Funding opportunities

The University of Waterloo is pleased to provide internal postdoctoral funding opportunities.

The following funding programs are open to applications from scholars in any field or discipline, and are managed centrally through Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affair:

• Provost’s Program for Interdisciplinary Postdoctoral Scholars: By providing funding to emerging scholars who are prepared to engage in cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research at the University of Waterloo, this program grows the culture of interdisciplinary research at the University. Recruitment for the 2025 cohort of scholars is now closed.
• Provost’s Program for Black and Indigenous Postdoctoral Scholars: Contributing to the reduction of barriers for Black and Indigenous scholars, this program directly supports Waterloo’s strategic plan to strengthen sustainable and diverse communities. Recruitment for the 2025 cohort of scholars is now closed.
• AMTD Global Talent Fellowship: From 2020 to 2024, the AMTD program recruited five cohorts of exceptional scholars to Waterloo. Learn more about our AMTD scholars, and their disruptive research agendas. Please note, we are no longer recruiting for the AMTD program.

In addition to the centrally offered programs, the following opportunity is managed through the Faculty of Arts:

• Lupina Foundation Postdoctoral Research Fellowship: Supported through a donation by the Lupia Foundation, this fellowship encourages applications from outstanding early-career scholars investigating the social determinants of health. Recruitment for the next cohort of scholars typically begins in the winter.

There are many agencies and foundations that provide funding specifically for postdocs. Our postdoctoral affairs team has worked to compile a list of common sources of external funding to support prospective postdocs. International postdocs are also encouraged to explore agencies or foundations within their home countries, as they may allow for the postdoc position to be undertaken in Canada.