Government of Canada — Tri-Agency (NSERC, CIHR, SSHRC) · National
CPRA — Canada Postdoctoral Research Award (NSERC / CIHR / SSHRC)
About this award
$140,000 federal Tri-Agency postdoctoral fellowship — $70,000/year for 2 years. Replaced the discontinued Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships in Budget 2024. Administered by NSERC, CIHR, or SSHRC. Open to Canadian + permanent-resident + international postdocs at Canadian institutions.
The Canada Postdoctoral Research Award (CPRA) is the federal Tri-Agency's flagship postdoctoral fellowship — the Budget 2024 successor to the discontinued Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships. The award provides $70,000 per year for 2 years, totalling $140,000, and is held at a Canadian university or research institution. Administration is split across the three federal granting councils, with the recipient applying to the council aligned with their research area: CIHR for health, NSERC for natural sciences and engineering, SSHRC for humanities and social sciences. Open to recent doctoral graduates regardless of citizenship — Canadian citizens, permanent residents, AND foreign nationals may all apply, distinguishing CPRA from the doctoral-level CGRS-D (which is restricted to citizens and PRs). Quebec-domiciled postdocs are fully eligible alongside the rest of Canada — research awards are excluded from the Quebec opt-out of federal student financial assistance. The CPRA is highly competitive and is typically positioned as a stepping-stone to a tenure-track research career; selection emphasises the quality of the research project, the strength of the proposed supervisor and host institution, and the candidate's research trajectory.
Can you get it?
- Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident or International — citizenship requirement
- Graduate — study level
How to apply
Review eligibility and gather your documents~1 hour
Read the official award page end-to-end. Confirm you meet every requirement before you start.
Request your official transcript1–2 weeks
Order through your school registrar — allow 1–2 weeks.
Collect reference letters2 weeks
Give your referees at least two weeks' notice and share your résumé.
Submit by No deadline~1 hour
Double-check every field, save a copy, and submit at least 24 hours early.
More details
Secure your proposed supervisor and host Canadian institution before drafting the application — CPRA selectors look closely at the host environment + supervisor track record + alignment of the proposed project with the host's research strengths.
The deadline is institutional in practice (host universities have internal ranking and submission processes weeks before the federal cycle).
Strong applications combine clear, ambitious research with concrete preliminary work and a strong publication record.
International applicants should account for visa / work permit timelines — having a CPRA in hand can simplify your study or work permit application but does not bypass it; coordinate with your host institution's international scholar office.