Canada Graduate Research Scholarships – Master’s Program

Deadline:

TBD: Likely December 1, 2026 before 5:00 PM (PT)


Eligibility of Citizenship: Canadian and Permanent Residence
Degree Level: Masters
Award Status: Closed
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-M application deadline in order to be considered for the award*

Quick Facts

The Canada Graduate Scholarships Master’s (CGRS-M) Program provides financial support for one year to high-caliber scholars who are engaged in eligible master’s or, in some cases, doctoral programs in Canada. This support allows these scholars to fully concentrate on their studies in their chosen fields.

The CGRS-M program supports up to 3,000 students annually in all disciplines and is administered jointly by Canada’s three federal agencies: The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), and The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

Annual Value: $27,000
Duration: 12 months

Eligibility

  • Complete eligibility criteria are available on the CGRS-M website
  • For research subject matter guidelines, please refer to Selecting the Appropriate Federal Granting Agency
    • If applicants are unsure whether they should submit their application to CIHR, NSERC, or SSHRC, they should consult their research supervisor and/or Graduate Program Coordinator. In cases where clarification is still needed, applicants should send a half-page summary of their intended research proposal to one of the agencies and ask the agency to confirm in writing (including by e-mail) if they are eligible to apply to that agency. Applicants are advised to err on the side of caution, and ask the funding agency for an assessment rather than guess or assume incorrectly

Evaluation Criteria

Complete evaluation criteria are available on the CGRS-M website.

Application Procedures

The Tri-Agency master’s programs (CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC) have harmonized the application process. Competition details are accessible via the NSERC website. Applicants  are to submit the application through the online Research Portal by the deadline.

  • Applicants must create a Canadian Common CV (CCV) and complete and submit the online application using the Research Portal (please make sure to follow the instructions)
  • Each applicant may apply to up to three eligible institutions in Canada. To be considered for a CGRS-M at UBC, applicants must fill out one of  “Proposed Host Organization” sections with the following information:
    • Organization: select “The University of British Columbia”
      • Students are only permitted to select one campus
      • Within this framework, the Vancouver and Okanagan campuses are considered one institution. For this reason, applicants will need to identify the Okanagan campus in the department field as follows:
        Department Applicable Program(s)
        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 English, Fine Arts, Creative Writing
        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 Thesis-based Education
        Okanagan – School of Engineering Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
        Okanagan – School of Health & Exercise Sciences Health & Exercise Sciences
        Okanagan – School of Nursing Thesis-based Nursing
        Okanagan – School of Social Work Thesis-based Social Work
    • Please note that if you do not select an Okanagan-specific department, we cannot guarantee that your application will be reviewed by the appropriate campus, or reviewed at all. 
    • Faculty: select the disciplinary faculty under which your current/proposed graduate program falls (look up your faculty if you are unsure)

A complete application includes the following documents:

  • Application form
    • Identification, Summary of Proposal, and Activity Details
  • Outline of the proposed research (including the bibliography and citations) – applicant uploads as a PDF
  • All required undergraduate and graduate official transcripts (including studies undertaken but not completed, e.g., transfer / exchange terms) – applicant uploads as a PDF
    • UBC transcripts:
      • Must be official
      • If currently enrolled, the transcript must include the 2026W1 (Fall 2026) registration and must be ordered after September 1st, whether they contain grades or not
      • The grade summary page from your Workday Student profile is not acceptable
      • Students can order official transcripts from student services here: https://students.ok.ubc.ca/courses-money-enrolment/transcripts/
    • Other transcripts:
      • Must be official and up-to-date (include degree conferral, if applicable) as of August 31, 2026
      • Transcripts are required even from institutions in cases of transfer credit or exchange terms
      • Applicants may still need to order some of their transcripts to complete their transcript package.
      • 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 does not provide 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
    • The following transcripts will NOT be accepted, and applicants who upload these transcripts will be considered ineligible:
      • Unofficial or advising transcripts
      • Grade printouts
      • Transcripts that do not show your current registration, where applicable
      • Transcripts in a language other than French or English that do not include a translation
      • Transcripts that do not show all grades received
      • Transcripts that do not include grading keys or legends
      • Incomplete sets of transcripts
        • Missing transcripts from previous degrees
        • Missing transcripts from institutions where credits were transferred to another institution
        • Missing current UBC transcript if enrolled in current academic year, regardless of whether or not any grades have been received yet
  • Please pay attention to the transcript requirements outlined in the CGRS-M Instructions for completing an application. This is imperative as it is the primary reason for the rejection of applications
  • CGRS-M Canadian Common CV (CCV) – applicant enters the confirmation number in their application form
  • Two reference assessments – applicant invites two referees; referee completes an online form

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 top-ranked applicants.
  • Results are released to applicants in Spring 2027.

Additional Resources

Further Information

Indigenous Scholars Awards and Supplements: The Indigenous Scholars Awards and Supplements consist of a one-year, non-renewable supplement valued at $5,000 for all meritorious Indigenous CGRS-M applicants and a one-year, non-renewable award valued at $27,000 for all alternate candidates, subject to the limit of available funding. If you self-identify as Indigenous you are eligible to apply for this initiative. For more information, please see pilot imitative page.

Black Student Researchers: The Government of Canada has provided additional funds to increase direct support for Black student researchers. CGRS-M 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 limited additional CGRS-M awards reserved for Black student researchers. For more information, please see the FAQ section on the NSERC website.

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