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Canada Postdoctoral Research Award: September 2026 Competition—Applicant Instructions

2026-09-10T20:00:00

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Documents to read before applying

If you experience technical difficulties, contact the helpdesk as early as possible in the application process. The helpdesk has a higher volume of requests during peak periods (i.e., September 1 to December 1) and on deadline days.

Application process and deadline

Accommodations and accessibility

If you need help completing online application forms due to circumstances arising from a disability, contact your institution (scholarship liaison officer, research grant office or other applicant support office) as early in the application process as possible to investigate available supports. If your institution cannot provide help, or needs SSHRC to collaborate on a solution, refer to the Accessibility in programs and services web page for information on requesting assistance, or contact accessibility-accessibilite@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca directly. You can also contact SSHRC if you have questions or are seeking specific adaptation arrangements. You do not need to share your medical or sensitive personal information, and, to protect your privacy, should avoid doing so.

Frequently requested accommodations include, but are not limited to:

Applicant responsibilities

Complete and verify the Canada Postdoctoral Research Award (CPRA) program application form and SSHRC web CV prior to submission.

To ensure verification:

Ensure all required application components are submitted in English and/or French only, including:

Attaching a document

Many modules in your application will require you to attach a PDF document. You must follow the specified requirements for margins and font size , or your application will be deemed ineligible. An error message will appear if the file you are trying to attach does not meet the required specifications for page length and file size. Once you have attached the electronic file, we recommend you select “View attached file” to ensure you have the proper file and your file is not corrupted.

Electronic submission process and acknowledgement of receipt of applications

You must submit your application electronically to SSHRC before 8:00 p.m. (eastern), September 10, 2026.

SSHRC’s online system will not accept incomplete applications. At 8:00 p.m. (eastern) on the application deadline, the “Submit” button will no longer be available, and no further changes or submissions can be made.

Applicants must allow enough time for their institution’s or organization’s internal review process, if applicable. SSHRC will acknowledge receipt of your electronic application form and will assign you an application number (e.g., 706-2027-0000). Cite this number in all correspondence with us.

Applications remain available for download via the SSHRC online system for 30 days after the deadline, after which they are deleted.

If your personal contact information changes after you have submitted your application, email fellowships@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca to update it.

Application profile

Application title

Provide a short, descriptive title for your program of work in nontechnical terms. Restrict use of acronyms (e.g., UN, NATO, etc.). Use upper case only for the first word of the title, proper nouns and acronyms. Your application title will automatically be included in the “Activity details” screen.

Preferred merit review committee

Applicants are responsible for selecting the most appropriate committee based on their research proposal and career trajectory. SSHRC cannot recommend which committee to choose. All decisions regarding committee selection are to be solely made by the applicant.

Based on the subject and discipline(s) of your program of work, choose a committee using the “List…” button.

The disciplines represented by each committee are as follows:

Committee 1 (7061)

Fine arts, literature (all types)
Committee 2 (7062)

Classical archaeology, classics, classical and dead languages, history, mediaeval studies, philosophy, religious studies
Committee 3 (7063)

Anthropology, archaeology (except classical archaeology), criminology, folklore, sociology

Committee 4 (7064)

Education, linguistics, psychology, social work
Committee 5 (7065)

Economics, industrial relations, law, management, business, administrative studies, political science
Committee 6 (7066)

Archival science, communications and media studies, demography, environmental studies, geography, library and information science, urban and regional studies

For example, if your main discipline is women’s or gender studies, select the committee that best aligns with the focus of your research. For example, if your research involves women’s literature, you should choose Committee 1.

If your research is interdisciplinary, choose the committee with the discipline most relevant to your research. Committees are composed of experts in the disciplines listed for each; however, SSHRC cannot guarantee expertise in all disciplines listed. For instance, Committee 2 might consist of five experts in classics, history, philosophy and religion but not medieval studies or classical archaeology.

Supplements

To be considered for a supplemental award, select the supplement from the drop-down menu. For each supplement selected, you must meet eligibility criteria and provide a maximum one-page justification. Successful candidates will be notified.

Joint or special initiatives

To be considered for a joint or special initiative, select the initiative from the drop-down menu. For each initiative selected, you must meet eligibility criteria and provide either a maximum one-page justification or any information or forms requested. Successful candidates will be notified in the months following the release of competition results.

By indicating you wish to be considered for supplements and/or joint or special initiatives, you grant SSHRC permission to share information with partner organization(s).

Does your proposal involve Indigenous research, as defined by SSHRC?

SSHRC is committed to supporting and promoting research by and with Indigenous Peoples. As such, SSHRC’s Guidelines for the merit review of Indigenous research are provided to merit reviewers to help build understanding of Indigenous research and research-related activities, and to assist committee members in interpreting SSHRC’s specific evaluation criteria in the context of Indigenous research. SSHRC makes concerted efforts to include experts in Indigenous research on each postdoctoral merit review committee.

Review SSHRC’s Indigenous Research Statement of Principles and its Guidelines for the merit review of Indigenous research. Applications that meet SSHRC’s definition of Indigenous research will be reviewed in the context of these guidelines. Select “Yes” in the application form to signal to the multidisciplinary merit review committee members that your application should be reviewed according to these guidelines.

Do you hold a teaching appointment?

Indicate whether you hold a teaching appointment of any kind. If “Yes,” attach a PDF of your Teaching appointment letter.

Applicant

The information listed in this section has been automatically transferred from your SSHRC web CV. To make changes to your current place of employment or institutional affiliation, use the “Current position” screen in the SSHRC web CV. You may enter a different affiliation if you wish to have it on record for this application.

Indigenous Scholars Awards and Supplements Pilot Initiative

The Indigenous Scholars Awards and Supplements Pilot Initiative offers a one-year, nonrenewable supplement valued at $10,000 to all Indigenous CPRA award holders. Indigenous applicants whose applications are meritorious but unfunded may be offered a CPRA award and a supplement, subject to the limit of available funding. To be considered for this initiative, you must: 

For additional information, consult the description of the Indigenous Scholars Awards and Supplements Pilot Initiative.

Teaching appointment letter (if applicable)

If you answered “No” to the question “Do you hold a teaching appointment?,” you do not need to attach a letter in this module.

If you answered “Yes”, you must attach a PDF of your appointment letter, or a letter from a university official confirming you do not hold a tenured or tenure-track position. SSHRC will also accept a scanned copy of your contract. This document will not be shared with merit review committee members.

Program of work

Maximum four pages

Attach a PDF copy of your program of work. Write your proposal in clear, plain language. Avoid discipline-specific jargon, acronyms and highly technical terms. Your application will be reviewed by members of a multidisciplinary merit review committee, not all of whom will be familiar with your area of research.

Prepare your program of work as follows:

Bibliography and citations

Maximum 10 pages

Attach a PDF of:

SSHRC recognizes and allows the use of different referencing styles.

Diversity considerations in research design module

First, read the Guide to including diversity considerations in research design for doctoral and postdoctoral award applicants. Once you’ve answered “Yes” or “No” to the question “Do diversity considerations apply to your proposed research design?,” use the textbox provided (maximum 1,700 characters) to indicate how diversity considerations are or are not applicable or to your research proposal.

Before completing this module, read the Guide to including diversity considerations in research design for doctoral and postdoctoral award applicants.

Although mandatory, this module is not subject to merit review and is not shared with committee members.

Program information

Expected start date of the award

Indicate when you expect to start your award. The award can begin on the first of any month between April 2027 and January 2028.

You cannot start your award until you have successfully completed all degree requirements for your doctoral degree, including the successful defence and submission of the corrected copy of your doctoral dissertation. These requirements must be completed by December 31, 2027, at the latest.

Languages

Specify the language(s) required to carry out your proposed program of work. Indicate your current proficiency in each.

Tenure location

Identify the organization and department/division where you plan to hold the award by clicking the “List…” button. If your organization and department/division are not listed, select “Other/Unknown” from the list and type the information into the box provided.

Applicants who wish to hold their award at a Canadian institution eligible to administer SSHRC funds will be paid through their host institution. Applicants should contact the proposed location of tenure in advance of submitting their application to determine the specifics of the institutional support offered by the host institution.

You can propose to affiliate with more than one organization. If applicable, identify the secondary location of tenure by clicking the “List…” button in the section “Secondary tenure location” and select the appropriate organization and department/division. If your organization and department/division are not listed, select “Other/Unknown” from the list and type the information in the box provided. Secondary locations of tenure can include, for example, academic, not-for-profit or community/cultural organizations, as well as organizations from the private sector.

In the “Tenure location” and the “Secondary tenure location” sections of the application form, you can list up to two places of affiliation. If you propose to affiliate with more than one organization, indicate it in your program of work and justify your choice for each host institution. Both the appropriateness of the institution and the supervisor will be taken into account in the evaluation of your application. Research Appraisal forms and Institutional Nomination and Commitment forms from secondary host institutions are not required and will not be accepted.

Eligibility criteria (including eligible locations of tenure) for Canadian citizens, permanent residents of Canada, and protected persons differ from the eligibility criteria for international applicants. For guidance on eligible locations of tenure and associated restrictions, consult the “International applicants” and “Proposed location of tenure” sections underneath the “Eligibility” section.

Areas of study

The information provided in this section refers to your area of research/study.

Ethics

State whether or not your proposed research/study involves human beings as research subjects. If it does, select “Yes” and consult the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans and submit your proposal to the research ethics board of the institution where you will undertake your graduate or postdoctoral studies. You need not submit your proposal to the research ethics board prior to submitting your application.

Priority Research Areas

The Canada Research Training Awards Suite offers additional awards to meritorious applicants whose research aligns with the Government of Canada’s following priority research areas:

  1. Advanced digital technologies (including AI, quantum and cybersecurity) 
  2. Health, including biotechnology 
  3. Clean technology and resource value chains 
  4. Environment, climate resilience, and the Arctic 
  5. Food and water security 
  6. Democratic and community resilience 
  7. Manufacturing and advanced materials 
  8. Defence and dual-use technologies 

To indicate your program of work is aligned with a priority research area, you must:

You may indicate in your program of work how your project is related to a priority research area. However, your proposal of work’s alignment with a priority research area is not subject to merit review and is not an evaluation subcriteria.

Keywords

List keywords, separated by semicolons, that best describe your proposal.

Select appropriate entries under each of the sections below using the “List…” button. Duplicate entries are not permitted.

Disciplines

Indicate and rank up to three disciplines relevant to your research/study, with Entry 1 as the most relevant and Entry 3 as the least relevant.

For entries 2 and 3, if an applicable discipline is not listed, you can select an entry such as “Other (relevant discipline)” (e.g., Other psychology, Other anthropology, Other sociology) from the list, and provide the information in the box provided.

You can choose “Other (relevant discipline)” only once. For instance, you cannot choose “Other psychology” in Entry 2 and choose it again in Entry 3. Also, you can choose “Other” (with an explanation) only once.

Example:

Entry 1 Sociology
Entry 2 Other psychology
Entry 3 “Other”

In 2023, SSHRC worked with Statistics Canada, NSERC, CIHR and the Canada Foundation for Innovation to review the fields of research for the Canadian Research and Development Classification, as part of a commitment to continuous improvement, and to better represent Canada’s current research landscape. This latest version has been integrated into a more modern platform.

No changes will be made to the legacy systems at SSHRC (including the online system and research portal), given the systems’ fragility. If a discipline is not well represented, applicants are invited to provide suitable keywords (see above) to describe their research.

Areas of research

Indicate and rank up to two areas of research related to your research/study, with Entry 1 ranked as the most important and Entry 2 as the least important.

Temporal period

If applicable, indicate the historical period covered by your research/study.

Geographical regions

If applicable, indicate and rank up to two geographical regions covered by or related to your research/study, with Entry 1 as the most important and Entry 2 as the least important.

Countries

If applicable, indicate and rank up to five countries covered by or related to your research/study, with Entry 1 as the most important and Entry 5 as the least important.

Referees

Instructions for requesting support letters

Enter the family name, given name and email address of each referee. This information will be used to populate the referee form.

Once saved, the system will automatically send an email invitation to each person, requesting a letter of appraisal.

Inform your referees they will receive an email with the subject line “Invitation to evaluate an application—Invitation à évaluer une demande.” Notify them that firewalls and/or spam filters may interfere with their ability to receive it.

Applicants are responsible for ensuring referees complete and submit their forms before the application deadline.

Status Definition
Email sent—Referee form not yet created The referee has not yet accepted the invitation. If the referee has deleted the system-generated invitation email by error, select “Resend email” to send the same invitation to the referee again.
Referee unable to complete the form The referee has declined the invitation, which will be confirmed by a system-generated email that notifies you. You must remove the person from the application by selecting “Clear entry.” You can then add a new referee.
Referee form created The referee has accepted the invitation. Referees who have accepted will be able to view an electronic version of your application to inform their letter of reference.
Referee form completed The referee has submitted the form. The referee’s letter will be attached to your application only after your application has been submitted.

You will not be able to verify your application until all referee forms have been completed, verified and submitted.

You will not be able to view appraisal letters.

You are responsible for ensuring all required application components have been submitted, including attachments and letters. The system does not accept incomplete applications.

Give your referees enough time to complete and submit their letters, so you can submit your application well in advance of the deadline. The online system typically handles a very high volume of users on the day of the deadline, which can create delays and put timely submission at risk. Do not wait until the last minute to submit your application.

Letters of appraisal

Your letters of appraisal must come from two types of referees:

Letter writers will receive an email that allows them to access the Letter of Appraisal form.

Research appraisal

Provide information about the (proposed) research supervisor at the organization where you plan to hold the award.

If you propose to affiliate with more than one institution, ask the supervisor at the primary location of tenure to complete the research appraisal. Research appraisals from supervisors at secondary host institutions are not required and will not be accepted.

Proposed supervisors will receive instructions via email indicating how to access the Research Appraisal form.

Institutional nomination and commitment

Provide information about the department head or designate at the proposed institution of affiliation.

If you propose to affiliate with more than one institution, the department head or designate at the primary location of tenure should complete the Institutional nomination and commitment form. Secondary host institutions do not have to complete this form.

The designated person at the proposed institution of affiliation will receive an email that allows them to access the Institutional Nomination and Commitment form.

If the department head and the research supervisor are the same person, they should fill out both the Institutional nomination and commitment form and the Research Appraisal form.

Allowable inclusions (if applicable)

Maximum one page

If applicable, attach a PDF indicating your allowable inclusions, which are also labelled “special circumstances.”

SSHRC asks its merit review committees to take special circumstances into consideration that could have affected applicants’ research, professional career, record of academic or research achievement, or completion of degrees. Relevant circumstances might include administrative responsibilities, maternity/parental leave, child-rearing, illness, disability, cultural or community responsibilities, socio-economic context, health-related family responsibilities, trauma and loss, or the COVID-19 pandemic. Specify the dates for any delays or interruptions.

As part of SSHRC’s Indigenous Research Talent Measures, Indigenous applicants are encouraged to use the “Allowable inclusions” section of their application form to describe special circumstances that could have had an impact on their academic or career paths.

All information provided to SSHRC is subject to the Privacy Act. Information included in the “Allowable inclusions” section of your application will be shared with merit review committee members for consideration as part of your application. SSHRC merit reviewers cannot share this information outside of the merit review process, which is subject to the Tri-Agency Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Policy. For more information, see the principles for SSHRC merit review.

To be eligible, applicants who completed their doctorate between September 1, 2020, and September 1, 2023,  must describe the career interruptions or delays experienced since completion of their doctorate in this section.

Applicants who completed their doctorate after September 1, 2023, can also choose to describe relevant career interruptions or delays should they wish to do so.

Research contributions

Maximum two pages

Attach a PDF of your research contributions, grouped according to the categories listed below. List the most recent contributions first.

1. Research contributions

For each item, provide details as follows:

Include all relevant information in the application. Do not include URLs or other publications for supplementary information, except for examples of your achievements in research-creation.

Group your contributions by category in the following order, as applicable, listing your most recent contributions first.

  1. Refereed contributions

    Examples include books (where applicable, subdivide according to those that are single-authored, co-authored and edited works), monographs, book chapters, articles in scholarly refereed journals and conference proceedings.

    A “refereed work” involves its assessment:

    • in its entirety—not merely an abstract or extract;
    • before publication; and
    • by independent (at arm’s length from the author), anonymous, qualified experts.
  2. Other refereed contributions

    Examples include papers presented at scholarly meetings or conferences and articles in professional or trade journals.

  3. Nonrefereed contributions

    Examples include book reviews, published reviews of work, research reports, policy papers and public lectures.

  4. Forthcoming contributions

    Indicate one of the following statuses: “Submitted,” “Revised and submitted,” “Accepted” or “In press.” Provide the name of the journal or book publisher and the number of pages. Do not list contributions not yet submitted.

  5. Creative outputs

    Examples of creative outputs may include exhibitions, performances, publications, presentations, and film, video and audio recordings. Applicants who work in research-creation may include website links to provide samples of work that illustrate their qualifications. Refer to the Guidelines for research-creation support materials before including links in the application package.

2. Other research contributions

Describe any other contributions to research and the advancement of knowledge within the last six years, including your research contributions to non-academic audiences (e.g., public, policy-makers, private sector and not-for-profit organizations).

3. Most significant career research contributions

Choose your three most significant research contributions from those listed and describe:

  1. their influence on thought and activity within the target community; and
  2. their significance to, and use by, other researchers and knowledge users.

4. Relevant experience

Describe your previous experience relevant to the topic and objectives you are investigating in the application. For each experience, include:

Examples of relevant experience can include:

Contributions in the context of Indigenous research can be listed within these or additional categories, in line with the Guidelines for the merit review of Indigenous research.

Supplement justification (if applicable)

Provide a maximum one-page justification per supplement selected in the “Application profile” section.

Bora Laskin National Fellowship in Human Rights Research

Jules and Gabrielle Léger Fellowship

Specific requirements for joint or special initiatives (if applicable)

Provide a maximum one-page justification per initiative selected in the “Application profile” section. Different requirements apply to the Mitacs Accelerate Fellowships and Alice Wilson Award initiatives. Refer to the specific instructions for each initiative.

By indicating you wish to be considered for a supplement and/or joint or special initiative, you are agreeing to SSHRC sharing information with the partner organization.

Department of National Defence MINDS Scholarship Initiative

Sport Participation Research Initiative

Mitacs Training

Alice Wilson Award

Merit review

Applications are reviewed, and available funds awarded, through a competitive merit review process. SSHRC bases funding decisions on the recommendations of the merit review committee and on the funds available.

Merit review process

Step 1: In the application form, applicants are asked to select the multidisciplinary merit review committees most appropriate to review their proposal.

Step 2: After applications and supporting documents are submitted (see Application procedures), SSHRC staff reviews all applications, then forwards those eligible to the multidisciplinary merit review committees.

Step 3: Committees review the applications and make recommendations on which should be funded. Final funding decisions are subject to SSHRC approval. Scores assigned to each application indicate the relative standing of an application within a given committee.

SSHRC’s Guidelines for the merit review of Indigenous research are relevant for researchers (applicants and project directors) and students preparing SSHRC applications related to Indigenous research. SSHRC provides these guidelines to merit reviewers to help build understanding of Indigenous research and research-related activities, and to assist committee members in interpreting SSHRC’s specific evaluation criteria in the context of Indigenous research. The guidelines may also be of use to external assessors, postsecondary institutions and partner organizations that support Indigenous research. SSHRC makes concerted efforts to include experts in Indigenous research in doctoral and postdoctoral merit review committees.

Evaluation criteria and scoring

Applications are evaluated according to two evenly weighted criteria:

Research potential and experience (50%):

Quality of proposed research program (50%):

Scoring table

Committee members assign a score for each of the two criteria above, based on the following scoring table. The appropriate weighting is then applied to arrive at a final score. A score of 3.0 or higher for each criteria is required to be recommended for funding.

Individual subcriteria are not given a score; they are factors contributing to the two criteria’s scores.

Score Descriptor
5-6 Very good to excellent
4-4.9 Good to very good
3-3.9 Satisfactory to good
Below 3 Unsatisfactory

Communication of results

SSHRC makes competition results available to applicants (via the SSHRC Extranet for Applicants) and institutions (via the Grants and Scholarships Administration Portal).

Contact information

For help with technical difficulties, contact the helpdesk:

If you have additional questions, contact:

Research Training Portfolio
Toll-free: 1-855-275-2861
Email: fellowships@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca

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