Location: Canada
Program: Postgraduate – PhD
Eligibility: All Nationalities
Duration: 36 months
Deadline: October 17, 2026
JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP & GET UPDATES ON SCHOLARSHIPS WORLDWIDE
The Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral (CGRS-D) is one of Canada’s most prestigious and financially significant doctoral scholarships, jointly administered by the three federal granting agencies, namely the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), as part of the Canada Research Training Awards Suite (CRTAS). The scholarship provides $40,000 per year for 36 months to outstanding doctoral students across all disciplines, enabling them to concentrate fully on their doctoral research, seek out the best research mentors in their chosen fields, and contribute meaningfully to Canada’s research ecosystem during and beyond the tenure of their awards.
The CGRS-D is part of Canada’s broader commitment to building a world-class research and innovation ecosystem by investing directly in the next generation of researchers, knowledge workers, and creative thinkers across every field of human inquiry, from cutting-edge biomedical research and artificial intelligence to Indigenous scholarship and social sciences. Administered across three agencies with distinct disciplinary mandates, the programme ensures that outstanding researchers in every field can access meaningful financial support, mentorship, and connection to Canada’s vibrant research networks and institutions.
Benefits of the Scholarship
This scholarship will provide the following to its recipients:
- $40,000 per year for 36 months
- Total of $120,000 over 3 years
- Up to 10 additional CGRS-D awards per agency reserved for Black student researchers who self-identify and provide consent
- Other benefits
Also Check:
2026 King Salman International Award for Disability Research – Government of Saudi Arabia
2026 Nankai University Undergraduate Programme for International Students – China
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for this scholarship, applicants must meet the following:
- Must have completed no more than 36 months of full-time equivalent study in the doctoral programme for which funding is requested by December 31 of the calendar year of application
- Canadian citizens, permanent residents of Canada, and protected persons under subsection 95(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada) may apply through a Canadian institution or directly to the agencies depending on registration status
- International applicants (non-Canadian citizens, non-permanent residents, and non-protected persons) must be enrolled in their doctoral programme at an eligible Canadian institution by the application deadline; up to 15% of awards are available to international applicants
- To hold the award at an international institution: must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or protected person as of the application deadline and must have completed at least one previous undergraduate or graduate degree at a Canadian institution
- Must be enrolled in a predominantly research-oriented doctoral programme leading to a thesis, dissertation, scholarly publication, or equivalent merit-reviewed output
- Must apply to the agency (CIHR, NSERC, or SSHRC) that best aligns with the research subject matter of the application; applications submitted to the incorrect agency may be removed
- Must not have already received a doctoral-level scholarship from CIHR, NSERC, or SSHRC (including a Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship)
- academic year across all three agencies
- Must not hold a tenure or tenure-track appointment concurrently with the CGRS-D award (some exceptions apply)
- Must submit application through the correct channel (institution or directly to agency) depending on registration status; applications submitted through the wrong channel will not be considered
Note: Kindly check the official webpage for full and detailed requirements
Also Check
2026 Four Year Doctoral Fellowship (4YF) – University of British Columbia, Canada
Selection Criteria
The CGRS-D evaluation is based on two equally weighted criteria: research potential (50%) and communication skills (50%), assessed by both institutional review committees and agency-specific review committees. For research potential, the committee evaluates the quality and feasibility of the research proposal, the clarity and soundness of the proposed methodology, the significance of the expected research contributions, the demonstration of sound judgment and critical thinking, and the quality of prior contributions to research including publications, presentations, patents, and other outputs commensurate with the stage of study. For communication skills, the committee assesses the clarity, logic, and quality of the written application, and may consider any other evidence of oral communication skills.
How to Apply
CLICK HERE to visit the official webpage and submit your application.
