Deadline: 1st November 2023

Applications are now open for the Vanier Canada Postgraduate Scholarship Programme 2023/2024 . Named after Major General Georges P. Vanier, Canada's first French-speaking Governor General, the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Vanier CGS) programme helps Canadian institutions attract highly qualified doctoral students.

The Government of Canada launched the Vanier CGS programme 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 education. Vanier Scholars demonstrate leadership skills and a high standard of academic achievement in graduate studies in the social sciences and humanities, natural sciences and/or engineering and health.

Students wishing to apply for a Vanier CGS must do so through the Canadian institution to which they are applying for doctoral studies. Based on their quotas, Canadian institutions will forward a limited number of nominations for the Vanier CGS programme. Up to 166 Vanier Scholars are awarded each year and are divided between the three federal funding agencies, which each offer 55 awards annually. The additional award is alternated annually between NSERC and CIHR.

Research Areas

• Health research
• Natural sciences and/or engineering
• Social sciences and humanities

Scholarships

• The scholarship is valued at US$ 50,000 per year for three years during doctoral studies

Eligibility

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

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 studying for their first doctorate (including a joint programme such as MD/PhD, DVM/PhD, or JD/PhD, MBA/PhD - if it has a proven and significant research component);
• intend to pursue, in the summer semester or in the academic year following the announcement of the results, full-time doctoral studies and research (or a joint postgraduate research programme such as MD/PhD, DVM/PhD, JD/PhD, MBA/PhD) at the nominating institution; for joint postgraduate research programmes, only the doctoral part of the programme is eligible for funding.
• not have completed more than 20 months of full-time study in their doctoral programme by 1 May 2024;
  • The doctoral programme would begin after completion of the master's degree. The months of study completed are calculated from the date of enrolment for the doctorate.
• have completed a maximum of 32 months of full-time study in their doctoral programme (i.e. joint postgraduate research programme, directly from the bachelor's degree, previously enrolled without obtaining a master's degree), by 1 May 2024 if:
  • enrolled in a joint postgraduate research programme, e.g. MD/PhD, MA/PhD, MS/PhD, DVM/PhD. Applicants in this category have access to the 32-month period, whether or not they were previously enrolled on a master's programme:
    • The months of study are calculated from the date of the candidate's official enrolment in the joint postgraduate programme. (For master's/doctorate or master's/doctorate this will be the date of enrolment for the master's degree).
  • enrolled directly from the bachelor's degree to the doctorate (without having previously been enrolled in another postgraduate programme);
    • The months of study completed are calculated from the date of enrolment for the doctorate.
  • previously enrolled in a master's programme without obtaining a degree and subsequently transferred to a doctoral programme.
    • The months of study completed are calculated from the original enrolment date of the master's degree.
• have achieved a first-class average, as determined by their institution, in each of the last two years of full-time study or equivalent. Applicants are encouraged to contact their institution for a definition of first-class average; and
  • Note: Institutions may, at their discretion, accept Vanier CGS applications from individuals who have not obtained a first-class average; please contact the proposed host institutions to determine the use of this eligibility criterion.
• must not have already received a scholarship or doctoral grant from the CIHR, NSERC or SSHRC to undertake or complete a doctoral programme.

Please note that only the doctoral part of a joint programme is eligible for funding.

Selection criteria

Nominations are assessed and selected on the basis of the following three criteria, with equal weights:

• Academic excellence
• Research potential
• Leadership (potential and demonstrated ability)

When evaluating nominations, both the prestige of the Vanier CGS and the stage and nature of the candidate's academic career must be taken into account.

Application

A complete nomination consists of:

• Application details
• Canadian Common CV (CCV)
• Nomination letter - maximum of two pages (signed by the head of the relevant department of the nominating institution)
• Academic transcripts from the institution (scanned and attached by the institution's administrative team)
• Personal Leadership Statement - maximum of two pages for applications in English; maximum of 2.5 pages for applications in French (self-evaluation written by the student)
• Two Leadership Reference Letters - maximum two pages each (written by someone who knows the candidate in a non-academic capacity - this letter is attached to the candidate's nomination)
• Research proposal - maximum of two pages for applications in English; maximum of 2.5 pages for applications in French (written by the student)
• Project references - maximum five pages (written by the student)
• Research contributions - maximum one page (written by the student)
• Special circumstances (optional) - maximum one page (written by the student)
• Two referee assessments - three sections each
• Other application material (optional) - part-time status and/or MD/PhD programme schedule - maximum one page (written by the student)

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