Indigenous Scholars Awards and Supplements Pilot Initiative
| Overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Funding streams | Indigenous Scholars Supplement | Indigenous Scholars AwardFootnote * |
| Value | $5,000 | $27,000 |
| Duration | 12 months | |
| Application deadline | December 1, 2025 | |
| Apply | Via the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship—Master’s | |
| Results announced | May | |
On this page
- Description
- Value and duration
- Eligibility
- Application process
- Merit review
- Regulations, policies and related information
- Contact information
Description
The Indigenous Scholars Awards and Supplements Pilot Initiative will provide financial support to meritorious Indigenous students who have applied to the CGRS M program.
Value and duration
The Indigenous Scholars Award is valued at $27,000 over 12 months.
The Indigenous Scholars Supplement is valued at $5,000 over 12 months.
Eligibility
Applicants must:
- be eligible to apply to the CGRS M program;
- self-identify at the time of application as Indigenous for the purposes of this initiative;
- adhere to the Tri-agency Policy on Indigenous Citizenship and Membership Affirmation and the associated directive, if selected for an award; and
- have had their application deemed meritorious in the CGRS M review process.
Meritorious applications include all applications that have received the status “Offered” or “Alternate” in the Research Portal (see selection process for the CGRS M program for more information):
- Offered: CGRS M applicants who are offered and accept a CGRS M award and who are eligible for the Indigenous Scholars Award will keep the CGRS M award and will be offered the Indigenous Scholars Supplement, to the limit of available funding.
- Alternate: CGRS M applicants eligible for the Indigenous Scholars Award who are not offered a CGRS M award but whose applications are considered meritorious and who are selected as alternate candidates will be offered, to the limit of available funding, both the Indigenous Scholars Award and the Indigenous Scholars Supplement.
- Note: CIHR and NSERC will use the results of the Indigenous Scholars Awards and Supplements Pilot Initiative to offer awards through the CGRS M program. CIHR and NSERC will also offer Indigenous Scholars Supplements.
Application process
Applicants who meet the eligibility requirements for this funding stream must apply through the CGRS M program.
Applicants must select “Indigenous Scholars Awards and Supplements Pilot Initiative” in the drop-down menu in the “Supplements/Joint Initiatives” section of the application form.
Applicants will be asked at the time of application to self-identify as Indigenous. You will also be asked to consent to the agencies using this information as part of your application to the Indigenous Scholars Awards and Supplements Pilot Initiative. The agencies will not share self-identification information with institutional selection committees.
Note: The agencies have adopted the Tri-agency Policy on Indigenous Citizenship and Membership Affirmation and associated directive. Should you be successful in this competition, you will be asked to provide documentation to support your affirmation of Indigenous citizenship or membership before receiving your award.
Merit review
Applications to the CGRS M program are reviewed first by institutional selection committees, as outlined in the selection process for the CGRS M program.
The CGRS M merit review process is used to determine potential recipients under the Indigenous Scholars Awards and Supplements Pilot Initiative. Should there be more applications than funds available, however, the agencies will each form a committee to rank the CGRS M applications eligible for the award and supplement using the CGRS M selection criteria.
Regulations, policies and related information
The agencies reserve the right to determine the eligibility of applications, based on the information included. They also reserve the right to interpret the regulations and policies governing their funding opportunities, including the Tri-Agency Policy on Indigenous Citizenship and Membership Affirmation and the associated directive.
All applicants and award holders must follow the applicable policies, regulations and guidelines, as well as the regulations set out in the Tri-agency research training award holder’s guide.
Location of tenure
Awards and supplements must be held at the institution where the offer originates. Awards and supplements are not intended to be portable; however, exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis at the agencies’ discretion.
Contact information
For more information, contact the appropriate agency:
NSERC
schol@nserc-crsng.gc.ca
SSHRC
fellowships@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca
Toll-free: 1-855-275-2861