Overview | |
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Value | $45,000 per year for two years. |
Application deadline | October 17 |
How to apply |
To create or access an application, log in to the online system. Read the Instructions for completing an application form 201 before completing and submitting your application.
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For more information | Consult the contact list. Refer to the Selection committee guide for Postgraduate Scholarships – Doctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowships programs. |
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 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 application deadline date of the year in which you apply, you must
In addition:
Refer to the Eligibility criteria for students and fellows web page for additional information.
You can hold your PDF at
You cannot hold a PDF in Canadian federal government institutions.
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:
NSERC supports research whose major challenges lie in the natural sciences and engineering (NSE), other than the health sciences. The intended objective(s) of your research must primarily be to advance knowledge in one or more NSE disciplines.
It is strongly recommended that you refer to the Selecting the appropriate federal granting agency web page for more information about the agencies’ mandates and to the Addendum to the guidelines for the eligibility of applications related to health web page for examples of eligible and ineligible research subject matter related to NSERC’s mandate.
If your proposed research falls outside of NSERC’s mandate, your application may be deemed ineligible for the PDF program.
NSERC staff may consult, as required, with outside experts or officials at CIHR or SSHRC for input before reaching a decision on subject matter eligibility.
If you have questions or concerns regarding the eligibility of your subject matter, email schol@nserc-crsng.gc.ca.
You can apply for a PDF by completing and submitting form 201 – Application for a Postgraduate Scholarship or Postdoctoral Fellowship and attaching supporting documents. It is imperative that you read the Instructions for completing an application - form 201 web page before completing and submitting your application. To create or access form 201, log in to the online system.
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 may 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 eligible PDF applications. Each application is evaluated according to the selection criteria described below. The Selection committee guide for Postgraduate Scholarships – Doctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowships programs provides additional details on the review process.
The research subject code (refer to the List of research subject codes for scholarships and fellowships web page) entered in your application determines its assigned selection committee. NSERC may assign your application to a different selection committee if it determines that the subject matter is more appropriate for another selection committee. Should this occur, you will be contacted by email.
The selection committees are organized into broad discipline categories:
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.
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 provide useful information on what selection committee members look for in assessing applications. You should also read the Instructions for completing an application – form 201 web page.
Applications are evaluated and selected according to how well you demonstrate the following:
Selection criteria | Description | Weight |
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Research ability and potential |
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70% |
Communication, interpersonal and leadership abilities |
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30% |
NSERC is a signatory to the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA). To promote NSERC’s support of research excellence in Canada and incorporate the principles of DORA, NSERC has developed Guidelines on the assessment of contributions to research, training and mentoring. The guidelines highlight NSERC’s commitment to excellence in research funding and aim to ensure that a wide range of research results and outcomes are considered and valued as part of the assessment process.
In order 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.
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 (EDI) and is aligned with the objectives of the Tri-agency EDI Action Plan.
For more information consult the Equity, diversity and inclusion considerations at each stage of the research process section of the NSERC guide on integrating equity, diversity and inclusion considerations in research web page.
The Government of Canada has deployed additional funds to increase direct support for Black postdoctoral researchers. PDF applicants who self-identify as Black and provide consent in their application to be considered for funds designated for specific groups may be able to receive this funding through a fellowship as part of this initiative. NSERC has a limited number of additional awards reserved for this initiative.
For more information, consult the Frequently asked questions about the new Black scholars funding web page.
NSERC will notify you of the results by the end of 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.