Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships

Overview

The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Vanier CGS) program is a prestigious tri-agency doctoral scholarship administered jointly by CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC. Established in 2008 and named after Governor General Georges P. Vanier, the program recognizes world-class doctoral students conducting research in health, natural sciences, engineering, social sciences, and humanities. Each year, 166 scholars are selected and awarded $50,000 per year for three years to conduct doctoral research at a Canadian university. The scholarship is open to both Canadian and international doctoral students enrolled at eligible Canadian institutions.

What You Can Find Here

• Annual scholarship of $50,000 for up to 3 years of doctoral study at a Canadian university
• Prestige designation as a Vanier Scholar with international recognition
• Opportunities in health research (CIHR), natural sciences and engineering (NSERC), and social sciences and humanities (SSHRC)
• Access to the Vanier-Banting national scholar community and networking events
• Eligibility for international students as well as Canadian citizens and permanent residents

Who Should Use This

• Doctoral students (Canadian and international) who are enrolled or will enroll at a Canadian university
• First-year or second-year PhD students with outstanding academic records (typically A average or above)
• Researchers with demonstrated leadership and research potential
• Doctoral candidates in health, sciences, engineering, social sciences, or humanities

How to Get Started

1. Step 1: Confirm you are enrolled or will be enrolled in a doctoral program at an eligible Canadian university
2. Step 2: Identify a supervisor willing to nominate and support your application
3. Step 3: Work with your university's research grants office to prepare your application through ResearchNet
4. Step 4: Applications must be submitted by your university by the annual deadline (typically early November)
5. Step 5: Institutions review and forward nominations to the tri-agencies for expert panel evaluation

Things to Check Before Applying

• Applications must be submitted through the nominating Canadian university - you cannot apply independently
• Vanier requires both academic excellence and demonstrated leadership
• Eligibility extends to international students but they must be enrolled at a Canadian university
• Each Canadian university has internal competition and an allocation of nominations per cycle
• The scholarship is taxable income in Canada - consult a tax advisor on implications

Frequently Asked Questions