$40,000 a Year Canada Doctoral Scholarship
- Organization: CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC (Government of Canada research funding agencies)
- Type: Scholarship
- Location: Canada
- Deadline: October 19, 2026
- Funding: Fully Funded
Canada's three federal research funding agencies, CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC, jointly run the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship, Doctoral (CGRS D), which pays PhD students $40,000 a year for three years so they can focus on their research. It covers health, natural sciences and engineering, and the social sciences and humanities, and you apply to the one agency closest to your field. Most students apply through their own university, which sets its own deadline, often weeks before the agency's. **What you get:** - $40,000 a year for up to 36 months - The option to hold the award at a university outside Canada, for Canadian citizens, permanent residents and protected persons with a previous Canadian degree (up to 20% of awards) - Extra awards for strong applications in priority areas such as AI, quantum, health and biotechnology, clean technology, climate and the Arctic, food and water security, and defence technologies - A $5,000 supplement for one year for successful First Nations, Inuit and Metis applicants whose nations or communities are in Canada, to the limit of available funding - Additional awards at each agency (up to 10) reserved for Black student researchers **What you'll do:** - Write a research proposal and describe your experience, achievements and contributions - Gather reference letters, submitted by your referees through the agency's online system before the deadline - Apply through your university if it has a quota for your chosen agency, or directly to CIHR, NSERC or SSHRC if it does not - If funded, carry out your doctoral research full time, with the award starting after you register in a doctoral program **Key dates:** - Your university's internal deadline: set by each institution and often significantly earlier than the agency's, so check with your faculty of graduate studies now - October 19, 2026, 8:00 p.m. ET: deadline for applicants applying directly to CIHR, NSERC or SSHRC - November 23, 2026: deadline for universities to forward applications to CIHR - By April 30, 2027: results announced - May 1, 2027: earliest award start date **More information:** - Full program rules: https://nserc-crsng.canada.ca/en/funding-opportunity/canada-graduate-research-scholarship-doctoral-program - SSHRC competition page and applicant instructions: https://sshrc-crsh.canada.ca/en/funding/opportunities/canada-graduate-research-scholarships/doctoral-program.aspx - CIHR funding opportunity on ResearchNet: https://www.researchnet-recherchenet.ca/rnr16/vwOpprtntyDtls.do?progCd=11429&language=E&org=CIHR - Contacts: nsercscholarships-boursescrsng@nserc-crsng.gc.ca, fellowships@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca, support-soutien@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
