If you’re a doctoral student in Canada looking for financial support, you might want to consider applying for the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Vanier CGS) program.
This program, named after Major-General Georges P. Vanier, the first francophone Governor General of Canada, aims to attract and retain world-class doctoral students.
It provides financial assistance to Canadian institutions to help them attract highly qualified doctoral students who demonstrate both leadership skills and a high standard of scholarly achievement.
It offers $50,000 per year for three years during doctoral studies, making it one of the most generous scholarships in Canada.
This financial support can help you focus on your research and achieve your academic goals without worrying about financial constraints. Moreover, being a Vanier Scholar can open doors to various opportunities and networks that can help you advance your career in academia or beyond.
Whether you are aa Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada, or a foreign citizen, you can apply for the Vanier CGS program.
If you’re interested in pursuing doctoral studies in the natural sciences and engineering, social sciences and humanities, or health sciences, the Vanier CGS program might be the right fit for you.
About Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships
If you are a highly qualified doctoral student looking to continue your studies in Canada, the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Vanier CGS) program is a great opportunity for you. This program is designed to help Canadian institutions attract the best and brightest doctoral students from around the world.
The Vanier CGS program provides financial support of $50,000 per year for three years during your doctoral studies. This amount is significant and can help you cover your tuition fees, living expenses, and research costs.
Canadian institutions are looking for world-class doctoral students who have demonstrated leadership skills and scholarly achievement. The Vanier CGS program is designed to attract these students to Canada and help them achieve their academic goals.
One of the key aims of the Vanier CGS program is to promote diversity in Canadian institutions. As such, the program encourages applications from students who represent a wide range of backgrounds and experiences.
Overall, the Vanier CGS program is an excellent opportunity for doctoral students who are looking to continue their studies in Canada.
With financial support, a diverse community of scholars, and a focus on leadership and scholarly achievement, the program can help you achieve your academic goals and prepare for a successful career in your field.
Eligibility Criteria
To be considered for a Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship, you must meet the following eligibility criteria:
- You must be pursuing your first doctoral degree, including joint programs such as MD/PhD, DVM/PhD, or JD/PhD, MBA/PhD (if it has a demonstrated and significant research component).
- You must be nominated by only one Canadian institution that has received a Vanier CGS quota.
- You must not have completed more than 20 months of doctoral studies as of May 1, 2024.
- You must have achieved a first-class average (A- or equivalent) in each of the last two years of full-time study or equivalent.
- You must have not already received a doctoral-level scholarship or fellowship from CIHR, NSERC, or SSHRC to undertake or complete a doctoral degree.
Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and foreign citizens are eligible to apply for the Vanier CGS. However, foreign citizens who are recommended for a Vanier CGS must be able to legally enter Canada and stay for the full duration of the scholarship.
In addition to meeting the above eligibility criteria, applicants must also demonstrate academic excellence, research potential, and leadership.
These criteria are assessed by the selection committee based on the following factors:
- Academic excellence: Your past academic achievements, such as grades, awards, and scholarships.
- Research potential: Your potential to contribute to your field of research, as demonstrated by your research experience, publications, and references.
- Leadership: Your ability to lead and mobilize others, as demonstrated by your community involvement, volunteer work, and other leadership experiences.
Overall, the Vanier CGS program seeks to attract and retain top-tier doctoral students who demonstrate both academic excellence and leadership potential.
If you are not eligible for this program, there are other scholarship programs available to study in Canada (with different requirements).
Research Areas
The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships program provides funding for research in a wide range of areas, including health research, natural sciences, engineering, social sciences, and humanities.
One of the key strengths of the Vanier program is its focus on interdisciplinary research. By bringing together scholars from different fields and backgrounds, the program fosters collaboration and innovation, and encourages researchers to explore new ideas and approaches.
Whether you are a scientist, an engineer, a social scientist, or a humanist, you can find opportunities to collaborate with colleagues from other disciplines and to explore new areas of inquiry.
For those interested in natural sciences and engineering, the Vanier program provides funding for research in areas such as chemistry, physics, biology, and environmental science.
Whether you are interested in developing new materials, exploring the mysteries of the universe, or developing new technologies to address environmental challenges, the program can help you achieve your goals.
If you are interested in social sciences and humanities, the Vanier program can provide funding for projects in areas such as anthropology, sociology, history, and philosophy.
With its focus on interdisciplinary collaboration, the program can help you work with colleagues from different fields to explore new ideas and approaches, and to develop new insights into the social and cultural forces that shape our world.
Application Process
To apply for the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship, you must be nominated by a Canadian institution with a quota to host Vanier scholars. Candidates cannot apply directly to the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships program.
The deadline for submission of applications by nominating institutions is November 1, 2023, at 20:00 EDT. Therefore, it is essential to consult the nominating institution for the submission deadline.
The application process is a detailed task-by-task guide that candidates must follow. The Vanier CGS application packages submitted through ResearchNet will first be submitted to the Canadian institution that will be putting forward their nomination.
The selection criteria for the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship are academic excellence and research potential. The scholarship is awarded for three years, and it is non-renewable. The scholarship value is $50,000 per year.
Federal Granting Agencies
When it comes to the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships program, the Canadian government has established three federal granting agencies to administer the program.
These agencies are 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 of Canada (SSHRC).
The three federal granting agencies work together to ensure that the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships program complements other training vehicles, including doctoral scholarship programs.
Applicants may only apply to one granting agency per academic year, and an agency may not recommend an application for funding if it would be more appropriately reviewed by another of the agencies.
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is responsible for funding health research in Canada, while the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) focuses on supporting natural sciences and engineering research.
The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) funds research in the social sciences and humanities.
In addition to the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships program, the federal granting agencies also fund other scholarship and fellowship programs.