Canada Graduate Research Scholarship Master’s 2026–2027 Offers $27,000 for 12 Months — Apply
Canada Graduate Research Scholarship Master’s 2026–2027 Offers $27,000 for 12 Months — Apply. The Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Master’s (CGRS M) offers eligible graduate students $27,000 for 12 months to support research-based master’s-level study at eligible Canadian institutions.
The programme is part of Canada’s Canada Research Training Awards Suite (CRTAS) and is jointly administered by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).
The CGRS M supports graduate research across a wide range of disciplines and is designed to help develop the next generation of researchers, innovators, knowledge workers and creative thinkers in Canada. The programme supports up to 3,298 students annually.
For the current competition, the official application deadline is 1 December at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Applications must be submitted through Canada’s Research Portal, and late applications are not accepted.
Important accuracy note: The CGRS M is not an international scholarship open to all students worldwide. As of the application deadline, applicants must be Canadian citizens, permanent residents of Canada or Protected Persons under subsection 95(2) of Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. International students who do not fall into one of these categories are therefore not eligible for this scholarship.
🎓 Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Master’s: Quick Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Official Programme | Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Master’s (CGRS M) |
| Award Value | $27,000 |
| Duration | 12 months |
| Study Level | Master’s/research graduate study |
| Location | Canada |
| Eligible Institutions | Canadian institutions with a CGRS M allocation |
| Fields | Health; natural sciences and engineering; social sciences and humanities |
| Annual Awards | Up to 3,298 |
| Application Platform | Research Portal |
| Application Deadline | December 1, 8:00 p.m. ET |
| Results | Awards available in Research Portal from April 1 |
| Eligible Citizenship/Status | Canadian citizen, permanent resident or Protected Person |
| Maximum Host Institutions | Up to 3 |
| Reference Assessments | 2 |
| Application Language | English or French |
| Programme Administrators | CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC |
| Official Status | Open |
The three federal granting agencies divide the annual CGRS M allocation among eligible Canadian institutions and research areas.
🇨🇦 About the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Master’s
Canada Graduate Research Scholarship Master’s 2026–2027 Offers $27,000 for 12 Months — Apply
The Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Master’s is a federal Canadian research scholarship for graduate students undertaking eligible research-focused master’s-level study.
The programme forms part of the Canada Research Training Awards Suite, alongside the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral and the Canada Postdoctoral Research Award.
The three agencies responsible for the programme are:
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
- Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)
The programme supports students across Canada’s major research areas and allows applications to be considered by eligible institutions according to their institutional and agency-specific allocations.
💰 What Does the Scholarship Provide?
The CGRS M provides:
$27,000
The scholarship is valued at $27,000 for 12 months.
This is a scholarship award intended to support the recipient during eligible graduate research.
Applicants should note that the official CGRS M programme description specifies the award value and duration but does not describe it as a blanket “fully funded master’s scholarship.”
Therefore, students should separately consider costs such as:
- Tuition
- Accommodation
- Food
- Transportation
- Research expenses
- Health insurance where applicable
- Books and academic materials
- Other personal expenses
The $27,000 award should not automatically be interpreted as covering every cost associated with studying in Canada.
🎓 What Type of Master’s Programme Qualifies?
The CGRS M is intended primarily for research-oriented graduate programmes.
An eligible programme generally needs to have a substantial research component leading to outcomes such as:
- A thesis
- A major research project
- A dissertation
- A scholarly publication
- A performance
- A recital
- An exhibit
The research component must be subject to expert or institutional merit review.
Some professional programmes may qualify when they contain a significant autonomous research component. Coursework-only master’s programmes generally do not qualify.
This distinction is important for students considering professional master’s degrees.
A programme being called a “master’s degree” does not automatically make it eligible.
🔬 Fields of Study
Canada Graduate Research Scholarship Master’s 2026–2027 Offers $27,000 for 12 Months — Apply
The CGRS M supports research across three broad agency areas:
Health
Research falling within the mandate of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research may be considered through CIHR.
Examples can include areas such as:
- Biomedical research
- Public health
- Health systems
- Population health
- Clinical research
- Health-related social research
Natural Sciences and Engineering
Research within the NSERC mandate can include areas such as:
- Engineering
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Mathematics
- Computer science
- Environmental sciences
- Earth sciences
- Natural sciences
Social Sciences and Humanities
SSHRC-related research can cover areas including:
- Economics
- Education
- Sociology
- Political science
- Psychology where applicable to the agency mandate
- History
- Cultural studies
- Business and management research where eligible
- Humanities
The correct agency depends on the subject matter and research proposed. Applicants select one field of research in the application, even when their work is interdisciplinary.
👩🎓 Who Can Apply?
Applicants must satisfy all applicable eligibility requirements.
As of the application deadline, applicants must be:
- Canadian citizens;
- Permanent residents of Canada; or
- Protected Persons under subsection 95(2) of Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
Applicants must also be registered in, have applied for, or intend to apply for admission to an eligible graduate programme at a Canadian institution with a CGRS M allocation.
🌍 Is the CGRS M Open to International Students?
This is one of the most important points for prospective applicants.
The CGRS M is not generally open to international students.
A person who is studying in Canada on a temporary study permit but is neither a Canadian citizen, permanent resident nor Protected Person does not meet the citizenship/status requirement for the CGRS M.
Therefore, international applicants looking for master’s scholarships in Canada should not assume that the CGRS M is available to them.
Other Canadian universities and organisations offer scholarships that may have different international eligibility requirements.
📚 Graduate Study Eligibility
Applicants must also meet requirements concerning the amount of graduate study already completed.
Generally, by 31 December of the application year, applicants must have completed between 0 and 12 months of full-time study, or equivalent, in the programme for which they are requesting funding.
Eligible study situations can include:
- A master’s programme
- Direct-entry doctoral study following a bachelor’s degree without previous graduate registration
- A combined master’s-doctoral programme
- An eligible fast-track master’s-to-doctoral pathway
- A master’s programme that will transition into an eligible doctoral programme
There is also a specific pathway for applicants who have completed between four and 12 months of an eligible master’s programme whose requirements will be completed before the award is activated, allowing the award to begin during the first 12 months of the subsequent doctoral programme.
Because these rules can be complicated, applicants should check their individual circumstances with the graduate studies office at the institution they intend to attend.
🏫 Eligible Canadian Institutions
Canada Graduate Research Scholarship Master’s 2026–2027 Offers $27,000 for 12 Months — Apply
CGRS M awards can only be held at eligible Canadian institutions with an allocation for the relevant research area.
Canadian universities receive specific allocations from the federal agencies.
For the CGRS M programme, there are 3,298 awards available annually, distributed among the three agencies:
| Agency | Annual Allocation |
|---|---|
| CIHR | 868 |
| NSERC | 920 |
| SSHRC | 1,510 |
| Total | 3,298 |
Each agency also has additional allocations connected to the Black Scholars Initiative.
The number of awards available at an individual university therefore varies.
Applicants should check whether their intended institution appears on the official allocation list before selecting it in the Research Portal.
🏛️ Can You Apply to More Than One University?
Yes.
Applicants can select up to three institutions where they intend to hold the award.
However, applicants must meet the relevant requirements for every institution selected.
You must either:
- Already be registered in an eligible programme at the institution; or
- Apply for admission to an eligible programme by that institution’s internal deadline.
Applicants should therefore not simply select three universities without checking their programme and admission requirements.
⏰ Application Deadline
The official CGRS M deadline is:
December 1 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Applications must be complete and submitted through the Research Portal by the deadline.
If December 1 falls on a weekend or federal holiday, the deadline moves to the following business day at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Late applications are not accepted.
Importantly, universities may establish earlier internal deadlines.
Applicants should therefore contact the graduate studies office at their intended institution rather than assuming that December 1 is their personal final deadline.
📅 Scholarship Timeline
The general competition follows a structure similar to:
Before the competition
Research programme eligibility, identify universities and begin preparing documents.
Application period
Create the CGRS M application in the Research Portal and complete the required sections.
December 1
Final federal application deadline: 8:00 p.m. ET.
Institutional review
Universities coordinate the assessment and selection process.
April 1
Offers of awards become available in the Research Portal.
After April 1
Applicants should continue monitoring the Research Portal because alternate offers can be made later.
Alternate offers may be made until January 31 of the following calendar year.
📝 How to Apply
The CGRS M application is submitted through Canada’s Research Portal.
Step 1: Identify an Eligible Research Programme
Find a Canadian master’s programme with an appropriate research component.
Confirm that the programme and institution are eligible for the CGRS M.
Step 2: Check the Institution’s Allocation
Confirm that your intended institution appears on the CGRS M allocation list for your research field.
The Research Portal will show institutions available according to the selected research field.
Step 3: Check the University’s Admission Deadline
Universities may have internal deadlines earlier than December 1.
Contact the relevant graduate studies office for the exact deadline.
Step 4: Create Your Research Portal Application
Log into the Research Portal and select the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Master’s programme.
Step 5: Select Your Research Field
Choose the appropriate field:
- Health
- Natural sciences and engineering
- Social sciences and humanities
Only one field should be selected, even when the proposed research is interdisciplinary.
Step 6: Select Host Institutions
You can select up to three eligible institutions.
Check the institution and department carefully because changes cannot be made after submission.
Step 7: Prepare Your Research Proposal
Develop a clear research proposal explaining what you intend to investigate and why the research matters.
Your application also requires a plain-language research summary.
The official instructions specify a maximum of 1,800 characters including spaces for the summary.
Step 8: Complete Your Canadian Common CV
Applicants must complete a Canadian Common CV (CCV) and link the appropriate CGRS Master’s CV to the application.
Step 9: Obtain Two References
Every application must include two reference assessments.
References should be people who know your research abilities and other relevant academic or professional abilities well enough to provide meaningful assessments.
Step 10: Upload and Validate Your Documents
Ensure all required documents are uploaded and that every section of the application is complete.
Step 11: Submit Before the Deadline
Export and review the application, click Submit, and accept the terms and conditions.
A successful submission generates confirmation and the application status changes to Received by administrator when it has been received by the institution.
📋 Application Checklist
Before submitting, applicants should make sure they have:
- Canadian citizenship, permanent residence or Protected Person status
- An eligible Canadian graduate programme
- Confirmation of institutional eligibility
- Research proposal
- Research summary
- Required transcripts
- Canadian Common CV
- Two completed reference assessments
- Correct research field
- Correct host institution selections
- Correct department selection
- Required supporting documents
- Completed Research Portal sections
- Exported and reviewed application
- Accepted application terms and conditions
Incomplete applications cannot be submitted through the Research Portal.
📑 Transcripts and Supporting Documents
Canada Graduate Research Scholarship Master’s 2026–2027 Offers $27,000 for 12 Months — Apply
Applicants should request official transcripts and other supporting documents early.
The official instructions warn that obtaining transcripts from current or former institutions can take time.
Documents also need to comply with the Research Portal’s formatting requirements.
Applicants should not wait until the final day to resolve document or formatting problems.
👥 Reference Assessments
The two reference assessments are an important part of the application.
Potential referees can include people such as:
- Academic research supervisors
- Thesis advisers
- Employment supervisors
- Industrial supervisors
- Teachers
- Volunteer supervisors
The agencies recommend contacting references well before the deadline.
The official instructions recommend contacting references at least four weeks before the deadline.
References must also complete the required Research Portal steps before the applicant can submit the application.
🔬 Research Proposal
The research proposal should clearly communicate:
- The research question
- The problem being investigated
- The background
- The proposed approach
- The significance of the research
- Expected contribution
- Relevant literature
- Appropriate methodology
The official application requires an outline of the proposed research, including bibliography and citations.
Applicants should write for an academic review audience while making the significance of the research understandable.
🧪 Interdisciplinary Research
Interdisciplinary research can still be considered.
However, applicants must select one field of research in the application.
The selected field determines which agency and institutions are available in the Research Portal.
If the institution determines that an application has been assigned to the wrong research field, it may be re-labelled according to the relevant agency’s subject-matter guidelines.
🌿 Indigenous Student Researchers
The programme includes specific support for Indigenous student researchers.
Under the Indigenous Scholars Awards and Supplements Pilot Initiative, meritorious Indigenous applicants may be eligible for a $5,000 Indigenous Scholars Supplement, subject to available funding and the applicable requirements.
Eligible alternate candidates may also be considered for an Indigenous Scholars Award of $27,000 plus a $5,000 supplement, subject to available funding.
These initiatives have specific Indigenous citizenship and membership requirements, so applicants should consult the relevant official guidance.
🧑🏿🔬 Black Student Researchers
The Canadian government has also provided additional funding for Black student researchers.
Each of the three agencies has up to 20 additional CGRS M awards reserved for Black student researchers.
Applicants who self-identify as Black and provide the required consent may be considered for this designated funding.
Self-identification information is handled separately from external review processes according to the programme’s procedures.
📊 How Applications Are Reviewed
The institutional review process is coordinated by the faculty of graduate studies or equivalent office at each participating institution.
Institutions make eligibility decisions and coordinate the selection process under guidance from the three federal agencies.
The exact competitiveness of an application can vary depending on:
- Institution
- Research field
- Agency
- Institutional allocation
- Number of applicants
- Quality of the applicant pool
- Research proposal
- Academic and research record
Applicants should therefore avoid assuming that meeting the minimum eligibility requirements guarantees an award.
🏆 What Happens After Applying?
Once an application has been submitted, applicants can monitor its status through the Research Portal.
Possible statuses include:
- Received by administrator
- Offered
- Alternate
- Not offered
- Ineligible
- Accepted
- Declined
Award offers become available from April 1.
Applicants should continue checking the Research Portal because alternate offers may be made as late as January 31 of the following calendar year.
💻 Research Portal Requirements
The Research Portal is central to the CGRS M application.
Applicants should allow sufficient time to:
- Create their application
- Upload documents
- Complete their CCV
- Invite referees
- Receive reference assessments
- Validate each section
- Export the application
- Review the final version
- Submit
- Accept the terms and conditions
The Research Portal can experience heavy traffic as deadlines approach, and the agencies specifically warn applicants to plan ahead.
💡 Tips for Applicants
Start Early
Do not wait until the final week.
Transcripts, references and other documents can take time to obtain.
Contact Referees Early
Give referees several weeks to prepare their assessments.
Check Your University
Your institution may have an internal deadline substantially earlier than December 1.
Confirm Research Eligibility
Make sure your proposed programme has the required research component.
Select the Correct Agency
Your research field must correspond to the appropriate federal agency mandate.
Review Your Institution Selection
You cannot simply assume that the Research Portal will automatically send your application to your university.
You must select the institution correctly in your application.
Proofread Everything
Once the application is submitted, changes or additions are not permitted.
❌ Common Mistakes to Avoid
Applicants should avoid:
- Assuming the scholarship is open to all international students.
- Applying without checking citizenship/status eligibility.
- Confusing a coursework-only master’s with a research-based programme.
- Ignoring the university’s internal deadline.
- Selecting an institution that does not have an appropriate CGRS M allocation.
- Selecting the wrong department.
- Waiting too long to request transcripts.
- Waiting until the deadline to contact referees.
- Submitting incomplete reference assessments.
- Uploading documents in the wrong format.
- Forgetting to complete the Canadian Common CV.
- Failing to export and review the application before submission.
- Assuming the $27,000 award automatically covers all study costs.
- Waiting until the final minutes to submit through the Research Portal.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Master’s?
The CGRS M is worth $27,000 for 12 months.
What is the application deadline?
The federal deadline is December 1 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Who is eligible?
Applicants must be Canadian citizens, permanent residents of Canada or Protected Persons under the specified provision of Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act as of the application deadline.
Can international students apply?
Not generally. Students who are in Canada only on a temporary study permit and do not have Canadian citizenship, permanent residence or Protected Person status do not meet the CGRS M citizenship/status requirement.
Can I apply to more than one university?
Yes. Applicants can select up to three eligible institutions in their CGRS M application.
What master’s programmes qualify?
The programme must generally have a substantial research component. Thesis-based and research-intensive programmes are typical examples. Coursework-only master’s programmes generally do not qualify.
Which fields are supported?
The programme covers research within the mandates of CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC, broadly corresponding to health, natural sciences and engineering, and social sciences and humanities.
How many scholarships are available?
The programme supports up to 3,298 students annually.
When are results released?
Offers are available through the Research Portal from April 1. Alternate offers can be made until January 31 of the following calendar year.
How many references are required?
Each application requires two reference assessments.
Is the scholarship fully funded?
The official programme confirms an award of $27,000 for 12 months. It does not state that the CGRS M automatically covers every cost of a master’s degree. Applicants should therefore budget separately for tuition and living or research expenses not covered by the award.
Where is the application submitted?
Applications are submitted through Canada’s Research Portal.
Can I change my application after submitting it?
No. The official instructions state that changes or additions cannot be made after submission, either before or after the deadline.
📌 Key Details
- Programme: Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Master’s
- Abbreviation: CGRS M
- Award: $27,000
- Duration: 12 months
- Study Level: Master’s/research graduate study
- Country: Canada
- Application Platform: Research Portal
- Deadline: December 1, 8:00 p.m. ET
- Results: From April 1
- Annual Awards: Up to 3,298
- Administrators: CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC
- Eligible Status: Canadian citizen, permanent resident or Protected Person
- Host Institutions: Eligible Canadian institutions with CGRS M allocations
- Maximum Institutions Selected: 3
- References: 2
- Research Areas: Health; natural sciences and engineering; social sciences and humanities
- Award Duration: 12 months
- Application Language: English or French
- Official Application: Research Portal
🚀 Final Thoughts
Canada Graduate Research Scholarship Master’s 2026–2027 Offers $27,000 for 12 Months — Apply
Canada Graduate Research Scholarship Master’s 2026–2027 Offers $27,000 for 12 Months — Apply. The Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Master’s (CGRS M) provides a $27,000 award for 12 months to eligible students pursuing research-focused graduate study at participating Canadian institutions.
The programme covers a broad range of research areas through Canada’s three federal granting agencies and supports thousands of graduate researchers each year.
However, prospective applicants should pay particular attention to the eligibility rules. The CGRS M is not a general international scholarship. Applicants must be Canadian citizens, permanent residents or Protected Persons at the application deadline.
Applicants should also verify that their master’s programme has the required research component, that their intended university has an appropriate CGRS M allocation and that they meet the institution’s internal admission deadline.
The federal application deadline is December 1 at 8:00 p.m. ET, but applicants should begin much earlier because transcripts, reference assessments, the Canadian Common CV and research proposal all need to be completed before the application can be submitted.
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