Governor General’s Gold Medal and Medal of Merit for Graduate Studies

Each academic year, the Governor General’s Gold Medal is awarded to the graduate student with the highest academic standing overall and a Medal of Merit is awarded to the student in each graduate program with the highest academic standing in that program.

To be eligible, nominees may include those who convocated in the Fall 2024 or who will convocate at the Spring 2025 Convocation, and who have their thesis/project signed off by their examiners by mid April (the Recommendation of the Award of the Degree is submitted).

​From the list of students graduating in the Fall 2024 or Spring 2025 Convocation:

• Each Graduate Program Committee will recommend to the Medal Committee (Graduate Council Executive) the recipient of that program’s Medal of Merit;
• The Medal Committee will make the final selection for any Medal of Merit where there are nominations from multiple Graduate Program Committees;
• The Medal Committee will select the recipient of the Governor General’s Gold Medal from the pool of successful Medal of Merit recipients.

Medal recipients are selected using the Confidential Appraisal Form along with a letter of reference that highlights the student's various strengths and accomplishments, provided by each of the Supervisor(s), the Supervisory Committee Members, and/or other Faculty Members, and the External Examiner (each reference letter requires the form). It is asked that Supervisors provide an up to date CV, student's current contact information and a summary statement that is 3-4 sentences long. All documents are to be submitted electronically using the DocuSign links below; upon completion, your submission will be sent to the appropriate email.

The respective Graduate Program Office​ will pull the following information from the system to complete the application:

• Transcripts ;
• Thesis Abstract ;
• Thesis/research or project report.

It is the Supervisor’s responsibility to ensure that all required documentation (listed above) for a nomination for the Medal of Merit is provided to the respective Graduate Program office by the respective deadline. Having nominations submitted from the entire supervisory committee will provide a stronger nomination package.