The Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral program (CGRS D) is one of the most prestigious research awards in Canada. Administered jointly by Canada’s three federal research funding agencies—the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)—this program empowers exceptional doctoral candidates to pursue groundbreaking research across health, science, engineering, humanities, and social sciences.
Scholarship Overview
| Key Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Designation | Doctoral / PhD Scholarship |
| Awarding Bodies | CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC (Tri-Agency) |
| Scholarship Value | $40,000 per year |
| Duration | Up to 36 months (3 years) |
| Location of Tenure | Eligible Canadian institutions or degree-granting institutions abroad (under specific conditions) |
| Direct Agency Deadline | October 17 (by 8:00 PM ET) |
| Institutional Deadline | Set by individual Canadian universities (often significantly earlier) |
| Results Notification | By April 30 |
Scholarship Description
Part of the Canada Research Training Awards Suite (CRTAS), the CGRS D provides high-value doctoral funding designed to support scholars in building world-class research capacity. The award offers scholars financial flexibility, allowing them to focus entirely on their doctoral studies, connect with top academic mentors, and make significant contributions to the Canadian and international research ecosystem.
Special dedicated streams and supplements are also available for:
- Indigenous Student Researchers: Top-up supplements of $5,000 and quota exemptions under the Indigenous Scholars Awards and Supplements Pilot Initiative.
- Black Student Researchers: Designated awards across CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC to increase direct support for Black doctoral candidates.
Eligible Research Areas
The scholarship spans all broad fields of inquiry, including:
- Health and Life Sciences (administered by CIHR)
- Natural Sciences and Engineering (administered by NSERC)
- Social Sciences and Humanities (administered by SSHRC)
- Interdisciplinary and Multidisciplinary Studies
Priority Research Areas
Additional award allocations are earmarked for high-priority national research sectors, including:
- Advanced digital technologies (Artificial Intelligence, quantum computing, and cybersecurity)
- Health and biotechnology
- Clean technology and resource value chains
- Environment, climate resilience, and Arctic research
- Food and water security
- Democratic and community resilience
- Manufacturing and advanced materials
- Defence and dual-use technologies
Location of Tenure
Scholars can hold their award at:
- Canadian Institutions: Any eligible degree-granting university in Canada.
- Institutions Outside Canada: Up to 20% of awards can be held at degree-granting institutions abroad. To hold the award outside Canada, applicants must be Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or protected persons and must have completed at least one previous degree at a Canadian institution.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible to apply for the CGRS D scholarship, applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Months of Study: Have completed no more than 36 months of full-time equivalent study in your doctoral program (or joint degree program) by December 31 of the application year.
- Program Type: Be enrolled in a predominantly research-oriented doctoral degree program leading to a thesis, dissertation, or major merit-reviewed research project.
- International Candidates: International students are eligible (accounting for up to 15% of awards) provided they are enrolled in an eligible doctoral program at a Canadian institution by the application deadline.
- Award Restrictions: You cannot have previously held a doctoral-level scholarship from CIHR, NSERC, or SSHRC (such as a Vanier CGS), and you can only submit one CRTAS application per academic year.
- Application Limit: Candidates can apply a maximum of three times to the CGRS D program.
Selection & Evaluation Criteria
Applications are reviewed based on two equally weighted components:
- Research Potential (50%): Quality and feasibility of the research proposal, clarity of methodology, originality, sound critical judgment, ethical research conduct, and significance of past research outputs (publications, patents, reports, creative works).
- Relevant Experience & Achievements (50%): Academic record, previous awards and distinctions, research training, lived experience, leadership, teaching, outreach, and collaborative achievements within and beyond academia.
How to Apply
Application procedures depend on your current registration status and your proposed subject matter:
- Select the Correct Agency: Choose CIHR, NSERC, or SSHRC based on the primary focus of your proposed research.
- Determine Your Submission Channel:
- If you are currently registered at (or were registered earlier in the year at) an eligible Canadian institution with a doctoral quota, you must apply through your institution.
- If you are enrolled at an institution without a quota, studying abroad, or not currently enrolled, apply directly to the appropriate federal agency.
- Prepare and Submit Online: Complete the application and upload all required documents (transcripts, research proposal, reference letters) via the appropriate agency portal:
- CIHR applications: ResearchNET
- NSERC applications: NSERC Online System
- SSHRC applications: SSHRC Web Portal
Last Date to Apply
- Direct Agency Deadline: October 17 (before 8:00 PM Eastern Time).
- Institutional Deadlines: Check with your university graduate studies office directly, as university internal deadlines are often weeks before the agency deadline.
Official Application Link
To view detailed agency-specific instructions, access application portals, and read the full guidelines, visit the official funding page:
Apply Here for the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral (CGRS D) Program
