Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral (CGRS D)

All applicants registered in a degree program at the U of A (with a quota) at any time during the calendar year of application (January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026) must apply through the U of A by September 16, 2026, even if they intend to pursue their doctoral studies at an institution other than the U of A.

For more information, refer to the Where to submit an application table of the CGRS D program application procedure on NSERC’s website (information applies to all three Agencies). Failure to submit an application through the correct channel may result in an application being removed from the competition.

• Must have completed no more than 36 months of full-time equivalent study in the doctoral program, the PhD portion of the joint professional undergraduate/PhD program (such as MD/PhD, JD/PhD, DVM/PhD) or the joint program (such as MA/PhD, MSc/PhD, MBA/PhD) for which you are requesting funding by December 31 of the calendar year of your application if previously enrolled in a graduate program
  • Eligibility for CGRS D is based on the number of months of full-time study, including summer months, completed by December 31 of the calendar year of the application toward the degree for which funding is requested. Two terms of part-time study count as one term of full-time study.
  • The agencies count all studies toward the doctoral degree for which funding is requested, whether or not they were completed in the same program or at the same institution.
  • Fast-track programs: Students who were enrolled in a master’s program and subsequently transferred to a doctoral program (fast-track), the months of study completed are calculated starting from the date on which they transferred into the doctoral program.
  • Joint programs: Students who are enrolled in a joint program and will obtain a master’s degree as part of the program (for example, MA/PhD, MSc/PhD, MBA/PhD), the months of study are calculated starting from the date on which they officially enrolled in either portion of the joint program (including the master’s portion of the program).
  • Joint professional undergraduate/PhD programs: Students who are enrolled in a joint professional undergraduate/PhD program (such as MD/PhD, JD/PhD, DVM/PhD), only the months of study in the PhD portion will be counted.
• Students who are not a Canadian citizen, permanent resident of Canada, or protected person under subsection 95(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada) must be enrolled in their doctoral program of study at the U of A at the time of application (no later than September 1 (Fall), 2026 admit term).
• Students can submit a maximum of one scholarship or fellowship application per academic year to either CIHR, NSERC, or SSHRC. If more than one application is submitted, only the eligible application submitted first will be retained.
• Students can apply a maximum of three times to the CGRS D program.
• Students cannot have already received a doctoral-level scholarship from CIHR, NSERC or SSHRC.
• Students cannot hold a tenure or tenure-track appointment or be on leave from such an appointment concurrently with the CGRS D award.
• Either enrolled in an eligible doctoral program with a significant research component or have applied for, or are intending to apply for, an eligible program.
  • An eligible doctoral program must be predominantly research oriented, leading to the completion of a thesis, major research project, dissertation, scholarly publication, performance, recital and/or exhibit that is merit-/expert-reviewed at the institutional level as a requirement for completing the program.
  • Joint programs with a professional degree (for example, MD/PhD, DVM/PhD, JD/PhD, MBA/PhD), as well as clinically oriented programs of study, including clinical psychology, are eligible if they have a significant autonomous research component as described above.
• Students are to apply to the agency best aligned with their research subject matter to ensure their application will be reviewed by experts in disciplines closest to their field(s) of study. It is the student’s responsibility to select the funding agency that best suits their application. Applications submitted to the incorrect agency may be removed from the competition. For more information, see Selecting the Appropriate Federal Granting Agency.
• Note: Students who are eligible to apply to the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship—Master’s (CGRS M) program may be able to maximize their potential funding period by applying to the CGRS M program for their first year of doctoral studies instead of applying directly to the CGRS D program. Students are responsible for choosing which award program to apply to. See Other restrictions on the CGRS D website for more information.

For complete eligibility requirements and other restrictions, visit the CGRS D website on NSERC’s website (information applies to all three Agencies).

Applicants are evaluated and selected according to criteria in the following categories:

• Research ability and potential - 50%
• Relevant experience and achievements obtained within and beyond academia - 50%

For complete selection criteria, please visit the CGRS D Website.

The application submission deadline listed below is for applications submitted through the University of Alberta (U of A) only. Failure to submit an application through the correct channel may result in an application being removed from the competition. For more information, refer to the Where to submit an application table of the CGRS D program application procedure on NSERC’s website (information applies to all three Agencies). This table details which option should be selected within the online application form.

All applicants registered in a degree program at the U of A at any time during the calendar year of application (January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026) must apply through the U of A (with a quota) by September 16, 2026, even if they intend to pursue their doctoral studies at an institution other than the U of A.

Applications submitted this Fall 2026 term are for awards to start May or September 2027, or January 2028.

1. Review all information and criteria. It is the student's responsibility to read all instructions and be familiar with the application process before applying:
   • CGRS D Program details, eligibility, and requirements.
   • 2026/27 CGRS D Memo to Students and Departments.
   • Institutions are permitted to recommend an unlimited number of applications from self-identified Indigenous* student researchers to the CGRS D program above their application quota. To be considered for this, Indigenous student researchers must provide consent within the application form. * “Indigenous peoples” is a collective name for the original peoples of North America and their descendants. “Aboriginal peoples” is also often used as a synonym. For the purposes of this program, NSERC uses the Canadian Constitution Act, 1982 definition of Aboriginal peoples as including the First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples of Canada. Note applicants are not automatically forwarded to the national level; they will be reviewed and recommended by GPS’s GSC among the full pool of applicants.
2. Select the appropriate agency (CIHR/NSERC/SSHRC):
   • CGRS D Program Application procedures/Selecting the appropriate agency
   • CRTAS’ Selecting the Appropriate Federal Granting Agency
3. Create an online application. This is a direct application whereby students apply through the appropriate agency’s website in accordance with their instructions. GPS accesses U of A applications from each agency portal for university review and adjudication:
   • CIHR: ResearchNET and instructions
     • GPS (institution) signature is NOT required on the CIHR signature pages at the time of application. Only the applicant's supervisor signature is required. Applicant must first identify their primary supervisor in the "Identify Participants" task of the application and this will generate a box for the Primary Supervisor to sign in the "Print/Upload Signature Pages".
   • NSERC: Online system and instructions
   • SSHRC: Registration and login and instructions
     • Students who studied part-time or interrupted their doctoral studies must contact GPS by September 4, 2026 to request an ‘Official letter to confirm part-time study and/or leave of absence’ to upload with their application
4. Start writing required application documents and arrange for transcripts and letters of recommendation
   
   • In addition to the following instructions, refer to the Deadline and Timelines section below for suggested deadlines.

Letters of Recommendation

U of A’s Transcript Policy and Requirements

Applicants are responsible for reviewing each agency portal’s transcript instructions and adhering to the following U of A’s Transcript Policy and Requirements. These instructions are imperative, as non-compliance with transcript related guidelines is the primary reason for the rejection of applications.

Applicants are responsible for obtaining any and all required up-to-date transcripts for the U of A and all other institutions attended and attaching them to the Transcripts portion of their application for the university review process. This includes all undergraduate and graduate studies, completed or ongoing. Missing, outdated/incomplete, illegible transcripts may deem applicants' CGRS D applications as incomplete and will not be reviewed.

Opening and scanning an official paper transcript, or providing a copy of an official e-Transcript will not render the transcript unofficial. Applicants are to note the following:

- Transcript Legend: one copy of the legend (reverse page of the transcript, or the last page of an e-transcript) must be included (with the exception of unofficial UofA transcripts printed from BearTracks). Only one copy of the legend is required.

- E-Transcripts Document Cover Page: the institutional cover page must be included (in addition to the transcript legend as the last page) as this retains authenticity.

- To combine e-Transcripts with other transcripts, open it in a browser and print it to pdf (not download and save); applicants should be able to get the unsecured PDF in order to combine with other documents. The security setting will be removed if combined with other transcripts and this is acceptable for uploading purposes to the agency portal

It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that their transcripts are complete and legible once uploaded. In all cases, the applicant is responsible for ensuring that the application is complete by reviewing the final version of the online application. Review the requirements for each U of A Transcripts and Other Institutions sections:

U of A Transcripts:

Unofficial transcripts (available as a downloadable PDF file from BearTracks) will be accepted, or copies of official (paper or e-Transcripts issued through MyCreds™) may be provided. For instructions on how to download an unofficial transcript from Bear Tracks visit here. Please do not provide a certificate of enrolment (i.e. from the Office of the Registrar); this is not the equivalent to an unofficial transcript. U of A transcripts must be up-to-date as follows:

- Students currently registered in, or newly admitted to, a U of A degree program: U of A transcripts must be up-to-date and show current Fall 2026 full time registration (courses and/or thesis in progress. Students newly admitted to Spring/Summer/Fall term must also provide a transcript showing current Fall 2026 full time registration (courses and/or thesis in progress). Students who have not yet scheduled any selected courses at the time of application submission may register in THES (Thesis) 909, the equivalent to full-time registration, to meet the transcript requirements. Refer to the University Calendar for registration information and course add/drop deadlines.

- Where transfer credit/exchanges are associated at the U of A, official transcripts of those institutions attended MUST also be included (see Other Institution Transcripts for requirements).

- Applicants not currently registered but were registered in a degree program at the U of A at any time during the calendar year of application (January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026): U of A transcripts must be up-to-date and show the last term completed.

- SSHRC Applicants Only: students who studied part-time or interrupted their doctoral studies must contact GPS by September 4, 2026 to request an ‘Official letter to confirm part-time study and/or leave of absence’. This letter is to be uploaded with the PDF of the transcripts.

- GPS will not print an unofficial U of A transcript for institutional review should the applicant submit an outdated or incomplete transcript.

Other Institution Transcripts:

Certified true copies of official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate studies from other institutions attended are required. Students are responsible for obtaining official transcripts. Unofficial/self-produced transcripts or mark sheets from other institutions’ self-serve student systems are considered unofficial and will render the application as incomplete and will not be reviewed:

- Transcripts must be up-to-date (dated or issued after the last term completed)

- Transcripts associated with transfer credit/exchanges MUST be included.

- International applicants newly admitted to the U of A: applicants may upload a copy of their transcripts used at the time of their application for admission; these copies will be accepted during periods of clearing conditions of admission (if applicable).

- GPS does not provide copies of transcripts from student records held at the U of A (includes transcripts from other Canadian/international post-secondary institutions, and transcripts included in former, recent, or in progress admission/award applications).

- Students are responsible for ensuring transcripts for all institutions attended are included in their application.

5. Finalize your application
6. Submit your application by the university’s deadline of September 16, 2026 at 11:59 pm (MST):
   • This is the deadline to submit your application to GPS for university review via the agency’s portal (the “Application Deadline Through a Canadian Institution”). You are responsible for ensuring all transcripts are uploaded and references have completed and successfully submitted their letter of recommendation.
     • • CIHR: ResearchNET and instructions
         • It is the student’s responsibility to read all instructions and be familiar with the application process before applying. This includes making sure to click “preview” and “verify” on each page in order to submit the application.
         • The ResearchNET portal will close on September 16, 2026 at 11:59 pm. Applications submitted after this date will not be accepted and extension requests will not be granted.
           
       • NSERC: On-line system and instructions
         • Note that there is no system shutoff in NSERC's portal September 16, 2026 at 11:59 pm (MST); however, student’s applications will be date and time stamped once submitted and this will be the copy used for university review and adjudication. Applications submitted after this date will not be accepted and extension requests will not be granted.
       • SSHRC: Registration and login and instructions 
         • Note that there is no system shutoff in SSHRC's portal September 16, 2026 at 11:59 pm (MST); however, student’s applications will be date and time stamped once submitted and this will be the copy used for university review and adjudication. This includes making sure to click “preview” and “verify” on each page in order to submit the application. Applications submitted after this date will not be accepted and extension requests will not be granted.
   • Applications incorrectly submitted after September 16, 2026 at 11:59 pm (MST) will not be accepted.
   • Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
   • Submission of an application does not mean it has been forwarded to the national CGRS D competition. All eligible applications will be shared with the Graduate Scholarship Committee (GSC) adjudicators for review.
   • Students will not have the opportunity to revise their application after the university deadline, nor during any period of the university review process. The submitted application for university review is the same application viewed by the tri-agencies should a student successfully be forwarded to the national level. It is therefore imperative students read and review GPS’s university specific application processes and deadlines in addition to the CGRS D program information. Failure to follow instructions, such as official transcript requirements, is the main reason for the rejection of applications. GPS cannot add/revise documents to an application submitted in tri-agency’s online system.

All complete and eligible applications are reviewed by the GPS Graduate Scholarship Committee. A list of recommended applications is chosen and sent to the agencies for final adjudication at the national level.

The University of Alberta's quota of recommended applications for the 2026/27 competition year are: 

CIHR – 29
NSERC – 45
SSHRC – 49

The agencies will notify all recommended applicants of final decisions by April 2027.

The Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies (GPS) is the primary contact and administrator for the CGRS D awards and its regulations for the term the student holds the award. 2026/27 recipients planning to accept the award at the U of A (activate Payment of Award: Awards paid by Canadian institutions) are to proceed with the following steps:

1) Advise the agency (CIHR/NSERC/SSHRC) if the award will be accepted (for May 1, Sept. 1, or Jan. 1 as outlined in the Tri-agency research training award holder’s guide).

• Note that the start date may be changed from the "Proposed Start Date" as initially indicated on the application.
• When selecting the start date, consider other sources of funding (if applicable) that will be held or currently hold (ex. other awards, department funding) to ensure there are no conflicts with overlap.

2) Submit the following documents to GPS Award Services via the Student Service Portal (Contact GPS → Scholarships, Loans, and Funding → Awards and Scholarships). Refer to your agency for specific steps: 

CIHR: Log in to your ResearchNet and follow the instructions to accept the award offer. If applicable, consider other sources of funding you will hold or currently hold (ex. other awards, department funding) to ensure there are no conflicts

i) Copy of Offer of an Award. This document contains the financial information of the award.

ii) Response to an Offer of Award. A pdf version of this form will become available to your ResearchNet account after answering a few questions online regarding your proposed start date and the person and/or institution that will be administering the funds. The form must be signed by you and the authorized institution official (GPS Awards Services) (Note: Dean signature is not required on this form)

- Submit the copy of the award offer letter and Response to an Offer of Award form to GPS via the Student Service Portal.

• An official confirmation of registration is required to activate the award. Ensure you are registered in the terms in which you start the award.
  • Enrolment Verification. GPS will provide an Enrolment Verification document confirming your full time registration. The Enrolment Verification and the signed Response to an Offer of Award form will be returned to you. You will then need to submit them directly to CIHR (via email indicated on the form).
• GPS will update your CIHR award status in the GSMS Awards Portal as per your acceptance date. If you need to change your award start date from what you initially sent to CIHR, please let both CIHR and us know.
• Send the following Tri-Agency documents to grad.awards@ualberta.ca; GPS uses the Tri-Agency documents to accept the award offer at the university:
  • Confirmation of Commencement (CFC) - This form will become available to the your ResearchNet account 2 months prior to the start date you indicated on the Response to an Offer of Award form (for example, if you chose a start date of September 1st, it will appear on July 1st). If your start date is within 2 months of the current date then the form will appear within a few hours of completing your Response to an Offer of Award. If it does not, it is because the information you filled in your Response to an Offer of Award form (Institution, Faculty and/or Department) does not match the information provided on your original application. In this case, please email CIHR for further information. This form must be signed by you and your current program supervisor only and must be submitted directly to CIHR via email indicated on the form.
  • Authorization for Funding Form - CIHR sends out this document to the recipient upon receiving the Confirmation of Commencement Form from the student

NSERC:

• Copy of the offer letter “Notification of Results” from NSERC’s secure site
• Tri-Agency's Request for First Installment or Reinstatement of Award Paid by Canadian Institution form.
  • This form is required to pay the award at the university. Students are to ensure to complete the appropriate form “Paid by Canadian Institution”, not “Award Paid Directly to Award Holder”.
  • Complete Parts 1, 2, and 3; leave Part 4 blank. GPS will sign and complete this section as the university official, and will return to the agency on students’ behalf.

SSHRC:

• Copy of the offer letter “Notice of Award” from SSHRC’s secure site
• Copy of the “Notice of Decision” from SSHRC’s secure site
• Tri-Agency's Request for First Installment or Reinstatement of Award Paid by Canadian Institution form:
  • This form is required to pay the award at the university. Students are to ensure to complete the appropriate form “Paid by Canadian Institution”, not “Award Paid Directly to Award Holder”.
  • Complete Parts 1, 2, and 3; leave Part 4 blank. GPS will sign and complete this section as the university official, and will return to the agency on students’ behalf.

Students’ renewable award will be viewable in the GSMS Awards Portal under “My Awards” with the status of "Awaiting Renewal". GPS will notify students approximately 2 months prior to the renewal start date when it will be viewable in GSMS.

It is the student’s responsibility to send the renewal request to GPS via GSMS approximately 4 weeks before the start of the renewal year. Requests for renewals are subject to review by GPS Awards staff. Note that the value and specifics of the award may be adjusted. Renewal request requirements:

1) Student supervisor's authorization via GSMS: 

To request the supervisor's authorization and to renew the award, follow the complete GSMS Awards: Renew My Award instructions (also available on GPS’s website under Awards and Funding/Award Resources/Student Resources/Renew my Award).

Enter a due-date for the supervisor sign-off that is as late as possible before the renewal deadline. Ensure the request is properly submitted; incomplete submission requests may result in delayed payments.

2) Required form for all Tri-Council (CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC) Doctoral award holders: the completed Tri-Agency Doctoral Awards Progress Report (also available in the Forms Cabinet (under Awards\Awards Management)):

• the Progress Report must be signed by the Department's Graduate Coordinator/Chair (not the student’s program supervisor); students are responsible for securing the appropriate signature from their Department.
• the Progress Report is required to initiate payments; it is students’ responsibility to ensure that the Progress Report is complete in every respect, once uploaded. If incomplete, including missing signature(s) and/or unmarked checkbox (Student Progress), delays in processing will occur and may result in delayed payments.

3) Award requirements: students must meet the eligibility requirements of their award set out within the Graduate Scholarship Committee Scholarships and Awards Manual (SAM).

• the SAM is located in GPS's Forms Cabinet.
• the award is also subject to the regulations outlined in the Tri-Agency Research Training Award Holder’s Guide.