SSP'09

The Canadian Foundation for the International Space University (CFISU) is a private, non-profit charitable organization that promotes the programs of the International Space University in Canada. Its goal is to assist in the development of Canada's future space leaders. The Board of Directors of CFISU is composed of leaders from industry, universities and the public sector.

CFISU receives support from companies, government departments and agencies. Depending on the level of financial support in any given year, CFISU annually sponsors between six and ten Canadians, in whole or in part, to attend the ISU Space Studies Program.

The Partnership Program Division of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) coordinates the annual competition that awards scholarships towards the ISU SSP.

The International Space University is an accredited, degree-granting university with its central campus in Strasbourg, France. The 2009 Space Studies Program will be hosted by and held at NASA’s Ames Research Center, Moffet Field, California, from June 29 to August 28.

Graduate students may be able to receive course credits towards their own graduate programs on successful completion of the ISU SSP, however, they must petition their own university in order to receive such credits.

• Applicants must be Canadian citizens or Permanent Residents.
• Applicants must be proficient in English, the working language of the ISU (an ISU requirement).
• All applicants must have completed an undergraduate degree or equivalent at the time of application.
• Applicants must be:
  • Enrolled or accepted in a post-graduate degree-granting or professional program; or
  • Practicing professionals.

Candidates from non-typical space disciplines (i.e., outside of science and engineering) are particularly encouraged to apply.

The awarding of scholarships is based on excellence. All eligible applications will be assessed by a CFISU Selection Committee based on the following qualifications, proficiencies, and/or experience (not in order of priority):

• Overall academic performance;
• Language proficiency (see section 5);
• Letters of reference (see section 6);
• An essay by the applicant expressing how the ISU experience will advance their career goals and benefit Canada;
• Space-related activities and/or interests;
• International/intercultural experience;
• Interdisciplinary experience;
• Demonstrated leadership and motivation;
• Demonstrated teamwork.

The CFISU Board of Directors makes the final awards based on the recommendations of the CFISU Selection Committee. Board decisions are final.

Candidates must be proficient in English. Preference will be given to applicants who are conversant in a second language, preferably French. As part of the application process, candidates must submit the "Language Competency Assessment" form, signed by a professional.

Applicants should obtain two reference letters. Significant weight is placed on these letters. The reviewers should have significant knowledge of the applicant in a professional capacity in order to be able to assess the various criteria for selection and should be familiar with the broad outlines of the ISU and the SSP. An assessment of how an award to a candidate would benefit Canada in the future would be of particular interest. The selection committee takes particular note of the narrative information in the letter of reference.

Evaluators must return the Letter of Evaluation form to the applicants, duly signed and dated, in a sealed envelope.

Applicants must submit the reference letters, together with the Language Competency Assessment Form, to AUCC (See Section 12).

Canadian applicants must arrange to have official academic transcripts sent directly to the AUCC at the address indicated in Section 12 below. The deadline to receive transcripts at the AUCC is January 30th 2009 by 4 p.m., EST.

CFISU pays tuition, travel to and from the host site, and room and board for selected students for the duration of the 2009 Space Studies Program (approximate value of CAN$27,000). In some instances, partial scholarships may be provided. Students are responsible for any out-of-pocket expenses while studying at ISU.

Applicants are encouraged, on a voluntary basis, to indicate on the application form any funds that they are willing to personally contribute.

Students will be required to provide the CFISU with their official transcripts upon completing the Space Studies Program. These will be kept confidential and will not be released.

CFISU reserves the right to decline scholarships and withdraw funding at its sole discretion.

Candidates selected by the CFISU are subject to approval by the ISU.

A special arrangement has been made between the CFISU and the Canadian Department of National Defence (DND) in which applicants from the DND or the Canadian Forces will be reviewed by the CFISU Selection Committee using the criteria in Section 4, and, if competitive with the top ranked applicants, a recommendation for support will be made to DND.

Applicants from federal government departments or agencies (other than DND, as noted above) should note that are not eligible to receive awards that are sourced from federal government grants and contributions made to CFISU. At this time, very limited unrestricted scholarship funding is available outside this source and thus it is unlikely that federal government employees would be provided with a financial award from CFISU. The CFISU will, however, review such applicants and provide a letter of support to the applicant in order to try and secure funding from their federal government department or directly from ISU if they receive a high and competitive scoring in the annual CFISU SSP competition.

CFISU will make necessary travel arrangements for scholarship winners originating from and returning to Canadian centres. Winners are required to attend a briefing session in Canada (location tbd), including a reception and dinner, prior to departure for the 2009 SSP. On their return from the SSP, the scholarship winners will be required to provide a report to the CFISU and to their sponsor, and will also be expected to participate in alumnae events, notably the Canadian university "Road Shows" that highlight the CFISU program and SSP experience.

Scholarship winners are responsible for acquiring:

• valid travel documents (passport) to comply with the laws of the USA;
• their own travel medical insurance suitable for their duration of the Program.

A processing fee of $25.00 CDN is required. Please make your cheque or money order payable to "CFISU" and attach it to page 1 of your application form.

Please follow this procedure exactly.

The deadline is January 30th 2009 - 4 p.m. EST for completing the on-line application and essay and for receipt by AUCC of a copy of page 1 of the application form, the reference letters (in sealed envelopes), the language competency assessment form and all transcripts, together with the application fee. All applications must be received on or before this date and addressed to:

AUCC/CFISU
Chantal Lemire
AUCC
350 Albert Street, Suite 600
OTTAWA, ON K1R 1B1

Only complete applications (including transcripts and letters of reference) will be acknowledged. Incomplete applications will not be submitted to the CFISU Selection Committee.

Note: Candidates who have applied in previous years must submit a new application. Applications and associated documents are normally destroyed within 6 months of receipt and thus cannot be transferred to any future competition

For an application to be considered complete, it must include:

• The Application and Essay completed on-line on the ISU website
• A photocopy of Page 1 of the above application
• A photocopy of a valid passport or of a Permanent Resident Card.
• Transcripts (sent directly to AUCC by the academic institutions where degrees were obtained)
• Two reference letters in sealed envelopes
• The Language Competency Assessment form
• The application fee of $25, payable to “CFISU” (Canadian Foundation for the International Space University).

For information regarding the application process, please contact:

Chantal Lemire,
AUCC,
E-mail: clemire@aucc.ca,
Tel: (613) 563-3961 ext 314
Fax: (613) 563-9745.

For further information concerning the ISU programs, please contact:

Marie P. Juneau, Administrator,
Canadian Foundation for the ISU
P.O. Box 8330, Station 'T'
Ottawa, ON K1G 3H8

E-mail: mjuneau@rogers.com
Tel: (613) 746-0856
Fax: (613) 741-7772

January 30th, 2009: Deadline for AUCC to receive completed applications, including transcripts.

March 2009: CFISU Selection Committee Meeting

March 2009: AUCC notifies unsuccessful candidates.

March 2009: CFISU informs scholarship winners.

June 2009: CFISU scholarship winners attend an orientation session, reception and dinner.

June 22 to August 28, 2009: Space Studies Program at NASA Ames Research Center, Moffet Field, California.