Faculty of Social Sciences Awards

Value: Varies | Number: Varies

One or more awards are given to transferring or continuing undergraduate students in any discipline who are conducting innovative and creative research in Japanese Canadian history, art, culture, and/or language. Applicants must submit the following to the Office of the Dean, Faculty of Humanities, by May 15:

1. A statement of intent (maximum 500 words) outlining their proposed research and describing how their work contributes to, promotes and/or engages with Japanese Canadian history, art, culture, and/or language;
2. a letter of support from the UVic faculty member(s) who will supervise the proposed research; and
3. a CV and official UVic transcript.

Approval of the recipients will be made by the Senate Committee on Awards upon the recommendation of the Faculty of Humanities.

Value: Varies | Number: Varies

One or more scholarships are awarded to academically outstanding undergraduate or graduate students in the Faculty of Social Sciences who are citizens of Hong Kong or Mainland China and whose focus of study involves researching or developing social innovations that address the global challenges of any of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in relation to the goals of the Chinese Community Volunteers (CCV).

Applicants must submit the following:

1. An essay (maximum 1,000 words) describing what leadership actions they have taken to address any of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (e.g. developing effective solutions to challenging systemic issues of inequality or injustice or demonstrating civic or community participation in serving at-risk or low-income communities); and how this relates to the CCV goals.
2. A letter of reference from an employer or volunteer coordinator, who is not related to the applicant, that corroborates the applicant's contributions to the work detailed in their essay.

Applications are due by March 31 to the Dean's Office, Faculty of Social Sciences. The application form will include information on the CCV. Approval of the recipient will be made by either the Senate Committee on Awards or the Faculty of Graduate Studies Graduate Awards Committee, upon the recommendation of the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Value: $5,000 | Number: 5

Five scholarships of $5,000 each are awarded to academically outstanding undergraduate students entering the Faculty of Science, the Faculty of Humanities or the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Victoria who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents. Preference is given to students who demonstrate financial need and/or are actively involved in community service. Applicants wanting to demonstrate community involvement must submit a letter of support (max 350 words) outlining their community service from a community group or a secondary school teacher or adviser. Preference is for at least one recipient to be a Canadian-born Indigenous student.

Value: $1,000 | Number: Varies

One or more scholarships of $1,000 are awarded to academically outstanding students entering the University of Victoria from Canadian secondary schools who are pursuing undergraduate degrees in the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Value: $1,000 | Number: Varies

One or more scholarships of $1,000 each are awarded to academically outstanding students entering the University of Victoria from a Canadian secondary school who are pursuing an undergraduate degree in the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Value: Varies | Number: Varies

One or more awards are given to Canadian-born Indigenous undergraduate students in the Faculty of Human and Social Development or the Faculty of Social Sciences who have demonstrated financial need. The award will be given on a rotating basis, beginning with the Faculty of Human and Social Development. Approval of the recipient(s) will be made by the Senate Committee on Awards upon the recommendation of either the Faculty of Human and Social Development or the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Value: Varies | Number: 1

One or more awards are given to single parent undergraduate students in the Faculty of Social Sciences with demonstrated financial need. Preference will be given to students who intend to pursue a career in health care.

Value: Varies | Number: Varies

One or more awards are given to Indigenous undergraduate students continuing in the Faculty of Social Sciences, with preference for students majoring in Psychology. Applicants must submit a statement (maximum 250 words) describing why they chose a major in the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Approval of the recipients will be made by the Senate Committee on Awards upon the recommendation of the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Value: Varies | Number: Varies

One or more awards are given in alternate years to undergraduate students continuing into third or fourth year in the Faculty of Social Sciences or the School of Social Work who:

1. have demonstrated financial need, and
2. are pursuing studies related to the subject of equity and human rights, and
3. are members of groups with historical and/or current barriers to equity, including, but not limited to:

• First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples and all other Indigenous peoples;
• members of groups that commonly experience discrimination due to race, ancestry, colour, religion and/or spiritual beliefs or place of origin;
• persons with visible and/or invisible (physical and/or mental) disabilities;
• persons who identify as women; and
• persons of marginalized sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions.

Applicants must submit a letter outlining how their studies have or will relate to the subject of equity and human rights. Preference is for students who have worked or volunteered with a community service organization (such as transition houses, crisis centres or friendship centres).  Applicants wanting to demonstrate they have worked or volunteered with a community service organization must include a statement (maximum 300 words) describing their paid or volunteer work. The award is given on a rotating basis, beginning with Faculty of Social Sciences.

Part-time students (registered in a minimum of 6.0 units for credit in two terms) are eligible for this Award. Approval of the recipients is made by the Senate Committee on Awards upon the recommendation of either the Faculty of Social Sciences or the School of Social Work.

Value: Varies | Number: 1

A scholarship of $1,000 is awarded to an academically outstanding woman undergraduate student entering third or fourth year in either the Department of Economics, School of Environmental Studies, the Department of Geography, the Department of Anthropology, or the Department of Political Science. Preference is for students whose academic research (Honours Thesis/JCURA under the guidance of a faculty member) could have application to the improvement of the environmental and social performance of the mining industry. Further preference is given to Indigenous women students and people of colour. Applications must be submitted to the Dean of Social Sciences office by April 30th. Approval of the recipients will be made by the Senate Committee on Awards based on the recommendation of the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Value: Varies | Number: Up to 4

Up to four scholarships are awarded annually to Indigenous students, domestic or international, registered in an undergraduate program in the Faculty of Social Sciences. 

Recipients will be selected on the basis of their commitment to education (50%) and their financial need (50%). Applicants must provide a letter describing their commitment to education and financial need. Commitment to education is defined broadly, and can be demonstrated in a variety of ways including but not limited to personal academic performance or perseverance, or support for education in the community.

The application will be available each year through the Student Awards and Financial Aid Office.

Approval of the recipients will be made by the Senate Committee on Awards upon the recommendation of the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Value: Varies | Number: Varies

One or more awards are given to Indigenous undergraduate students born in Canada who are continuing in the Department of Geography who have:

• an interest in conservation, demonstrated through their classes/learning or through volunteering, and
• demonstrated financial need.

If there are no eligible candidates, the award will be given to Indigenous undergraduate students born in Canada who are continuing in the Faculty of Social Sciences who have:

• an interest in conservation, demonstrated through their classes/learning or through volunteering, and
• demonstrated financial need.

Approval of the recipient(s) will be made by the Senate Committee on Awards upon the recommendation of the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Value: Varies | Number: Varies

One or more scholarships, of at least $1,000 each, are awarded to academically outstanding undergraduate Canadian-born Indigenous (First Nations, Métis or Inuit) students in the School of Environmental Studies. If no applicants meet this criteria, the scholarship will be awarded to Canadian-born Indigenous undergraduate students in the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Value: Varies | Number: Varies

One or more awards are given to academically outstanding students in the Faculty of Social Sciences entering their third or fourth year who have demonstrated financial need.  Students must provide an essay (maximum 500 words) explaining how their studies will assist them to pursue a career in social justice. Approval of the recipients will be made by the Senate Committee on Awards upon the recommendation of the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Value: Varies | Number: Varies

One or more awards of up to $5,000 each will be awarded to undergraduate or graduate students in the Faculty of Social Sciences, in the form of a research stipend, to provide the student with the resources to conduct their field research in collaboration with UBC’s Faculty of Land and Food Systems (preferred) or, if UBC is unable, with another institution/organization chosen by UVic. This award may not be awarded to the same student more than once. Preference is for undergraduate students. Graduate students must have a minimum 6.0 GPA. Selection of the recipients will be made by the Senate Committee on Awards or the Faculty of Graduate Studies Graduate Award Committee upon the recommendation of the Faculty of Social Sciences Awards and Recognition Committee. Students must submit their application to the Faculty of Social Sciences by September 15.

Value: Varies | Number: Varies

One or more awards are given to transferring or continuing undergraduate students in any discipline who are conducting innovative and creative research in Japanese Canadian history, art, culture, and/or language. Applicants must submit the following to the Office of the Dean, Faculty of Humanities, by May 15:

1. A statement of intent (maximum 500 words) outlining their proposed research and describing how their work contributes to, promotes and/or engages with Japanese Canadian history, art, culture, and/or language;
2. a letter of support from the UVic faculty member(s) who will supervise the proposed research; and
3. a CV and official UVic transcript.

Approval of the recipients will be made by the Senate Committee on Awards upon the recommendation of the Faculty of Humanities.

Value: Varies | Number: Varies

One or more scholarships are awarded to academically outstanding undergraduate students entering third or fourth year in the Faculty of Social Sciences who intend to pursue a degree in Law. Approval of the recipient(s) will be made by the Senate Committee on Awards upon the recommendation of the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Preference will be given in the following priority:

1. Students who have written the LSAT
2. Students who are taking common pre-law majors such as Political Science, Economics or Psychology
3. Students who intend to apply to UVic Law School.

Applicants must submit the following:

1. A cover letter (maximum 250 words) explaining why the student is interested in pursuing a degree in law
2. A list of Law schools to which they intend to apply
3. A research paper (maximum 2,000 words) examining a current challenge faced by the federal government in responding to a demand for change in the law to reflect current social, political and/or legal pressures. The recipient will demonstrate an understanding of limits within which the executive, legislative and judicial branches operate and be able to articulate the importance of the rule of law in the Canadian system of justice, for example:
i. “dialogue” between the legislative and executive branches of government and the judiciary
ii. threats to the rule of law
iii. treaty making and challenges to state sovereignty (can be international trade treaties or Aboriginal treaties)
iv. demand for alternative criminal justice tribunals for addressing needs of disadvantaged communities as was done with Aboriginal defendants with the creation of the Gladue court.
*The student may submit a class paper

Value: Varies | Number: Varies

One or more scholarships are awarded to academically outstanding undergraduate or graduate students in the Faculty of Social Sciences who are citizens of Hong Kong or Mainland China and whose focus of study involves researching or developing social innovations that address the global challenges of any of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in relation to the goals of the Chinese Community Volunteers (CCV).

Applicants must submit the following:

1. An essay (maximum 1,000 words) describing what leadership actions they have taken to address any of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (e.g. developing effective solutions to challenging systemic issues of inequality or injustice or demonstrating civic or community participation in serving at-risk or low-income communities); and how this relates to the CCV goals.
2. A letter of reference from an employer or volunteer coordinator, who is not related to the applicant, that corroborates the applicant's contributions to the work detailed in their essay.

Applications are due by March 31 to the Dean's Office, Faculty of Social Sciences. The application form will include information on the CCV. Approval of the recipient will be made by either the Senate Committee on Awards or the Faculty of Graduate Studies Graduate Awards Committee, upon the recommendation of the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Value: Varies | Number: 2

Two scholarships are awarded to academically outstanding undergraduate students entering third or fourth year. One scholarship will be awarded in the Faculty of Engineering and one in the Faculty of Social Sciences.