the SRE or the CONACYT and the CSC assume full responsibility for candidate preselection. You can consult the various deadlines for the preselection competition of each Québec university and Synchronex on the FRQNT website.
Those in charge of candidate preselection must refer to the instructions for candidate preselection available on the program web page.
Those in charge of candidate preselection in a Québec university or in Synchronex must complete the form for nominating candidates for the Merit Scholarship Programs for Foreign Students available through the FRQnet system of the FRQNT. It must be transmitted electronically by 4 p.m. on September 30, 2021.
Candidates must meet all the eligibility requirements of this program. Candidates proposed by a Québec university, Synchronex, the CSC, the SRE or CONACYT may be declared ineligible by the FRQNT if these criteria are not met.
Candidates preselected to the general program components (V1, V2, V3) can also be preselected for the Québec-Brazil-China-India-Israel-Mexico-Wallonia program components.
Application Deadline: September 30, 2021
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