There are two points of entry into the OS program:

• directly from high school;
• after completing your first year at the University of Windsor.

First-year OS students are known as Candidates. OS Candidates in good standing can apply for the full OS program upon completion of their first year. 

From high school:

Students whose GPA is at least 85%, based on the top six Grade 12 U/M courses, are eligible to apply.

Applicants for Fall 2024 admission to OS will open on January 15th, 2024.

The survey includes the following four questions:

• Give a specific example of a research or creative topic you want to explore.  Explain why the topic is important to you. Many professors have websites describing their work that are linked from their departments’ home pages if that helps you answer the question. (250 words maximum). 

• How is your chosen research or creative topic relevant to the greater field (i.e., "jazz performance" within the field of music, or "diurnal rhythm" within biology), or a broader audience/group? What motivates you to do research or original creative work at the University of Windsor? (250 words maximum). 

• Briefly describe the volunteer, internship, athletic, artistic, leadership, or other exceptional experiences that have most strongly impacted you. How have you served in the community? 

• Describe any exceptional circumstances that have impacted your educational progress, either positively or negatively. 

Each response field has a 250-word limit.  Please prepare your answers before entering the survey, so that you can paste your responses in the required fields.

Please log into UWinsite Student, and apply through your Student Awards Profile here: 
https://www.uwindsor.ca/studentawards/381/uwinawardapplication 
(The Outstanding Scholars link in the left menu will loop you back to this page.)

The deadline for applications will be April 30, 2024.

Accepting or Declining Your Offer for the OS Candidates Program

Once you have received notification that you have been accepted as a first-year Outstanding Scholar Candidate, please accept or decline the offer as soon as possible.

Instructions on how to accept or decline are available in the document below.

Accept or Decline Instructions

 

 

After your first year of study:

If you completed your first year at the University of Windsor and are among the top 250 first-year students and/or are an OS Candidate in good standing, you have been invited via uwindsor email on May 31, 2024. The applications are due June 23, 2024, before 11:59 p.m. 

Please note that to be eligible to apply for Outstanding Scholars, students must be able to complete six semesters of research in the program.

Steps for first-year students:

1. To apply for Scholar status, University of Windsor applicants must complete the following steps:

• complete the required training modules in Health and Safety. Please select the option for "Required Training for Students on Unpaid Placements," and complete all modules.
• complete the required training modules at the Office of Human Rights and Accessibility (OHREA).
• have verifiers for the activities you've listed. For example, if you have volunteered somewhere, you should be able to include the name and email of a person who can verify your activities from a University of Windsor professor, coach, advisor, or supervisor supporting your application. 

Please note that not all of the training modules generate completion certificates. The OS program is not able to directly track module completion. However, Human Resources tracks them in a private account attached to your name. If you have not completed all the modules, you cannot work as a Scholar starting in September.

Your activities are an important part of your application—they are scored in the selection rubric. We aim to recruit students who are engaged on campus. The Outstanding Scholars program includes a curriculum to prepare students for global citizenship and leadership opportunities. Students complete extracurricular assignments and participate in leadership events.

2. In your e-mail invitation letter to apply, there will be a link to the Application Survey. The survey will ask you to respond to the following four questions. You can only use the link once, so you may wish to prepare your responses in advance.  Your response to each question must be no more than 2000 characters (approximately 250 words). Prepare well! Experienced writers will tell you that writing a short, disciplined statement is more challenging than writing a longer essay. Good writing is re-writing. 

• Give a specific example of a research or creative topic you want to explore.  Explain why the topic is important to you. Many professors have websites describing their work that are linked from their departments’ home pages if that helps you answer the question.
• How is your chosen research or creative topic relevant to the greater field (i.e., "jazz performance" within the field of music or "diurnal rhythm" within biology) or a broader audience/group? What motivates you to do research or original creative work at the University of Windsor?
• Describe the volunteer, internship, athletic, artistic, leadership, or other exceptional experiences that have impacted your personal development. How have you served in the community?
• Describe any exceptional circumstances that have impacted your educational progress, either positively or negatively.

 

All applications to Outstanding Scholars, whether for first-year or second-year entry, are scored by the Outstanding Scholars Selection Committee. This committee includes faculty members from all six undergraduate faculties, the Outstanding Scholars Coordinator, and two or occasionally three student leaders from within Outstanding Scholars. This is the process that is followed:

• Applications are received via the Outstanding Scholars Qualtrics survey. Incomplete applications are not considered.
• The committee scores all applications using a rubric. Three people are assigned to each application at random. 
• The three scores for each application are added to give the applicant a total score.
• GPA is used to decide on the last 10 - 20% of offers.
• In the second-year process, Outstanding Scholars will enrol at least five students in each of the six undergraduate faculties.

Every effort is made to complete this process promptly and notify all applicants of their status as soon as possible. All communications regarding OS admissions are conducted by e-mail.  If you have any questions or concerns about your application, please get in touch with the Coordinator at tbrunet@uwindsor.ca

Students applying for admission to the Outstanding Scholars program will be ranked on the basis of the following criteria:

• Evident desire to do research or original creative work for the benefit of others
• Evidence of community service
• Leadership, through excellence in athletic, creative, or other fields, or through serving in a formal leadership role
• Your cumulative GPA is used to determine your eligibility to apply. Specifically, the University of Windsor GPAs will be ranked using a Z-score statistical averaging method for those applying to be full scholars as they enter their second year of university. Your GPA will also be used to rank candidates similarly scored answers.

Each year, the OS program admits the top 100 first-year Candidates applying for admission to any first-entry program at the University.

Each summer, the OS program admits 80 second-year students as Outstanding Scholars.

In your first year, Outstanding Scholars are called Candidates. We will do our best to prepare you for admission to the full program in your second year. During first year, OS Candidates will:

• Receive $750 per semester, as payments to your University of Windsor student account
• Receive mentoring from a Scholar in your field
• Complete training in research methods, and health and safety procedures
• Join the OS community in social, leadership, and volunteer activities

As a full Outstanding Scholar, you will have six semesters of eligibility to accept paid research positions outside the classroom. You will work with the OS Coordinator to create a personalized plan for completing the OS program and meeting your goals for research, leadership, service, and future opportunities.

Outstanding Scholars are paid for their work during the second, third, and fourth years. For 2023-2024, Scholars will earn the following amounts:

• Second year, $1,365.00 per semester for 74 hours of work at $17.50 per hour, plus 4% vacation pay
• Third year, $1661.40 per semester for 90 hours of work at $17.75 per hour, plus 4% vacation pay
• Fourth year, $1872.00 per semester for 100 hours of work at $18.00 per hour, plus 4% vacation pay

When you successfully complete six semesters of OS research you are eligible to graduate as an Outstanding Scholar. You will receive a notation on your transcript confirming your OS status. You will also be awarded the Golden Maple Leaf Medallion, the emblem of the OS program, in recognition of your accomplishments.