The Government of Canada launched the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Vanier CGS) program in 2008 to strengthen Canada's ability to attract and retain world-class doctoral students and establish Canada as a global centre of excellence in research and higher learning. Vanier Scholars demonstrate leadership skills and a high standard of scholarly achievement in graduate studies in the social sciences and humanities, natural sciences and/or engineering and health
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Athabasca University, Canada's Open University, is dedicated to the removal of barriers that restrict access to and success in university-level study and to increasing equality of educational opportunity for adult learners worldwide.
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Athabasca University Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships 2023
Aim and Benefits of Athabasca University Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships 2023
$50,000 per year for 3 years (non-renewable)
Requirements for Athabasca University Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships 2023 Qualification
To be considered for a Vanier CGS, you must:
- be nominated by only 1 Canadian institution, which must have received a Vanier CGS quota;
- be pursuing your first doctoral degree (including joint program such as MD/PhD, DVM/PhD, or JD/PhD - if it has a demonstrated and significant research component);
- intend to pursue, in the summer semester or the academic year following the announcement of results, full-time doctoral (or a joint graduate research program such as MD/PhD, DVM/PhD, JD/PhD) studies and research at the nominating institution;
- have completed no more than 20 months of full-time study in your doctoral program as of May 1, 2023;
- The doctoral program would begin after the completion of a Master's degree. The months of study completed are calculated from the doctoral enrolment date.
- have completed no more than 32 months of full-time study in your doctoral program (i.e., joint graduate research program, accelerated, previously enrolled without obtaining Master's degree), by May 1, 2023 if:
- enrolled in a joint graduate research program, e.g., MD/PhD, MA/PhD, DVM/PhD. Applicants in this category have access to the 32-month window whether or not they were previously enrolled in a Master's program:
- The months of study are calculated starting from the date on which an applicant is officially registered in the joint program (including the Master's portion of the program).
- enrolled directly from a Bachelor's to a PhD (not previously enrolled in a Master's program);
- The months of study completed are calculated from the doctoral enrolment date.
- Previously enrolled in a Master's program without obtaining the degree.
- The months of study completed are calculated from the original Master's enrolment date.
- have achieved a first-class average, as determined by your institution, in each of the last 2 years of full-time study or equivalent. Candidates are encouraged to contact the institution for its definition of a first-class average; and
- must not hold, or have held, a doctoral-level scholarship or fellowship from CIHR, NSERC or SSHRC to undertake or complete a doctoral program.
Please note that only the PhD portion of a joint program is eligible for funding.
Interview date, Process and Venue for Athabasca University Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships 2023
- Applications are initiated in 1 of 2 ways. Either:
- The student informs the faculty of graduate studies at the selected institution of their intent to apply to the Vanier CGS program; or
- The institution initiates the nomination process by contacting the desired candidate.
- 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.
- The nominating institution performs the internal candidate selection process.
- The nominating institution forwards recommended nominations to the Vanier-Banting Secretariat (the Secretariat) by 6:00 p.m. (Mountain) on Nov. 1.
- The Secretariat coordinates the review process.
- The Secretariat presents the recommendations to the Tri-Agency Programs (TAP) Steering Committee.
- The TAP Steering Committee endorses and approves final decisions for the Vanier CGS program.
- Nominated candidates are notified of the competition results in April of the following year.
Application Deadline
November 1, 2023
How to Apply
Interested and qualified? Go to
Athabasca University on www.athabascau.ca to apply
