Yow Kam-Yuen Graduate Scholarship in Diabetes Research 2024/2025

An OSOTF Award (Ontario Student Opportunity Trust Fund)

Eligibility

Note that the eligibility guidelines were updated January 2024.

  • The applicant must be enrolled in a full-time master’s (MSc, MPH, etc.) or doctoral (PhD) degree program in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine or the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto by September 1, 2024.
  • Master’s Students: NEW – Applicants must be completing between zero and 12 months of full-time studies in a master’s program as of April 30, 2024. Students who will have completed 12 months by April 30 and plan to transfer to a PhD program by September 1, 2024 may apply.
  • PhD Students (Direct Entry and PhD Transfer): NEW – Applicants must be completing between zero and 48 months of full-time graduate studies as of April 30, 2024. This includes time spent in a master’s program.
  • To be eligible, the student must be carrying out studies in diabetes research.
  • The research must be carried out at the University of Toronto or one of its fully affiliated institutions.
  • The student’s primary supervisor must hold a faculty appointment with the University of Toronto at the level of Assistant, Associate or Full Professor.
  • The student’s primary supervisor must also be a registered member* of the Banting & Best Diabetes Centre at the time of application submission. (*Faculty who are new to the field of diabetes research and are not members of the BBDC can request free membership by contacting the Centre prior to submitting an application. For more information, please see the Membership section of this website.)
  • The student must be a Canadian Citizen, Permanent Resident of Canada, or Protected Person and must also be a Resident of Ontario at the time of application submission (please refer to the OSOTF Financial Needs Assessment form for Ontario residency requirements).
  • The student must demonstrate financial need (please refer to the OSOTF Financial Needs Assessment form for more information).
  • Students who have received BBDC studentships in the past may submit an application for this year’s competition.
  • A supervisor may submit a maximum of 2 applications as the primary and/or co-supervisor.

Relevance to Diabetes

This funding program supports original discovery-based fundamental or clinical research in diabetes that would be published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Research proposals can include any aspect of laboratory, animal, human, or clinical or health services research. Areas of research which are considered relevant to diabetes include the pathogenesis of diabetes or its complications, homeostatic or pathological pancreatic islet function, or metabolism, pharmacological mechanisms of drug or hormone action, biochemical or molecular aspects of biological or pathological processes, or research in population health or health services.

Stipend and Duration

The value of the award varies and is normally between $12,000 and $15,000 for three consecutive sessions (i.e. one year) commencing September 1, 2024, or a prorated amount for two consecutive sessions commencing September 1, 2024.

The BBDC will not fund master’s students beyond their second year of studies, or PhD students beyond their fifth year of studies including time spent in a master’s program. Therefore, the following successful applicants may only accept funding for two consecutive sessions commencing September 1, 2024:

  • Master’s students who commenced a graduate program in May 2023
  • PhD students who commenced a graduate program in May 2020

Students must accept external funding if awarded. If the student accepts funding for three sessions, the BBDC will top up other awards up to a combined award total of approximately $37,340 for master’s students or $40,160 for PhD students (or less if mandated by the regulations of the external funding agency). The top up shall not exceed the value of the Yow Kam-Yuen Graduate Scholarship. If the student accepts funding for two sessions, the BBDC will top up external awards up to the prorated amount for two sessions and up to a combined award total of approximately $24,894 for master’s students or $26,774 for PhD students (or less if mandated by the regulations of an external funding agency). Note: The top-up policies above apply to all students enrolled in a graduate program, including those in the Clinician Scientist and Clinician Investigator training programs or similar training program

Master’s students who are applying to transfer to a PhD program will be eligible to receive the higher PhD stipend if they successfully transfer by September 1, 2024. The transfer student must inform the BBDC by September 1 in order to receive the PhD stipend.

Students who accept funding for three sessions will be paid in three equal installments payable in September, January and May. Students who accept funding for two sessions will be paid in two equal installments payable in September and January. The student must be registered as a full-time graduate student for each session in order to receive the installments.  Outstanding student fees may be deducted from the January and May installments.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications are reviewed by the BBDC Research Excellence Committee and will be evaluated on the following criteria:

  • The research project, including direct relevance of the work to diabetes
  • Achievements of the student (i.e. grades, accomplishments, awards, and publications)
  • Perceived potential of the student as indicated by letter of recommendation submitted with the application
  • The research training environment
  • A minor component of the evaluation may be based on any other factors that the reviewers consider relevant to this competition.

Application Process

Submit a completed application form, OSOTF Financial Needs Assessment Form and requested documents to the BBDC by the application deadline date. See the application form for complete instructions.

Download the BBDC Graduate Studentships application form and submission instructions (PDF)

Download the OSOTF Financial Needs Assessment form (PDF)

Application Deadline

Applications and reference letters must be received by 4 p.m., April 2, 2024.  Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Notification

All applicants will be notified by July 2024. Funding decisions will also be posted on this website.

Other Terms

  • In cases in which a scholarship recipient requests a subsequent change in supervisor and/or change in the research project, the BBDC must be notified as the awarding of the studentship may need to be reconsidered by the review committee.
  • Scholarship recipients who withdraw, transfer to part-time status, or complete degree requirements prior to the end of their award will be required to refund a portion of the funds received for the incomplete session.
  • All Yow Kam-Yuen Scholarship recipients are required to present a poster of their work at the BBDC’s Annual Scientific Day to be held in May 2025.

Acknowledgement of Support

Scholarship recipients must acknowledge support from the “Banting & Best Diabetes Centre, Yow Kam-Yuen Graduate Scholarship in Diabetes Research” in publications, presentations and communications arising from the supported research. Failure to acknowledge this support will result in future ineligibility of both the student and supervisor for BBDC funding programs.

Inquiries

Rose LaBarbera
Phone: (416) 978-4656
E-mail: [email protected]