Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships

The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships are offered by the Government of Canada (funded by CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC) to attract and retain world-class doctoral students. They are among the most generous doctoral scholarships globally, recognising academic excellence, research potential, and leadership across all disciplines.

The award provides 50,000 Canadian dollars a year for three years, with no tuition offset (the entire amount is for personal and research expenses), along with prestigious recognition, access to Vanier-Banting Secretariat events and leadership development, and networking with Canada’s top doctoral researchers. It can be combined with other awards subject to university policy.

Eligibility is for Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or international students pursuing their first doctoral degree (PhD, or the PhD portion of a joint programme such as MD/PhD) with a first-class average and demonstrated academic excellence, research potential, and leadership, who have not completed more than about 20 months of doctoral study and do not hold a prior tri-agency doctoral award. You cannot apply directly: you must be nominated by a single Canadian institution that holds a Vanier quota, so you contact the faculty of graduate studies, secure faculty support, and prepare your application in ResearchNet by the institution’s internal deadline. For outstanding doctoral students aiming at Canada, the Vanier is a flagship, fully funded scholarship.

• Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or international student pursuing your first doctoral degree.
• A first-class average and demonstrated academic excellence, research potential, and leadership.
• Not having completed more than about 20 months of doctoral study.
• Not holding a prior CIHR, NSERC, or SSHRC doctoral award.
• Nominated by a single Canadian institution that holds a Vanier quota.

• CAD 50,000 per year for three years, one of the most generous doctoral scholarships globally.
• No tuition offset (the entire amount is for personal and research expenses).
• Prestigious recognition that enhances your academic and career profile.
• Access to Vanier-Banting Secretariat events and leadership development.
• Networking with Canada's top doctoral researchers (combinable with other awards, subject to university policy).

• Nomination and application via ResearchNet.
• Academic transcripts and proof of previous degrees.
• Research proposal.
• Two reference assessments and a leadership reference.
• Curriculum vitae.
• A statement on leadership and any other institution-requested materials.

• Confirm you are pursuing your first doctoral degree with a first-class average and demonstrated excellence, research potential, and leadership, within the doctoral-study time limit.
• You cannot apply directly: contact a Vanier-quota institution's faculty of graduate studies to declare your intent, secure faculty support, and prepare your application in ResearchNet by the institution's internal deadline.
• The institution then forwards selected nominations; the award is valued at CAD 50,000 a year for up to three years (confirm with the grad school).