Canada Postdoctoral Research Award (CPRA)

CAD 70,000 per year for 24 months.

Fields: health research, natural sciences, Engineering, social sciences, humanities

Open to most nationalities

• Foreign citizens must be registered in, or have completed, a doctoral or health professional degree at a Canadian institution, or be doing postdoctoral research at a Canadian institution.
• Up to 20% of awards are available to international applicants.
• International award holders must hold the award in Canada.
• Can be held at universities, research hospitals, colleges, non-government organisations and other bodies with a strong research training mandate, but not at federal government labs.
• You must meet the degree timing window set for each competition; check the agency guide.

In the 2026 competition, deadlines were 10 September (SSHRC), 16 September (CIHR) and 17 October (NSERC). CIHR and SSHRC applicants may face earlier institutional deadlines. Confirm the next cycle dates on the agency pages.

Deadlines move a little every year and some close early. Confirm the date on the official page before you plan around it.

• Online application through the chosen agency system (ResearchNET for CIHR, NSERC online system, or SSHRC portal)
• Research proposal and record of research achievements
• Reference letters and institutional nomination submitted through the same system
• Certified translations of any supporting documents not in English or French

1. 1

   Step 1: Check your Canadian link

   As a foreign citizen you need a PhD or postdoc connection to a Canadian institution before you can apply.
2. 2

   Step 2: Find a host and supervisor

   Agree a project with a supervisor at an eligible Canadian host institution that will nominate you.
3. 3

   Step 3: Choose the agency

   Apply to CIHR, NSERC or SSHRC depending on your research area; choosing the right agency is your responsibility.
4. 4

   Step 4: Submit online

   Complete the application in the agency system and make sure referees and the institutional nominator submit before the deadline; late applications are not accepted.

• International holders must hold the award in Canada.
• The award lasts 24 months.
• Submitted applications cannot be changed except for personal contact details.

• The old Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship no longer accepts applications; CPRA is the replacement, so ignore aggregator posts still advertising Banting.
• African researchers without a Canadian PhD usually need a funded Canadian postdoc first, then can apply for CPRA from there.
• Talk to your host institution early: the institutional nomination and internal deadlines often come weeks before the agency date.

Winning the award does not include the visa. Plan your application with our guide for the host country.

• Canada student visa

Checked against these official pages on 16 Oct 2026.

• NSERC: Canada Postdoctoral Research Award program (opens in a new tab)
• Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships: Home (closure notice) (opens in a new tab)