Methods Training grant

Deadline : February 28,2025

Introduction :

One of our central missions is the support of research method training for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. In 2024 the Centre received 5 applications for methods training support and awarded 4 Methods Training Grants totalling $12,000. The CSDC continues to offer grants for 2025 to attend intensive methods training programs. They may also support participation in non-methodological summer schools if the applicant can demonstrate that comparable training is not available in their region or surrounding area.

While all graduate students and postdocs can apply, the guidelines give priority to PhD applicants who have not received a method training grant in previous years. The grants will be awarded on a competitive basis and funding may be apportioned depending on the number of successful applicants.

All applicants are strongly advised to carefully read and follow the instructions and requirements outlined in the Guidelines.

Objective :

Research training is an important mission for the CSDC. The goal of this competition is to bring an added-value to the training opportunities already available to its students and postdoctoral members in their institution, and to support excellence in scientific research.

Deadline :

February 28, 2025

Eligibility :

All CSDC graduate students and post-doctoral fellows are eligible for funding, however, priority will be given to applications from PhD students who have not received a method training grant in previous years.

The grants will be exclusively funding summer training courses. Winter Schools are not eligible for funding.

Some local training courses such as summer school of the Quebec Inter-University Center for Social Statistics (QICSS) are eligible (https://www.ciqss.org/en/qicss-summer-school ).

The CSDC is also a partner supporting the École interdisciplinaire outils et méthodes (ÉIOM) at Université Laval.  The ÉIOM is not an eligible summer school for the CSDC Methodology Grant. The CSDC offers a specific scholarship competition for the ÉIOM.

Funding :

The maximum $ 3,000 is only available for programs that last 3 weeks or more. Shorter programs will receive up to $ 1,500 for one-week courses, and $ 2,250 for two weeks.

Please note that meals (per diem or receipt) are not admissible expenses for the methods training grant.

Assessment of applications :

Applications are reviewed by the CSDC Steering Committee. Each Steering Committee member conducts a thorough review and evaluates the application on the following criteria:

  • Relevance of the Methods Course,
  • Non-availability of the course at CSDC partner universities or local institutions during the Fall and Winter semesters,
  • Eligibility of applicant, and
  • Appropriateness and justification of the budget

Notification of Award :

Successful applicants will be notified by email within 30 days of the submission deadline, setting forth the amount and conditions of the award. A copy of this email will be sent to the applicant’s supervisor.

Unsuccessful applicants will be notified by email. It should be recognized that the CSDC has a limited amount of funds and, although applications may have merit, there may not be sufficient funds to award all such applications.

Knowledge Transfer

Award recipients may be asked to share new insights with the greater CSDC member and student community during one of the CSDC events (e.g., the Montreal Method Workshop Series, the Winter Method School organized by the CSDC Graduate Students Committee).

Application

A full application consists:

  • The following completed form  CSDC Students Method Grant Formincluding:
    • Description of project
    • Justification (please explain why you need training outside your region and surrounding area and, if appropriate, explain why the training available is not sufficient)
    • List of courses
  • Budget (incl. other funding received or applied for)
  • Transcripts
  • Letter of recommendation from a CSDC member. The letter must be sent directly by the letter’s author to cecd-csdc@umontreal.ca

In addition, applicants planning to attend the ICPSR Summer Program, are required to apply for, if eligible, and accept an ICPSR Scholarship, Empirical Implications for Theoretical Models (EITM) Scholarship, and/or Janet Box-Steffensmeier and John A. Garcia Scholarships (deadline February 28, 2025, (https://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/content/sumprog/scholarships/index.html). A copy of the application confirmation email will be needed for the CSDC application

Incomplete submissions

In order to maintain the principle of fairness to all applicants, policies must be adhered to in the preparation of Methods Grant applications. Non-adherence to the Policies will lead to rejection (without appeal) of the application.

Reimbursement

The payment requests have to be submitted within four (4) weeks after the methods course has finished.

A payment request consists of:

  • invoice for plane, train, or bus plus boarding passes (if applicable)
  • invoice for tuition fee
  • invoice hotel accommodation (if applicable)
  • print out of itinerary and kilometers from Google Maps or similar software (if applicable)
  • invoice for car rental and for gas (if applicable)
  • Proof of completion of the program

 

Note: To receive CSDC funding, you must have a fully updated (with a photo) profile on the CSDC WEB site.

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