In 1928, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that women were not “persons.” One year later, that ruling was overturned due to the actions and advocacy of five Albertan women – Emily Murphy, Henrietta Edwards, Nellie McClung, Louise McKinney and Irene Parlby – through the Persons Case. These five women, known as the Famous Five, are credited with the decision to grant women the right to serve in Canada’s Senate.
The Persons Case Scholarship, now entering its 44th year, honours the spirit and advocacy of the Famous Five. This scholarship supports students enrolled in the arts, humanities and social sciences programs that work to close gender gaps or in areas where their gender is underrepresented.
A total of $100,000 is available through the program, and up to 40 students will receive $2,500 each for their studies. Eligible applicants must be Alberta residents registered in undergraduate study at an approved Alberta post-secondary institution or a graduate program in Alberta or elsewhere. Applications close Dec. 8.
The Persons Case Scholarship is an annual program. Applicants can apply once during each intake. Applicants must meet the below criteria to be considered eligible.
Eligibility criteria:
applicants of all genders are eligible to apply
be a Canadian citizen, Permanent Resident or Protected Person (visa students are not eligible)
Be a resident of Alberta – to be considered, one of the following conditions must apply:
One parent, or legal guardian has maintained permanent residence in Alberta for at least 12 consecutive months immediately before commencing post-secondary studies
Alberta is the last place the student has lived for 6 consecutive months immediately prior to commencing post-secondary studies
the student’s spouse or partner has maintained permanent residence in Alberta for 6 consecutive months prior to the person attending post-secondary
there is no age limit
Student status:
undergraduates – must be a registered (full or part-time) student in an approved post-secondary institution located in Alberta
graduates – must be an Alberta resident (as described above) and be registered (full or part-time) in a graduate program in Alberta or elsewhere
Indigenous students racialized students and students living with a disability are strongly encouraged to apply
Ineligible applicants
High school students or below are not eligible to apply for this scholarship.
Students registered in short-term, part-time continuing education courses are not eligible to apply.
Note, while applicants are permitted to apply to both the Persons Case and the Women in STEM Scholarships, they cannot be awarded both scholarships during the same calendar year.
Additionally, previous recipients are welcome to apply; however, priority will be given to applicants who have not previously received the Persons Case scholarship.
How to apply
Important: They only accept applications through Grant Administration Tracking and Evaluation (GATE) online application system.
You require a username and password to access the system to apply for a scholarship through GATE.
Those wishing to apply must request a GATE username and password no later than 11:59 pm on Friday, December 8, 2023 (see below).
Additionally, we must receive your application through GATE no later than 11:59 pm on Monday, December 18, 2023.
Read more about the Parsons Scholarship here:
