The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship is one of the most prestigious scholarships in Canada, and it’s open to both Canadian and international students. It’s a great opportunity for students who want to pursue graduate-level studies in Canada, and it offers a wide range of benefits.
To be eligible for the Vanier CGS, you must be nominated by a Canadian university and meet certain academic criteria. You’ll also need to demonstrate leadership skills and a commitment to making a positive impact on the world. The application process is competitive, and it requires a strong academic record, references, and a detailed research proposal.
If you’re considering applying for the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship, you are in the right place as we will share with you everything you need to know about the scholarship program including its eligibility criteria, application process, scholarship coverage, and how to apply to secure an opportunity to study your dream course. Are you ready? Let’s get started!
Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship Summary
- Level of Study: PhD (Doctoral)
- Institution(s): Canadian institution with a quota to host Vanier scholars
- Study in: Canada
- Program Period: 3 years
- Courses Offered:
- Natural sciences and/or engineering research
- Health research
- Social sciences and humanities research
- Deadline: Before November 01, 2023
- Value: $50,000 per year for three years
- Duration: Three years
- Who is Eligible: Canadian and international students pursuing their first doctoral degree at a Canadian university
- Selection Criteria: Academic excellence, research potential, and leadership ability
- Application Process: Students must be nominated by their university
Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship Coverage
The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship (Vanier CGS) is a prestigious award that provides financial support to doctoral students in Canada. It is valued at $50,000 per year for three years, for a total of $150,000. The scholarship is open to both Canadian and international students who are pursuing their first doctoral degree at a Canadian university.
The Vanier CGS program is designed to attract and retain world-class doctoral students to Canada. The scholarship helps to support students who are conducting innovative research in a variety of fields, including the natural sciences and engineering, social sciences and humanities, and health.
Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship Eligibility Criteria
Here are all the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship (Vanier CGS) eligibility criteria:
- Citizenship: Must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident of Canada, or international student with a valid study permit.
- Nomination: Must be nominated by only ONE Canadian university with a Vanier CGS quota.
- Degree Level: Pursuing a first Canadian doctoral degree (including joint MD/PhD, JD/PhD, etc.).
- Enrolment: Intend to pursue full-time doctoral studies and research in the summer semester or academic year following the award announcement.
- Study Duration: Not have completed more than 20 months of doctoral studies as of May 1 of the application year.
- Academic Score: Have achieved a first-class average (minimum of 80%) in each of the last two years of full-time study or equivalent.
- Previous Awards: Not have already received a doctoral-level scholarship or fellowship from CIHR, NSERC, or SSHRC.
Additional Eligibility Criteria
- Registration: Be registered as a full-time doctoral student at the nominating institution.
- Faculty Appointment: Not hold a faculty appointment concurrently with the Vanier scholarship (unless arrangements are made for a leave of absence).
Other Important Notes
- Candidates cannot apply directly to the Vanier CGS program. They must be nominated by their chosen university.
- Each institution has its own internal deadlines for applications, so be sure to check with your university well in advance.
- For more detailed information and any potential exceptions, please consult the official Vanier CGS website.
How to Apply for Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Vanier CGS)?
Step 1: Research Canadian Institutions
Begin your application by researching Canadian institutions through the Universities Canada website. It is recommended to browse each university’s respective website and thoroughly research the program of interest, as well as potential supervisors for your proposed research.
Step 2: Check Vanier CGS Quota
Consult the Vanier CGS quota page to ensure that your institution of interest has a quota for the year in which you are applying.
- Initiate Application: Inform the faculty of graduate studies at the selected institution of your intent to apply to the Vanier CGS program. Alternatively, the institution may initiate the nomination process by contacting you directly.
- Prepare Application: Applications are prepared by the student and submitted to the nominating institution by their internal deadline (set in ResearchNet by the nominating institution) using the ResearchNet application system.
- Internal Selection: The nominating institution performs an internal candidate selection process.
- Forward Nominations: The nominating institution forwards recommended nominations to the Vanier-Banting Secretariat by November 1, 2023 (20:00 Eastern Time).
- Review Process: The Secretariat coordinates the review process and presents the recommendations to the Tri-Agency Programs (TAP) Steering Committee.
- Final Decisions: The TAP Steering Committee endorses and approves final decisions for the Vanier CGS program.
- Notification: Nominated candidates are notified of the competition results in April 2024.
Important Application Notes
- Candidates must be nominated by the institution at which they want to study. Candidates cannot apply directly to the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Vanier CGS) program.
- Candidates should verify institutional internal deadlines with the administrator at the nominating institution.
- Candidates should read the Selection Committee Guide prior to commencing their application. This guide lists the three evaluation criteria and has useful information on how the criteria are evaluated.
- The Secretariat has curated a list of resources to help applicants, institutions, referees, and evaluators consider equity, diversity, and inclusion in their application. Applicants are encouraged to review the resources before they begin writing their application.
- A student who has completed the Vanier CGS electronic application through ResearchNet must submit the application online to the Canadian institution that will be putting forward their nomination. Applications cannot be submitted directly to the Vanier CGS program.
- Students wishing to apply for a Vanier CGS should verify that the institution to which they are applying for doctoral studies has a Vanier CGS quota. They must then inform the institution that they wish to be considered for a Vanier CGS.
- The institution is responsible for notifying candidates if their application is not selected for nomination to the Secretariat. The timing for this notification may vary by institution.
- Based on its quota, the institution will forward its nominations to the Secretariat.
- Each student can only be nominated once. If more than one institution is interested in nominating an individual student for a Vanier CGS, the student must choose one institution to submit their nomination. Multiple nominations will not be accepted.
- Students are responsible for contacting the institution for more information about selecting the appropriate federal granting agency, finding the appropriate contact person within a department/faculty, and for advice or questions related to content and how best to present the information in their application.
- Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship Results
- The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship results will be announced in Early April 2024.
Important Documents Required
- A ResearchNet application form (includes two letters of reference, each with three sections)
- A CCV (limited entries; please see Completing the Common CV (CCV) for complete information)
- Research Contributions (maximum one page)
- A Personal Leadership Statement (maximum 2 pages)
- Special Circumstances (max 0.5 page, optional)
- Two Leadership letters of reference (maximum 2 pages)
- A Research Proposal (maximum 2 pages)
- Project References (maximum 5 pages)
- Transcripts
To learn more about Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship (Vanier CGS), kindly visit the official website.