Canada Graduate Scholarships Doctoral (CGS D) Program

Students registered in a UBC degree program (or on an approved leave of absence from UBC) between 1 January and 31 December 2019 must complete their application by Tuesday, 17 September 2019.

1. Confirm eligibility
2. Confirm subject matter: Select the appropriate funding agency. Applicants should complete the agency application that is best aligned with their research subject matter.  
   1. Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
   2. Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)
   3. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)
3. Determine where to submit an application (through a Canadian institution such as UBC or directly to the appropriate agency). See the CGS D program page for guidance. If applying via UBC, complete the application by the UBC application deadline, Tuesday, 17 September 2019
4. Read the instructions and apply online

CIHR: ResearchNet | application instructions

• Submission of transcripts: Applicants are required to upload their up-to-date official transcripts of their complete academic record as 1 single PDF file. For more details about the transcript requirement, see this CIHR link.
  • The required “Doctoral Studies Timelines” form is located here.
• Online submission of sponsor's assessment: Applicants are required to invite their referees via ResearchNet. Applicants must enter the sponsors' names within their application, update the Assessment Required Deadline Date* and press on "Click and Send Sponsor Request". (*Applicants can manage the deadline by which sponsors must submit their assessments. By default, the Sponsor Required Deadline in ResearchNet is set for two days before the application deadline.) Assessment forms are to be submitted by referees via ResearchNet. These assessments should come from people under whom the applicant has trained and/or who have had a good opportunity to assess their potential for research.
• Signatures are not required before UBC’s application deadline (17 September 2019):
  • Not required: Signatures (include supervisor’s signature**, signature of institution paid, and signature of research institution) are not required for the Signature Page (or Routing Slip).
    • Applicants may upload an unsigned copy of the Signature Page (or Routing Slip) to complete the “Print/Upload Signature Page” task on ResearchNet.
  • Not required: Supervisor’s signature** is not required for the Confirmation of Scientific Area Form.
    • Applicants may upload a blank copy of the Confirmation of Scientific Area Form to complete the “other” document type of the “Attach Other Application Materials” task on ResearchNet.
  • **If an applicant already obtained signature from their supervisor, the signed form will be accepted.
  • Not required: Research Project Information Form (RPIF)
    • Applicants do not need to complete and submit the RPIF to the Office of Research Services before the 17 Sep application deadline. 
    • Applicants do not need to contact the Office of Research Services for signatures before the 17 Sep application deadline.
• Applicants who wish to self-declare themselves as an Indigenous applicant, please contact Junnie Cheung.

NSERC: Online application system | application instructions

• Online submission of transcripts: Applicants who submit their application to UBC will be asked to identify a ‘university designate’ (i.e., the applicant's graduate program staff) who will upload the applicant's transcripts to their NSERC application. Applicants are responsible to confirm with their graduate program which transcripts need to be provided by the student and which transcripts the graduate program already has on file to be uploaded. Please note that applicants must request certified true copies of transcripts from their graduate program, not from the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. Transcript requirement is outlined in the application instructions.
• Online submission of reports on the applicant: Applicants are required to invite their referees via the NSERC online application. Reports are to be submitted by referees using the online system. Applicants are responsible for inviting two referees: one referee should be very familiar with their research and abilities (i.e., current or previous research supervisor) and the other should be sufficiently familiar with their research and abilities to provide a meaningful commentary. Applicants will not be able to verify their application until each referee form has been successfully verified and completed. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure their referees complete and submit their assessments in advance of the application deadline.
• Note: ‘Form 201’ (the NSERC PGS D application form) only lists the NSERC PGS D in its materials; however, ‘Form 201’ is also for applying to the CGS D. The highest-ranked PGS D applicants will automatically be considered by NSERC for a CGS D.

SSHRC: Online application system | application instructions

• Online submission of transcripts: Applicants are required to upload their up-to-date official transcripts of their complete academic record as 1 single PDF file. Transcript requirement is outlined in the application instructions.
• Online submission of letters of appraisal: Applicants are now required to invite their referees via the SSHRC online application. Letters of appraisal are to be submitted by referees using the online system. Applicants are responsible for inviting two referees: one referee should be very familiar with their research and abilities (i.e., current or previous research supervisor) and the other should be sufficiently familiar with their research and abilities to provide a meaningful commentary. Applicants will not be able to verify their application until each referee form has been successfully verified and completed. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure their referees complete and submit their assessments in advance of the application deadline.

Complete application procedures are available on the CGS D program page.

Affiliated Fellowships-Doctoral application: CGS D applicants applying through UBC do not need to submit a separate Affiliated Fellowships-Doctoral application. To be considered for criteria-based Affiliated Fellowships, students should submit the checklist of criteria-based affiliated fellowships to their graduate program.