Program Overview

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Introduction to the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship at York University

The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship (QES) at York University is a prestigious program funded by the Canadian Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarships. This initiative aims to mobilize a community of young leaders to create lasting impacts at home and abroad, focusing on topics related to climate change and displacement.

Program Overview

The QES program at York University, titled Canada-Global South Interdisciplinary Initiative on Climate Change & Displacement: Cases of Costa Rica, Ghana, and the Philippines, provides funding opportunities for Canadians and international scholars working together on research related to climate change and displacement. This funding supports research travel, living expenses, and research internships or collaborations between York University and its partners in Costa Rica, Ghana, and the Philippines.

Project Objectives

The project aims to bring together and co-create a network of interdisciplinary teams of faculty and students to:

1. Study the current human displacement caused by climate change-related extreme events.
2. Model and predict the future trends of population displacement caused by climate change.
3. Understand the impacts of climate displacement on different groups, economies, health systems, cultures, and environments.
4. Examine the current and future planning and policy challenges of climate change-related population displacement.

Faculty Advisory Committee

The York-QES Faculty Advisory Committee consists of:

• Prof. Ali Asgary, Director, CIFAL York, and Executive Director of ADERSIM
• Prof. Eric Kennedy, Director of York Emergency Mitigation, Engagement, Response, and Governance Institute (Y-EMERGE)
• Prof. Godfred Boateng, Canada Research Chair in Global Health and Humanitarianism, and Director, Global & Environmental Health Lab
• Prof. Joseph Mensah, Geography, Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change (EUC)
• Prof. Felipe Montoya-Greenheck, Las Nubes Director & James and Joanne Love Chair in Neotropical Conservation, EUC

International Partner Institutions

The program partners with institutions in:

• Costa Rica: University of Costa Rica, Casita Azul, Las Nubes
• Ghana: University of Ghana, University of Cape Coast, Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration
• Philippines: University of the Philippines (UP) CIFAL, UP Resilience Institute, Office of Civil Defense

Outgoing Scholars: For York Students

Eligibility

To participate, students must:

• Have completed at least two years of their undergraduate program requirements (or be enrolled in a graduate program)
• Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
• Be less than 35 years old at the time of application
• Not have previously been a QES Scholar
• Commit to a placement of at least 61 days at the host institutions

Available Projects/Proposals

Examples of available projects include:

1. AI Prototype for Forecasting Climate-Induced Displacement in Ghana

Scholarship Details

Students accepted into the program will receive up to CAD 10,000. Eligible expenses include:

• Travel expenses
• Living allowance
• Research/study/internship expenses

Application Process

Interested candidates must complete the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Application Form (York students) and attach the following documents:

1. A letter of Intent
2. A CV (resume)
3. A letter of recommendation from a York professor

Application Deadlines

Deadlines vary by participation date:

• Fall 2026: April 1, 2026
• Winter 2027: August 1, 2026
• Summer 2027: December 1, 2026
• Fall 2027: April 1, 2027
• Winter 2028: August 1, 2027
• Summer 2028: December 1, 2027
• Fall 2028: April 1, 2027

Incoming Scholars: International Students at Partner Institutions

Eligibility

To participate, students must:

• Be graduate students enrolled in one of the listed institutions in the Philippines, Ghana, or Costa Rica
• Be coming to Canada to study or conduct research at York University
• Have their research/internship/study approved by their home institution
• Not have previously been a QES Scholar

Available Projects/Proposals

Examples of available projects include:

1. Research Insecurity, Health and Well-being
2. Integrating predictive data into emergency decision-making
3. Citizen Science for Climate Change Displacement
4. AI and Climate Change Displacement
5. Climate Change Induced Displacement Simulation and Serious Game
6. Climate Change Induced Citizen Science Lab

Scholarship Details

All costs associated with the program are covered by the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship, up to $CAN 14,000 per scholar. Eligible costs include:

• Visa
• UHIP for 3 months
• Airfare
• Winter clothing
• Monthly living allowances
• Installation expense
• Other expenses (laptop)

Application Process

Interested candidates must complete the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Application Form (Incoming Scholars) and attach the following documents:

1. A letter of recommendation from a professor/research supervisor/research director at their home institution
2. A letter of Intent
3. A suggested timeline of the research
4. A CV (resume)
5. A letter of recommendation or confirmation from a York professor to host them at York (optional)

Application Deadlines

Deadlines vary by participation date:

• Fall 2026: April 1, 2026
• Winter 2027: August 1, 2026
• Summer 2027: December 1, 2026
• Fall 2027: April 1, 2027
• Winter 2028: August 1, 2027
• Summer 2028: December 1, 2027
• Fall 2028: April 1, 2027