Do wish to study in Canada under a scholarship program? Vanier Canada graduate scholarships are one of the best for you. Importantly, the scholarship is fully-funded and accepts applications from citizens of every nationality. However, before you proceed to submit your application, there are some things you need to know about Vanier CGS.
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Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships at a Glance
The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Vanier CGS) program, named after Major-General Georges P. Vanier, the first francophone Governor General of Canada, assists Canadian institutions in attracting highly qualified doctoral students.
- The scholarship is valued at $50,000 per year for three years during doctoral studies
- It considers three equally weighted selection criteria: Academic Excellence, Leadership, and Research Potential (potential and demonstrated ability).
- Host/sponsor: Canadian Government
- Scholarship level: Ph.D. Degree
- Deadline: before 1 Nov 2022 (annual)
- Study in: Canada
- The course starts May/Sept 2023.
Vanier CGS Brief Description/Overview
The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Vanier CGS) program was established by the Canadian government in 2008 to strengthen Canada’s ability to attract and retain world-class doctoral students and to establish Canada as a global center of excellence in research and higher education.
Vanier Scholars demonstrate leadership abilities as well as a high level of scholarly achievement in graduate studies in the social and human sciences, natural sciences, engineering, and health. The scholarships are for doctoral studies (or for a combined MA/Ph.D. or MD/Ph.D.).
Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships – Host Institution(s)
The scholarship is hosted by Canadian Universities with Vanier CGS allocation. Vanier CGS is only available at the eligible Canadian institution that submitted the nomination.
Field(s)/Level of study
Ph.D. programs in health research, natural sciences and/or engineering research, and social sciences and/or humanities research (or combined MA/Ph.D. or MD/Ph.D.).
As a requirement for program completion, an eligible doctoral program must include a significant research component that leads to the completion of a thesis, major research project, dissertation, scholarly publication, performance, recital, and/or exhibit that is merit/expert-reviewed at the institutional level.
Joint graduate research programs with a professional degree (e.g., MD/Ph.D., DVM/Ph.D., JD/Ph.D.) and clinically-oriented programs of study, including clinical psychology, are also eligible if they have a significant autonomous research component, as described above.
Scope/Number of Scholarships – Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships
Annually, up to 166 scholarships are awarded. However, a total of up to 500 scholarships are active at any time.
Scholarship Value
The scholarship is worth $50,000 per year for three years.
Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships Duration
The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships is for 3 years (non-renewable).
The scholarships are distributed equally between the three federal granting agencies:
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
- Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)
Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for a Vanier CGS program, you must be a:
- Canadian citizens
- Permanent residents of Canada, or
- Foreign citizens
- be nominated by a single Canadian institution that has received a Vanier CGS quota
- be pursuing your first doctoral degree (including joint undergraduate/graduate research programs such as MD/Ph.D., DVM/Ph.D., and JD/Ph.D. if it includes a demonstrated and significant research component). It should be noted that funding is only available for the Ph.D. portion of a combined degree.
- intend to pursue full-time doctoral (or joint graduate program such as MD/Ph.D., DVM/Ph.D., JD/Ph.D.) studies and research at the nominating institution in the summer semester or academic year following the announcement of results; It should be noted that funding is only available for the Ph.D. portion of a combined degree.
- have completed no more than 20 months of doctoral studies as of May 1, 2023
- have completed no more than 32 months of full-time study in their doctoral program by 1 May 2023 if:
- enrolled in a joint graduate research program, such as an MD/Ph.D., MA/Ph.D., or DVM/Ph.D. Applicants in this category have access to the 32-month window regardless of whether they were previously enrolled in a Master’s program, were accelerated directly from a Bachelor’s to a Ph.D. (no time spent in a Master’s program), or
- were accelerated from a Master’s degree into a Doctoral program without obtaining the Master’s degree.
- have earned a first-class average in each of the last two years of full-time study or equivalent, as determined by your institution Candidates are encouraged to contact the institution to find out what constitutes a first-class average; and
- must not be currently or have previously held a doctoral-level scholarship or fellowship from CIHR, NSERC, or SSHRC in order to pursue or complete a doctoral degree.
Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships Nomination Process
Candidates must be nominated by a Canadian institution with a Vanier quota*. Candidates should only seek nominations from the institutions where they intend to study.
How To Apply – Application instructions
- Candidates must be nominated by a Canadian institution that has a quota for the program in which they wish to study.
- Candidates cannot apply to the Vanier CGS program directly.
There are two ways to start an application.
- Either the student notifies the graduate studies faculty at the chosen institution of their intent to apply to the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships program, or
- the institution initiates the nomination process by contacting the desired candidate.
The student prepares the application and submits it to the nominating institution by their internal deadline using the ResearchNet application system. By 1 November 2022, the nominating institution must forward recommended nominations to the Vanier-Banting Secretariat (the Secretariat).
It is critical to visit the official website (link provided below) to access the application form and learn more about how to apply for this scholarship.
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Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships Timelines
The table below shows some important dates in Vanier CGS 2022/23:
| July – November 2022 | Applicants seek a nominating institution; prepare and submit an application package. |
| Internal Deadline (varies) | Deadline to submit an application to the nominating institution. Contact the nominating institution for a specific date. |
| November 1, 2022 (20:00 EDT) | Deadline for institutions to submit nominations to the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships program. |
| November 2022 – March 2023 | Review and evaluation of nominations. |
| Early April 2023 | Anticipated notification of results. Nominees will be notified by email when the results are available on ResearchNet. |
| May 1, 2023, September 1, 2023, or January 1, 2024 | Payments begin. |
Features of Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships
The Vanier CGS program seeks to attract and retain world-class doctoral students by providing financial assistance to students who demonstrate both leadership and scholarly achievement in graduate studies in the social sciences and humanities, natural sciences, and/or engineering and health.
Vanier CGS Official Website
Visit the Vanier CGS official website here: http://www.vanier.gc.ca/en/home-accueil.html
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