Eligibility requirements for individuals to apply for or hold grant funds

Definitions of roles

As an individual affiliated with an eligible Canadian institution you may be eligible to apply for and hold NSERC grant funds as either an applicant or a co-applicant, however:

• You must not be currently deemed ineligible to hold and/or apply for funds by CIHR, NSERC or SSHRC, or by any research funding organization worldwide to apply for or hold funding, in any role, for reasons of breach of policies on responsible conduct of research, such as ethics, integrity or financial management policies (e.g. Tri-Agency Framework: Responsible Conduct of Research).
• You must have accounts in good standing with NSERC, including having paid or returned all money owing to NSERC. The determination of whether an account is in good standing shall be at the sole and absolute discretion of NSERC.

Your role in a grant application determines eligibility to use funds.

Applicant

Leads the direction of the proposed research/activities, as well as coordinates the financial and administrative aspects of the application and grant as a recipient. The recipient has unrestricted access to funds subject to TAGFA. As per the Policy on Transfer Payments, a recipient is an individual or entity that either has been authorized to receive a transfer payment or that has received that transfer payment.

Co-applicant

May lead some of the proposed research/activities and may have access to grant funds as a recipient.

Only eligible co-applicants included on the original grant application are eligible for a Change of Grant Recipient award amendment. If a program or funding opportunity doesn’t allow for co-applicants, a grant recipient’s status cannot be transferred to another individual.

Collaborator 

A member of the research team, who is expected to contribute to the intellectual direction of the research project, program of research or training as part of the research project. Collaborators will not have access to grant funds as recipients. With the exception of travel and travel-related subsistence expenses, NSERC does not cover expenses that collaborators incur in the conduct of research or research-related activity.

As a member of the research team on a grant application, collaborators would be subject to applicable policy requirements at the application stage and for the duration of the grant.

Eligibility requirements for applicants and co-applicants

Appointment at an eligible Canadian institution

You must hold or have a firm offer of an appointment at an eligible Canadian institution to hold grant funds. If the offer of a position is still pending approval at the time of application, it must be confirmed in writing to NSERC within six weeks following the application deadline. Your appointment must be ratified by the person(s) or body responsible for approving appointments or their authorized delegate(s).

The appointment can be:

1. Permanent (no fixed end date)
2. A term or contract that can be renewed during the grant term if the eligible appointment is not established for the full grant term.

When your primary affiliation is outside of Canada, you are only eligible if you are affiliated full-time with an eligible Canadian institution for the duration of the grant.

Individuals are considered affiliated to any institution at which they are employed, appointed, or conduct research.

Adjunct is considered a part-time position. Adjuncts whose primary affiliation is outside of Canada are not eligible for NSERC funding.

A change in position from paid to unpaid will not necessarily affect compliance with eligibility requirements, especially those related to supervision of students or postdoctoral fellows.

Research and student supervision

Your responsibilities at the eligible Canadian institution must include engagement in research that is not under the direction of another individual, and

For university applicants or co-applicants, permission to supervise and/or co-supervise the research of students or postdoctoral fellows.

The supervision of postdoctoral fellows or thesis supervision of students registered in an undergraduate or graduate degree program would meet this requirement. The supervision of regular course or laboratory assignments is not considered as supervision or co-supervision of students.

Sources of salary/support

1. Your appointment at an eligible Canadian institution must not be conditional on obtaining NSERC grants or other non-NSERC sources of support, including salary support.
2. Your salary must not be paid by NSERC, SSHRC, or CIHR grant funds. Exceptions include: institutional grants, and those under the agencies’ salary support programs.

Additional Requirements

• If you are enrolled in a graduate program, you must complete all degree requirements and take up your research appointment at an eligible Canadian institution before any funds can be released for an NSERC grant.
• You must not simultaneously hold a grant and, hold a postdoctoral fellow position or any similar research position under the direction of another individual in any discipline.

Access to funds by adjunct professors

The primary place of affiliation of an Adjunct Professor will determine access to funds, as recipients:

Eligible Canadian Institution

• Unrestriced access, subject to TAGFA

Private, public (e.g. Federal Gov Employees*) or not-for-profit sector in Canada

• Restricted access - direct support of students and postdoctoral fellows (salaries or stipends and travel costs)

Institution outside Canada

• Not eligible and no access to funds

*Refer to Tri-agency policy on the use of funds for federal government employees applying for granting agency programs.

Individual eligibility self-assessment

1. Appointment at an eligible Canadian institution – Must answer YES to be eligible.

   Note: Applicants must hold or have a firm offer of an appointment at an eligible Canadian post-secondary institution for the duration of the award.

   Is this a permanent (no fixed end date) appointment?

   Yes/No

   Is this a term or contract that can be renewed during the grant term if the eligible appointment is not established for the full grant term?

   Yes/No

   Is the applicant’s primary affiliation in Canada or are they affiliated full-time with an eligible Canadian institution for the duration of the grant?
   
   Note: Adjunct is considered a part-time position. Adjuncts whose primary affiliation is outside of Canada are not eligible for NSERC funding.

   Yes/No

2. Research and student supervision – Must answer YES to be eligible.

   For university applicants
   Is the applicant authorized to engage in research that is not under the direction of another individual

   Yes/No

   For university applicants
   Is the applicant permitted to supervise or co-supervise the research of students registered in an undergraduate or graduate degree program, or postdoctoral fellows (e.g., thesis supervision and not supervision of regular course or laboratory assignments)?

   Yes/No

   For college applicants
   Is the applicant permitted to engage in research-related activities that are not under the direction of another individual?

   Yes/No

3. Sources of salary support – Must answer NO to be eligible.

   Is the applicant’s faculty appointment conditional on obtaining NSERC grants or other non-NSERC sources of support, including salary support?

   Yes/No

   Is the applicant’s salary paid out of NSERC, SSHRC, or CIHR grant funds?

   Yes/No

4. Additional requirements – Must answer NO to be eligible.

   At the time of award, will the applicant be enrolled in a research-intensive graduate program, or will the researcher hold a postdoctoral fellow position (or any similar research position) under the direction of another individual in any discipline?

   Yes/No

For guidance or questions, please contact: sectr@nserc-crsng.gc.ca