Walter C. Sumner Fellowship

To be eligible for a Walter C. Sumner Fellowship, a student must:

• be engaged in or about to start doctoral studies in either Chemistry, Physics, or Electronics (including Electrical Engineering and Computer Science) at a participating institution;
• be a Canadian citizen;
• be domiciled in Canada (although, at the time of application a candidate may be studying outside the country);
• hold a degree* from a Canadian university other than the one at which the doctoral studies will be conducted during the tenure of the fellowship;
• inform the Walter C. Sumner Foundation if awarded a Canada Graduate Scholarship.

* If only a degree at the Bachelor’s level is held, the applicant must have at least two years experience in either teaching or industry in the chosen field of study.

Comprehensive eligibility requirements can be found in the Walter C. Sumner Fellowship information document.

Note: This award is only for applicants in the academic disciplines of Chemistry, Physics, or Electronics (including Electrical Engineering and Computer Science) at the doctoral level.

A fellowship may, at the discretion of the Foundation, be cancelled with or without the advice of the university where the fellow is studying; particularly if the fellow fails to achieve or maintain research progress or otherwise becomes ineligible. Any un-disbursed funds held by the university for the account of the fellow shall be returned to the Foundation. It is a condition that any research done during the tenure of a fellowship that is published, presented orally, or given as a poster, must include an acknowledgement to the effect that the author held a Walter C. Sumner Memorial Fellowship.

• All applicants apply through their respective academic units
• Completed application and all supporting submitted to academic unit in .pdf format

• Sumner Foundation Application Form
• Reference form-1
• Reference form-2
• McGill transcript ordering information
• Downloadable McGill Transcript KEY

Fellowships will initially be for one year, but may be extended for a second year. Second year applicants do not have to submit an application form, but the following documentation must be provided.

The student must submit a one page report with information on:

(a) the research completed,

(b) any papers in press or published,

(c) a transcript showing results of any course work,

(d) papers or posters presented, and

(e) any other relevant information.

In addition, the student must submit a letter from their research supervisor, indicating that in their view satisfactory progress has been made by the student. This letter must also be signed by the Dean of Graduate Studies for the applicable university. Finally, the letter must disclose whether the applicant has been awarded a Canada Graduate Scholarship (CGSD) for his/her second year of study.