Provost Doctoral Entrance Award (PDEA) for Women

The Provost Doctoral Entrance Award (PDEA) for Women is an entrance scholarship offered by the University of Waterloo to support women-identifying doctoral students. The main purpose of this award is to address the historic and present underrepresentation of women-identifying students by providing economic assistance to ensure they have access to resources that facilitate their participation and create a more robust program in which students and society will benefit from their equal participation, knowledge and perspectives. This one-year award provides $5,000 in financial support to eligible doctoral students who are Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or international students. Recipients must have a minimum first-class standing (normally 80% or higher, though some faculties may require a higher average) and demonstrate an outstanding record of research accomplishments and/or references citing significant future potential in research. The award is open to students across all programs and faculties at the University of Waterloo. Students must be willing to compete for all external awards for which they are eligible and must aspire to pursue a career in higher education and research. Note that effective May 1, 2026, this award is being replaced with the Provost's Distinguished Inclusivity Doctoral Entrance Award (PD-IDEA), though commitments will continue to be honoured for any students who were offered an award under the PDEAW parameters. The selection process is automatic by the faculty or department, and awards are available during the Fall, Winter, and Spring terms. Limited budget is available for this opportunity.