How to Apply to the Amgen Scholars Program

1. Part 1 asks for your personal information and is required to generate your Applicant ID number. You will need your Applicant ID for Part 2 of the application (short answer questions) and for your referees to submit reference letters on your behalf.

Two confidential letters of recommendation are required. Preference is given for letters from faculty members, but a letter from a Teaching Assistant that you have worked closely with would be sufficient (family friends/family doctors are not eligible). Referees are asked to comment on some of the following for the applicant: 

• Enthusiasm and aptitude for science
• Aptitude for science
• Interpersonal skills
• Perseverance
• Conscientiousness
• Research participation (if any)

Referees must submit reference letters directly to the Amgen Scholars Canada application site. To submit a letter of reference, the referee requires your Applicant ID number, generated by submitting Part 1 of your application form. Letters of reference must be submitted by the application deadline, February 1, 2024.

Take a look at the Faculty Profiles and read about the world-class research conducted by our mentors. What research program resonates with you? For your application, you will select three potential mentors and briefly describe why you would like to work in each researcher’s laboratory. 

Prepare your essay question responses for Part 2 of the application. All applicants are required to respond to the following questions: 

• What are your academic career goals and how will this program help you reach your goals? 
• Please describe any prior research involvement. This may include paid or volunteer experience in a research setting, a work study placement, laboratory courses, or other types of research or laboratory experience. 
• Successfully working in a lab requires the ability to resolve conflict. Briefly describe a situation when you resolved an interpersonal conflict successfully.  
• Successfully conducting research requires perseverance. Briefly describe a situation when you demonstrated perseverance (it does not have to be research related).  
• List your extracurricular and community activities over the past three years. Extracurricular activities may include work experience. 
• List honours, awards, and other recognition that you have received, to a maximum of 5.
• Are there additional factors in your background or life experiences that would help you benefit from this program? Discuss any social, economic, educational, or other obstacles that have had an impact on you.

You will be required to upload a transcript in Part 2 of the application. You may upload an unofficial transcript upon application, but do note that you will have to provide an official transcript upon acceptance into the program.

Submit your application and you're done!