Internal funding opportunities

The best and brightest are drawn to Waterloo for renowned academic programs, world-leading professional education, and teaching and research excellence.

Our diverse community supports each other to develop academically, professionally, and personally within a collaborative environment that prioritizes wellbeing, growth, and achievement.

Postdoctoral scholars at the University of Waterloo are a vital component in supporting the overall intellectual strength of our institution. They play an active role in planning for and carrying out Waterloo’s research programs, build alliances and intellectual bridges to other institutions and provide mentorship to our students. In return, Waterloo offers postdoctoral scholars a supportive infrastructure and mechanisms for advancing their goals. Institutionally, we are pleased to present Waterloo-specific funding opportunities below:

Provost’s Program for Interdisciplinary Postdoctoral Scholars

The aim is to support emerging scholars who are engaging in cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research, as aligned with the University strategic plan to identify and solve challenges through approaches that extend beyond disciplinary boundaries such that increasingly complex, real-world programs can be solved.

This program will support scholars whose work will bridge across different Faculties/departments, synthesize the knowledge of two (or more) disciplines, and result in high impact/innovative outcomes.

Value: $70,000 plus $5,000 research fund
Duration: 2 years
Applications open: fall

Provost’s Program for Black and Indigenous Postdoctoral Scholars

This program supports Black and Indigenous scholars with particular attention to promoting Indigenous initiatives and ensuring a culture of equity, diversity, and inclusivity. Successful scholars will improve the representation, participation, and engagement of equity-deserving groups within our community, and support programs, policies, and processes that foster more diverse campus community

This program is for emerging scholars whose work is transformative, is of societal importance, and has global impact.

Value: $70,000 plus $5,000 research fund
Duration: 2 years
Applications open: fall

Lupina Foundation Postdoctoral Research Fellowship

First established in 2021, these distinguished postdoctoral opportunities are available through a donation by the Lupina Foundation. Two fellowships will be awarded annually, each valued at $70,000 per year for two years, plus a research stipend totaling $5,000. Both internal and external funding models are available. Applications are encouraged from outstanding early-career scholars investigating the social determinants of health, particularly at the intersections of health, society, and technology. Lupina postdoctoral fellows will be supervised by any faculty member within Waterloo’s Faculty of Arts, with interdisciplinary collaboration potential across the University.

Value: $70,000 plus $5,000 research stipend
Duration: 2 years
Applications open: winter

Though these programs are no longer accepting applications, the University of Waterloo has been pleased to partner with external donors to attract exceptional postdocs to Waterloo, and is happy to highlight the work of our current and past cohorts in the following programs: