Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships

The information contained on this web page pertains to the 2024 Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships competition.

Interested applicants must apply through and receive endorsement from the institution where they anticipate holding the fellowship. The following provides information about the internal administration and evaluation process at the University of Waterloo for those interested in receiving endorsement from the University of Waterloo. 

Please note: Information and dates may be revised depending on further information from the agency and resources available.

Overview

The Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships (PDF) Program was created to attract and retain top-tier national and international postdoctoral scholars, to develop their leadership potential and position them for success as research leaders, positively contributing to Canada's economic, social, and research-based growth through a research-intensive career.   

With only 70 available annually, this fellowship is the most prestigious and competitive of those offered by the Federal Government. The Fellowship program is administered by and distributed equally among Canada’s three federal granting agencies: 

The Banting PDF is valued at $70,000 per year (taxable) for two years with an institutional top-up from the Provost’s Office of $10,000 per year in research funding plus access to $5,000 in leadership incentive funds. It is open to eligible Canadian and international scholars. 

How applicants are considered

Interested applicants must complete the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships Program application, available in ResearchNet, in collaboration with the proposed host institution. Without exception, Banting PDFs are tenable ONLY at the institution that supported the original application. 

In an effort to support researchers in broadening their research horizons and seeking new challenges and opportunities, the Banting program strongly encourages candidates to pursue this fellowship at an institution where they are not currently or have not been previously affiliated (e.g., current or previous PhD student or postdoctoral scholar). 

Given the limited number of fellowships awarded annually, the selection process within institutions is a rigorous one. Institutions are not provided with a quota of fellowships and must be strategic in determining the number of applicants they endorse. To provide guidance on potential candidates’ likelihood of success, the following summarizes the qualifications of recent Banting recipients at the University of Waterloo: 

  • Applicant has held a number of meritorious institutional awards; 
  • Applicant has an exceptional record of impactful research in their discipline, typically with evidence of an emerging, independently-defined research program; 
  • Applicant is actively engaged in community and scholarly activities, with an emphasis on research and knowledge dissemination; 
  • Applicant is within the top 2-5% of scholars in their research discipline; 
  • Applicant’s proposed research aligns with Waterloo’s strategic priorities. 

Application process

Step 1: Applicant confirms eligibility

Canadian citizens, permanent residents and international scholars are eligible to apply for the Banting PDF. 

Interested applicants must review the official eligibility criteria and selection criteria on the official Banting PDF website before starting their application. 

Applicants can apply for both the Banting PDF and other agency-specific postdoctoral fellowship opportunities at the same time. An application for the Banting does not automatically mean an application is submitted to the agency-specific postdoctoral fellowship opportunity – applicants must submit a separate application providing eligibility requirements are met. 

Step 2: Applicant finds a host supervisor and completes the Banting Fellowship Letter of Intent (LOI) form

Applicants are encouraged to visit the University of Waterloo faculty/department/school pages, which provides a list of faculty members and their respective research areas. Applicants must consider the proposed faculty member’s research and the alignment with their own research expertise and background prior to contacting the prospective faculty member. Scholars are encouraged to review our tips for finding and contacting a potential supervisor. 

Scholars, wishing to work with a faculty member they have not worked with previously, must: 

  • Complete a Letter of Intent (LOI) form; this form will automatically be sent to the proposed Waterloo host faculty member. A copy of the form will also be sent to the applicant and Heidi Mussar (Associate Director, Graduate Financial Aid and Awards, GSPA) 

Scholars who are currently working with the proposed host supervisor may skip this step. 

Step 3: University of Waterloo faculty member submits an endorsement form

If a proposed host supervisor agrees to support a candidate’s application, they must complete and submit a Banting endorsement form (recommended deadline to submit endorsement form is June 3, 2024). 

Following receipt of the form, staff in Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA) will send an email to the applicant inviting them to complete the next steps in the application process (as below). 

Step 4: Applicant creates a ResearchNet and a Canadian Common CV account

All applicants must have a ResearchNet account in order to complete the Banting application. Additionally, a specific Vanier-Banting academic CCV completed on the Canadian Common CV website is required. The CCV will get linked to the Banting application within ResearchNet. Further details about this can be found under Task 4 in the Banting application guide. 

Step 5: Applicant selects and contacts referees; referees send copy of assessment to Waterloo

Three referees, one of whom must be at arm’s length to the applicant, are required. Referees must be able to provide relevant evidence, perspectives and insight to support the review of the application based on the selection criteria. The assessments contribute to a major part of the evaluation of the application and its potential success. Applicants should direct their referees to the official agency website for additional information and instructions.

Since the agency does NOT provide institutions with administrative access to referee assessments completed within ResearchNet, the University of Waterloo relies on referees to email a copy of their assessment* to Heidi Mussar, institutional Banting program manager. This assessment is due by 12:00 p.m. EDT on June 26, 2024. Failure to send a copy of the assessment may result in the applicant being disadvantaged during the institutional adjudication process. 

*Referees must email either a pdf copy of the actual assessment they complete within ResearchNet OR a letter that addresses the criteria outlined on the agency website. 

Step 6: Complete fulfillment of degree requirements form

Applicants must obtain a completed Fulfillment of Degree Requirements Form from the institution that conferred (or will be conferring) the PhD, PhD-equivalent or health professional degree that confirms the date of fulfillment of all degree requirements. For applicants who have not yet completed their PhD degree requirements, Section 2 on the form should be completed by the student’s PhD supervisor who should also sign in the “Signature of Authorized Official” section of the form. 

Step 7: Applicant refers to the application guide to complete ResearchNet application and Common CV

Applicants must refer to the Application Guide for complete instructions for how to complete the application in ResearchNet and the Common CV. The guide provides essential details for each section of the application. 

Step 8: Applicants submit pdf copy of completed application to GSPA

Applicants, who receive approval to proceed with their formal application at the University of Waterloo (see step 3 above), must email a pdf of their Banting PDF application and CCV to Heidi Mussar in GSPA no later than the NON-NEGOTIABLE deadline of 12:00 p.m. EDT on June 26, 2024. The following parts of the application are required by this firm deadline: 

  • CCV - using the Vanier-Banting academic template 
  • Banting application details - a pdf of the actual application that is completed in ResearchNet (a pdf of the preview version is required, i.e., NOT a print screen; it is normally 5-6 pages); see FAQ section below for more details 
  • Significance of Research Contributions - max. 1 page 
  • Significance of Leadership Contributions - max. 1 page 
  • Fulfillment of degree requirements form - even if PhD has not yet been completed 
  • Special Circumstances, if applicable - max. 1 page 
  • Research Proposal - max. 4 pages for English applications and a max. of 5 pages for French applications, including graphs and images 
  • Bibliography - max. 4 pages 

Note: Applicants are NOT actually submitting their application within the ResearchNet portal at this time. As such, the institutional endorsement letter and supervisor’s statement are NOT required at this time. GSPA will provide these documents to applicants selected for institutional endorsement prior to formal submission to the agency. 

Waterloo's administrative review process 

GSPA makes application packages available for evaluation by the institutional Banting selection committee. 

A shortlist of candidates will be identified by the beginning of August. Feedback will be provided to the candidates and proposed host supervisors who will have the opportunity to strengthen the application material and re-submit by the middle of August. At this time, the proposed host faculty member will also provide GSPA with their supervisor’s statement. 

Selection committee will reconvene to review updated application material and finalize endorsed candidates after which final feedback will be provided. Any outstanding documentation (i.e., institutional letter of endorsement and finalized supervisor statement) is provided to the endorsed applicants prior to the agency deadline of 8:00 p.m. EDT on September 17, 2024. Applicants who receive institutional endorsement are responsible for submitting ALL material into ResearchNet by this deadline. 

For a complete timeline regarding Waterloo’s process, please visit the link below. 

Waterloo’s timeline

Visit Waterloo’s Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship timeline for complete details. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

I am already receiving funding from my proposed supervisor. Why should I apply?

If successful with the Banting, this is funding that you can call your own and add to your CV. It adds prestige to your portfolio and helps you look competitive if you apply for other opportunities. 

I am already in a postdoctoral position at the University of Waterloo. Can I apply for the Banting to be held here anyway?

If you have been affiliated for more than six months with Waterloo in a postdoctoral position, and meet the rest of the eligibility criteria, you may apply but must justify why you need to continue to remain here. Refer to the application guide for examples of valid justifications. 

I have previously applied for a Banting but was not successful. Can I apply again?

Yes – providing you are still within the eligibility window to do so. 

Do my referees have to be from Waterloo, or can I pick a referee from a foreign institution?

The referees do not have to be from Waterloo. You may select a referee from a foreign institution. It is also permitted for all referees to be from international institutions. The only stipulation is that at least one referee must be at arm’s length as indicated in the Application Guide. For more information about referees, review the "Identify Referees" section of the Application Guide and the Information for Referees web page.  

Do my referees have to be from Waterloo, or can I pick a referee from a foreign institution?

The referees do not have to be from Waterloo. You may select a referee from a foreign institution. It is also permitted for all referees to be from international institutions. The only stipulation is that at least one referee must be at arm’s length as indicated in the Application Guide. For more information about referees, review the "Identify Referees" section of the Application Guide and the Information for Referees web page.  

I haven’t yet completed the degree requirements for my PhD. So, who signs the “fulfillment of degree completion form” at the institution?

Section 2 should be filled out by your PhD supervisor as he/she/they would be best suited to advise when they expect the degree requirements to be met. They would also sign as the “Authorized Official”. 

How do I provide Waterloo with a copy of the “application details” from ResearchNet?

Within ResearchNet, you can save your application as a pdf document. To do this, select “Preview” from the main Tasks menu; once the new page opens, select the “Preview” option from the Actions column. From there you can save the document as a pdf. 

How do referees provide Waterloo with a copy of their assessment that they completed within ResearchNet?

In the automated ResearchNet message to referees, they are provided with the following instructions: “Once your assessment has been submitted, you can view it by using the link below. However, no further edits can be made. Click on the link below to access the referee form. If this does not work, copy and paste the link into your browser.” The submitted assessment opens up automatically as a pdf document. If the assessment has only been completed but NOT submitted yet, there is a “Save as PDF” button. 

Will I receive feedback about my application from the institutional committee?

Applicants selected for endorsement will be given the opportunity to update their application based on feedback relayed to them after the institutional selection meeting. 

Applicants who are not sent forward to the national competition and who would like feedback are encouraged to reach out to the Faculty Associate Dean Graduate Studies of the Faculty where they were proposing to hold the fellowship. 

When will I receive the institutional endorsement letter?

This letter will only be provided to applicants selected for institutional endorsement to the national level competition; this letter, along with a finalized supervisor’s statement, will be provided by GSPA to the selected applicants for them to upload to their application prior to the agency deadline. 

Helpful resources

Important links: 

Questions about the Banting PDF program can be sent to Heidi Mussar in Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs. Visit the Postdoctoral Affairs web page for more information about postdoctoral appointments at Waterloo. 

Updated April 12, 2024