Local recruitment: Graduate Scholarships in Water Resources (Canada nationals)

Please download and read the FULL application instructions before you complete the application form.

The deadline to apply is January 31, 2026 at 11:59 pm PST.

Note: Applicants will only need to submit one application to be considered for all the scholarships, for which they are eligible. For more details on eligibility criteria, please see the descriptions below.

Application Form | formulaire de demande

SCHOLARSHIP OVERVIEW AND APPLICATION PROCESS (English)

Application Instructions

Project Description Template

The Canadian Water Resources Association (CWRA) now offers six annual scholarships. These scholarships are awarded to graduate students enrolled full-time in a Canadian university or college. It is a requirement for the applicants to be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

All six scholarships are awarded through a single application process. Selection of the award recipients is based on the overall ranking of the applications.

NHC Water Excellence Scholarship – $5,000

This premier scholarship will be awarded to the highest ranked of all applicants. Funding is provided by Northwest Hydraulic Consultants (NHC).

WSP Scholarship for Indigenous Students in Water – $2,000

Awarded to the highest ranked Indigenous applicant who has not already been awarded a higher-ranking scholarship. 

Harker/Cameron – Women in Water Scholarship – $2,000

Awarded to the highest ranked female applicant who has not already been awarded a higher-ranking scholarship. This scholarship is presented to recognize the ongoing legacy of Jennifer Harker and Valerie Cameron.

Rick Ross Student Scholarship – $2,000

Awarded to the highest ranked of all applicants who has not already been awarded a higher-ranking scholarship. This scholarship is presented to recognize the ongoing legacy of Rick Ross.

Ken Thomson Scholarship – $2,000

Awarded to the highest ranked of all applicants who has not already been awarded a higher-ranking scholarship. This scholarship is presented to honour the legacy of the late Ken Thomson.

CWRA Memorial Scholarship – $1,500

Awarded to the highest ranked of all applicants who has not already been awarded a higher-ranking scholarship. This scholarship represents a tribute to CWRA members through their colleagues’ donations.

Eligibility

• Applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents attending a Canadian university or college, enrolled in full-time graduate studies in any department in both fall and winter terms of the 2025-2026 academic year.
• Applicants must be graduate students whose research-based program of study focuses on applied, natural, or social science aspects of water resources.
• To be considered for the Scholarship for Indigenous Students in Water, the applicant must self-identify as an Indigenous student on the application form. Prior to the awarding of this scholarship, the successful applicant will be contacted by the CWRA to provide documentation of, or a description of, their Indigenous heritage. CWRA understands that Indigenous ancestry can be difficult to document, and if necessary, various forms of confirmation will be considered.
• To be considered for the Harker/Cameron Women in Water Scholarship, applicants must self-identify as a woman on the application form.
• Prior to the awarding of each of the six scholarships, successful applicants will be contacted by the CWRA and asked to provide documentation of their Canadian citizenship or permanent residency.
• The recipient must agree to have their name and photo(s) published in both CWRA internal and external communications (e.g., website, social media, newsletter, Water News, etc.).

Application Process

• Access to the CWRA online application portal will open October 3, 2025. 
• The application deadline for submission is January 31, 2026 at 11:59 PM PST. 
• Applications will be completed by the student.
  • The student applicant must complete the application form via the online application portal at https://cwra.org/en/awards/scholarships/. 
  • Following the online submission of the application form, the applicant must prepare and submit their research project description using the template provided here (Password: Scholarships). The completed project description must be emailed directly to the CWRA Scholarship Committee as described on the template.
  • Supporting documents (transcripts and letters of reference) must be mailed or emailed directly to the CWRA Scholarship Committee by institutions or referees, as described below.

• Applicants will be contacted seven (7) days prior to the submission deadline if their application remains incomplete at that time.
• Applicants must obtain and arrange for delivery of the following supporting documents for a complete submission:

1. Proof of the applicant’s full-time enrollment. This document is often obtained through the same office as transcripts. If not available, a confirmation letter on the applicant’s department letterhead is deemed acceptable.
2. Official undergraduate education transcript (mailed or emailed directly to CWRA Scholarship Committee by the undergraduate institution).
3. Official graduate education transcript (mailed or emailed directly to CWRA Scholarship Committee by the graduate institution).
4. Two letters of reference from persons with a knowledge of the applicant’s research or professional experience (mailed or emailed directly to CWRA Scholarship Committee by the referee).
5. An outline of the applicant’s research project and its relevance to sustainable water resources (5,000 words). The outline should include project research methods, type of data and analysis, as well as the expected outcomes. The project description should be reader-friendly to non-specialists.

• Official undergraduate and graduate transcripts and letters of reference can either be emailed directly to the CWRA Scholarship Chair at scholarships@cwra.org or mailed directly to the following physical address. Information received via mail must be postmarked prior to the application deadline.

CWRA Scholarship Chair
c/o Nicholas Kehler
B626 – 13 Evergreen Place
Sanford, MB   R0G2J0

• Applications can be submitted in French or English.
• It is the student applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all application documents are uploaded to the application portal by the application deadline, and that the documentation or references from the appropriate person or institution are emailed directly to the CWRA Scholarship Chair by the application deadline or mailed to the CWRA Scholarship Chair postmarked prior to the application deadline.
• Notification will be provided to all applicants prior to March 31, 2026. 
• All successful applicants will be required to provide banking details for payment and their Social Insurance Number for tax form purposes.
• All applicants are encouraged to also submit an abstract to the 2026 CWRA National Conference. Information on the Call for Abstracts, and abstract submission deadlines, will be available here: conference.cwra.org

Application Review and Award Notification

The CWRA scholarships are awarded primarily based on academic excellence as well as project relevance to water resources management and development. When applicants are equal based on these criteria, selection will be based on encouraging diverse geographic reach and a diverse technical focus. Equity and diversity will also be valued. 

A formal awards presentation will be held during the CWRA 79th Annual Conference in Winnipeg, Manitoba (June 15-19, 2025). Scholarship applicants are encouraged to consider submitting an abstract for the conference. Details can be found at: conference.cwra.org.

Questions about the application process should be sent to the CWRA Scholarship Chair via email: scholarships@cwra.org.