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Canada Graduate Research Scholarship - Doctoral Program

The Tri-Agency scholarship and fellowship programs administered by Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) have been streamlined into a new harmonized program called the Canada Research Training Awards Suite (CRTAS).

The new harmonized program within CRTAS is now the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral (CGRS D) (formally known as the Canada Graduate Scholarship Doctoral (CGS-D)).

The CGRS D program aims to support the next generation of innovators by providing funding and high-quality research training, cultivating research skills, fostering creativity, and empowering awardees to make significant contributions to Canada’s research ecosystem, economy and prosperity.

The objectives of the CGRS D program vary according to the Tri-Agency descriptions below.


  • CIHR: Funds applications in any area of health research. 
  • NSERC: Provides financial support to scholars who are engaged in research in the natural sciences or engineering.
    • SSHRC: Funds research in the social sciences and humanities.
  • Value and duration

    $40,000 per year, up to 36 months

  • Nomination quota
    • Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) – three*
    • Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) – three*
    • Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) – three*

    *Quotas are determined by the individual granting agency. If there is a discrepancy between the advertised quotas here and those of the CIHR, NSERC or SSHRC, the latter shall prevail.

  • Institutional deadline
    Friday, September 19.
  • Eligibility

    For full details about eligibility, review the ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA on the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral program webpage.

    International Applicants: If you are not a Canadian citizen, permanent resident of Canada, or protected person under subsection 95(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada), you must be enrolled in a doctoral program of study at the time of application.

    • International student applicants to the fall 2025 CGRS D competition who are not registered in a doctoral program at Ontario Tech for the fall 2025 term will be deemed ineligible.

    Other restrictions

    • You can submit a maximum of one scholarship or fellowship application per academic year to either CIHR, NSERC or SSHRC.
    • You can apply a maximum of three times to this funding opportunity.
    • You cannot have already received a doctoral-level scholarship from CIHR, NSERC or SSHRC.
  • How to apply

    You must apply either through a Canadian institution or directly to the appropriate agency, depending on your registration status on the application deadline date and/or your registration status during the calendar year of application. Where you intend to hold the award has no impact on the channel through which you must apply. If you fail to submit your application through the correct channel, your application will not be considered.

     To determine the correct channel:

    1. Determine your registration status for the calendar year of application. If you are unsure of your registration status in the calendar year of application, contact gradscholarships@ontariotechu.ca
    2. To determine which agency to submit your CGRS D application to, please see the Tri-Agency Guidelines on Selecting the Appropriate Federal Granting Agency (if you are still unsure after consulting these resources, contact the relevant agencies).
    3. Review the APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS for each agency and complete the application process:
    For more information on application procedure, eligibility and selection criteria, visit the Canada Graduate Research Scholarships - Doctoral Program site.
  • Official transcripts

    Up-to-date official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate studies must be included in the application, including transcripts for the fall term of the year of application, whether they contain grades or not. Transcripts serve to confirm the number of months of graduate studies completed, determine your first-class average, and confirm your current registration. If your transcripts include transfer credits from another institution, the original transcript with the grades shown should be included, or your application will be deemed ineligible. 

    Up-to-date official transcripts are defined as transcripts issued by the Registrar's Office and dated or issued in the fall term of application (if currently registered) or after the last term completed (if not currently registered).

    To learn how to obtain your official Ontario Tech transcript(s), visit the Registrar's Office webpage.

  • Resources and questions

    To access tips for preparing scholarships applications and samples of winning research proposals, visit Ontario Tech's tips and tricks webpage.

    If you have any questions about this or any other scholarship competition, contact gradscholarships@ontariotechu.ca

  • Tri-Agency contacts
    • Contact CIHR directly by EMAIL.
    • Contact NSERC directly by EMAIL.
    • Contact SSHRC directly by EMAIL.