The Government of Canada launched the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Vanier CGS) program in 2008 to strengthen Canada’s ability to attract and retain world-class doctoral students and establish Canada as a global centre of excellence in research and higher learning. Vanier Scholars demonstrate leadership skills and a high standard of scholarly achievement in graduate studies in the social sciences and humanities, natural sciences and/or engineering and health.
Areas of research:
- Health research
- Natural sciences and/or engineering
- Social sciences and humanities
Value:
Valued at $50,000 per year for three years during doctoral studies
Duration:
Three years, non-extendable
The three government organizations that provide grants are split evenly.
- The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC),
- The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), and
- The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
Selection Criteria:
- Academic Excellence
- Research Potential
- Leadership (potential and demonstrated ability)
Eligibility
Confirm that you and your nominating institution meet all the criteria below before you apply for a Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Vanier CGS).
Nominations that do not meet all of the eligibility criteria will be deemed ineligible.
Eligibility to apply for a Vanier CGS:
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 program such as MD/PhD, DVM/PhD, or JD/PhD, MBA/PhD – if it has a demonstrated and significant research component);
- intend to pursue, in the summer semester or the academic year following the announcement of results, full-time doctoral (or a joint graduate research program such as MD/PhD, DVM/PhD, JD/PhD, MBA/PhD) studies and research at the nominating institution; For joint graduate research programs, only the PhD portion of the program is eligible for funding.
- have completed no more than 20 months of full-time study in your doctoral program as of May 1, 2024;
- The doctoral program would begin after the completion of a master’s degree. The months of study completed are calculated from the doctoral enrolment date.
- have completed no more than 32 months of full-time study in your doctoral program (i.e., joint graduate research program, directly from bachelor’s, previously enrolled without obtaining master’s degree), by May 1, 2024 if:
- enrolled in a joint graduate research program, e.g., MD/PhD, MA/PhD, MS/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:
- The months of study are calculated starting from the date on which an applicant is officially registered in the joint graduate program. (For MA/PhD or MS/PhD, this will be the master’s registration date).
- enrolled directly from a bachelor’s to a PhD program (without having been previously enrolled in another graduate program);
- The months of study completed are calculated from the doctoral enrolment date.
- previously enrolled in a master’s program without obtaining the degree and subsequently transferring to a doctoral program.
- The months of study completed are calculated from the original master’s enrolment date.
- enrolled in a joint graduate research program, e.g., MD/PhD, MA/PhD, MS/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:
- 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
- Note: Institutions may, at their discretion, accept Vanier CGS applications from individuals who have not obtained a first-class average; contact your proposed host institutions to determine their use of this eligibility criterion.
- cannot have already received a doctoral-level scholarship or fellowship from CIHR, NSERC or SSHRC to undertake or complete a doctoral program.