Edgar Kerstan Memorial Scholarship

Edgar Kerstan was a member of Mensa Canada, active in the Toronto Chapter. He was born in Germany, in 1951, and his family emigrated to Canada in 1956. He studied Electrical Engineering at the University of Toronto, gradutating in 1974. Upon graduation Edgar worked for IBM for his entire career, retiring in 1999 after 25 years of service.

Edgar was a quiet and unassuming person - he didn't like to be the centre of attention, and was often the quietest person in the room. However, he was knowledgeable in many areas, and his knowledge was profound. He enjoyed complex technical discussions and could engage intelligently on virtually any topic. He was very patient with people who knew less about a subject than he did, and was also very good at deciphering difficult subject matter and explaining it to others.

After his passing in 2009, he bequeathed a large amount to the Mensa Canada Scholarship Programme. In honour of his commitment to Mensa Canada, a scholarship has been set up in his name. The Edgar Kerstan Memorial Scholarship debuted in 2011, and offers an annual award of $1,500. There is no separate application process for this award. Individuals must be determined to be a finalist in our general scholarship competition in order to be considered for this award. Please see our Rules page for complete details.

Rules

• 2024 - 2025 applicants must be Canadian citizens or landed immigrants enrolled in a full-time program at a Canadian post-secondary institution, accredited by the applicable provincial Ministry of Education, during the 2024 - 2025 academic year.
• Full-time is defined as determined by the Canadian post-secondary institution which the applicant attends.
• Applicants must be at least 18 years old on January 31, 2025.
• Awards are based on applicant's essay.
• Essays may be written either in English or in French. Only one essay is accepted per applicant.
• Only the finalists will be contacted, by phone or other means according to the information supplied in their application. Finalists will be required to provide official proof of enrollment and sign a written consent form indicating that the essay is entirely his or her own work and to allow the Mensa Canada Scholarship Programme's designated agents to use their name, photograph for publicity purposes. They may also be asked to provide proof of Canadian citizenship or landed immigrant status and up to two letters of reference.
• Application deadline is January 31, 2025. The results of the competition will be announced by mid-September, 2025.
• The Mensa Canada Scholarship Program includes one or more scholarships of $1000, and may also include Honourable Mentions, all of which are awarded in accordance with the dictates of the Board of Directors of the MCSP, as funding permits.
• Any claims made in the essay are subject to verification, including but not limited to: patents, publications, academic standings, and medical procedures.
• The decision of the judges is final.

How To Apply

• Write an essay describing your career goals in 250 words or less.
• Your essay should describe specific goals (academic, vocational, or career), and should contain explicit ideas and information.
• Your essay should include your course of study, which year/level you are in, and the post-secondary institution which you are attending during the 2024 - 2025 academic year.
• Describe any steps you have taken, relevant experience gained (e.g., paid or volunteer jobs, classes, honours, offices, organizations) and any difficulties you have overcome in the pursuit of your goal. State the steps by which you intend to achieve your goal.
• The essay text must not contain any form of your identity, such as your name or links to your personal blog.
• Applications must be sent using the form link located on the Submit Essay page. Essays received by any other means (e.g., links to web pages, by mail, or by fax) are automatically disqualified.
• Only one submission per applicant. Please do not email to ask if your essay has been received. Unless you receive a “Mail Undeliverable” message within 2-3 minutes, then your application has been submitted successfully.
• Deadline for submitting your application is January 31, 2025.