Scholarship and Award applications are now open!
Academic Scholarship
Apply for an Academic Scholarship (General)
Academic scholarships are available to students currently enrolled in a Canadian institution who are named as the presenting author of an accepted abstract submission that is deemed by peer review to show exemplary research. Two Academic Scholarships will be awarded to student applicants in each track:
- Basic Sciences
- Clinical Sciences
- Epidemiology and Public Health
- Social Sciences
Scholarships recipients will receive:
- Travel support
- Complimentary hotel accommodation (up to three nights)
- Complimentary conference registration
Students must apply for scholarships at the time of abstract submission. If you are interested in applying for an Academic Scholarship, please select “Yes” in the Scholarship section of the abstract submission site. Scholarship applications are accepted from individuals from across Canada.
Proof of student status is required to be eligible. Applicants who do not send in their proof of student status by the abstract submission deadline of January 13, 2025, will not be considered. There are two (2) accepted forms of proof of student status; either a valid copy of your student ID (must show year(s) of enrollment) or a letter from your institution’s Registrar verifying student status. Proof of student status must demonstrate that the individual is: in university (undergraduate, graduate and post‐graduate studies); or undertaking a post‐doctoral and other research fellowship, internship, or residency. Relevant documents must be uploaded during abstract submission within the abstract submission site.
Academic scholarship applicants will be notified in early March of the status of their application.
New Investigator Award
Apply for a New Investigator Award
Students and recent graduates (with less than five years since graduation) are eligible to apply for the New Investigator Award during abstract submission. A total of five (5) New Investigator Awards will be given at CAHR 2025; one to each of the four traditional tracks (basic, clinical, epidemiology and public health, and social sciences), and an additional award to a presenter in the Key Populations category. Applicants will be judged during their presentation, and the recipient announced upon conclusion of the Conference. Recipients in each category will receive a $1,000 prize.
Applicants must apply for the New Investigator Award at the time of abstract submission. If you are interested in applying for the award, please select “Yes” in the New Investigator Award section of the abstract submission site. Please note that an applicant cannot win this award more than once but two applicants are permitted to share the award (if co-presenting).
To be eligible, students and recent graduates must supply a letter from the applicant’s supervisor stating that they are responsible for the work done on the abstract. Students also need to provide proof of student status and recent graduates need to confirm which institution and what date they graduated. Applicants who do not send in their documentation by the deadline (Monday, January 13, 2025) will not be considered.
There are two (2) accepted forms of proof of student or recent graduate status. Either a copy of your student ID (must show year(s) of enrollment) or a letter from your institution’s Registrar verifying student status including the years of enrollment. Proof of student status must demonstrate that the individual is: in university (undergraduate, graduate and post‐graduate studies); or undertaking a post‐doctoral and other research fellowship, internship, or residency.
Relevant documents must be sent via email to the Conference Secretariat.
History of the Awards
Each year since 1992, CAHR has given out New Investigator awards to recognize promising new researchers from each of the association’s four tracks. Three of the four awards have been named in honour of particular individuals: Basic Sciences, Kalpesh Oza (died June 4, 1995); Clinical Sciences, Brian Farlinger (died July 3, 1995); and Epidemiology and Public Health Sciences, Randy Coates (died September 26, 1991). Many of the New Investigator awardees have continued to make significant contributions to HIV/AIDS research.
Community Scholarship
Click HERE to complete the Community Scholarship application
The deadline to apply for a Community Scholarship is Friday, January 10, 2025.
Overview
Community involvement has been a hallmark of health research and action on HIV/AIDS from the beginning of the epidemic and plays a vital role at the annual CAHR Conference. In recognition of this important role, and thanks to the generous support of sponsors, CAHR will be offering 80 Community Registration Scholarships for this conference. Detailed information on the Community Registration Scholarship application and selection process, as well as the link to the online application can be found below. Thank you to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) for their vital support of this important program.
Funding
Community Registration Scholarships
CAHR will once again be offering 80 Community Registration Scholarships for this conference. Registration Scholarship recipients will receive complimentary Conference registration. All other costs (travel, accommodation, child care, meals not provided directly by the conference) involved with the recipient’s participation at the conference will not be covered.
Please note that only the recipients of a Community Registration Scholarship will be offered free registration to the Conference: all other Community members will be required to pay the regular conference rate. As such, be sure to apply by the deadline and note that no eligible Community Registration Scholarship applications have been denied since the initiation of the program.
Community Travel Awards
Each year, CAHR supports Community Travel Awards for the highest ranked applications to attend the Conference. New Community Travel Awards will be offered again in 2025.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be a Canadian citizen or resident of Canada
- Applicants must be living with HIV/AIDS and/or those working or volunteering in any field related to HIV/AIDS
- Health care professionals (i.e. doctors, nurses, and pharmacists), academics, government employees, and others that do not meet CAHR’s definition of a ‘Community’ member are not eligible for a Community Scholarship. Students/trainees are not eligible as they are eligible to apply for Academic Scholarships.
Evaluation Criteria
The priority areas for adjudication are:
- Demonstration that the applicant has a strong connection to the HIV community in Canada: those living with HIV/AIDS and/or those working or volunteering in any field related to HIV/AIDS
- Demonstration that the applicant will actively participate in the conference
- Demonstration that the applicant can show tangible benefits from attending the conference and will share the knowledge gained with a larger at-risk community or organization after the meeting
Confidentiality
All information on this application form is treated as confidential and is protected. Information provided will be used for the sole purpose of administering the Community Registration Scholarship program. Completed applications will be received and processed by Conference staff on the Conference Secretariat and CAHR Office. The Community Registration Scholarship Selection Committee — comprised solely of community peers — will receive and review copies of applications through a “blinded” review process that removes the names and identifying information from the application. Personal information is collected and used to select applicants according to selection criteria targeting specific priority groups of vulnerable or marginalized persons (e.g. Persons Living with HIV/AIDS, Indigenous identification, youth, etc.).
Applications that are not accepted will be deleted from the application database and any print outs destroyed (secure shredding) within 30 days after the Conference. Approved applications will be retained on file in the CAHR Office in accordance with existing laws and regulations for this purpose.
Selection Process
Applications will be sent to the Community Registration Scholarship Selection Committee in a blinded process (names will be removed). The CAHR Community Scholarship Selection Committee includes experienced community members from across Canada and the host city/province. To avoid any perceived or real conflict-of-interest, members of the Selection Committee cannot receive a Community Registration Scholarship.
Every question on the application will be scored. Points will be awarded based solely on the information provided in the application. The 80 applications with the highest number of points will be awarded the Community Registration Scholarships. Applicants are encouraged to ensure that their application is complete as information that is not provided may result in a lower score. The Community Registration Scholarship Selection Committee will review the final results to ensure that selection fulfills the criteria and priorities identified for supporting Community attendance at the Conference.
All applicants will receive a notice of confirmation of receipt of their application. Incomplete applications will be rejected from further consideration.
Questions
Contact the Conference Secretariat if you have any questions.
