Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship

For a student to be considered for the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship, fulfillment of the following criteria is mandatory:

• Citizenship: Canadian citizens, Permanent residents of Canada, and International students (present in Canada on the student visa).
• Nomination: Must be nominated by only ONE Canadian university, approved under the Vanier CGS quota like UofT, UCalgary, etc.
  • A fixed number of applications that can be put forward for the scholarship program.
• Area of Research:
  • Natural sciences and/or engineering research
  • Health research
  • Social sciences and humanities research
• Level of Study: Pursuing a first Canadian doctoral degree (also include a joint UG/PG research program like MD/Ph.D., DVM/Ph.D., JD/Ph.D.).
• Enrollment: Candidates must plan to enroll full-time in the academic year immediately following the grant, as PhD students.
• Duration of Study: Must NOT have completed more than 20 months, as of May 1, 2026.
• Academic Score: Must have achieved a first-class average, in each of the last two years of full-time study or its equivalent.
• Other Criteria: Must NOT hold a doctoral-level scholarship or fellowship from NSERC, CIHR, or SSHRC before.

Note: Only the Ph.D. portion of a combined degree is eligible for funding under the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship.

Applications for Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship can be initiated in two ways :

• Applicant informs their chosen university’s graduate faculty of their intent to apply to the Vanier CGS program; or
• The institution initiates the nomination process by contacting a suitable candidate.
  • For example, UWaterloo will review its student pool and nominate the deserving students.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to prepare the scholarship application and submit it to their nominating institution, before the internal deadline.

Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship RsearchNet Application Process

1. Open the ResearchNet, complete all tasks listed under the Vanier CGS application instructions.
2. Preview the Full Application Package of your application, using the "Preview Application Materials" task, before submission.
3. Print the entire application and Save the PDF version of it.
4. Submit the electronic application through ResearchNet after rechecking by completing the "Consent and Submit Application" task.

A complete Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship nomination package includes

• A ResearchNet application form (with two letters of reference)
  • Referees will be provided with a unique URL to complete their assessments online.
• A CV
• Research Contributions (limit one page)
  • Role in the research, selecting the medium of research, collaboration with other researchers, etc.
• A Research Proposal (max 2 pages)
• A 2-page Personal Leadership Statement
  • Should represent what challenges and opportunities have shaped the candidate's doctoral research.
  • Outline of accomplishments, leadership, volunteerism, etc.
• Project References (max 5 pages)
• Two Leadership letters of reference (max 2 pages)

Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship agency-specific selection committee is multidisciplinary therefore, applications should be written keeping a non-specialist research audience in mind. Also, application documents must be in either French or English.

Note: For technical help, regarding the application process, email at support-soutien@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.

The Vanier CGS program aims to attract and retain academically excellent doctoral students. Members of the selection committee are appointed from the Canadian academic community.

Awards and selection are conducted by the members of the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship selection committees, constituting the main three federal granting agencies:

1. Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
2. Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and
3. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

The selection for the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship is done mainly on three parameters:

• Academic Excellence
• Research Potential
• Leadership (potential and demonstrated ability)

Other significant factors include

• Nomination letter (signed by the department head )
• Canadian Common CV (CCV)
• Institution transcripts
• Leadership Reference Letters
• Personal Leadership Statement
• Two Leadership reference Letters
• Project References
• Research proposal
• Research contributions
• Referee Assessments

The selection committee will announce the recipients of Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship 2025 in early April. The distribution of the scholarship reward starts from May 1, 2026.