OCCUPATIONAL Therapy Scholarship Opportunities
for University of Gondar Faculty
Through the UoG/Queens Project in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, Queen’s University is offering an opportunity for 16 exceptional faculty leaders from the University of Gondar to complete a Masters of Science degree in Occupational Therapy at Queen’s University. The overall goal of this training is to create a cohort of leaders at UoG who will work with Queen’s faculty members to develop a new, undergraduate-level curriculum in Occupational Therapy at the University of Gondar, enrolled its first class in the first year common health sciences courses in 2021.
What is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational therapy is a dynamic, growing, and internationally-recognized health profession which has been helping to improve the lives and daily experience of children, adults, and communities by focusing on what is fundamental to us all – the daily occupations (or activities) that give life meaning. As humans we engage in occupation to be productive, to learn, to recreate, and to take care of our most basic needs. Occupation is what gives purpose to our daily lives and connects us to our communities. Occupational therapists are specialists in the use of occupation to prevent disability, restore health, and ensure that all individuals and populations, regardless of health status, can experience full and meaningful lives. Occupational therapy is a diverse profession, providing opportunities to work with many different populations, in a variety of work environments. The career prospects for occupational therapists globally are exciting. Visit the website of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (www.wfot.org) to gain an understanding about the profession from a global perspective and more specifically the Regional African OT group (http://www.otarg.org.za/) for an African focus. The Canadian Association of Occupational Therapy (www.caot.ca) also has valuable information about the practice of OT in Canada. We strongly encourage interested applicants to visit the Queen’s Occupational Therapy Program website for more detailed descriptions of the program and its curriculum: https://rehab.queensu.ca/programs/msc_ot
Scholarship Details
The successful OT Fellow will receive the following funding package
- Original flight and airport transfer from Ethiopia to Canada to begin your studies, three round trips, return flights and airport transfers from Gondar (or other African placement site) to Kingston, Ontario over the two year period, to allow for travel to Africa for all three clinical placements. One way flight and airport transfers to Gondar for final community development placement.
- Reimbursement for student visa related costs (such as application fee, postage a passport photos).
- Full Queen’s tuition/fees.
- International student health insurance coverage.
- A laptop computer.
- An annual allotment for printing, books, and supplies
- An intensive, three-month English for Academic Purposes course, in summer 2022 before commencement of fall MScOT courses.
- Modest, one-time installation allowance.
- Modest, one-time winter clothing allowance.
- Modest living allowance in Canada (adjusted during placement for cost of living in placement location).
- All expenses related to placement/attachment travel costs (immunizations, visa applications, placement fees, accommodation, food, etc.).
Scholarship Eligibility
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program (MCFSP) at the University of Gondar (UoG) and Queen’s University is invested in ensuring that Fellows with disabilities or limitations are well supported with the necessary academic accommodations/ assistive aids to support their success in their studies. Applicants will have the opportunity to disclose. For more detailed information please contact the Occupational Therapy Program Coordinator at the University of Gondar, Sara Wolde, 19ysw1@queensu.ca
Eligibility Requirements for Admission to Queen's School of Graduate Studies
Candidates who are nominated by UoG and who demonstrate fulfillment of fellowship application requirements will be provided with a hard copy application form and invited to submit an application to the program at Queen’s University. Within this application package, applicants must include:
- Completed application form.
- Two Confidential Assessment forms are considered in your assessment. One Confidential Assessment Form must be completed by someone who holds an academic position in a post-secondary university or college and is qualified to judge your academic ability. Positions such as teaching assistant, laboratory coordinator or athletic trainer do not qualify as academic referees. The second Confidential Assessment Form may be either academic or professional and should be completed by someone who can judge you on your work performance, interpersonal skills and suitability for studies in occupational therapy. Neither of the Confidential Assessment forms may be submitted by relatives or friends.
- Two (2) official transcripts from each university previously attended. If the degree is not complete at the time of application, an official interim transcript should be provided with the final transcript forwarded as soon as it is available. Transcripts must demonstrate upper second-class standing (B+, 3.3/4.0) in a Bachelors degree relevant to rehabilitation, health, Occupational Therapy. physical therapy, nursing, public health sciences, education, international development or community development.
- Professional Curriculum Vitae with a list of community engagement and volunteer activities, as well as all previous academic awards and publications, including abstracts and full papers.
- A letter of intent, no longer than 3 single-spaced pages, describing the applicant’s personal and professional background, previous and current involvement in disability and Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR), Motivations for joining the OT program and post-OT training plans.
- Proof of acceptable competency in English (as stated above).
How to Apply
The Mastercard Foundation Project Office will circulate a Recruitment & Selection Protocol document for applicants at the University of Gondar in May of each year of the program. The Occupational Therapy Coordinator UoG, Dr. Nebiyu Mesfin, hakimulig@gmail.com will notify all applicants of their status and ask successful candidates to provide written acceptance of the scholarship expectations and that they will proceed through the Queen’s selection process. All applicants will then receive a Queen’s School of Graduate studies application package for completion.
The School of Graduate Studies as well as the relevant academic program committee of the School of Rehabilitation at Queen’s will review the applicants’ full application packages and make a final recommendation for acceptance into the program. Individual applicants will receive notification of acceptance or rejection directly from Queen’s University. Upon official notification, the successful applicant must inform the Mastercard Foundation Project office so that they may begin logistical arrangements and coordination of the final approval and two-year leave permission from UoG.
The individual candidates will be responsible for arranging their own housing in Canada and applying for a student visa with the Canadian embassy in Addis Ababa. Candidates are expected to arrive in Kingston, Ontario, Canada by May 1st of the year of study to begin Advanced English training.
Note to applicants
- Women and individuals with disabilities are particularly encouraged to apply.
- Successful OT Fellows must obtain approval and leave from UoG for the two-year MScOT program, and OT Fellows will be required to sign a contract, committing to leave Canada and return to UoG to provide a minimum of 4 years of service upon completion of the OT program.
- OT Fellows placements will be organized in African contexts unless Covid-19 restrictions preclude that.
Timeline
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- May 1, 2023 – request for applications sent out to departments.
- July 26, 2023 – deadline for departments to submit ranking of candidates.
- , 2023 – UoG Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program selection committee select 5 top candidates and 5 waitlisted candidates.
- August 30th, 2023 – deadline for selected fellows to provide written confirmation of participation in program.
- November 9, 2023 – deadline for nominated fellows to submit complete application to occupational therapy program coordinator at the University of Gondar. University of Gondar staff to then pass along to Queen’s University Occupational Therapy Program Coordinator.
- December 4, 2023 –Queen’s MCFSP team to handover full applications to school of graduate studies.
- End of February- March 2024 – fellows receive official letter of acceptance and begin visa processes.
- End of April – May, 2024 – fellows travel to Kingston to begin English language training.
