Canada Postdoctoral Research Award (CPRA) program

Valued at $70,000 per year for up to 24 months, the Canada Postdoctoral Research Award (CPRA) program recognizes and supports the next generation of outstanding innovators, knowledge workers, creative thinkers and researchers. The program provides funding and flexibility, empowering Canadian and international leaders in innovation and scholarship of tomorrow to develop the skills to build world-class research and drive Canadian prosperity and competitiveness. 

While the three national granting agencies (CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC) share the same program guide, eligibility, and selection criteria, each agency maintains its own separate application portal and instructions.

Step 1: Confirm eligibility 

Interested applicants must review the eligibility and selection criteria on the official CPRA website prior to starting their application. It is your responsibility, as the applicant, to ensure that the minimum eligibility criteria for this award are satisfied before you begin the application process. 

Step 2: Read the application instructions 

Depending on which agency the proposed research falls under, applicants must follow the detailed instructions provided on the appropriate tri-agency website; instructions will include 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 

Prior to submitting the application, applicants are encouraged to have their host supervisor review the application and research proposal since they are best suited to ensure that the documents align with the proposed arrangements. We also recommend having other colleagues review the materials to ensure completeness and appropriate writing style – your writing should be understandable to an interdisciplinary audience. 

Step 3: Additional details about applying

CIHR 

A “CPRA – Fulfillment of Degree Requirements” form is required for CIHR; applicants who completed their PhD prior to the application deadline may email the form to Heidi Mussar, Associate Director, Graduate Financial Aid & Awards, for signature. Applicants who have not yet completed their PhD should obtain the signature of either their graduate supervisor, department chair, or school director, who can confirm when it is expected that the degree will be completed.

Applicants who identified Waterloo as an “Institution Paid” (i.e., the host institution) must submit their application to ResearchNet by Waterloo’s set deadline, which is 48 hours prior to CIHR's deadline. This deadline will appear when Waterloo is identified as the host institution (“Institution Paid”). The University of Waterloo’s Office of the Vice-President, Research and International (OVPRI) will then review the application prior to submitting it to the national-level competition on the applicant’s behalf. There is no quota of awards; all eligible applications are submitted.   

“Ink” signatures are not required because the CIHR fellowship uses the e-submission process for applications; however, the electronic signature of the host supervisor is required.   

NSERC 

Applicants must complete an application available through NSERC’s online system by the advertised agency deadline. The application is submitted directly to NSERC; there is no institutional adjudication process or administrative involvement in the application process. Further details can be found on NSERC’s website.  

Applicants who completed a prior degree at Waterloo and require a Waterloo transcript for their application may request one by emailing Heidi Mussar, Associate Director, Graduate Financial Aid & Awards. The applicant’s full name and Waterloo student identification number must be included in the request; a copy of the transcript will be emailed in order to upload to the application portal. 

SSHRC 

Applicants must complete an application available through SSHRC’s online system by the advertised agency deadline. The application is submitted directly to SSHRC. Further details can be found on SSHRC’s website.  

As part of the application, applicants must submit an institutional nomination and commitment form. The department Chair should complete this form – applicants who will be supervised by faculty members in more than one department should request that the form be completed by the Chair in the department where the proposed primary supervisor is appointed. Applicants must input the department Chair’s information into the online application form which will trigger an email to be sent to them with instructions on how to complete this form.

Results are anticipated to be released at the end of March 2027. 

Action items for successful recipients: 

• Email the GSPA postdoc team to receive details on next steps. Applicants who have not reached out in advance will receive an email from the postdoc team once confirmation of success from the agency has been received, to assist in setting up an official appointment and pay at Waterloo (CPRAs are paid through the host institution).  

  • Note: International recipients of a CPRA are strongly encouraged to reach out to the GSPA postdoc team as soon as they have received notice of their award, in order to ensure documentation can be provided in a timely manner to allow them to apply for appropriate work visas prior to the anticipated start date.

• Complete a “Degree Completion” form — scholars who have or will be completing their doctoral degree requirements at Waterloo should email a pre-completed form to Heidi Mussar, Associate Director, Graduate Financial Aid & Awards to finish completing the form; a full name and University of Waterloo student identification number must be included in the body of the email; a completed form will be emailed back. 
• Refer to the Tri-agency research training award holder’s guide for complete tri-agency policies, guidelines and forms.

CIHR recipients

Successful applicants will receive an offer of award through ResearchNet, along with instructions for accepting the fellowship. An ‘authorization for funding’ document will be issued from CIHR to the OVPRI. The OVPRI will contact successful applicants to finalize any conditions of the fellowship (e.g., requirement of research ethics approval, start date, etc.).  

NSERC recipients

When completing the Request for First Instalment form, "Part 4: Confirmation of Status” requests the signature of an “authorized official”. Please obtain the signature of either the host supervisor, the department chair or school director, as they are best suited to confirm the engagement in full-time research. The completed form is to be uploaded to the appropriate secure submission site; a copy should also be emailed to the GSPA postdoc team.   

SSHRC recipients

When completing the Request for First Instalment form, "Part 4: Confirmation of Status” requests the signature of an “authorized official”. Please obtain the signature of either the host supervisor, the department chair or school director, as they are best suited to confirm the engagement in full-time research. The completed form is to be uploaded to the appropriate secure submission site; a copy should also be emailed to the GSPA postdoc team.  

Regardless of which agency is awarding the CPRA, once everything is completed, a “work order” (funding account) will be provided to the host supervisor. This allows the supervisor to provide a formal letter of appointment (required by Human Resources) to arrange payment through payroll and provide the scholar with benefits (paid by the University of Waterloo). 

Each year, the host institution is also requested to issue T4As which will be provided to scholars in February following the start of the CPRA at Waterloo. Additional details and instructions regarding payment of fellowships can be found in the Tri-Agency Research Training Award Holder’s Guide.   

Additional information on next steps for postdocs can be found on the incoming postdocs section of our website.  

Questions about the CPRA program may be directed to the GSPA postdoc team.