Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral (CGRS D)
Tri-agency doctoral research stipend (CAD $40,000/year × 36 months) — not a fully funded study-abroad package. Requires a Canadian doctoral affiliation path. Not Vanier.
Funder: Tri-agency (CIHR / NSERC / SSHRC)
Rolling / confirm per window
Agency direct-applicant deadline is typically 17 October 20:00 ET (confirm the open competition year on the live agency page). Institutions set earlier internal deadlines. Do not publish a fixed YYYY-MM-DD until that competition year is confirmed.
What CGRS D is not
- Not a fully funded study-abroad package like Chevening, Fulbright, or CSC — it is a partial doctoral stipend (CAD $40,000 per year for up to 36 months, verified on NSERC overview).
- Not a from-Pakistan apply-and-go route — you generally need Canadian doctoral affiliation or an admission path first.
- Not Vanier — CGRS D is the current tri-agency doctoral scholarship name. Agents selling "Vanier/CGRS packages" are a red flag.
Read this before the benefits list
Partial stipend only. Official NSERC overview: CAD $40,000 per year for up to 36 months. That is research funding — not tuition + flights + living the way Chevening, Fulbright, or CSC work for international students.
Canadian doctoral affiliation first. This is generally not a from-Pakistan apply-and-go scholarship. You typically need admission to (or affiliation with) an eligible Canadian doctoral programme; institutions often set internal deadlines weeks or months before the agency date.
Correct name: CGRS D.Do not brand this as Vanier. Agents selling “Vanier/CGRS packages” from Pakistan before PhD admission are a red flag.
What it actually pays
- Stipend value: CAD $40,000 per year (verified on NSERC CGRS D overview)
- Duration: up to 36 months
- Does not typically replace international tuition, flights, or a full living package — plan university funding and costs separately
How to apply
Through a Canadian institution with a quota, or directly to the agency if eligible — not a pre-admission Pakistan portal
This is a doctoral research stipend, not a fully funded study-abroad package. It does not typically cover international tuition, flights, or living costs the way Chevening/Fulbright/CSC do. Applicants generally must already be affiliated with (or applying to) an eligible Canadian doctoral programme.
What it covers
- stipend
Consultant warning
CGRS D is research funding administered via Canadian universities/agencies. Pakistani study-abroad agents who sell "Vanier/CGRS packages" before PhD admission are usually misrepresenting the route. No agent can nominate you from Pakistan into CGRS D without a Canadian institutional path.
Common mistakes
- Treating CGRS D like Chevening/Fulbright — it is a stipend, not a full international scholarship package
- Calling it Vanier — outdated branding; use CGRS D
- Applying from Pakistan with no Canadian institutional path
- Missing the university's internal deadline while watching only the agency date
- Paying an agent for a 'guaranteed Vanier/CGRS' outcome
Cycle facts last verified 2026-07-19. Confirm deadlines and eligibility on the official pages before applying.