The scholarship is named after the first francophone Governor General of Canada, Major-General Georges P. Vanier. Established in 2008, the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship program continuously provides scholarships for aspiring doctoral students who are achievers in social sciences and humanities, engineering and health, and natural sciences. It aims to develop competitive and fiercely driven students into highly qualified research staff. The Vanier scholarship also strives to unleash the full potential of the students and to further their careers.
Three granting agencies award 55 slots, for a total of 166 scholarships yearly to deserving candidates. The selection criteria will be based on academic excellence, leadership, and research potential.
Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship amount
The scholarship amount is 50,000 USD per year of doctoral study. The award period is three years and is non-renewable.
Who are eligible to apply for the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship?
Eligibility is divided into two parts, candidate eligibility, and program eligibility. Candidate eligibility for the nominating institution is different from the eligibility to hold a Vanier scholarship.
For candidate eligibility, the Vanier scholarship is open to all foreign citizens. The candidate must also be nominated by a single Canadian institution with a Vanier CGS quota.
You must be taking up your first doctoral degree. It can include a joint research program like DVM/Ph.D., JD/Ph.D., MD/Ph.D. but only the Ph.D. part of the joint degree will be covered by the funding.
By the summer semester following the release of announcements, you must already be studying. You must not have completed more than 20 months of study in a doctoral degree program.
For the academic performance, you are expected to have obtained a first-class average in the last two years of a full-time study. If you are not familiar with a first-class average, please contact the nominating institution.
You must not be a holder of a scholarship in a fellowship or doctoral degree from CIHR, SSHRC, or NSERC.
To hold a Vanier CGS, the applicant must be a full-time student of the Canadian institution and will be pursuing a doctoral degree. You must not also retain a faculty position unless a leave of absence is submitted. You should stay enrolled and have a good development in your field of study.
Candidates must have an average score of at least 3.1 in each of the three criteria mentioned in the introduction (academic excellence, leadership, and research potential) to be considered eligible for funding.
It is important to note the eligibility criteria of the program you wish to study. To be considered eligible for the Vanier Scholarship, a doctoral program must have a research element leading to the consummation of a dissertation, performance, recital, major research project, thesis, and exhibit that is reviewed by the institution.
Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship application process
Before starting with the application, the candidates should browse the selection committee guide. This will provide information on how the evaluation of applicants is done.
It is also helpful to view the page on equity, diversity, and inclusion before starting an application.
Applicants must check on the institutions they wish to apply to if they have a Vanier CGS quota. A quota is provided to the institutions. The applicant must notify the institution of their intention to avail of the Vanier CGS.
Nomination by the institution is a prerequisite for an applicant to be considered. The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships or Vanier CGS program does not accept a direct application.
The application is then submitted to the institution through the ResearchNet application system. Initial selection will be performed by the nominating institution then forwarded to the Vanier-Banting Secretariat.
A complete application consists of a ResearchNet application form including two reference letters composed of three sections each, a CCV, research contributions with a maximum of one page, personal leadership statement with a maximum of two pages, special circumstances which are optional, two leadership letters of reference with a maximum of two pages each, two-page research proposal, five-page project references, and transcripts. Details on these documents are explained here.
Make sure to follow the instructions for the attached documents. Failure to follow the formatting instructions may invalidate your application. For documents that are written in other languages aside from French or English, a translation must be provided. Send an email if you need technical help from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. You may also contact this for program-related help.
After submitting your application for Vanier Scholarship, your application can either be returned to you or selected to be nominated. If it is returned, you will receive an email with the comments from the institution through ResearchNet. A new deadline will be provided for you to submit your revised application. If your application is selected by the nominating institution, it will then be submitted to the Vanier CGS for competitive selection. You will be notified by ResearchNet via email to confirm the receipt of your application.
If you have not received an email of confirmation, try contacting a faculty member of the nominating institution to know your application standing.
For the step-by-step process of the application, the list of tasks is linked for your reference.
Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship application deadline
From July to November, applicants must find a nominating institution and apply. The deadline of submission would vary from one institution to another. Candidates must contact the nominating institution for the deadline of submissions. Late submissions will not be accepted.
The institutions are required to submit the nominations by November to the Vanier CGS program. The applications for Vanier Scholarship will be reviewed from November to March of the following year. Results are expected to be released by early April and applicants will be notified via e-mail. A list of successful applicants will be posted on the “results” corner of the website.
