• Applicants with a professional university degree in a human health sciences discipline and a valid license to practice in Québec

• Resident physicians (recognized by the Collège des Médecins du Québec) wishing to interrupt clinical training to undertake research training

• Canadian citizens or permanent residents domiciled in Québec (see section 2.1 of Common General Rules)
  This status must remain in effect for the duration of the award.

Health professionals without a valid license to practice in Québec should apply to the program :

• Master's training (see program rules)

• Must be enrolled in a full-time research master program as of September 30, 2017.

An applicant may enroll at a university in Canada or another country if he or she is able to demonstrate the advantage of doing so.

Master's awards are intended for applicants who have been enrolled in a master's research program, for one year or less as of April 30, 2017.

The number of enrolment years is calculated from the first application date to a master's program.

Students who enroll directly in a doctoral research program after their bachelor's degree must first apply to the master's research program if they are eligible.

• To be considered "a research program," the master's program must consist of a minimum of 18 credits dedicated to research and lead to the writing of a master's thesis.

• Only the grades for the degree on which the applicant's admission to the master's program is based will be considered.

• Be supervised by an independent researcher (as defined in the Common General Rules, Annex 1c).

• Must devote at least 75% of his/her time to research and training activities.

• Students who suspended their master's studies to take parental leave may defer their eligibility period for up to one year.

• If an applicant is a handicapped person in accordance with the Act ensuring handicapped persons their rights for academic, professional and social integration (L.R.C. chapter E-20-1), the rules pertaining to program registration do not apply. The duration of the award remains 2 years.

• Professional masters' programs are not eligible

• Applicants who already hold a research master's degree in the field of human health, are not eligible to submit an application in this program.

• Applicants who hold an academic position, unless they take unpaid leave for the duration of the training award. An official letter confirming their employment status for the period and stating that they will resume their position once the training is completed should be provided by the employer.

• The candidate who has received financial support from a recognized funding agency (eg SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR, FRQNT, FRQS, FRQSC, etc.) over a period totaling five years (or 15 sessions) cannot submit an application to the FRQS to undertake or pursue a master's program (see section 6.1 of the Common General Rules).

Basic research ethics training is compulsory for all FRQS awardees conducting research projects that involve human subjects.

Research that involves human subjects includes work on :

• living human subjects
• cadavers, human remains, tissues, biological fluids, gametes, embryos or fetuses, cells or genetic materials
• personal information from files that enables a person to be identified.

Awardees must therefore successfully complete levels 1 and 3 of the Online Tutorial in Research Ethics developed by the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux.

This training must be completed in the year following the receipt of a confirmation from the FRQS that the award was granted.

The FRQS encourages awardees to follow a one-credit research ethics training course in addition to the compulsory basic research ethics training, whenever possible.

• Documents sent via mail or e-mail will not be accepted.

• Letters of recommendation will not be accepted

• Transmission via the FRQS Web site only

• Any missing document or document that is not in conformity with the program rules and forms may result in the ineligibility of the funding application.

• Canadian Common CV, Funding CV version, for the FRQS (updated since June 2014);

• Detailed contributions updated since June 2014 (attachment required through the FRQS Electronic Portfolio on the Canadian Common CV page),  consult the document entitled Guidelines for the CV attachment in the Toolbox

• Electronic application form (e-forms) : Formation de maîtrise pour les détenteurs d'un diplôme professionnel
  PDF version - for information

• Form to calculate the number of training program sessions (calcul du nombre de sessions aux programmes de formation) available in the FRQS Electronic Portfolio, menu Documents and in the toolbox

• Official academic transcripts for all university courses taken, whether completed or not

For transcripts from institutions located outside North America, the applicant must include a note explaining the institution's marking system

• Copies of all awards, honours and distinction notices, including FRQS awards

• Acknowledgements from publishers for articles submitted and accepted for publication

• Copy of a valid Quebec health insurance card or other official document confirming residency in Quebec

• Copy of the applicant's permanent resident card or proof of its request (if applicable)

• Copy of the applicant's "certificat de sélection du Québec" (if applicable)

• Canadian Common CV, Funding CV version, for the FRQS (updated since June 2014);

• Detailed contributions updated since June 2014 (attachment required through the FRQS Electronic Portfolio on the Canadian Common CV page), consult the document entitled Guidelines for the CV attachment in the Toolbox

•  Supervisor's electronic form (e-forms) and co-supervisor, if applicable
  PDF version - for information

After October 17, 2016

• E-mail transmission (PDF documents only)
  The e-mail transmission date will attest to the date on which the documents were submitted

Articles in journals with peer-review committees may be updated until November 30, 2016.

• Include confirmations from publishers regarding articles submitted or accepted for publication.

• All of the documents must be sent in a single PDF file to the program officer. The file name must include the applicant's name and application number.

Applicant will receive e-mail confirmation of receipt of their application and eligibility, by the end of November.

When the award comes into effect and annually there after, the awardee must submit (by email, PDF document):

• Proof of membership to a professional corporation certifying that the applicant will be entitled to practice in Québec

• An official proof of registration from the office of the registrar

To start the second year of the award , the awardee will have to provide:

• A confirmation from the supervisor indicating that the student is still under his/her supervision (by email)

• Ethics training certificates (levels 1 and 3) , if necessary (by email in a single PDF document)

Choice of training location

Applicants must be enrolled as full-time students in a research master's program in a recognized Canadian or foreign university.

Awardees must complete their research training in the physical location of the host institution. Distance learning is not allowed.

Change of training location

Awardees who wish to change their research project, supervisor, program or training institution must submit the FRQS request form Change of research project, supervisor or training location (see Toolbox) and the required documents in a single PDF file to the program officer by email.

Between May and October 2017, first day of the month

2 years or until the completion of the awardee's master's studies (final submission of the thesis), whichever the earliest

Awardees who pursue on to doctoral studies without having used all the funds from their master's award may transfer the remaining installments to begin their doctoral studies.

No delay is allowed between the end of the master's and the beginning of the PhD studies.

In accordance to section 6.13 of the Common General Rules, the awardee may benefit from an award payment deferral during parental leave (maternity, paternity or adoption) for a maximum period of 12 months. In addition, during this deferral period, the awardee may obtain an award supplement for the parental leave for up to six months, provided that the awardee held the FRQS award for at least 4 months, unless that the awardee is already holding another FRQS award.

The awardee must inform by email the FRQS of his/her intention to take advantage of such deferral for parental leave. Statements from the research supervisor confirming the training interruption for parental leave and a doctor's confirmation of the approximate date of birth have to be joined to the email.

Paternity leave cannot begin until a week after the child's birth. The award holder must attach the birth certificate to his/her request.

$25,024 - $39,323 / year*, depending on the year the professional degree was earned

* except in some cases (see section on Awards offered in partnerships)

The award will be paid to the awardee by installments sent to the address of his/or her institution.

The awardee is responsible for paying the income tax due on the amounts received from the FRQS. The FRQS does not make any deductions on the amounts disbursed during the tax year.

The payment date determines the year in which the awardee must declare the amounts received as income for personal tax calculations.

Revenue Canada's T4A form and Revenue Québec's Relevé 1 will be sent to the awardee's mailing address (the one specified in the module My funding (Gérer mon financement) in the FRQS Electronic Portfolio) in February of the year following the tax year.

The details provided in this program rules are for information purposes only. The FRQS is not responsible for the validity of any income tax information.

This program does not benefit from the amount paid out by FRQS to cover indirect costs of research of the institutions.

The awardee may supplement his/her income through professional activities, provided that he/she devotes at least 75% of his/her time to research or research training and that the source of the income is not a FRQS grant.

An awardee may accept additional funds from the institution or his/her research supervisor.

Holding several scholarships is not allowed. Awardees who obtained an award from another public agency or a foundation recognized by the FRQS must notify the FRQS and decline the FRQS funding as soon as the award is offered. However, if the amount of the other award is lower than the FRQS' one, the awardee is eligible to receive the difference.

Holding an FRQS training award concurrently with a research internship to be done in another organization and that is not part of the training program of the awardee, is allowed under certain conditions.

For internships of $ 5,000 or less, awardees must notify the FRQS by email before the beginning of the internship.

For internships of $ 5,000 and more, awardees must ask the FRQS for authorization by completing the Internship authorization form (see Toolbox) before the internship begins. If the internship is approved, it will be allowed either to 1) combine the training award and internships amounts or 2) defer the amount of the FRQS award for a period equal to the duration of the internship or a maximum of 6 months.

All applications are reviewed by committees of experts representing various disciplines and institutions.

Quality of the research project   
- Clarity and conciseness of the research topic
- Clarity and consistency between the hypotheses and objectives
- Relevance of the methods and analyses
- Feasibility
- Originality of the project and contribution to the advancement of knowledge

25
5
6
6
5
3

25
15
10

15
8
7

Excellence of academic record
- Excellence of academic record
- Awards, honours and distinctions

35
25
10

By submitting an application, the applicant must:

• Comply with the obligations outlined in the Common General Rules of the three Fonds and in the Policy Regarding Open Access to Published Research Outputs as well as with the conditions and requirements outlined in the electronic form and program rules.

• Comply with the ethics and integrity standards outlined in the FRQS document Standards en éthique de la recherche et d'intégrité scientifique and in the Policy for the Responsible Conduct of Research of the Fonds de recherche du Québec.

• Authorize the FRQS to retain and use the personal and scientific information included in the application documents, in keeping with the terms outlined in the document Accès aux documents et protection des renseignements personnels and provided that the people who are granted access to the information respect its confidentiality.

• Oversee the awardee's work and provide the awardee with the material and financial means necessary to carry out the research project.

• Comply with the ethics and integrity standards outlined in the FRQS document Standards en éthique de la recherche et d'intégrité scientifique and in the Policy for the Responsible Conduct of Research of the Fonds de recherche du Québec.

• Ensure that the awardee also complies with them.

The FRQS offers a number of awards in collaboration with partners. The financial contribution of FRQS and the partner as well as other funding conditions (i.e. funding period and renewal option) may vary according to the agreements in effect.

Eligible applicants are selected through a three-step process:

1. Applicants must select by priority order, one or more partners whose research areas are in line with the themes of their application in order of preference (see section Partenariats [partnerships] on the form).

2. The FRQS sends the partners a list of applications for relevancy review based on their interests and research priorities.

3. Applications are then reviewed by the regular FRQS committees of experts or peers. Applications with a scientific excellence score of at least 70% and also relevant to one or more partners may be considered for funding in partnership.

Like all other FRQS awards, the awards in partnership are granted based on merit following a scientific evaluation by a committee of experts or peers.

Early childhood diseases (diagnosis)

Foundation of Stars

Training awards in the Pediatric research field, primarily in the area of early childhood diseases diagnosis.

Macular Degeneration

Fondation Antoine-Turmel

Training Awards in the Macular Degeneration research field.  Priority will be given to doctoral and postdoctoral training.

Institut national d'excellence en santé et en services sociaux (INESSS)

Training Awards in the research field ofmedication: pharmacology, phamacoepidemiology, clinical pharmacology, and evaluative research on drug use.

Osteoporosis

Fondation Antoine-Turmel

Training Awards in the Osteoporosis research field.  Priority will be given to doctoral and posdoctoral training awards.

Parkinson's disease

Parkinson Québec

Training Awards in the Parkinson's Disease research field.

Patient-Oriented Research

Quebec SUPPORT Unit (Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research)

Training Awards in patient-oriented research, which includes: facilitating access to data, their matching and analysis, research methods in real context, research with mixed methods, research on the application of knowledge as well as the involvement of the patients and the public in the research process. Primary-care services and integration of the care and services paths are priority themes. Web site: http://unitesoutiensrapqc.ca/composantes/perfectionnement-professionnel/

Traumatology Research Consortium

Training Awards in the Traumatology research field.

Consortium partners:

• Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS)

• Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ)

• FRQS Provincial Rehabilitation Research Network (REPAR)

• Comité directeur pour la recherche en traumatologie (formerly AERDPQ – AQESSS)