VANIER CANADA GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP

In honor of the distinguished Canadian soldier and francophone diplomat Major- General Georges P. Vanier, the Govt. of Canada launched the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship to attract and retain excellent doctoral students across Canada and around the World. The Vanier CGS program is one of the most prestigious doctoral scholarship programs in Canada with an aim to establish Canada as a global center of excellence in research and higher learning, thereby providing amazing opportunities to international students.

Aspects	Details
Offered by	Government of Canada
Type of Award	Merit based
Level of Study	Doctoral/ PhD
Subjects/ Fields	Health, Natural Sciences, Engineering, Social Science and Humanities
Deadline	Closed on Oct 30th, 2024
Website	https://vanier.gc.ca/en/home-accueil.html

Eligible Countries for Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship

The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship is available for all international students across the world who are interested in pursuing doctoral studies in Canada. The citizens or permanent residents of Canada are also eligible to apply for this scholarship.

Scholarship Benefits

• CAD 50,000 per year for up to 3 years.

Eligibility Criteria

• Nominated by one Canadian Institute with a Vanier CGS Quota.
• Pursuing or intend to pursue your first doctoral degree 
• Be pursuing their first doctoral degree (including joint undergraduate/graduate research programs such as MD/PhD, DVM/PhD, JD/PhD). Make sure only the PhD portion of a joint program is eligible for funding.
• Have not completed more than 32 months of full time doctoral program, i.e., joint graduate research program, directly from Master’s by May 1 of the year of application.
• Have completed no more than 20 months of doctoral studies after Master’s  as of May 1 of the year of application.
• Have achieved a first-class average in each of the last two years of full-time study or equivalent.
• Not have already received a doctoral-level scholarship or fellowship from CIHR, NSERC, or SSHRC to undertake or complete a doctoral degree.

Documents Required

• Research Net Application Form
• Academic transcripts
• CV
• Personal Leadership Statement
• Institutional Nomination letter
• Special Circumstance document (if any)
• Research Proposal
• Two Reference Letters

Application Process

Applications for the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships can be initiated in two ways- first, the student informs their intent of applying for the scholarship to their institution or second, the institution initiates the nomination process by contacting the desired candidate. Either way you cannot apply directly to the Vanier CGS program you have to have your university as a middleman. 

If you are going with the first step:

• Visit Research Net and register.
• Complete the application form and submit it to the nominating institution by their internal deadline. 
• Sometimes you may be asked to submit a Preliminary Assessment Form (PAF) to the Faculty of Graduate Studies Scholarship Office.
• Only students who have been successful at the PAF stage may apply to the main competition.
• The institute will perform the selection process and notify you.   

Important Dates

The PAF for 2025 Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship competitions are closed now. The 2026 competition will open in Spring of 2025, i.e. around March to May with deadlines lying around the last week of October. However, you should verify the institute’s internal deadlines. 

Selection process and criteria

The winners of the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship are selected through an evaluation by one of the three federal granting agencies: The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). The eligible candidates are selected based on the following three qualities which are equally weighted:

• Academic Excellence: Your academic history and demonstrated excellence throughout your journey.
• Research Potential: Your interest in research/ discovery, research history, research proposal as well as its potential contribution in the development or advancement of your field.
• Leadership: Your leadership potential and demonstrated ability beyond the expected norms.

You must attain an average score of at least 3.1 in each criteria to be considered eligible for funding.

Tips for Applicants

• Focus on your Personal Leadership Statement and Research Proposal as these are the important parts of your application. But keep in mind that theses should not exceed 2 pages, if it’s in English and not more than 2.5 pages for French  applications. 
• Keep your research contributions compact in one page and do not try to include any irrelevant information. This will lead to disinterest of the evaluators. 
• Try to submit your PAFs as early as possible. This will give you more time for applications and you could get a chance to be invited to the Vanier workshop hosted by the Associate Dean. 
• Clearly articulate your research proposal, its significance, methodology, and potential impact. Demonstrate a strong research history and provide evidence of your ability to carry out the proposed research.
• Provide concrete examples of leadership roles and initiatives in academic, professional, and community settings. Highlight any awards or recognition for leadership and volunteer activities.

FAQs