CIHR’s Canada Graduate Research Scholarship - Doctoral (CGRS D) Program – Frequently Asked Questions

Welcome to the FAQ page for the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship - Doctoral (CGRS D) program. Please bookmark this page for future reference.

The information below is intended to supplement the information provided within the most recent versions of the funding opportunities indicated above.

For all other doctoral funding opportunities, please consult the individual funding opportunity announcements, as these opportunities may have different requirements.

For more information or for technical help related to ResearchNet, email support-soutien@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.

Application

  • Where can I find information about the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship Doctoral (CGRS D) funding opportunity?

    Up until the application deadline, the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship Doctoral (CGS D) funding opportunity is accessible from the CIHR Health Research Training Award Programs webpage. Once the competition deadline has passed, the information will eventually be accessible only from the list of archived opportunities section of ResearchNet.

  • How do I submit an application? Are there instructions on how to complete an application for the Canada Graduate Research Scholarships Doctoral (CGRS D) competition?

    Applications must be submitted using ResearchNet. Applicants are strongly encouraged to read the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship - Doctoral (CGRS D) program : Application instructions.

  • How do I determine the funding agency mandate under which my research proposal falls?

    Applicants are encouraged to read more about Selecting the Appropriate Federal Granting Agency and to review the mandates of CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC. Specifically, CIHR accepts applications in all areas of health research, biomedical research, clinical research, health services research, and social, cultural, environmental and population health research. Definitions of these four research themes can be found on the Selecting the Appropriate Federal Granting Agency page.

  • What is the specific assessment criteria for these programs?

    Read through the CIHR Reviewers' Guide for the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship Doctoral (CGRS D) program to learn more about how your application will be assessed.

  • Can I have multiple supervisors?

    Yes. You may have multiple supervisors. The Nominated Principal Applicant must identify a Primary Supervisor. The Nominated Principal Applicant may also identify an additional supervisor if applicable. Consult the CIHR Application Administration Guide for more information.

  • Do my supervisors need to submit a Canadian Common CV?

    Only applicants are required to submit an Academic CV (validated for CIHR) using the Canadian Common CV (CCV) website. For details about how to complete the CCV, please consult the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral (CGRS D) program: Application instructions.

  • Do I need to submit my official transcripts?

    Yes, CIHR requires applicants to submit complete academic records including all undergraduate and graduate studies (completed and ongoing). If you are applying through an eligible Canadian institution, you should contact your institution to confirm their official transcript policy. For more details regarding required documents, please consult the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship - Doctoral (CGRS D) program: Application instructions.

  • Will the interruptions/delays in my schooling be taken into account when determining my eligibility?

    Interruptions and delays in your studies may be taken into account in determining eligibility if information on the interruptions and delays is provided in the specific section of your Academic CCV. For details about how to complete this section of the CCV, please consult the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship - Doctoral (CGRS D) program: Application instructions.

  • How are applications assigned to a specific Peer Review Committee?

    Applications are reviewed by one of the two peer review committees according to the scientific area indicated within the application. As such, candidates are encouraged to consult the CIHR four research themes and to consult with their supervisor/mentor about their research project in order to determine the most appropriate scientific area, representing more than fifty percent of the research project they are required to indicate in their application.

  • How and where to submit my application?

    For detailed instructions on how and where to submit an application, please consult the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship - Doctoral (CGRS D) program: Application instructions. For quick referencing, please consult the How to Submit an Application to CIHR’s Canada Graduate Research Scholarship - Doctoral (CGRS D) Program flowchart.

  • How do I determine which organization will receive my application?

    The ”Institution Paid” field in the application determines which organization will receive your application (Canadian institution with a quota OR CIHR). For details on where to submit your application, please consult the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral (CGRS D) program: Application instructions.

  • What if the institution that I was affiliated with during the calendar year does not have a quota?

    You must apply either through a Canadian institution or directly to the appropriate agency, depending on your registration status on the application deadline date and/or your registration status during the calendar year of application.. For details on where to submit your application, please consult the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship - Doctoral (CGRS D) program: Application instructions.

  • Who can I choose as a sponsor?

    Only two sponsor assessments are required. CIHR recommends that the applicants choose sponsors under whom they have trained and who have had a good opportunity to assess their potential for research. An applicant’s current supervisor can be chosen as a sponsor if they are able to provide a detailed assessment. Candidates are encouraged to choose their sponsors carefully, keeping in mind that there is no opportunity within the application to provide a justification for their choices.

    Applicants should also refer their selected sponsors to the Information for Sponsors page for guidance.

  • How do the Sponsor Assessments work in ResearchNet and where can I find a sample form?

    For details, please consult the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship - Doctoral (CGRS D) program: Application instructions. A sample of the "Sponsor's Assessment of a candidate for a Canada Graduate Research Scholarship - Doctoral Research Award (CGRS D)" form can be found in the Index of Funding Related Forms and is available for information purposes only.

    Applicants must insert their sponsor’s first name, last name and email address in the Identify Sponsor task in their application. The sponsor will then receive an email invitation from ResearchNet inviting them to complete your sponsor assessment. Applicants should also refer their selected sponsors to the Information for Sponsors page for guidance.

  • How long should the "Research Project Summary", "Training Expectations" and "Publications list" attachments be?

    For details on the maximum limits allowed for these attachments, please consult the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral (CGRS D) program: Application instructions.

  • What are priority announcements?

    Priority announcements generally offer additional sources of funding for highly rated applications relevant to specific CIHR research priority areas or mandates. Each priority announcement has its own specific objectives and requirements; however, applications must still meet the eligibility criteria and requirements for the open competition.

  • Can I still be considered for funding through the open competition if I apply for a priority announcement?

    Yes, your application is still first and foremost submitted to the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral (CGRS D) program open competition. If for any reason your application is withdrawn from the open competition, it will not be considered for any priority announcements.

  • Can I update my application after the deadline?

    In order to ensure fairness in the evaluation of applications, CIHR will not accept application updates after the deadline. You can make updates to your Contact Information within your ResearchNet account settings.

Award administration

  • How much time do I have to respond to an offer of award?

    Successful applicants have 15 business days to accept or decline an award as of the date on the funding decision letter. This deadline is firm, so please make sure to request the relevant signatures in time from your institution and/or supervisor when applicable (see below).

  • Which documents will I need to provide before I can start my award?

    In addition to the specific documents listed in the Notes section of the Offer of an Award, there are two mandatory documents that need to be provided:

    • Response to an Offer of Award: if you are successful in receiving an award, a pdf version of this form will become available to you in your ResearchNet account after you answer a few questions online regarding when you wish to start the award and the person and/or institution that will be administering the funds. Both you and the authorized official at the Primary Location of Research must sign the printed form. This form must be returned to us within 15 business days of it becoming available to you online.
    • Confirmation of Commencement: this form will become available to you in your ResearchNet account 2 months prior to the start date you indicated on the Response to an Offer of Award form (for example, if you chose a start date of September 1, it will appear on July 1st). If your start date is within 2 months of the current date then the form will appear within a few hours of completing your Response to an Offer of Award. If it does not, it is because the information you filled in your Response to an Offer of Award form (Institution, Faculty and/or Department) does not match the information provided on your original application. In this case, please email CIHR for further information. The printed version of this form needs to be signed by both you and a Scholarship Liaison Officer (SLO) or equivalent official in the faculty of graduate studies or its equivalent and returned to us before we can process your award.

    All required documents must be sent to CIHR by email only at: support-soutien@cihr-irsc.gc.ca in a single package. Please avoid multiple emails whenever possible, as this will delay the activation of your award. Please note that awardees (and not the institution) must send the documents themselves to CIHR.

  • Do I need to do anything if I am planning to decline the award?

    Yes. As we need to know that you are declining the award please send us, within 15 business days of receiving your offer, a signed copy of the Response to an Offer of Award form stating that you are declining the award and letting us know why. This can be sent to support-soutien@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.

  • How does CIHR determine when my award ends?

    You must consult the Tri-Agency Research Training Award Holder’s Guide for information about policies and guidelines related to the Termination of award.

  • What should I do if there are any changes in my eligibility to hold my award and/or if I must interrupt my award?

    You must consult the Tri-Agency Research Training Award Holder’s Guide for information about policies and guidelines related to Changes to the award and/or Interruptions of award. It is important to note that a change of status may deem you ineligible to hold your award, in which case the Termination of award policy must be followed. It is also important to consult the eligibility criteria noted in the original funding opportunity, as eligibility requirements must be maintained throughout the tenure of the award.

  • Do I need to provide Proof of Registration every year?

    The Proof of Registration is required only to activate your award.

  • What happens if the required paperwork isn't received by CIHR until after my chosen start date?

    If the delays fall within the allowable start dates stated in the Notes section of the Offer of an Award document, the only effect is that your payments will be delayed until we're able to process your paperwork. Payments can be made retroactively as of your indicated start date if you meet all the eligibility requirements.

  • Am I allowed to receive funding from other sources while holding the CIHR award?

    Recipients are expected to respect the eligibility requirements and funding conditions throughout the tenure of the CIHR award. As such, a Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral (CGRS D) awardee cannot hold simultaneously any other award funded by one of the federal research agencies (NSERC, SSHRC, CIHR). For more information, consult the Other sources of income (employment and other awards) section of the Tri-Agency Research Training Award Holder’s Guide.

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