Advice on Preparing a Scholarship Application

Choosing your References

Request references from those professors who know your work best and can provide a strong reference. Talk to the professor personally if possible and supply the following information:

Do this as early as possible or your referees may not have sufficient time to write your reference.

NSERC References (2 required)

NSERC references are now electronic only. Until these are received, your application will not be complete and cannot be printed out by the Graduate Studies Office. The reference form is formatted according to NSERC's specific requirements and is easy to use. Hard copy references will not be accepted.

Students are advised to direct their referees to the selection criteria on the NSERC web site when requesting a reference. NSERC referees should include specific examples of activities that show the candidate's academic excellence; research ability or potential; communication,interpersonal, and leadership abilities. References from professors with whom the candidate has taken more advanced courses carry more weight (for applicants who are currently undergraduates, this means professors who have taught you a third or fourth year course; for graduate applicants, this means professors who have taught you a graduate course).

Note: Your proposed supervisor cannot be used as a reference unless he/she is your current supervisor or a past supervisor. If you intend to use your proposed supervisor as a referee but he/she is not a current/past supervisor, please contact the Administrative Coordinator for assistance.

Sample Reference

OGS References (2 required)

OGS requires two references and you are advised to pick referees who know your academic work well and can provide the required information. Provide your referees with a copy of your unofficial transcript, a copy of your OGS application and additional information where appropriate. OGS now provides pdf fillable Academic Assessment Reports with an additional page for more detail:

Academic Assessment Report form

Inform your referees that both the report form and additional page must be signed. Please note that a letter without the report is not acceptable and additional pages will be discarded. OGS will not accept photocopies of the Acadmic Assessment Reports. OGS accepts faxed report forms only from referees who are currently outside Canada. For additional information, please check the OGS web site.

Where to send References:

NSERC References
These are now submitted electronically through the NSERC application and go directly to the Graduate Studies Office.

OGS References

Internal (Waterloo) references can be handed directly to staff in DC 3317 by the professor. Any references submitted by the student must be sealed in an official institution envelope and signed by the referee on the back flap.

External References should be mailed (or can be faxed from outside Canada) directly to:

Jackie Hilts
Assistant Scholarship Coordinator, Graduate Studies
School of Computer Science
University of Waterloo
200 University Avenue West
Waterloo, On
N2L 3G1
Fax: (519) 885-1208 (from outside Canada only)

NSERC RESEARCH CODES

  • The proposed field of study/research should be the exact wording used to match the research code in the research codes listing provided by NSERC. Even if you feel it does not exactly describe your field, you must NOT use your own wording in this box.
  • If you are unsure which research code best fits your field of research, please consult with your supervisor or advisor. A secondary research code can be used to provide more information about your chosen research area.

    • Campaign Waterloo

    David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science
    University of Waterloo
    Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1

    Tel: 519-888-4567 x33293
    Fax: 519-885-1208

    Contact | Feedback: csgrad@uwaterloo.ca | David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science | Faculty of Mathematics

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