University of Waterloo Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) & QEII-GSST

The Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) and the Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology (QEII-GSST) programs encourage excellence in graduate studies at publicly-assisted universities in Ontario. Both programs are jointly funded by the Ontario government and participating institutions, with the government contributing two-thirds of the value and the university providing the remaining one-third.

At the University of Waterloo, students are considered for OGS and QEII-GSST using one application. Waterloo divides the program into two competitions based on citizenship (international and domestic). OGS is available to domestic and international students in any graduate study discipline, while QEII-GSST is available to domestic students in research-based graduate programs in STEM disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math).

Applicants are evaluated using faculty-determined weighted criteria that include Academic Excellence (40–50%), Research Ability and Potential (30–40%), and Communication and Leadership Abilities (10–20%). Awards are granted for up to one year and are non-renewable; applicants must apply annually. Successful recipients also receive a President’s Graduate Scholarship (PGS) in addition to OGS or QEII-GSST.

• International applicants must hold a valid study permit under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada).Domestic applicants must be a Canadian citizen, Permanent Resident, or Protected Person under subsection 95(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada).Applicants must have achieved a first-class average (minimum of A-/80%) in each of the last two completed years of study (full-time equivalent).Eligibility averages are calculated using grades from the most recent academic history up to August 31, 2025; Fall 2025 grades are not used for eligibility or assessment purposes.OGS awards are open to applicants in all disciplines of academic study (research-based and course-based programs).QEII-GSST awards are restricted to applicants in research-based graduate programs in a STEM discipline only (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math).Course-based applicants’ packages must demonstrate evidence of all criteria under which their application will be evaluated, including research ability.International applicants must be currently registered in a graduate program at Waterloo or on an approved leave of absence/inactive term by February 1, 2026 in order to apply.Due to the limited quota of awards available for international students, prospective graduate students are not eligible to apply.Domestic applicants must be currently registered in a graduate program at Waterloo or on an approved leave of absence/inactive term by February 1, 2026 in order to apply; OR apply for full-time graduate admission at Waterloo with a start term of spring 2026, fall 2026, or winter 2027.All students must be registered full-time at the time of holding the scholarship.Selected recipients must normally be within their program time limits, but students over their term limits are still eligible to apply.Maximum support: Master’s students can receive OGS or QEII-GSST for a maximum of two academic years; doctoral students for a maximum of four academic years.Lifetime maximum: students cannot exceed a lifetime maximum of six (6) years of government-funded graduate awards; OGS and QEII-GSST, Ontario Trillium Scholarships (OTS), and Tri-Agency Scholarships (CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC, Vanier) count toward this lifetime maximum.For the purpose of OGS/QEII-GSST, one or two term awards will count as one full year toward the OGS/QEII-GSST program and lifetime maximums.Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) restrictions: students who previously applied for OSAP and have an OSAP restriction on their file are not eligible to receive the scholarship until the restriction has been cleared; if a restriction is found at the time of disbursement, the student must clear it by a deadline or forfeit the award.Concurrent support: eligible students may apply for both a tri-agency graduate scholarship and OGS/QEII-GSST within the same competition year; students who are successful in both competitions will normally decline OGS/QEII-GSST in favour of the tri-agency scholarship, and Waterloo will offer OGS/QEII-GSST in “name” only. Students are not permitted to partially hold an OGS/QEII-GSST and a tri-agency scholarship in the same competition year.Students are not permitted to hold/overlap an OGS and QEII-GSST from two separate competition years.Non-portability: OGS/QEII-GSST cannot be taken to another institution; applicants must submit separate applications at each institution where they wish to be considered.Indigenous award eligibility: Waterloo reserves two OGS awards for Indigenous applicants each year; an Indigenous person is one who is a citizen or member of a First Nations community (Status/Non-Status), Métis or Inuit. Applicants must complete the Indigenous verification process with the Office of Indigenous Relations at the University of Waterloo to have their Indigenous identity verified.

• $5,000 per term.Maximum value of $15,000.Successful recipients receive a President’s Graduate Scholarship (PGS) in addition to OGS or QEII-GSST.Awards are granted for a duration of up to one year.

1. Submit an Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) and Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology (QEII-GSST) Intent to Apply web form by the deadline.
2. Submit the OGS/QEII-GSST application form and official post-secondary transcripts to the department graduate co-ordinator by the deadline.
3. Arrange for referees to email reference letters to the applicant’s department graduate co-ordinator by the deadline.
4. If applying at more than one institution, submit separate OGS/QEII-GSST applications at each institution and follow each institution’s processes and timelines.

• Intent to Apply web form.OGS/QEII-GSST application form.Official post-secondary transcripts.Reference letters (to be emailed by referees to the department graduate co-ordinator).Indigenous verification process completion with the Office of Indigenous Relations at the University of Waterloo (for Indigenous award consideration).