Canada Graduate Research Scholarship - Doctoral (CGRS D)

It is the applicant’s responsibility that the minimum eligibility criteria for this award are satisfied before they begin the application process. Interested applicants must review the eligibility and selection criteria on the official CGRS D website before beginning their application.

Note: If you are eligible to apply to the CGRS M program, you may be able to maximize your potential period of funding by applying to the CGRS M program for your first year of doctoral funding instead of the CGRS D program. You are responsible for choosing the award program to which you apply. Review both the CGRS D and CGRS M web pages for full details, and if you need assistance, contact the appropriate staff member 

The applicant's registration status at the time of application will determine where their application will be forwarded to (and considered by); i.e., either through Waterloo, another Canadian university or directly by the agency.

Not all applicants should submit their application through Waterloo.

Applicants must review the “Where to submit an application” chart on the official CGRS D Program website under “Application – How to apply” to ensure their application is submitted appropriately, or their application will be deemed ineligible and rejected.

Up-to-date official transcripts from all current and previous post-secondary institutions (including transcripts from institutions where applicants completed an exchange term or if you just started your program in Fall 2026) are required as part of the application. Applicants who do not include a complete set of required transcripts will be deemed ineligible.

Steps to obtain transcripts: 

1. Applicants must complete and submit the Canada Graduate Research Scholarships - Doctoral (CGRS D) CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC applicant transcript request form on The Centre's website to obtain official Waterloo transcripts. This request is free of charge and is due by Thursday, September 10, 2026. 
2. Applicants who submit this form will receive an email within 2-3 business days after the deadline, and no later than Wednesday, September 16, with a link to the MyCreds Learner portal. Once the applicant logs in, using the link in the email, they will see a “share credit” on their account. (You will receive one free MyCreds “share credit” so please do not order a Waterloo transcript and pay for it through The Centre or use an unofficial transcript for this scholarship.)*
3. Applicants must follow the instructions for “I just want to download a pdf for myself. Can I do that?” Applicants will be sharing the link with themselves so they must ensure they enter their email address correctly; it is recommended to NOT enter an expiry date on the link in MyCreds. Please be assured that obtaining a transcript in this way and uploading it to your CGRS D application is considered acceptable by the Tri-agencies.  
4. Applicants are responsible for obtaining all other official transcripts from previous institutions, including transcripts from institutions where they completed an exchange term and the courses do not have an actual grade showing on the home university transcript. Applicants who do not include a complete set of required transcripts will be deemed ineligible. 
5. Applicants are responsible for compiling all their transcripts and uploading them to their CGRS D application in the appropriate agency application portal prior to submitting their application. Applicants are unable to submit their application until all transcripts are uploaded to their application. 
6. Any applicants who are having issues obtaining the required transcripts must contact GSPA-Awards@uwaterloo.ca for assistance by September 10, 2026. 

*Note: A hold or negative service indicator on your student account will prevent you from receiving an official transcript. Please ensure you clear up any outstanding fines or fees before requesting your transcript.

Applicants must follow the detailed instructions provided on each of the tri-agency websites, including how to complete the application, how to confirm the proposed research falls under the correct agency’s mandate, the number of referees required, presentation standard of the free-form documents etc.

• CIHR: ResearchNET and instructions
• NSERC: Online system and instructions
• SSHRC: Registration and login and instructions

Applicants should contact potential referees as early as possible and no later than three weeks before the September 22 application deadline.

Reference letters must be completed for the applicant to submit their application. As such, applicants should have their referees submit their reference letters at least 3 days before the application deadline to ensure all reference letters are complete before the application is submitted. Applicants should share the following instructions with their referees:

• CIHR: Information for Sponsors
• NSERC: Instructions for Completing a Reference Letter
• SSHRC: Letter of Appraisal Form - Instructions for Referees

Tips for selecting referees can be found on the Graduate scholarship application tips web page.

Applicants must ensure that their proposed research project and doctoral program align with the mandate of the federal funding agency to which they are applying. To confirm the appropriate agency, please consult the Government of Canada’s guide on Selecting the Appropriate Federal Granting Agency. Note that applicants may only apply to one competition. Submitting to the wrong agency could result in disqualification.

Tips for research proposals and samples of successful research proposals can be found on the Graduate scholarship application tips web page.