Pursue your research in Canada. Good news! Applications for the Canada Postdoctoral Research Award program are currently open. In this article, we will provide a detailed explanation of this scholarship program, its benefits, and the step-by-step application process.
The Canada Postdoctoral Research Award program 2026-2027 is a fully funded scholarship for international students. The Fellowships will provide the recipient with a value of $70,000 per year.
The Canada Postdoctoral Research Award (CPRA) program recognizes and supports the next generation of outstanding innovators, knowledge workers, creative thinkers and researchers at a pivotal time in their careers. The program provides funding and flexibility, empowering Canadian and international leaders in innovation and scholarship of tomorrow to develop the skills to build world-class research and drive Canadian prosperity and competitiveness.
The CPRA program is a federal research talent investment program in the Canada Research Training Awards Suite (CRTAS) administered by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). The CRTAS aims to support the next generation of innovators by providing funding and high-quality research training, cultivating research skills, fostering creativity, and empowering awardees to make significant contributions to Canada’s research ecosystem, economy and prosperity.
To help build a world-leading innovative economy, reinforce a diverse culture of critical thought and improve Canadian productive capacity, the CPRA supports and promotes promising research talent in a wide variety of disciplines and broad fields of health, natural sciences and engineering, and social sciences and humanities, including interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research. This support allows postdoctoral researchers to add to their experience by engaging in research either in Canada or abroad, and facilitates their transition to the next phase of their career.
Scholarship Summary
- Level of Study: Postdoctoral
- Institution(s): Eligible Canadian or international institutions
- Opportunity Focus Areas:
- Health research
- Natural sciences and/or engineering
- Social sciences and/or humanities
- Number of Scholarships: 70 fellowships are awarded annually
- Program Period: Two years
- Deadline:
- CIHR: September 17
- NSERC: October 17
- SSHRC: September 11
Scholarship Coverage
The Canada Postdoctoral Research Award (CPRA) program provides the recipient with the following benefits:
- The applicant will get funds up to $70,000 per year for two years.
- 70 fellowships are awarded annually
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Eligibility Criteria for Canada Postdoctoral Research Award (CPRA) program
To be eligible for Canada Postdoctoral Research Award (CPRA) program, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Required Language: English
- Eligible Countries: All countries
- You must hold or expect to complete a PhD or a health professional degree before the award starts
- You cannot currently hold (or be on leave from) a tenure-track or tenured faculty position
- All degree requirements must have been completed within the last 3 years (by September 1 of the application year)
- The 3-year timeframe is based on when you finished all requirements (defense + thesis corrections), not graduation date
- Exceptions to the 3-year rule (extensions available up to 3 extra years):
- Career interruptions like parental/medical leave, military service, or natural disasters
- Becoming primary caregiver for a child within 3 years before/after degree (+3 year extension)
- 6+ months full-time work in industry/government (not academia)
- Non-research clinical training (like residencies)
- For international applicants:
- Must be enrolled in/completed a degree at a Canadian institution or doing a postdoc in Canada
- Only 20% of awards go to international applicants
- Other important rules:
- Maximum one application per year across all agencies (only the first submitted counts)
- Can apply a maximum of 3 times in your lifetime
- Cannot hold another postdoctoral award from these agencies
- Research must be new/different from your PhD work
- Awards can be held at universities/research hospitals worldwide (except Canadian federal institutions)
- For international locations, must be a Canadian citizen/permanent resident with a Canadian PhD
- Only 30% of awards can be held outside Canada
- Not eligible:
- Book adaptations, translations, or language training projects
- Combining with other tri-agency training awards
- Current tenure-track faculty
- Those who have already received similar postdoc awards
- Note: You may need to provide documentation for any exceptions or extensions claimed.
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How to Apply for The Canada Postdoctoral Research Award (CPRA) program?
Please follow the instructions below to avail of this fellowship
- Select the appropriate funding agency based on your research field:
- Choose the agency (CIHR, NSERC, or SSHRC) that best matches your research subject matter
- This ensures your application is reviewed by experts in your field
- Check each agency’s guidelines to confirm eligibility:
- CIHR: Visit [CIHR’s website]
- NSERC: Review their health research addendum for specific examples
- SSHRC: Check their Subject Matter Eligibility webpage
- If unsure, contact the agencies for clarification
- Important: Applications sent to the wrong agency may be disqualified
- Complete your application using the correct online system:
- CIHR: Use ResearchNET (see their instructions)
- NSERC: Use their online system (see their instructions)
- SSHRC: Register and login to their system (see their instructions)
- Submission requirements:
- All application materials must be complete
- Must be submitted electronically through the agency’s platform
- All references/letters of support must also be submitted online before the deadline
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Website
To know more about The Canada Postdoctoral Research Award (CPRA) program, please visit the official website: