Canada Graduate Research Scholarship-Doctoral (CGRS-D) Program
The CGRS D is a scholarship in the Canada Research Training Awards Suite (CRTAS) administered by 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 (SSHRC). Scholarships are awarded through national competitions by these three granting agencies.
The CGRS D program supports and promotes research excellence in a wide variety of disciplines and broad fields of natural sciences and engineering, health and social sciences and humanities, including interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research. This support allows scholars to concentrate on their doctoral studies more fully, to seek out the best research mentors in their chosen fields and to contribute to the Canadian research ecosystem during and beyond the tenure of their awards.
Note: CGRS D replaced the former CGS doctoral, agency specific doctoral awards, and Vanier CGS
Canada Graduate Research Scholarships-Master’s (CGRS-M) Program
The objective of the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Master’s (CGRS M) program is to help develop research skills and assist in the training of highly qualified personnel by supporting students who demonstrate a high standard of achievement in undergraduate and early graduate studies. The Tri-council allocates CGRS M awards to universities specifying the number of awards that each may offer to their students annually. CGRS M awards can only be offered to students pursing graduate studies at eligible Canadian universities, and the award must be held at the university that has made the offer.
MINDS Master’s Scholarships for Indigenous Students
The Department of National Defence (DND) has partnered with the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) to deliver the Mobilizing Insights in Defence and Security (MINDS) scholarship initiative. The MINDS program, which comprises five pillars, is committed to fostering the next generation of security and defence scholars in the Canadian academic community and to encouraging a strong Canadian knowledge base in contemporary defence and security issues.
The MINDS Master’s Scholarships for Indigenous Students are award supplements offered to successful CGRS M applicants who self-identify as Indigenous and whose studies relate to defence and security. Interested students must complete the MINDS supplement module as part of their CGRS M application, including the submission of a statement of thematic relevance. For detailed instructions on how to apply, see the MINDS program description. The deadline to apply is December 1.
Indigenous Scholars Awards and Supplements
The Indigenous Scholars Awards and Supplements Pilot Initiative will provide financial support to meritorious Indigenous students who have applied to the CIHR, NSERC, or SSHRC CGRS M program. To be considered, applicants must be eligible to apply to the CGRS M program, self-identify as Indigenous for the purposes of this initiative, and have had their application deemed meritorious in the CGRS M review process. Applicants who are successful in this competition will be asked to provide documentation to support their affirmation of Indigenous citizenship or membership before receiving their award. For detailed instructions on how to apply, see the pilot initiative description. The deadline to apply is December 1.
Black Student Researchers
The Government of Canada has deployed additional funds to increase direct support for Black student researchers. CGRS M applicants who self-identify as Black and provide consent in their application to be considered for funds designated for specific groups may be able to receive this funding through a scholarship as part of this initiative. Each agency has a limited number of additional CGRS M awards reserved for this initiative.
Canada Graduate Scholarships-Doctoral (CGS D) Program-discontinued
Canada Impact+ Research Training Awards
On December 9, the Government of Canada announced the Canada Global Impact+ Research Talent Initiative, which aims to support universities to attract new research chairs, hundreds of early-career researchers, doctoral students, and postdocs from abroad. Part of this broader initiative is the Canada Impact+ Research Training Awards.
These awards are a one-time initiative designed to recruit international or returning Canadian doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers to Canada in eight priority research areas, helping build capacity, strengthen the research ecosystem, and enhance Canada’s global competitiveness.
The priority research areas for this initiative are the following:
- Advanced digital technologies (AI, quantum, cybersecurity)
- Health, including biotechnology
- Clean technology and resource value chains
- Environment, climate resilience, and the Arctic
- Food and water security
- Democratic and community resilience
- Manufacturing and advanced materials
- Defence and dual-use technologies
Nationally, 600 doctoral awards and 400 postdoctoral awards have been distributed across Canadian institutions based on each institution’s share of Tri-agency funding. The University of Toronto, in turn, has allocated its share of these awards to its academic divisions and affiliated hospitals to administer.
Ontario Graduate Scholarship
The Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) program encourages excellence in graduate studies at publicly-assisted universities in Ontario. Since 1975, the OGS program has been providing merit-based scholarships to Ontario’s best graduate students in all disciplines of academic study. The scholarship program at U of T is jointly funded by the Province of Ontario and the University of Toronto. The Province allocates OGS awards to universities specifying the number of awards that each may offer to their students annually.
Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science & Technology
The Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology (QEII‐GSST) program is designed to encourage excellence in graduate studies in science and technology. The program is supported through funds provided by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities and funds raised by the University of Toronto from the private sector.
Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship (Discontinued)
Sunsetting of the Vanier program
The fall 2024 Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (results released in mid-April 2025) was the final competition for this program.
The Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering and Research Council (NSERC), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) has launched the new harmonized Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral program, which replaced the Canada Graduate Scholarships – Doctoral, agency specific doctoral awards, and the Vanier CGS.
The Vanier CGS program aimed to attract and retain world-class doctoral students by supporting students who demonstrate both leadership skills and a high standard of scholarly achievement in graduate studies in social sciences and humanities, natural sciences and engineering, and health.