External funding opportunities

The Accelerate program is open to postdocs in any discipline and allows for a scalable-in-duration internship opportunity for postdocs to apply their knowledge and expertise to real-world projects, diving their time between the academic institution and on-site research at the partner organization. Applications are accepted at any time. Visit the Mitacs Accelerate website for additional details.  

Accelerate International supports bilateral collaborations between interns, academic institutions, and partner organizations in Canada and abroad. Open to postdocs in any discipline, the program allows Canadian researchers to participate in projects in Mitac’s partner countries. Visit the Mitacs Accelerate International website for additional details. 

Specifically for postdocs, the Elevate program allows postdocs to enhance their skills, apply their knowledge and seize game-changing research opportunities. This is a one to two-year program for top-ranked postdocs in any discipline. Pared with a partner organization in need of high-level research expertise, postdocs receive a minimum $55,000 annual stipend, proposal assistance and feedback from Mitacs, and invaluable access to cross-disciplinary networking and peer-learning opportunities that might not otherwise be within reach. Visit the Mitacs Elevate website for additional details. 

The Mitacs Globalink Research Award supports research collaborations between Canada and select partner organizations and eligible countries and regions. Under the joint supervision of a home and host professor, postdocs will receive a $6,000 research award to conduct a 12- to 24-week research project in the other country. Visit the Mitacs Globalink Research Award website for additional details. 

The competition for the CIHR Fellowship, normally launches in July every year. Stipend levels and maximum duration depend upon the background of the applicants; trainees holding a PhD may receive stipend of up to $40,000 per year for up to 3 years (plus benefits), and licensed health professionals may receive up to $50,000 per year for up to 5 years (plus benefits). All CIHR fellowship recipients receive $5,000 per year in research allowance. Applicants complete an application in the CIHR portal, ResearchNet. Once complete, the applicant submits the application online which is electronically directed to the proposed host institution for review and electronic approval. At the University of Waterloo, the Office of Research is responsible for this review, and will ensure eligibility and compliance with guidelines before electronic approval and submission to CIHR. 

View our CIHR postdoc application process page for more information. 

The competition for the NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship, valued at $45,000 per year for two years, normally launches in July every year. 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. 

View our NSERC postdoc application process page for more information. 

The competition for the SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship, valued at $70,000 per year for two years, normally launches in June every year. 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. 

View our SSHRC postdoc application process page for more information. 

This fellowship, valued at $70,000 per year for two years, is the most prestigious and competitive of all the Canadian tri-agency postdoctoral opportunities, with only 70 available annually across Canada. Interested applicants must apply through and receive endorsement from the institution where they anticipate holding the fellowship. The annual competition for this fellowship normally launches in April. Applicants of the Banting competition are not automatically considered for other agency-specific fellowships. Applicants who wish to apply for both the Banting and other agency-specific funding opportunities must apply separately for each if eligible to do so. 

Further details on Waterloo’s application process, and timelines can be found on our Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship web page. Successful UWaterloo Banting postdocs are also provided with the following, in addition to the tri-agency funding: University paid extended health benefits, $10,000/year in research funding, and access to $5,000/year in leadership incentive funds. 

The Burroughs Wellcome Fund (BWF) believes that a diverse scientific workforce is essential to the process and advance of research innovation, academic discovery, and public service. To fulfil its aims, BWF offers several competitive peer-reviewed award programs, including several funding opportunities specifically for postdocs.  

Further details on BWF opportunities can be found on the BWF Awards for Postdoctoral Fellows website.  

Five prizes, valued at $20,000 each, are available annually through the Council of Ontario Universities. The prizes support researchers who are in the early stages of their career who are conducting research in the areas broadly defined as Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, and Economic Science. Interested applicants must apply through and receive endorsement from the institution where they anticipate holding the prize. The annual competition for these prizes normally launches in late September.  

Further details on Waterloo’s application process, and timelines can be found on our John Charles Polanyi Prizes webpage. This page will be updated with new timelines every year when the competition launches.  

Funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, a Scholar Awards Program in Women's Health has been established to ensure that Ontario attracts and retains pre-eminent women's health scholars. The community of women's health scholars fostered by this Awards program will excel, according to internationally accepted standards of scientific excellence, in the creation of new knowledge about women's health and its translation into improved health for women, more effective health services and products for women, and a strengthened heath care system. Visit the Ontario Women's Health Scholars Award GSPA website and the Council of Ontario Universities award webpage for additional details.   

As this page provides a non-exhaustive list of external postdoc funding opportunities, all prospective postdocs are encouraged to explore opportunities outside of those listed above, including through the following resources: 

• Canadian Association of Postdoctoral Scholars (CAPS); The Canadian Association of Postdoctoral Scholars (CAPS) hosts an external website containing valuable resources for Canadian postdocs including annual events, meetings, memberships, and job/funding opportunities. Visit the CAPS website for more information.  

• Scholarships Canada: Scholarships Canada is an external scholarship database housing thousands of scholarship opportunities, including postdoctoral fellowships. Check out the Scholarships Canada website and see for yourself!