Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Vanier CGS) for PhD Study in Canada

Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships pay $50,000 per year for three years to doctoral students at Canadian universities. The Canadian Government created the awards to draw top doctoral candidates and keep Canada competitive in research and higher learning. The scholarship supports a PhD, or a combined MA/PhD or MD/PhD.

• Host: Canadian universities with a Vanier CGS allocation
• Level: PhD (or combined MA/PhD or MD/PhD)
• Study destination: Canada
• Value: $50,000 per year for three years
• Number: up to 166 scholarships awarded annually
• Deadline: nominating institution forwards nominations by 30 October 2024 (20:00 EDT)
• Who can apply: Canadian citizens, permanent residents of Canada and foreign citizens

This award suits doctoral candidates who are early in their PhD and want substantial funding for research in health, natural sciences and engineering, or social sciences and humanities. You must be nominated by a Canadian university that holds a Vanier CGS quota, so your first step is to secure a place and a nomination at that institution.

It also fits students in a joint graduate research program such as MD/PhD, DVM/PhD or JD/PhD, as long as the program has a significant research component. Only the PhD portion of a combined degree receives funding.

Canadian universities with a Vanier CGS allocation. The award can only be held at the eligible Canadian institution that submitted your nomination.

PhD programmes (or combined MA/PhD or MD/PhD) in health research; natural sciences and/or engineering research; and social sciences and/or humanities research.

An eligible doctoral program must include a significant research component that leads to the completion of a thesis, major research project, dissertation, scholarly publication, performance, recital and/or exhibit that is merit/expert-reviewed at the institutional level as requirement for a completion of the program.

Joint graduate research programs with a professional degree (e.g., MD/PhD, DVM/PhD, JD/PhD) as well as clinically-oriented programs of study, including clinical psychology, are also eligible programs if they have a significant autonomous research component, as described above.

Up to 166 scholarships are awarded annually.

Canadian citizens, permanent residents of Canada and foreign citizens are eligible to be nominated for a Vanier CGS.

The scholarship is worth $50,000 per year for three years.

To be considered for a Vanier CGS, you must:

• be nominated by only one Canadian institution, which must have received a Vanier CGS quota;
• be pursuing your first doctoral degree (including joint undergraduate/graduate research program such as: MD/PhD, DVM/PhD, JD/PhD – if it has a demonstrated and significant research component). Note that only the PhD portion of a combined degree is eligible for funding;
• intend to pursue, in the summer semester or the academic year following the announcement of results, full-time doctoral (or a joint graduate program such as: MD/PhD, DVM/PhD, JD/PhD) studies and research at the nominating institution; Note that only the PhD portion of a combined degree is eligible for funding;
• have completed no more than 20 months of doctoral studies as of 1 May 2025;
• have completed no more than 32 months of full-time study in their doctoral program, by 1 May 2025 if: enrolled in a joint graduate research program, e.g., MD/PhD, MA/PhD, DVM/PhD (applicants in this category have access to the 32-month window whether or not they were previously enrolled in a Master’s program); or accelerated directly from a Bachelor’s to a PhD (no time spent in a Master’s program); or accelerated from a Master’s degree into a Doctoral program without obtaining the Master’s degree;
• have achieved a first-class average, as determined by your institution, in each of the last two years of full-time study or equivalent. Candidates are encouraged to contact the institution for its definition of a first-class average; and
• must not hold, or have held, a doctoral-level scholarship or fellowship from CIHR, NSERC or SSHRC to undertake or complete a doctoral degree.

Applications for the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships are no longer accepted. Please refer to the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral program web page for information regarding the new harmonized program.

Candidates must be nominated by a Canadian Institution with a quota at which they want to study. Candidates cannot apply directly to the Vanier CGS program.

Applications are initiated in one of two ways. Either the student informs the faculty of graduate studies at the selected institution of their intent to apply to the Vanier CGS program OR the institution initiates the nomination process by contacting the desired candidate.

Applications are prepared by the student and submitted to the nominating institution by their internal deadline using the ResearchNet application system. The nominating institution then forwards recommended nominations to the Vanier-Banting Secretariat (the Secretariat) by 30 October 2024 (20:00 EDT).

It is important to visit the official website (link found below) to access the application form and to know the complete details on how to apply for this scholarship.

• Who can apply for the Vanier CGS? Canadian citizens, permanent residents of Canada and foreign citizens can be nominated. You must be nominated by a Canadian institution with a Vanier CGS quota.
• What does the scholarship cover? It provides $50,000 per year for three years.
• How many awards are given? Up to 166 scholarships are awarded annually.
• What is the deadline? The nominating institution forwards nominations to the Secretariat by 30 October 2024 (20:00 EDT). Your internal deadline at the institution may be earlier.
• Can I apply directly? No. Candidates cannot apply directly to the Vanier CGS program; they must be nominated by a Canadian institution.
• Is the scholarship still open? No, applications are no longer accepted. Refer to the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral program for the new harmonized program.

• Contact the faculty of graduate studies at your chosen Canadian institution early to confirm the internal deadline and nomination process.
• Prepare your ResearchNet application well before the internal deadline, as the institution must review and forward nominations.
• Check that your doctoral program includes a significant research component, since this is required for eligibility.
• Ask the institution how it defines a first-class average so you know whether your grades meet the bar.
• Confirm you have not held a doctoral-level scholarship or fellowship from CIHR, NSERC or SSHRC, as this makes you ineligible.