Program Objectives

The goal of the graduate scholarship program is to:

  • Train future researchers, professors and professionals - more broadly, future data science stakeholders, within the topics of interest of the Fin-ML CREATE program in quantitative finance and business analytics;
  • Promote the mobility, recruitment and retention of young researchers;
  • Foster the development of collaborative and applied cutting-edge research.
Our Offer

Graduate students accepted in the Fin-ML CREATE program will receive:

  • A scholarship amount of $7,500 for Masters students and $10,000 for Doctoral students
    • Note: If the student is receiving an external award, the amount eligible through the Fin-ML CREATE grant can be adjusted depending on the rules of the funding agency.
  • Support for the mandatory internship requirement: Access to research internship offers from the Fin-ML industrial network and support in finding a good match to complete the mandatory internship. Support in the hiring process and applications for internship funding can also be provided;
    • Note: The internship remuneration amount and funding type (direct hire, MITACS, or other), remains at the discretion of the hosting company, and will be negotiated directly with the student and/or the supervisor. A minimum remuneration of $10,000 for 12 weeks is an industry standard, but the amount can vary based on the internship period, and the hosting company.
  • Access to Fin-ML CREATE training and travel reimbursement for out of town events, when applicable;
  • Access to research internship offers from the Fin-ML industrial network and support in finding a good match to complete a mandatory internship;
  • Visibility on Fin-ML’s website and exposure to the network’s news, offers and activities.
Eligibility

Students

Students who show a high degree of motivation in specializing in the field of mathematical and computational finance and business analytics, enrolled or planning to enroll (i.e. applied to start beginning of next term) in a Masters or Doctoral degree at: Université de Montréal, HEC Montréal, Concordia University, University of Calgary, University of Waterloo or Queen’s University. You must remain enrolled at one of the universities for the duration of the Fin-ML program. Note: To apply, you must have completed and submitted grades for one term of your current program. If you haven't completed your first semester, you must have basic experience in finance and data science. Please describe this in your Statement of Purpose.

All students who apply to the Fin-ML CREATE program must identify a professor (supervisor) who is willing to support them throughout the program and oversee their work during the mandatory internship, on a topic that suits Fin-ML’s interests. 

Professors (Supervisors)

The supervisor must be part of the academic team of the Fin-ML CREATE program, listed here. As part of the application process, supervisors must confirm and acknowledge their support.

In the case where:

  • The student’s current or potential supervisor is not listed, is a member of the participating universities, and demonstrates relevant background and research interests to Fin-ML’s:
    • the supervisor can apply to be part of the Fin-ML CREATE team, by sending their CV and description of research interests to fin-ml.admissions@ivado.ca.
    • The student’s acceptance is conditional on accepting the supervisor as part of the team.
  • The student does not have a supervisor, or has a supervisor who does not have the Fin-ML CREATE required background:
    • All students are invited to contact one of the professors listed here.
Deadline and Duration

*** COMPETITION CLOSED THIS SESSION ***

The deadline for undergraduate applications will be determined at the next competition

Students can start participating in the Fin-ML CREATE Program as of (to be determined). The scholarship covers a period of one year, during which the student is expected to complete all the CREATE Program requirements.

Expectations

Graduate students who join the program will be expected to participate in the Fin-ML CREATE training and fully benefit from the unique aspects offered by the Fin-ML network.

Students will be expected to do an internship which will be remunerated at the discretion of the hosting company, with a minimum of $10,000 for 12-weeks. The length of the internship can vary with the project. Assistance will be provided in order to find a suitable internship that answers the training requirements of the program. Students are also encouraged to find their own internships, subject to approval by the Fin-ML internship committee.

The student also shall:

  • contribute to Fin-ML’s community and activities by taking part in:
    • presentations on their research;
    • training and knowledge dissemination activities;
    • consultations;
    • activities undertaken by the network (mentorship, assessment, co-organization of events, etc.).
  • recognize that they are a member of an academic community to which they shall contribute;
  • publish their research findings (papers, recordings of presentations, source codes, databases, etc.), in compliance with the intellectual property rules that apply to their own specific case;
  • recognize the financial support granted by NSERC CREATE when disseminating the research results and, more broadly, in all the activities in which they takes part in.

The supervisor shall:

  • provide a work environment that is conducive to the completion of the project;
  • oversee the work of the student.

Failure to complete the requirements of the program may result in the cancellation of the grant.

Competitive Process

The applications shall be reviewed to ensure compliance with program rules (e.g. applications that are incomplete, exceed the page limit or list an ineligible applicant or supervisor). Only the applications that meet all criteria will be forwarded to the admissions committee.

The parity-based admissions committee shall be made up of professors who are part of the Fin-ML CREATE team. If a reviewer is listed as a supervisor, a reference, or has any previous ties with one of the applicants, they will abstain from commenting or from influencing the selection process in which they are included.

The admissions committee shall then rank the applications based on excellence, as well as the candidate’s alignment with Fin-ML’s scientific direction. The committee will specifically assess:

  • the applicant's academic excellence and research ability;
  • the extent and scope of the applicant’s experience (multidisciplinary and professional experiences, extra-academic activities, collaborations, contributions to the scientific community and society as a whole, etc.);
  • the alignment of the applicant’s experience and proposed project to Fin-ML CREATE’s objectives.
Application Details
  • Complete the application form - includes uploading one PDF document combining:
    • Your CV;
    • All grade transcripts from Bachelor’s degree onward. Note: To apply, you must have completed and submitted grades for one term of your current program. If you haven't completed your first semester, you must have basic experience in finance and data science. Please describe this in your Statement of Purpose.
    • Statement of Purpose about how your research interests fit with the mission of our program (max 1 page).
  • Your named supervisor will be contacted to confirm and acknowledge his support in your participation.
  • One recommendation letter must be sent directly to fin-ml.admissions@ivado.ca. The recommendation letter can be written by your supervisor, another professor, or by a professional connection.

Any missing item will result in an incomplete file and will penalize your application. Please identify all parties and prepare all documents prior to applying, as you will need to enter all the information.

Apply