Canada Graduate Research Scholarships – Doctoral Program

Deadline:

September 15, 2026 at 12:00 Noon PT


Eligibility of Citizenship: Canadian, Permanent Residence, and International
Degree Level: PhD
Award Status: Open
Applicant Status: Incoming Students and Continuing Students

Description

*As of 2026, incoming students are now required to submit an application for admission to UBC Okanagan by the CGRS-D application deadline in order to be considered for the award*

Quick Facts

The objective of the Canada Graduate Research Scholarships-Doctoral (CGRS-D) Program is to promote continued excellence in Canadian research by rewarding and retaining high-calibre doctoral students at Canadian institutions. By providing support for a high-quality research training experience to awardees, the CGRS-D program strives to foster impacts within and beyond the research environment.

Annual Value: $40,000/year

Duration: 36 months

Eligibility

To be eligible to hold this award an applicant must:

  • be enrolled in a program of study (by the time the award is administered) that includes 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 and is a requirement for completion of the program
  • be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or competitive international student
    • International students must be enrolled in a PhD program of study at an eligible Canadian institution at the time of application
    • Only 15% of all awards are allocated to international students, so only competitive applicants are encouraged to apply
  • have completed no more than 36 months of full-time study in their doctoral program by December 31 of the calendar year of application if previously enrolled in a master’s program
    • Two terms of part-time study count as one term of full-time study.
    • The agencies count all studies toward the doctoral degree for which funding is requested, whether or not they were completed in the same program or at the same institution.
    • Fast-track programs: If you were enrolled in a master’s program and subsequently transferred to a doctoral program (fast-track), the months of study completed are calculated starting from the date on which you transferred into the doctoral program.
    • Joint programs: If you are enrolled in a joint program and will obtain a master’s degree as part of the program (for example, MA/PhD, MSc/PhD, MBA/PhD), the months of study are calculated starting from the date on which you officially enrolled in either portion of the joint program (including the master’s portion of the program).
    • Joint professional undergraduate/PhD programs: If you are enrolled in a joint professional undergraduate/PhD program (such as MD/PhD, JD/PhD, DVM/PhD), only the months of study in the PhD portion will be counted.

Selecting the Appropriate Funding Agency

Potential applicants should be sure that they are submitting their application to the most appropriate of the three federal funding agencies (CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC). If applicants are unsure whether they should submit their application to CIHR, NSERC, or SSHRC, they should consult their Research Supervisor and/or Graduate Advisor. In cases where clarification is still needed, applicants should send a half-page summary of their intended research proposal to the appropriate agency for an assessment, rather than guess or assume incorrectly.

Complete eligibility criteria are available on the CGRS-D program page.

Evaluation Criteria

  • Research ability and potential: 50%
  • Relevant experience and achievements obtained within and beyond academia: 50%

Complete details (including description and indicators) are available on the CGRS-D program page.

Application Procedures

  • Students registered in a UBC degree program (or on an approved leave of absence from UBC) between January 1st and December 31st of the competition year must complete their application by the application deadline indicated above.
  • Confirm eligibility.
  • Confirm subject matter: Select the appropriate funding agency. Applicants should complete the agency application that is best aligned with their research subject matter.
    • Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).
    • Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC).
    • Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).
  • Determine where to submit an application (through a Canadian institution such as UBC or directly to the appropriate agency). See the CGRS-D program page for guidance.
    • If applying through UBC Okanagan, you must still submit an application via the relevant agency’s application portal.
    • To indicate you are applying through UBC select UBC as your proposed host institution within the application, then select an Okanagan department as follows:
Department Applicable Programs
Okanagan – Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Okanagan – Biology Biology
Okanagan – Chemistry Chemistry
Okanagan – College of Graduate Studies Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies (IGS)
Okanagan – Community, Culture, & Global Studies Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies (IGS)
Okanagan – Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, and Statistics Computer Science, Math, Medical Physics
Okanagan – Earth and Environmental Sciences Earth and Environmental Sciences
Okanagan – Economics, Philosophy, Political Science Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies (IGS)
Okanagan – Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies (IGS)
Okanagan – Faculty of Management Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies (IGS)
Okanagan – History & Sociology Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies (IGS)
Okanagan – Psychology Clinical Psychology, Psychological Science
Okanagan – School of Education Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies (IGS)
Okanagan – School of Engineering Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Okanagan – School of Health & Exercise Sciences Kinesiology
Okanagan – School of Nursing Research-based Nursing
Okanagan – School of Social Work Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies (IGS)
    • Please note that if you do not list an Okanagan-specific department, we cannot guarantee that your application will be reviewed at the appropriate campus, or that it will be reviewed at all. 
    • You cannot select both UBC Vancouver and UBC Okanagan, you must select one campus to review your award application.
  • Follow the application guidelines and submit your application by the deadline.
    • The CGRS-D Award application and application for admission to UBC Okanagan for incoming students must be completed by the UBC application deadline noted above.

General guidance on preparing transcripts for submission (see individual agencies application instructions below for further details):

  • All transcripts must be official
  • UBC transcripts:
    • Must be official, include the 2026W1 (Fall 2026) registration, and ordered after September 1st.
    • Students can order official transcripts from student services here: https://students.ok.ubc.ca/courses-money-enrolment/transcripts/. Note that we no longer provide academic histories, and students must order official transcripts from student services.
  • Other transcripts:
    • Must be official and up to date (include degree conferral, if applicable) as of August 31, 2026.
    • Required even from institutions in cases of transfer credit or exchange terms.
    • Foreign transcripts: if the transcripts are not presented in one of Canada’s two official languages (English or French), a certified translation must be provided, in addition to the official transcripts in its original language.
    • The transcript key/legend for each institution must be included.
    • Note that UBCO no longer provides transcripts that are on file to students. Students must ensure that they have copies of all of their official transcripts well before the deadline so they can be uploaded to the application by the deadline.

CIHR: ResearchNet | application instructions

NSERC: Online application system | application instructions

SSHRC: Online application system | application instructions

Nomination Procedures

  • The College of Graduate Studies will provide electronic copies of applications/transcripts submitted by their current and prospective students to UBCO graduate programs shortly after the applicant deadline. Graduate programs review their applications for eligibility and completeness, rank their applications, and select their nominees.

Adjudication Procedures

  • The College of Graduate Studies Scholarship and Awards Committee will convene an adjudication committee composed of UBC faculty members to review nominations submitted by graduate programs and select UBC’s nominees to the national competition.
  • Canadian universities each have a limit to the number of nominations they may submit to the CGRS-D competition.
  • Results of the national competition are released to applicants in Spring 2027.

Join Initiatives and Supplements

Indigenous Scholars Awards and Supplements (New for 2026)

The Indigenous Scholars Awards and Supplements Pilot Initiative provides financial support to meritorious Indigenous students (First Nations, Inuit and Métis) whose nations or communities are located in Canada and who have applied to the CGRS-D program through NSERC or SSHRC. To the limit of available funding, Indigenous students who are successful in the CGRS-D competition will be offered the Indigenous Scholars Supplement valued at $5,000 for one year. Additional CGRS-D awards and supplements may be offered to select meritorious applicants who have not been offered an award in this competition. For more information, please see the CGRS-D program page.

CIHR will also provide designated funding for Indigenous students applying to the CGRS D program via an agency specific funding mechanism. See CIHR’s CGRS D Funding Opportunity for more information.

Black Student Researchers

The Government of Canada has provided additional funds to increase direct support for Black student researchers. Meritorious CGRS-D applicants who self-identify as Black and provide consent to be considered for funds designated for specific groups may be selected to receive this funding. Each agency has up to 10 additional awards reserved for Black student researchers.

Additional Resources

Questions about this award? Email graduateawards.ok@ubc.ca