The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship is designed to attract and retain highly qualified doctoral students in Canada. Indian students who are pursuing three-year doctoral courses in Canada can apply for it. The selection process is quite stringent and it considers factors such as academic excellence, research potential, and leadership skills. You can apply by 30 October 2024 and avail of attractive benefits. To know more details, continue reading this blog further.
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Overview of Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships
The scholarship is named after Major-General Georges P. Vanier, who was the first francophone Governor General of Canada. The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships or the VCGS offer financial support for doctoral students in Canada. This makes it an attractive option for both domestic and international candidates pursuing advanced research degrees.
It is a non-renewable scholarship and an amount of CAD 50,000 per year for three years is offered for doctoral studies. You can conduct research in the fields of health, natural sciences, engineering, social sciences, and humanities.
The application process is online and straightforward. However, you must prepare well before applying as it’s a highly competitive process, with approximately 166 scholarships available annually. So, you may also consider applying for Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships in Canada for PhD programs.
| Number of Scholarships | 166 |
| Scholarship Amount | CAD 50,000 per year for three years PhD |
| Eligibility Criteria | – Canadian citizens- Permanent residents of Canada- International students in Canada on a student visa |
| Application Deadline | October 30, 2024 (20:00 EDT) |
Also Read: If you want to know more about Australian Scholarships for Indian students, check out our blog to learn about the popular scholarships and their eligibility criteria
Eligibility Criteria
To apply for any fully-funded scholarships in Canada, you must ensure that you meet the eligibility criteria. The scholarship is open to Canadian citizens, permanent residents of Canada, and foreign citizens. Check out the eligibility criteria below-
- Be nominated by a Canadian institution: Your institution must have a Vanier CGS quota and you must receive a nomination from the institution at which you want to study.
- Pursue a doctoral degree: Be enrolled in a full-time doctoral program (including joint programs like MD/PhD, DVM/PhD, JD/PhD, MBA/PhD. However, for joint programs, only the PhD portions of the program are eligible for funding.
- Course Intake: You must be enrolled for a summer semester or the academic year following the announcement of results.
- Meet Study Limits: You must have completed no more than 20 months of full-time doctoral study by May 1, 2025, which is calculated from the date of enrollment in the doctoral program. For a joint graduate research program, you have completed no more than 32 months of full-time study.
- Academic Excellence: Have a first-class average in your last two years of study.
- No Previous Funding: Have not received a doctoral-level scholarship from CIHR, NSERC, or SSHRC.
- Student Visa and Bank Balance: Must have a student visa to Canada with minimum bank balance requirements for a Canada student visa.
Eligibility of Program of Study
To be eligible for a Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship, your doctoral program must:
- Include Research: Have a significant research component leading to a thesis, project, publication, performance, or exhibit.
- Be Research-Focused: Avoid programs primarily focused on clinical practice or professional degrees (unless they have a substantial research component).
Joint graduate research programs (e.g., MD/PhD, DVM/PhD, JD/PhD, MBA/PhD) are eligible if they have a significant independent research component. Consider applying for Aga Khan Foundation scholarships if you plan to pursue postgraduate studies in Canada.
Application Process
The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships are prestigious awards for doctoral students in Canada. To apply for a Vanier CGS, you must be nominated by a Canadian university that has a quota to host Vanier scholars. The nomination process typically involves the following steps:
- Identify a Nominating Institution: Research Canadian universities that have a Vanier CGS quota and choose an institution where you want to pursue your doctoral studies.
- Contact the Institution: Reach out to the graduate studies office at your chosen institution and express your interest in applying for the Vanier CGS.
- Submit Application: Provide the necessary documents, including your research proposal, transcripts, letters of recommendation, and any other required materials, to the graduate studies office.
- Institutional Review: The institution will review your application and select candidates to nominate for the Vanier CGS.
- National Competition: The nominated candidates will be evaluated by a national selection committee.
- Notification of Results: Successful candidates will be notified by the Vanier Secretariat.
- Application Deadline: The deadline for institutions to submit nominations is October 30, 2024. Students should check with their institution for internal deadlines.
- Required Documents: A complete application package typically includes a research proposal, a personal statement, a Canadian Common CV (CCV), and references.
Selection Criteria
Applicants are evaluated based on three equally weighted criteria:
- Academic Excellence
- Research Potential
- Leadership Skills
Also Read: Know all the details of Indian Govt Scholarships to Study Abroad.
Nominating Universities
As discussed, to apply for a Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship, you must be nominated by a Canadian institution that has a quota for hosting Vanier scholars. But which are those institutions? Well, a total of 60 institutions for the year 2024-25 to 2026-27 can issue nominations. These are-
| Acadia University | Saint Mary’s University | University of Alberta |
| Athabasca University | Saint Paul University | University of Calgary |
| Brock University | Simon Fraser University | University of Guelph |
| Carleton University | St. Francis Xavier University | University of Lethbridge |
| Concordia University | The University of British Columbia | University of Manitoba |
| Dalhousie University | The University of Western Ontario | University of New Brunswick |
| Dominican University College | Toronto Metropolitan University | University of Northern British Columbia |
| École nationale d’administration publique | Trent University | University of Ontario Institute of Technology |
| HEC Montréal | Trinity Western University | University of Ottawa |
| Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) | Université de Moncton | University of Prince Edward Island |
| Lakehead University | Université de Montréal | University of Regina |
| Laurentian University | Université de Sherbrooke | University of Saskatchewan |
| McGill University | Université du Québec à Chicoutimi | University of Toronto |
| McMaster University | Université du Québec à Montréal | University of Victoria |
| Memorial University of Newfoundland | Université du Québec à Rimouski | University of Waterloo |
| Mount Saint Vincent University | Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières | University of Windsor |
| Nipissing University | Université du Québec – École de technologie supérieure | Wilfrid Laurier University |
| Polytechnique Montréal | Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue | York University |
| Queen’s University | Université du Québec en Outaouais | Université TÉLUQ |
| Royal Military College | Université Laval | Royal Roads University |
Important: Only apply for nomination from the institution where you intend to study.
This was all about the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships. To increase your chances of being selected for the Vanier CGS, make sure to secure a nomination from a Canadian university that is part of the Vanier CGS quota. Engage with your Graduate Chair or faculty early to express your interest and ensure they are aware of your qualifications.
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FAQs
You must be nominated by a Canadian institution with a Vanier CGS quota and submit a complete application through ResearchNet.
The scholarship is open to Canadian citizens, permanent residents of Canada, and foreign citizens pursuing PhD in Canada on a student visa.
The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship provides CAD 50,000 per year for three years.
To successfully secure Vanier CGS, you must focus on academic excellence, research potential, and leadership skills in your application. Ensure strong support from your nominating institution.
It is a prestigious scholarship for doctoral students in Canada, providing financial support to attract and retain top talent.
The success rate varies, but approximately 166 scholarships are awarded annually, making it highly competitive.
