What the funding covers
- $40,000 (Canadian dollars) a year for three years.
- Awarded by Canada's three research funding agencies: CIHR (health), NSERC (natural sciences and engineering) and SSHRC (social sciences and humanities).
- It replaces both the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship ($50,000) and the former CGS-D ($35,000).
Who can apply
- International students who are registered in a doctoral programme at an eligible Canadian institution at the time of application.
- Each agency and each university has a quota of applications it can put forward, so internal competition comes first.
- Canadian citizens and permanent residents are also eligible.
Which nationalities can apply
Every nationality can apply.
How to apply
- First, be admitted to and enrolled in a PhD at a Canadian university; this award does not fund applicants from abroad.
- Apply through your university, which runs an internal competition and forwards its strongest candidates to the relevant agency.
- University deadlines fall in September and October (for 2026: UBC 15 September, Waterloo 22 September, Dalhousie 5 October).
- Prepare a research proposal, CV, transcripts and referee assessments as your university instructs.
Before you apply: things to know
- Vanier no longer exists; its last competition closed in autumn 2024. Sites still advertising Vanier are out of date.
- The value dropped from $50,000 to $40,000 a year under the new programme.
- Plan to apply in your first or second year of a Canadian PhD; you cannot use it to get there.