Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Doctoral Scholarships

Study Abroad Course Specialist | Updated 3+ months ago

Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Doctoral Scholarships is rewarded to outstanding doctoral candidates who are enrolled or wish to enroll in a social sciences or humanities program at Canadian institutes.

Recipients are offered 40,000 CAD to cover tuition fees and living expenses.
Students must apply through the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation’s application portal.
They will then be nominated by respective departments at the institutes.
- The deadline for the same is November 17, 2025.
Opportunities to acquire greater proficiency in Canada’s official languages (French and English) as well as Indigenous languages for up to $5,000 a year.
Up to $10,000 per year for three years, as a research, networking, and travel allowance related to the Scholar's doctoral research.

Recipients of the scholarship will attend community retreat, collaborate and participate in conferences and work with other scholars, mentors on creative projects.

Some of the universities that are partnered with Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation are the University of British Columbia, University of Alberta, University of Toronto, University of Waterloo, University of Ottawa, etc.

Highlights

Scholarship Type	Merit-Based, Tuition-Fee-Waiver
Offered by	Trust
Organization	N/A
Application Deadline	Nov 17 ,2025
Number of Scholarships	N/A
Amount	₹473,850 ($5,000)
Renewability	Yes
International Student Eligible	Yes
Scholarship Website Link	https://www.trudeaufoundation.ca/become-scholar

Eligibility Criteria

To secure Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Doctoral Scholarships, students must meet the eligibility requirements listed below:

Must be already enrolled in year 1,2 or 3 of the full-time doctoral program at Canadian Universities.
- field of study: humanities or social sciences.
Doctoral research must relate to at least one of the Foundation’s four central themes:
- Human Rights and Dignity
- Responsible Citizenship,
- Canada and the World,
- People and their Natural Environment
Canadian students are eligible whether at Canadian or international institutions.
International students enrolled in doctoral programs at Canadian institutions only.

Application Process

To apply for this scholarship, students must register for an account on the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation’s application portal to receive a username and password.

An account from a previous scholarship competition may still be used;
- login using existing login credentials or request a password reset.
Once logged in, apply by completing the application form in the “Draft” section of the Trudeau portal.
Complete contact information in the “Contacts” section of the portal.
Also, submit LOR and academic transcripts with certified translations.

It is advisable to submit the application as soon as possible and coordinate with your respective departments for updates.

Date	Event / Description
September 9, 2025 – 9:00 a.m. EST	2026 Application period opens
September 18, 2025	Meeting for scholarship coordinators only (not for applicants). French – 11 a.m. EST [Register here] English – 2 p.m. EST [Register here]
October 8, 2025	1st candidates' information sessions English – 11:30 a.m. EST [Register here] French – 2 p.m. EST [Register here]
October 14, 2025	2nd candidates' information sessions French – 11:30 a.m. EST [Register here] English – 2 p.m. EST [Register here]
November 12, 2025 – 9:00 p.m. EST	Deadline to submit references
November 17, 2025 – 4:00 p.m. EST	Deadline to apply to the Foundation
January 26, 2026	Invitation to semi-finalists for Round One group interviews
February 10–12, 2026	Round 1: Virtual group interviews and information sessions with semi-finalists
February 19, 2026	Invitation to finalists for Round Two individual interviews
March 10–13, 2026	Round 2: Final interviews with members of the Selection Committee
April 10, 2026	Official announcement of the 2026 Scholars

Selection Process

Once applications are submitted. Departments will nominate one student per department( maximum of 4 students per university) to the selection committee. The evaluation criteria for the same will be based on :

Academic excellence
Thematic relevance of research to the Foundation’s central themes
Community Engagement
Leadership experience and abilities
Originality and audacity
Communication skills.
Desire to contribute to public dialogue and knowledge dissemination
Interest for the scientific theme of the 2026-2027 cycle: Canada in the World: The Future of Foreign Policy,
Must be willing to engage with this theme as part of a leadership training program.
Desire to belong to a vibrant community made up of leaders from across sectors

The selection committee will at Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation review applications of the nominated students.

Grant Details

Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Doctoral Scholarships is available for both Canadian and international students pursuing their doctoral study in Canada at various institutions.

Recipients will receive the following benefits:

Up to 40,000 CAD annually for three years to cover tuition and reasonable living expenses
Upto 20,000 CAD annually for three years as a research and travel allowance

Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation scholars will:

Attend a community retreat in Moncton, New Brunswick and two Institutes of Engaged Leadership during the first year of their term.
- The first Institute is in Montreal, Quebec.
- The second institute is in Helsinki (Finland)
Collaborate and participate in a conference event during the 2nd year of their term
Work with other scholars, mentors, and fellows on a creative project during the 3rd year of their term.

Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Doctoral Scholarships is an excellent opportunity for students to study in higher institutions in Canada without worrying about their finances.