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Government of Canada — Tri-Agency (NSERC, CIHR, SSHRC) · National

CGRS-D — Canada Graduate Research Scholarship - Doctoral (NSERC / CIHR / SSHRC)

Reviewed by G Paul · verified April 30, 2026

$120K

Total value

About this award

$120,000 federal Tri-Agency doctoral scholarship — $40,000/year for 3 years. Administered by NSERC (engineering / natural sciences), CIHR (health), or SSHRC (humanities / social sciences) depending on your research area. Quebec students fully eligible. Replaced the Vanier CGS in Budget 2024.

The Canada Graduate Research Scholarship - Doctoral (CGRS-D) is the federal Tri-Agency's flagship doctoral funding program — the consolidated programme that, under Budget 2024, replaced the separate Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships and the prior Canada Graduate Scholarship - Doctoral (CGS-D). The award provides $40,000 per year for 36 months (3 years), totalling $120,000 — a substantial increase over the pre-2024 levels. Administration is split across the three federal granting councils: CIHR funds doctoral research in health, NSERC funds research in natural sciences and engineering, and SSHRC funds research in humanities, social sciences, arts, and letters. Your application goes to the agency aligned with your research area; if your work is interdisciplinary, the agency selectors review fit and may redirect to a sister council. Quebec students are fully eligible — research scholarships are explicitly excluded from the Quebec opt-out of federal student financial assistance, so Canadian citizens and permanent residents domiciled in Quebec apply on the same terms as students in any other province. Holding-rule note: a CGRS-D recipient cannot simultaneously hold the parallel FRQ doctoral award (B2) — Quebec students who win both must select one.

Can you get it?

Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident — citizenship requirement
Graduate — study level

How to apply

Review eligibility and gather your documents~1 hour
Read the official award page end-to-end. Confirm you meet every requirement before you start.
Request your official transcript1–2 weeks
Order through your school registrar: allow 1–2 weeks.
Collect reference letters2 weeks
Give your referees at least two weeks' notice and share your résumé.
Submit before the posted deadline~1 hour
Check the official source for the current deadline: save a copy and submit at least 24 hours early.

More details

Strategy

Start early — applications are typically due in October-November, but your home institution's departmental deadline is weeks earlier (departments rank candidates internally before sending nominations to the agency).

Strategy

Coordinate with your supervisor in late summer to confirm research-fit and agency choice.

Strategy

Quebec students should also apply to the parallel FRQ doctoral award (B2) — eligibility allows holding both at application stage, but only one if both are awarded.

Strategy

Strong applications combine a clear, specific research project with a competitive academic record (you'll need to demonstrate scholarly trajectory through publications, conference presentations, prior funding, and supervisor endorsement).

Strategy

The 2024 reform increased the dollar value but did not necessarily increase the number of awards — competition remains intense across all three sectors.

Share this scholarship

Screenshot the card below for Reddit, WhatsApp, or your school's chat — verified, dated, with a one-line citation back to the source.