The Canada Graduate Research Scholarship — Doctoral (CGRS D) program recognizes and supports the next generation of outstanding innovators, knowledge workers, creative thinkers and researchers.
This page provides information about the Fall 2025 Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral (CGS D) competition. For information pertaining to the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship Master's (CGRS M) competition, please visit the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Master’s (CGRS M) - CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC webpage.
Jump to: Overview | Important dates | Critical steps | Timeline | Ranking and results | Application resources | Post award resources | Contact us
Overview
Launch of the new harmonized tri-agency scholarship and fellowship programs
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) have been streamlined into a new harmonized talent program called the Canada Research Training Awards Suite (CRTAS) that will open for applications in summer 2025.
The three national granting agencies (CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC) have harmonized the doctoral competitions by eliminating the agency-specific awards. The CGRS D now shares the same program guide, eligibility, and selection criteria. However, each agency has maintained their own separate application portal and instructions.
Award description
The Canada Graduate Research Scholarship - Doctoral (CGRS D) program recognizes and supports the next generation of outstanding innovators, knowledge workers, creative thinkers and researchers. By providing support for high-quality research training experience to awardees, the program strives to foster impacts within and beyond the research environment:
- Canada Graduate Research Scholarship - Doctoral (CGRS D) are valued at $40,000 a year for three years.
Applying for a CGRS D at Waterloo
Each eligible Canadian institution is allowed to put forward a certain number of applications to the national competition. For Fall 2025, Waterloo’s quota allocations are:
- CIHR = 7
- NSERC = 106
- SSHRC = 47
Recipients of a CGRS D who hold their scholarship at Waterloo are also eligible to receive the President’s Graduate Scholarship (PGS).
Important dates
Applicants who want their application to be considered at Waterloo must abide by the following deadlines.
- Transcript request deadline: Monday, September 8 2025
- Refer to Step 3: Obtain transcripts in the Critical steps section.
- Application deadline: Tuesday, September 16 2025 at 8:00 p.m. (ET)
- Note: This is prior to each agency's deadline for direct applications. Refer to Step 2: Confirm where your application should be considered in the Critical steps section.
Critical steps
Step 1: Confirm eligibility
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: Applicants who apply to the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship - Master’s (CGRS M) program may be able to maximize their potential period of funding by applying to the CGRS M program for their first year of doctoral funding instead of the CGRS D program. Applicants are responsible for choosing the award program to which they apply.
Step 2: Confirm where your application should be considered
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.
Applicants must review the “Where to submit an application” chart on the official CGRS D Program website under “Application Procedures” to ensure their application is submitted appropriately, or their application will be deemed ineligible and rejected.
Step 3: Obtain transcripts
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 2025) 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:
- 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 Monday, September 8, 2025. Applicants who submit this form will have their official Waterloo transcripts emailed to them by Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA).
- 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 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.
- Any applicants who are having issues obtaining the required transcripts must contact gspa-awards@uwaterloo.ca for assistance by Monday, September 8, 2025.
Step 4: Read the application instructions
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
Step 5: Select and contact referees/sponsors
Applicants must contact potential referees as soon as possible, but no later than 3 weeks prior to the September 16th 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 Scholarship competition resources webpage.
Step 6: Ensure research proposal aligns with federal funding agency
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 Tri-Agency 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 Scholarship competition resources webpage.
Step 7: Ensure application does not contain common errors
- Ensure the proposed start date for the award is either: 2026-05-01, 2026-09-01 or 2027-01-01. This date can be changed later if you are offered the award.
- List all current and previous degrees. Even if you have just started this fall, ensure your current program is listed. Do not list any programs you have not yet started. If indicating an end date, provide the date on which all degree requirements were met (NOT the convocation date).
- Ensure you include all transcripts, even if you just started this fall and the transcript only confirms registration. Include transcripts for any transfer credits and/or exchanges.
- Work experience is where you should include Research Assistantship (RA) and Teaching Assistantship (TA) positions, as well as any other relevant work experience. Do not include awards in this section.
- When listing awards, ensure you only list competitive awards (based on academic/research/leadership/communication skills) and not RAs or TAs as these are considered work experience. Do not list bursaries under awards as bursaries are based on financial need.
- Ensure accuracy when entering the number of months in your program as of December 31, 2025. This helps the agencies with determining eligibility. Each term at Waterloo is 4 months.
Ranking and results
Waterloo adheres to the following review and ranking procedure.
- After the deadline, applications will be distributed to departments based on where the applicant is currently enrolled. Departmental award committees will review and rank the applications received to determine which applicants should be considered for scholarship offers at the institutional level using the Selection criteria as defined by the agency.
- Based on the institutional quota, the institutional selection committee* will review and assess the applicants using the same selection criteria to determine which applicants will go forward for national adjudication. Given the limited quota of awards available, Waterloo is required to be strategic in determining the number of applicants selected for institutional endorsement. The selection process within institutions tends to be quite rigorous.
- GSPA will communicate with applicants to advise them of the decision after the institutional-level adjudication. Only applicants selected for endorsement who require revisions to their application (e.g., to strengthen it or address eligibility concerns, will receive an email with feedback and suggestions for improvement.
- By the end of April, the agencies will communicate results to all applicants and will also notify our office.
*Further information about our Institutional selection committee members can be found on the Scholarship competition resources webpage.
Application resources
Post award resources
- Visit the Tri-agency research training award holder's guide on the Tri-agency website for information about general regulations, value and duration of the award, payment of the award, and more
- Review Waterloo's Award eligibility, conditions, and payments webpage for information on receiving the award at the University of Waterloo
Contact us
Questions about the CGRS D process at Waterloo may be directed to the following staff in Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs:
For questions about CIHR & SSHRC
Miranda Bilotta
Manager, Graduate Financial Aid and Awards Programs
mbilotta@uwaterloo.ca
For questions about NSERC
Elena Machado
Manager, Graduate Financial Aid and Awards Programs
emachado@uwaterloo.ca