Postgraduate Scholarships – Doctoral or Postdoctoral Fellowships

Instructions for completing an application – form 201

• General information
• Completing the application
• Signatures
• List for a complete application

General information

About the program

Important: Form 201 must be submitted electronically.

The application platform will open in late July, within five business days of the launch of the funding opportunity.

Read the relevant program description for the NSERC Postgraduate Scholarships – Doctoral program or Postdoctoral Fellowships program before you complete the application.

Refer to the resource videos and frequently asked questions for applicants for more information.

Use form 201 if you are applying for

• Postgraduate Scholarships – Doctoral (PGS D)
• Postdoctoral Fellowships (PDF)

If you are interested in a Canada Graduate Scholarship – Doctoral (CGS D), apply for a PGS D. There is no separate application form or process for the CGS D program. If your application is one of the highest scored applications, you will be offered a CGS D.

Application deadlines

If you are applying through an institution, you must submit your application by the deadline set by the institution. If you are applying directly to NSERC, you must submit your application before 8:00 p.m. (ET) on October 17. If the deadline falls on a weekend or on a federal statutory holiday, applications must be submitted before 8:00 p.m. (ET) the following business day.

For the PGS D program, how you apply depends on your registration status as of the application deadline date and/or your registration status in the calendar year of application. The majority of applications are submitted through a Canadian institution. In certain circumstances, you may be eligible to apply directly to NSERC (refer to “Where should I submit my application?”). Application deadline dates are different in each scenario. See the NSERC Postgraduate Scholarships – Doctoral program description for details.

If you are contacting your current and/or former institution(s) to obtain official transcripts and supporting documents, including reports on the applicant, remember that it may take time for them to provide you with the information requested. It is advisable to plan ahead and have your application completed in advance of the application deadline.

Note: If you submit your application directly to NSERC, NSERC will acknowledge receipt of your application by email. If your application is submitted through the institution, the status of your application will be reflected on the Portfolio page of your application.

Presentation standards

On each page of the online application, you will find instructions and tips on how to complete your application. Some of the sections require free-form text and must be converted to portable document format (PDF) and appended electronically to the application. Documents that have been password protected cannot be read and, therefore, cannot be attached. Do not password protect documents you plan to attach to your application. The filename of a document should be fewer than 15 characters long and cannot contain special characters (excluding the underscore). It is your responsibility to allow enough time to resolve any formatting issues in advance of the deadline. Any section that is not used for its intended purpose may be redacted or removed from the application.

You are responsible for submitting a complete application that conforms to the presentation standards established by NSERC. Incomplete applications will be rejected. Applications that do not meet presentation standards may be rejected or may be at a disadvantage in comparison with those that respect the presentation standards.

With the exception of personal contact information, NSERC will not accept any changes or updates to your application once it has been submitted, either before or after the deadline. Personal contact information may be updated by sending an email to schol@nserc-crsng.gc.ca.

For more information, read the NSERC online presentation and attachment standards.

Personal information

The collection, use and disclosure of personal information provided to NSERC is outlined in the following policy statements:

• The Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act (including the use and disclosure of personal information provided to NSERC)
• Data retention information
• Privacy notice

The information you provide in your application is collected under the authority of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Act. NSERC is subject to the  Access to Information Act and the  Privacy Act. The information you provide is stored in a series of NSERC data banks described in  Information about programs and information holdings.

Help with program information

Contact the staff responsible for the program to which you are applying.

Help with the NSERC online system

• Consult the frequently asked questions on how to use the online system.
• Review the instructions available in the application.
• Contact the online services helpdesk by sending an email to webapp@nserc-crsng.gc.ca or by calling 1-855-275-2861. Include your email address and telephone number in your message.

Completing the application

Application profile

Title of proposal

The title may be used for publication purposes. It should describe the subject of the research for which you are seeking support. It should not contain a company or trade name. Spell out scientific symbols and acronyms.

Proposed start date of award

Indicate the date on which you plan to take up the award if your application is successful. See the Program guide for students and fellows and the Tri-agency research training award holder’s guide for details and available start dates.

Current status - PGS D only

You must choose one of the following that applies to your situation:

• Option A: You are currently registered at an institution (Canadian or foreign) without a quota for NSERC.
• Option B: You were not registered at any time during the calendar year of application in a degree program at any institution, with or without a quota for NSERC.
• Option C: You are currently registered in a degree program at a Canadian institution with a quota for NSERC, or are on an approved leave of absence from such a degree program.
• Option D: You are not currently registered in a degree program but were registered at any other time during the calendar year of application in a degree program at a Canadian institution with a quota for NSERC.

Failure to submit an application through the correct channel will result in your application being rejected. You should contact NSERC for guidance if you have questions about choosing the correct submission channel.

Person profile

Personal identification number (PIN)

All NSERC applicants have received, or will receive, an NSERC PIN. Refer to your PIN each time you apply for an award and in future correspondence with NSERC. If you have not previously applied to NSERC, leave the field blank and a PIN will automatically be assigned by the online system. If you have previously applied to NSERC and do not remember your PIN, contact the online services helpdesk. If you have your PIN, go to the eConsole page, select Maintain user profile and enter your PIN. It will then appear on the Person profile page of the application.

Collection of self-identification data

Equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) strengthen research communities and the quality, social relevance and impact of research. Self-identification data provides information on the diversity of the population applying for and receiving agency funds. This data is important for monitoring the fairness of our programs and informing future measures to increase EDI among all those involved in the research enterprise. You are asked to complete two sets of self-identification questions prior to submitting your application: a self-identification questionnaire, whose data is used for general statistical purposes and additional consent questions, whose data may be used to improve equity in funding outcomes and/or to identify recipients for targeted scholarship and fellowship funding opportunities.

Self-identification questionnaire:

• Self-identification data is collected as part of the application process and is not seen or used either by the NSERC selection committee members or by your references. You will not be able to submit your application if you have not completed the self-identification questionnaire. If you did not complete the questionnaire when you created your account, you can find it by returning to the eConsole page and selecting Maintain user profile under Account management.

Self-identification statement:

• Institutions are permitted to recommend an unlimited number of self-identified Indigenous* applicants to the PGS D program above their application quota. To be considered for this, Indigenous applicants must provide consent within the application form to share this information with their institutions and NSERC. 

Additional consent questions:

• To address systemic barriers that limit the full participation of all talented individuals, NSERC aims for the proportion of short-listed and funded applications from those who self-identify as members of underrepresented groups to be at least similar to the proportion of applications received from these groups. This rebalancing of proportions is only used as needed, and only for meritorious applications. Underrepresented groups may include women and gender minorities, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities/racialized groups, and members of LGBTQ2+ communities. If you consent to your self-identification data being used in this way, you must indicate this in the application form.
• To be considered for programs targeted at underrepresented groups (for example, NSERC and L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science supplement, Fisheries and Oceans Canada Aquatic Science supplement), you must give your consent to use your self-identification data in 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.

Addresses

If your current mailing address is temporary, indicate the leaving date. If your address changes after submitting your application, inform NSERC by sending an email to schol@nserc-crsng.gc.ca.

Academic background

Include only current and past programs. If you are currently registered in a program starting in the fall session of the year of application, it must be included here. For degree programs you have completed, provide the date on which all requirements of the degree were met, including successful defence and submission of the corrected copy of your thesis (in accordance with your institution’s regulations)—not the conferred or convocation date indicated on your transcript. Your faculty of graduate studies (or its equivalent) may be asked to confirm the date the degree requirements were met.

If you began a master’s degree and transferred to a doctoral degree without completing the master’s, indicate this by selecting the appropriate field. For your doctorate, the start date will be the date on which you were first officially registered in a PhD program.

If you have more than one bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree, indicate the natural sciences and engineering (NSE) degree(s) in the area of research for which you are applying for funding in the appropriate Type of degree section, specifying Bachelor’s, Master’s or Doctorate, and indicate the other degree in the Other degree section. Under Name of discipline, indicate the complete, exact title of your program of study (for example, PhD in psychology – cognitive psychology).

You must provide transcripts for every degree listed in this section. Refer to the detailed transcript requirements below for more information.

Academic, research and other relevant work experience

Indicate how you gained the experience (for example, during a program of study).

Awards

Scholarships and other awards offered

List only competitive awards based on academic or research excellence and/or leadership or communication abilities (including NSERC awards and declined awards). You may list up to ten awards, starting with the most recent. List full monetary value, not the annual stipend.

Proposed location(s) of tenure

PGS D

Specify a maximum of three proposed locations of tenure. You may take up your PGS D at any eligible Canadian institution. You may also take it up at any eligible foreign institution, provided you have received a previous degree from a Canadian institution.

Note: Under Program of study, indicate the complete, exact title of the proposed program (for example, PhD in psychology – cognitive psychology). Consult the Eligibility criteria for students and fellows for information on eligibility of the proposed program.

PDF

Specify a maximum of three proposed locations of tenure. If your PhD was granted by an institution outside of Canada, only locations of tenure within Canada are eligible. Refer to the Proposed location(s) of tenure section in the PDF program description for more information.

Justification for location of tenure

PDF only

• All PDF applications must include this section.
• Provide a detailed rationale for your choice(s) for location of tenure. This could include a description of your proposed supervisor’s expertise and why you want to work with them, the relevance of the training environment to your proposed research, the steps you have taken (if any) to communicate with the proposed supervisor(s), etc.
• NSERC encourages PDF award holders to broaden their research experience by gaining exposure to different research environments. You are not permitted to hold your fellowship at the same institution (or its affiliated hospitals, research centres and other laboratories) where you received your doctorate. However, you may include a request for an exception in this section that will be considered by the selection committee. The request must be based on medical reasons (for example, proximity to required health care facilities), family reasons (for example, a spouse’s career) or scientific reasons (for example, availability of specialized equipment) that make it extremely difficult for you to leave a particular institution. Even if your exception is granted, you cannot be supervised by your PhD supervisor. You are strongly encouraged to include an alternate location of tenure for your award in case your request for an exception is not approved.
• You may not hold a PDF with your PhD supervisor, even if your supervisor changes research institutions.

Scholarship or fellowship information

In the Scholarship or fellowship information page of your application, indicate your choice by selecting the appropriate field.

PGS D

Detailed information on completing this section is found on the Information page of the application.

Theses completed or in progress

In the Thesis information page of your application, provide the full title and summary of your most recent thesis completed. If you have not completed a thesis at the bachelor’s or master’s level, please provide the full title and summary of your in-progress thesis. If you are describing an in-progress thesis, include only work that has already been done; do not repeat the information provided in the Outline of proposed research section.

If you are applying for a PDF, describe your doctoral thesis in this section.

If you are applying for a PGS D, describe your master’s thesis in this section. If you did not complete a master’s thesis, describe your honours thesis in this section. If you completed neither a master’s nor an honours thesis, you may describe one of your major research projects or papers in this section, or you may describe the work done to date on your doctoral degree. Do not repeat the information provided in the Outline of proposed research section.

Keywords and research subject code

In the Keywords and research subject code page of your application, choose up to ten keywords and the research subject code that most closely corresponds to your proposed research. Consult the List of research subject codes for scholarships and fellowships.

Each NSERC scholarships and fellowships selection committee is associated with a specific set of research subject codes and research disciplines. The research subject code entered on your application will determine the selection committee in which your application will be evaluated. NSERC may assign your application to a different selection committee if it determines that the subject matter is more appropriate for another selection committee.

Note: If your research is in animal biology and psychology

• select code 5501 for neurophysiology related to biological sciences
• select code 6308 for neurophysiology related to behavioural sciences

Equity, diversity and inclusion considerations in the research process

Considering equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in the research process, where relevant, promotes research excellence by making it more relevant to society as a whole, more ethically sound, rigorous, reproducible and useful. You are invited to consider your work through a critical EDI lens by systematically examining how diversity factors such as sex (biological), gender (socio cultural), race, ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, geographic location, among other possible relevant factors, and their intersections may affect the research questions, design, methodology, analysis, interpretation and dissemination of results. Incorporating EDI considerations in your proposal, where relevant, can strengthen your proposal and will be taken into consideration by the selection committee members during review.

NSERC acknowledges that EDI considerations may not be applicable in the context of some research projects, but nonetheless encourages you to fully consider their relevance, as they apply to more areas than one might think. Generally, research that involves or impacts human subjects, organisms capable of differentiation, or their tissues or cells can benefit from such considerations. It is important to thoroughly reflect on the type of data collected and who might be impacted by the research findings before concluding that EDI considerations are not relevant. For more information consult the Equity, diversity and inclusion considerations at each stage of the research process web page.

In the Equity, diversity and inclusion considerations in the research process module of your application, you will be asked if EDI considerations have been taken into account at any of the stages of the research process for your proposed research. The stages of the research process include: research questions, design of the study, methodology, data collection, analysis, interpretation and dissemination of results.

If you answer “Yes,” you should ensure that you include the relevant EDI considerations in your proposal and use the text box to explain your answer.

If you answer “No,” you will be provided with a text box to explain why EDI considerations have not been taken into account.

Important notes:

• If EDI considerations are not relevant to your proposed research, their lack of inclusion will not negatively impact the evaluation of your proposal.
• This module is intended for EDI considerations in the research process. EDI considerations in your research team and/or research environment should not be described in the text box.

Outline of proposed research (attachment – two pages maximum)

In the Outline of proposed research page of your application, provide the requested information according to the guidelines and format standards outlined in the NSERC online presentation and attachment standards.

You must complete this section independently.

Provide a detailed yet concise description of your proposed research project for the period during which you are to hold the award. Be as specific as possible. Provide background information to position your proposed research within the context of the current knowledge in the field. State the significance of the proposed research to a field or fields in NSE. State the objectives and hypothesis, and outline the experimental or theoretical approach to be taken (citing literature pertinent to the proposal) and the methods and procedures to be used.

In addition:

• Your research must be in the natural sciences and engineering.
• You should not repeat the information found in the Theses completed or in progress section, but you may refer to it.
• Include all relevant information in the outline. Do not refer members to URLs or other publications for supplemental information. Such additional information will not be reviewed.
• If the proposed research is a continuation of your thesis, clearly state the differences between work done for your thesis and the research activities outlined in this proposal.
• Write your proposal in clear, plain language, and avoid jargon. Your application will be reviewed by a selection committee covering a broad discipline category.
• NSERC expects you to write your research proposal independently and to properly reference ideas or text belonging to others.
• PDF only: You should include your references within the two-page Outline of proposed research section.

Bibliography (optional attachment – five pages maximum)

PGS D only
NSERC expects you to properly reference ideas or text belonging to others. Use this section to list references to works that are cited in or directly relevant to your Outline of proposed research (that is, do not list additional or unnecessary references to fill up the space). Follow the citation conventions that are appropriate to your research discipline or field.

Justification for eligibility of proposed research (optional attachment – one page maximum)

Complete this section if your research has any link, overlap or relevance to health or social sciences and humanities (for example, psychology, management studies, geography, physical education, biomedical engineering, health sciences, bioinformatics, biostatistics, etc.).

This section will only be used by NSERC staff to review eligibility. It will not be shared with the selection committee. It provides you with the opportunity to explain in plain language why you have chosen to apply to NSERC as opposed to one of the other federal granting agencies (Canadian Institutes of Health Research [CIHR] or Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council [SSHRC]).  It is strongly recommended that you refer to the Selecting the appropriate federal granting agency page and the Addendum to the guidelines for the eligibility of applications related to health for more information about the agencies’ mandates.

In cases where the proposed research is deemed to fall within the mandate of either CIHR or SSHRC, NSERC may reject your application. If you have received previous funding from NSERC, this does not mean that you are automatically deemed eligible for continued NSERC funding. As you advance in your studies, if the focus of your research changes from NSE to the health or social sciences and humanities areas, you may no longer be eligible for NSERC support. For important information about the eligible fields of research, refer to the Eligibility criteria for students and fellows.

Describe the NSE research challenges of the project on which you propose to work during the tenure of your scholarship or fellowship. Clearly explain what you will be doing and why it should be considered research that is predominantly NSE.

Note: Proposals that include the use of methodologies, tools, techniques and knowledge from NSE are not automatically considered eligible for NSERC support. The proposed research must clearly be intended to advance knowledge in NSE.

Points to consider

Consult NSERC’s Eligibility criteria for students and fellows, including the eligibility criteria for proposed research and programs of study, and carefully read the Government of Canada’s guidelines on  Selecting the appropriate federal granting agency. Give particular attention to the government’s guidelines for the eligibility of applications related to health and its guidelines for the eligibility of applications in psychology, if they are applicable to your research.

Contributions and statements (attachment)

In the Contributions and statements section of your application, provide the requested information according to the guidelines and format standards outlined in the NSERC online presentation and attachment standards.

Given the page limits, be selective and summarize information where appropriate. You must provide information in the three parts listed below. The maximum number of pages you are permitted to use in total, for all three parts, is

• PGS D– two pages
• PDF – four pages

Provide the required information using the specified headings below in the order indicated.

Part I – Contributions to research and development

Begin with your most recent contributions and list each entry on a new line. Do not include any contributions that are currently in preparation or articles on which you do not appear as an author. Use the following headings in the order indicated:

1. Articles published or accepted in peer-reviewed journals
2. Other peer-reviewed contributions (for example, communications, papers in peer-reviewed conference proceedings, posters)—do not repeatedly list the same proceeding from multiple conferences, proceedings for future conferences or your thesis here
3. Non-peer-reviewed contributions (for example, specialized publications, technical reports, conference presentations, posters)
4. Technology transfer
5. Contributions resulting from your participation in industrially relevant R&D activities
6. Patents and copyrights awarded (for example, software, but not publications)

Use the following format:

• Full authorship as it appears or as it will appear in the original publication (with your name in bold)
• Year
• Title
• Publication name and volume
• First and last page numbers

Example

I. Contributions to research and development a. Articles published or accepted in peer-reviewed journals Li, H., Surname, X.X., and Kay, M. (1994) Protein-structure interactions in cell membranes. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 269: 1120-1124 (PhD work).

Notes:

• Publications accepted or in press: Indicate the date of acceptance and the number of pages submitted.
• Patents: Include the title and names of joint inventors.
• Posters: Indicate the presenting author with an asterisk (*). Example: Surname, X.X.*.
• Conferences: Indicate whether institutional, regional, provincial, national or international. Make a distinction between oral and poster presentations.
• In all cases, indicate whether the publication resulted from work done in the process of completing your undergraduate, master’s or doctoral degree or from other relevant work experience.
• Co-authored publications: Briefly specify your role in joint publications or explain the rationale or practice for the order of authors, in the publications listed. You may use a percentage to approximate your portion of the contribution instead. 
• Updates to your publication record will not be accepted after the application has been submitted.

Technology transfer letter

Many contributions to industry or other end-users take the form of technical or internal reports that are confidential, to protect proprietary information, or are subject to patent or copyright protection. If your record includes contributions of this kind, and these cannot be elaborated upon in your application for confidentiality reasons, you may include a one-page letter from the institution or company involved, attesting to the confidential nature of this contribution. If you are applying directly to NSERC, you can send the letter separately from your application to schol@nserc-crsng.gc.ca. If you are applying through a Canadian institution, you must send the letter to your faculty of graduate studies (or its equivalent).

You must forward the following instructions to the individual writing this letter:

• The letter should be no longer than one page.
• The letter should attest to the nature and significance of the contribution in as specific terms as possible (without disclosing confidential or protected information).
• The letter should not address research or leadership skills beyond the scope of the applicant’s contributions to the confidential or protected work.
• The letter will be forwarded to the selection committee for consideration only if it clearly addresses and demonstrates the confidential or protected nature of the contribution.

Part II – Most significant contributions to research and development

From the contributions listed in Part I, choose up to three that you judge to be your most significant contributions to research and development. Comment on the importance of these contributions to the research area.

For each contribution

• describe your role in the research; clarify your contribution to collaborative research and to the actual writing of joint publications
• discuss the reasons for publishing in certain journals (for example, target audiences, review procedures)
• provide details, as appropriate, on the significance of technical reports and original research reported in books or technical reports
• indicate any collaboration with other researchers
• discuss the relevance of your work to engineering practice or industrial processes if appropriate

Part III – Applicant’s statement

In this section, group your comments under the following headings:

• Research experience
  
  Describe the scientific or engineering abilities that you have gained through your past research experience, including special projects, honours thesis and co-op reports. If you have relevant work experience, discuss the relevance of that experience to your proposed field of study or research and any benefits you gained from it. Do not repeat any information you provided in Part II.
  
  
• Relevant activities – PGS D
  
  

  Describe your professional, academic and extracurricular activities, interactions, and collaborations that best demonstrate your relevant experiences and achievements obtained within and beyond academia. Examples of these include

  • scholarships, awards and distinctions
  • academic record
  • teaching, mentoring, supervising or coaching
  • managing projects
  • participating in science promotion, community outreach, volunteer work or civic engagement
  • chairing committees or organizing conferences and meetings
  • participating in departmental or institutional organizations, associations, safety committees, societies or clubs
    
    
• Relevant activities – PDF
  
  

  Describe your professional, academic and extracurricular activities, interactions and collaborations that best demonstrate your relevant communication, interpersonal and leadership skills. Examples of these include

• teaching, mentoring, supervising or coaching
• managing projects
• participating in science promotion, community outreach, volunteer work or civic engagement
• chairing committees or organizing conferences and meetings
• participating in departmental or institutional organizations, associations, safety committees, societies or clubs
• industrial work experience
• awards for papers, reports, posters, oral presentations, teaching or volunteer and outreach work
• showing leadership and active participation in the area of safety, including laboratory safety

For uploading purposes, all three parts of the Contributions and statements section must be saved into a single PDF file.

Special circumstances (optional)

Describe any special circumstances that have had an effect on your performance or productivity. This includes delays in disseminating research results due to health problems, family responsibilities, parental leave, disabilities, trauma and loss or other applicable circumstances. Explain any gaps in the chronology of your experience (including relevant employment). This section can also be used to describe the impact of COVID-19 on any aspect of the application. Describe any special circumstances that may have delayed, disrupted or interrupted studies or research, or otherwise affected the performance on which the assessment for funding will be made.

The description of special circumstances should include the following information as needed:

• The duration of the delay/interruption and if applicable a percentage of reduction in workload.
• A clear description of its impact, including if relevant, the type of research contribution impacted (for example, publications, data collection, presentations, etc.).
• For delays relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, specify the impacts and how they relate to your particular circumstances (for example, lab access, equipment delays, family responsibilities, etc.). Explain what you did to adjust or compensate in response to these impacts. 

Note: You should avoid identifying other individuals in this section.

The selection committee members are asked to recognize delays and assess the quality of your performance and productivity during your active period (that is, excluding the period of special circumstances). If your supervisor is unable to provide you with a report on the applicant, you may use this section to provide an explanation.

Transcripts and proof of registration (attachment)

A complete application includes a copy of all up-to-date official transcripts and proof of registration, where applicable. Carefully review the detailed instructions below for both general and program-specific requirements.

General requirements:

• Official transcripts are defined as transcripts issued by the institution’s registrar’s office. Transcripts from other sources, such as those printed from the student’s account on the institution’s website, are not official.
• Opening the transcript envelope and scanning the transcript will not render the transcript unofficial.
• Transcripts and proof of registration must be scanned (black and white recommended) and saved as a single PDF file.
• NSERC will not accept transcripts and proof of registration submitted under separate cover. 
• You must include only one copy of the legend (for each transcript). Do not scan the legend multiple times.
• If you have transcripts written in a language other than English or French, you must provide a certified English or French translation.

It is your responsibility to ensure that your transcripts are complete and legible once uploaded. This is particularly relevant for transcripts with security features in place to prevent duplication. In all cases, you are responsible for ensuring that your application is complete by reviewing and previewing the final version of the online application before it is submitted to NSERC. Updates to your application package will not be accepted after submission. Incomplete applications will be rejected.

Additional guidelines:

• PGS D applications must include up-to-date transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate studies in the Transcripts page of the application.
• All programs of study listed in the application, even if not completed, must be accompanied by up-to-date transcripts.
• If a PGS D application has transcripts that include transfer credits from another institution, the grades for these credits must be shown. If the grades are not shown, the original transcript from the other institution must be included in the application. This includes international exchange programs. Exception: Canadian college and CEGEP transcripts are not required (even if they contain transfer credits).
• If you start a program in the fall session of the year of application and your institution cannot provide transcripts demonstrating current registration in the program, you must provide other documentation issued by the institution to confirm current registration in the program.
• PDF applications must include transcripts of doctoral studies only.

Programs without course work or transcripts

If your degree program does not include course work, you must still provide an up-to-date transcript demonstrating registration in your program.

If your institution does not provide transcripts, you must submit, in lieu of a transcript, a certificate of matriculation, a letter bearing the official institution seal/stamp or a letter signed by the dean of graduate studies.

This document must confirm

• your program of study
• your registration status
• the date on which you started the program of study
• the fact that the institution does not provide transcripts (not necessary for a certificate of matriculation)
  

Reports on the applicant

Each application submitted to NSERC must be accompanied by two reports on the applicant.

The reports must be completed by persons capable of making an informed assessment.

• One report should be from a person very familiar with your research and other abilities; for example, current academic research supervisor or industrial supervisor (in the case of co-op students), previous academic research, industrial or Undergraduate Student Research Award supervisor.
• The second report should be from a person sufficiently familiar with your research and other abilities to provide a meaningful commentary.
• A report on the applicant cannot be completed by a proposed supervisor unless that person is currently your supervisor or has been your supervisor in the past.
• If your current or past supervisor is unable to provide you with a report on the applicant, you may use the Special circumstances section to provide an explanation.

What you should do:

• Contact your proposed references to ensure they are willing to complete a report for you.
• In the Report on the applicant page of your application, enter the name and email address of each of the references who will be completing a report, as well as the deadline on which you would like the report to be completed, which you select from a pop-up calendar. Note that this date must be well before the application deadline to allow you to successfully submit your completed application on time.
• Once the information is saved, the system will generate an email to each reference inviting them to complete a report on the applicant. References will have access to your in-progress or completed application.
• Contact your references to inform them that you have sent them a report to complete.
• Provide your references with the selection criteria of the relevant program (PGS D or PDF), and the Instructions for completing a report on the applicant – form 201.
• You can verify the status of the request on the Report on the applicant page.
• Your application will remain incomplete until both reports have been submitted.
• NSERC recommends following up with your references, as you will be unable to submit your application until both reports are received.

This page offers three functionalities:

1. Delete: Allows you to delete a report.
2. Resend: Allows you to send a reminder to your references.
3. Unlock: Allows you to unlock the report once it has been completed so changes can be made by the reference. Unlocking the report does not allow you to view the report. Once it is unlocked, you must select the Resend function to resubmit the invitation to the reference. Inform your reference that the report has been unlocked to allow them to make the required modifications and resubmit the report.

Signatures

Before you can submit your application to NSERC, you must read and agree to the terms and conditions of applying that appear in a pop-up window during the submission process. It is your responsibility to retain a copy of the agreed terms and conditions for your records.

The signatures of the institutional authorities (if applicable) certify that

• the institution will abide by the roles and responsibilities as set out in the  Agreement on the administration of agency grants and awards by research institutions with the three federal granting agencies, including the  Tri-agency framework: Responsible conduct of research
• the institution agrees to comply with NSERC’s data-protection requirements and has adequate safeguards in place to protect sensitive information entrusted to it by NSERC for the purpose of administering applications and awards

List for a complete application

Use the following lists to make sure your application for a PGS D or PDF (form 201) is complete.