Overview | |
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Value | $45,000 per year for two years. |
Application deadline | October 17 |
How to apply | See below. |
Application form | Form 201 – Application for a Postgraduate Scholarship or Postdoctoral Fellowship To create or access an application, select Online system login. To view instructions, select PDF forms and instructions. |
For more information | Consult the contact list. Refer to the ![]() |
The Postdoctoral Fellowships (PDF) program provides support to a core of the most promising researchers at a pivotal time in their careers. The fellowships are also intended to secure a supply of highly qualified Canadians with leading-edge scientific and research skills for Canadian industry, government and academic institutions.
To be considered eligible for support, as of the deadline date of the year in which you apply, you must
In addition
You can hold your PDF at
You cannot hold a PDF in Canadian federal government laboratories or in industrial laboratories across Canada.
NSERC encourages you to undertake research that involves collaboration with other Canadian organizations. The nature of the proposed collaboration must be acceptable to the host institution.
In addition
You can apply for a PDF by completing and submitting form 201, attaching supporting documents if necessary. Read the Instructions for completing an application - form 201 for more information.
NSERC must receive your application electronically before 8:00 p.m. (ET) on October 17. If the deadline falls on a weekend, your application must be submitted the following business day before 8:00 p.m. (ET). Incomplete applications will be rejected.
With the exception of personal contact information, NSERC will not accept any changes or updates to your application after it has been submitted. Personal contact information may be updated by sending an email to schol@nserc-crsng.gc.ca.
NSERC scholarships and fellowships selection committees review all PDF applications. The selection committees evaluate each application according to the selection criteria described in the Selection committee guide for Postgraduate Scholarships – Doctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowships programs. Note that NSERC may promote equity and diversity by giving award priority to meritorious applications from those who self-identify as Indigenous and/or as a woman, if sufficient funds become available. The selection committees are organized according to the following broad discipline categories:
The research subject code (see List of research subject codes for scholarships and fellowships) entered on the application will determine the selection committee in which the application will be evaluated. NSERC may assign the application to a different committee if it determines that the subject matter is more appropriate for another committee.
NSERC expects selection committee members to consistently guard against the possibility of unconscious bias influencing the decision-making process, whether these biases are based on a school of thought, fundamental versus applied research, certain sub-disciplines, areas of research or approaches (including emerging ones), size or reputation of an institution, age, gender and/or other personal factors.
NSERC is acting on the evidence that achieving a more equitable, diverse and inclusive Canadian research enterprise is essential to creating the excellent, innovative and impactful research necessary to advance knowledge and understanding, and to respond to local, national and global challenges. This principle informs the commitments described in the Tri-agency statement on equity, diversity and inclusion. For more information consult the document Equity, diversity and inclusion considerations at each stage of the research process.
In preparing your application, you should consult the Selection criteria and indicators section and appendix B of the
Selection committee guide for Postgraduate Scholarships – Doctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowships programs, which provides useful information on what committee members look for in assessing applications. You should also read the Instructions for completing an application – form 201.
Applications are evaluated and selected according to how well you demonstrate the following:
NSERC will notify you of the results in February. NSERC will not provide results by telephone.
NSERC will publish the names (and other basic award information) of fellowship recipients on its website. For more information, see the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act.
Refer to the Tri-agency research training award holder’s guide for policies and requirements about holding the award, such as acceptance, start date, deferment, paid parental leave, holding the award on a part-time basis, etc.