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Faculty of Graduate Studies

Canada Graduate Research Scholarship - Doctoral (CGRS D) program

IMPORTANT UPDATE: The CGS-Doctoral program has become the Canada Graduate Research Scholarships – Doctoral (CGRS D) program as part of the harmonization of tri-agency graduate and postdoctoral funding program, effective for the Fall 2025 competition.

NEW:

  • International students are eligible to apply for a CGRS D provided they are enrolled in a doctoral program at an eligible Canadian institution at the time of application.
  • Domestic and international applicants must have completed no more than 36 months of full-time study in the doctoral program for which they are requesting funding, by December 31 of the year of application.

The CGRS D is awarded through 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).  The CGRS D supports research excellence in a wide variety of disciplines.

Refer to the CGRS D for complete program information including eligibility, application instructions, and selection criteria.

Amount

$40,000 per year for up to 3 years

Application deadline

UVic internal deadline: September 24, 2025 by noon Pacific Daylight Time (PDT)

Applying for the CGRS D

Select the granting agency below to find application instructions, resources, workshop dates, and contacts for application support.

CIHR CGRS D Part 1:  Learn about the scholarship.  Review this 10-minute presentation for information about the new CGRS D program and how to begin your application.  Play the audio for each slide by selecting the icon in the lower right corner; or, in the menu select Slide Show, then From Beginning for a continuous recording. You can also download a transcript of the audio in Microsoft Word.

CIHR CGRS D Part 2:  Application advice and support.  Attend our workshops to receive application advice, meet your CIHR faculty coaches, and have your questions answered.  Registration is not required.  All welcome!  

 Resources:

UVic Faculty Coaches (for advice and feedback on your Training expectations and Research project summary:  

Contacts: 

NSERC CGRS D Part 1:  Learn about the scholarship.  Review this 10-minute presentation for information about the new CGRS D program and how to begin your application.  Play the audio for each slide by selecting the icon in the lower right corner; or, in the menu select Slide Show, then From Beginning for a continuous recording. 

NSERC CGRS D Part 2:  Application advice and support.  Attend our workshops to receive application advice, meet your NSERC faculty coaches, hear from students who have successfully applied for the scholarship, and have your questions answered.  Registration is not required.  All welcome!  A recording of the workshop presentation will be posted here the first week of September.

  • Online workshop:  Friday, August 22, 2025, 9:00am to 10:30am Pacific Daylight Time (PDT).  Join Zoom Meeting
  • In-person workshop:  Wednesday, September 3, 2025, 10:30am to 12:00pm Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) in the Jamie Cassels Centre, Senate Chambers
  • UVic faculty coaches:  contact a coach for application advice and feedback on your research proposal
Contacts
UVic NSERC contact: Lisa Pender, Scholarship Officer, lpender@uvic.ca
NSERC program officers: schol@nserc-crsng.gc.ca
NSERC On-line System accessibility helpdesk:  webapp@nserc-crsng.gc.ca or telephone 1-855-275-2861

Please review the powerpoint presentation SSHRC CGRS D PART 1: Learn about the scholarship for introductory information about this year's competition. You can also download a transcript of the audio.

Additionally, please note the dates of our upcoming remote and in-person workshops:

Wednesday, August 13th, 10am to 11:30am - SSHRC CGRS D Part 2: Application advice and support Zoom video conferencing information session

Friday, September 5th, 12 – 2pm – SSHRC CGRS D Part 2: Application advice and support In-person information session, in the Jamie Cassels Centre, Senate Chambers.

  • Coaches: Dr. Penny Bryden, Dr. Frederick Grouzet
Contact Information

Coaches: To ensure every applicant receives the appropriate support, your assigned coach will depend on the spelling of your surname:

  • Surnames A – G † Contact SSHRC coach: Dr. Penny Bryden (pbryden@uvic.ca)

  • Surnames H – M † Contact SSHRC coach: Dr. Frederick Grouzet (fgrouzet@uvic.ca)

  • Surnames N – S † Contact SSHRC coach: Dr. Athena Madan (athenam@uvic.ca)

  • Surnames T - Z † Contact SSHRC coach: Dr. Amy Verdun (averdun@uvic.ca)

Equity initiatives

As part of the Tri-Agency commitment to supporting research by and with Indigenous peoples, there is no limit on the number of CGRS D applications from Indigenous students that may be recommended for the CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC national competitions.

In order to be included in this process, Indigenous students are invited to self-identify in their application according to the different instructions provided by each granting agency:

  • CIHR applicants:  complete the Voluntary Self-Identification Form for Indigenous Applications and upload to their application.
  • NSERC applicants:  refer to the Collection of Self-Identification Data section of the Form 201 instructions.
  • SSHRC applicants:  self-identify as Indigenous in the Application Profile Section under the heading 'Option for Self-Identified Indigenous Applicants'.

Find more information at CGRS D Indigenous student researchers and Indigenous research.

The granting agencies are establishing new processes and options for affirmation of Indigenous citizenship and membership based on consultation with Indigenous advisory groups.  The Tri-Agency Policy on Indigenous Citizenship and Membership Affirmation is being phased in program-by-program, and does not apply to the CGRS D progrm for the fall 2025 competition.

The Tri-agency Black Scholars initiative aims to strengthen equity, diversity, and inclusion in Canada's research culture by increasing support for Black Scholars. CGRS D applicants who would like to be considered for funding under this initiative are invited to self-identify in their application.

Find more information at CGRS D Black student researchers.

 Important information:  please read carefully

Applicants currently registered at UVic, on an approved leave from UVic, or who were registered in a degree program at UVic during the calendar year of application must be nominated by UVic and therefore are required to participate in the UVic application process.

Review the CGRS D Where to submit an application instructions to confirm that you should submit your application to the UVic competition.

How do I submit my application to the UVic competiton?

  • When you initiate your online application, select the option that reflects your current registration status at a Canadian institution with a quota, then select University of Victoria from the list of institutions.
  • Submit your application by the UVic internal deadline provided above.

Following the UVic internal deadline, applications are reviewed by departments who forward the most competitive applications to the campus-wide review.  Applications are then scored by a multi-disciplinary committee, with top-scoring applications forwarded to the national competition in November.

UVic is an institution with a quota, which means that CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC set a maximum number of applications that we may forward to the national competition.

Select the granting agency that best suits the research subject area of your application.  Review the CGRS D Select the appropriate agency instructions.  For applications related to health and psychology, see specific guidelines.

Applicants must meet the transcript requirements of their granting agency and the UVic transcript requirements listed below.

Applications submitted with transcripts that do not meet the requirements may be deemed ineligble.

UVic Transcripts

  • Official UVic transcripts are preferred, however, unofficial UVic transcripts (also referred to as administrative transcripts) will be accepted.
  • Order an official transcript or download an administravtive transcript through your Online Tools, Student Services.
  • It is the student's responsibility to ensure a UVic transcript legend is included.
  • The UVic transcript must be issued in the fall term of the year of application and if the applicant is currently registered it must display current registration for the fall term. 

Other institution transcripts:

  • Applicants must submit up-to-date, official transcripts, including a transcript legend.  Unofficial transcripts will not be accepted.
  • If the transcript is not presented in one of Canada's two official languages (English or French), a certified translation must be provided, in addition to the transcripts in their original language.
  • Up-to-date official transcripts are defined as transcripts issued by the Registrar's Office and dated or issued in the fall session of the year of the application (if currently registered) or after the last term completed (if not currently registered). Opening the envelope to scan the transcript to upload will not render it unofficial.

General transcript information:

  • All programs of study listed in the application, even if not completed, must be accompanied by up-to-date transcripts. This includes any program in which your are currently registered, even if you do not have any marks for the course yet (i.e., fall term courses you are currently enrolled in must be included on your transcript), as these are proof of your enrolment.
  • Carefully review the granting agency's transcript requirements for transfer credit, international exchange credit, and college/CEGEP credit as the instructions may differ for each granting agency.
  • All transcripts and proof of registration should be uploaded as a single PDF document. Retain all original transcripts as they may be requested at a later date.
  • Opening the transcript envelope and scanning the transcript will not render the transcript unofficial.
  • Include one copy of the legend (for each transcript). Do not scan the legend multiple times.

The CGRS D may be taken up in May, September, or January in the year following the competition, provided the student meets all eligibility criteria for the award.

  • Successful applicants (referred to as award holders) must provide the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) with a copy of their Offer Letter/Notice of Award from the granting agency.
  • CIHR award holders must also provide their Response to Offer form and a copy of their Confirmation of Commencement Form (available 60 days prior to the start date of their award through their ResearchNet account).
  • NSERC and SSHRC award holders must also provide a Request for First Installment Form to FGS.

Doctoral students who wish to activate their CGRS D funding in May must submit their documents as soon as possible to avoid delays in their payment.  Students who are activating their award in September or January must provide documentation by July 15/November 15 to avoid delays in payment in the fall/winter terms.