BHPC Student Research Awards
Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, BHPC can offer a limited number of $500 awards per year to support PhD and Master’s student research activities. Examples of eligible research activities include:
- presenting work at academic conferences;
- participating in workshops or courses such as those offered by Rare Book School, CBBAG, the various digital humanities summer/winter institutes, and similar organizations;
- travelling to libraries and archives for thesis/practicum research;
- mounting student-led exhibitions and digital projects;
- producing projects within the scope of the BHPC Practicum course, BKS2001H, which involve extra expenses for materials (not including books and software).
Applications that combine any of the above activities are also welcome. For BHPC-related research activities not covered in the points above, please send an inquiry to the BHPC Director well before the application deadline.
Eligible applications must meet the following conditions:
- applicants must be PhD or Master’s students currently enrolled in the BHPC collaborative specialization (students on leave of absence are not eligible: https://www.sgs.utoronto.ca/policies-guidelines/leave-of-absence-policy/);
- applicants must be in good standing with regard to BHPC program expectations for their year (e.g. a second-year PhD student must have completed or be enrolled in BKS 2000H and be planning to take the BKS 2001H Practicum—exceptions will be made only in cases of documented medical or personal circumstances);
- applications must be for student-led work (e.g. if the application is for a collaborative exhibition, the student must be an equal collaborator, not just an assistant, and the award must cover expenses specifically tied to the student’s contribution);
- before applying for BHPC Student Research Awards, applicants must apply for the SGS Conference Grant (if they are eligible) and for any comparable awards in their home units (the BHPC awards are not intended to replace other sources of funding); applicants must indicate the other awards for which they have applied in their applications.
To apply, send an email to the BHPC Program Coordinator (bookhistory@masseycollege.ca) including:
- a brief statement of the activity’s importance to your academic goals;
- a tentative budget;
- details about comparable sources of funding sought from the student’s home department or faculty;
- for PhD students, letter/e-mail message from your supervisor (or other academic advisor) confirming that they support your request to undertake the activity in question;
- other supplementary materials, as appropriate:
- for students attending conferences, a copy of the submitted abstract plus the acceptance message from the conference organizers;
- for students attending summer institutes etc., a copy of the message from the organizers confirming a space in the class/seminar;
- for students undertaking an exhibition or similar hands-on project, a summary detailing scope, purpose, and the student’s role.
Applications will be reviewed three times per year—after the first of the month in October, March, and July—and students are free to re-submit an unsuccessful application if the event is still upcoming. Recent BHPC graduates are eligible to apply for these awards based on activities they undertook in their final term. Applications will be reviewed by the Director, Program Coordinator, and members of the Program Committee.
Successful applicants are asked to submit a brief description (300-500 words) of their use of the funds by email within a month after the event.
BHPC Student Support Fund
The BHPC Student Support Fund aims to assist current students encountering unanticipated financial need incurred as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. It is not intended to be a source of routine or long-term funding, but rather to be a one-time-only fund that will serve as a bridge to help students traverse temporary financial setbacks. Both domestic and international BHPC students are eligible.
BHPC determines financial need based on critical expenses (food, rent, books, internet connection, etc.) and/or loss of income (including that of family members on whom the student depends), in relation to available/expected resources (such as OSAP or TAship). We will only consider expenses incurred directly by the applicant; the fund does not cover, for example, expenses incurred by partners or other family members, unless the applicant is a dependent. Only loss of income that has already occurred will be considered; anticipated loss of income is not eligible.
Applications may be for any amount up to $500. Students in need of greater financial help may consider accessing the School of Graduate Studies’ Emergency Grant and Emergency Loan programs or the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, which will pay $2,000 a month to workers who have lost income due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
To be eligible for the BHPC Student Support Fund, students must:
- be currently enrolled in the BHPC program;
- be in good standing with regard to BHPC program expectations for their year (e.g. a second-year PhD student must have completed or be enrolled in BKS 2000H and be planning to take the BKS 2001H Practicum – exceptions will be made in cases of documented medical or personal circumstances);
- have explored other sources of funding from SGS and/or their home unit;
- be able to demonstrate current financial need.
To apply, please send an email to bookhistory@masseycollege.ca detailing the financial need, including supporting documentation where possible, and listing other sources of support funding you have sought. There is no deadline to apply; applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis for as long as funds are available. Please do not hesitate to contact us at the address above if you are unsure about the eligibility of your request.