Scholarships·Canada· 9 min read

Which Canadian Grant Funding International Students Can (and Cannot) Get: NSERC, SSHRC, CIHR and Tri-Council Rules

A clear reality-check on Canada's Tri-Agency funding (NSERC, SSHRC, CIHR) for international students — what's citizen/PR-only, what's open at the doctoral level, and how research assistantships and Mitacs still help.

Last updated 3 July 2026

Key facts

Tri-Agency: NSERC (science/engineering), SSHRC (social sciences/humanities), CIHR (health)
Master's (CGRS-M): Citizen / permanent resident / protected person only — international students not eligible
Doctoral (CGRS-D): Open to foreign citizens enrolled at a Canadian institution by the deadline; capped share for international applicants
Vanier CGS: No longer accepting applications — consolidated into CGRS-D
Indirect funding: Supervisor grant-funded RA stipends; TA work; university awards; Mitacs (own rules)
Provincial aid (e.g. OSAP): Citizen / PR / protected person only — not international students

What the Tri-Agency is

Canada's federal research funding flows mainly through three agencies, collectively called the Tri-Agency (or Tri-Council): NSERC for natural sciences and engineering, SSHRC for social sciences and humanities, and CIHR for health research. Together they fund a large share of graduate scholarships and research grants at Canadian universities.

For international graduate students, the key thing to understand up front is that eligibility differs sharply by program and by level. Some of this money is reserved for Canadian citizens and permanent residents; some is open to international students; and much of it reaches you indirectly, through a supervisor's grant, rather than as an award in your own name.

Tri-Agency = NSERC (science/engineering), SSHRC (social sciences/humanities), CIHR (health).
Together they fund most federal graduate scholarships and research grants.
Eligibility for international students varies by program and by level.
Much funding reaches students indirectly via a supervisor's grant.

Master's scholarships: generally citizen/PR-only

The flagship named scholarship at the master's level is the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Master's (CGRS-M), the harmonised program that replaced the older CGS-M. To apply, you must be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada, or a Protected Person under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act as of the application deadline.

In practice, this means international students who are not permanent residents or protected persons are not eligible for these federal master's scholarships. If you are starting a master's in Canada on a study permit, plan your funding around other sources — university awards, teaching and research assistantships, and supervisor funding — rather than a Tri-Agency master's scholarship. Confirm the current eligibility on the agency's official page.

CGRS-M (replaced CGS-M) requires citizen, PR, or protected-person status.
International students on a study permit are generally not eligible.
Do not build a master's funding plan around a Tri-Agency master's award.
Look instead to university awards, assistantships, and supervisor funding.

Doctoral scholarships: partly open to international students

At the doctoral level the picture is more open. The Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral (CGRS-D) — the harmonised doctoral program that consolidated the earlier doctoral awards and the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships — is open to Canadian citizens, permanent residents, protected persons, and foreign citizens.

There are conditions. A foreign citizen must be enrolled in an eligible doctoral program at a Canadian institution by the application deadline, and the agencies cap the share of these awards that goes to international applicants. So doctoral funding in your own name is genuinely possible as an international student, but it is limited and competitive. Confirm the current eligibility and any cap on each agency's official program page.

CGRS-D is open to foreign citizens (not just citizens/PR).
A foreign citizen must be enrolled at a Canadian institution by the deadline.
A capped share of these awards is reserved for international applicants.
It is possible but limited — verify current rules on the agency site.

What happened to Vanier

You will still see the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships mentioned widely, and historically Vanier was open to international doctoral students. However, Vanier and the separate older doctoral awards have been folded into the new harmonised Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral program, and Vanier itself is no longer accepting new applications.

If a page points you to "Vanier," treat it as pointing to the current CGRS-D doctoral program instead. Because programs are being consolidated, always check the agency's live page for the current name, eligibility, and application route rather than relying on older descriptions.

Vanier was historically open to international doctoral students.
Vanier + older doctoral awards are now consolidated into CGRS-D.
Vanier is no longer accepting new applications.
Verify the current program name and rules on the agency's live page.

How Tri-Agency money still reaches international students

Even where you cannot hold a Tri-Agency scholarship yourself, the money still supports international students indirectly. Professors hold NSERC, SSHRC, or CIHR research grants and use them to pay research assistant (RA) stipends — so joining a well-funded lab or supervisor is often the most reliable route to funding as an international graduate student.

Separately, Mitacs runs research internship and fellowship programs that are open to international students under their own eligibility rules and connect students with industry-partnered research. Between supervisor grant funding, RA and teaching-assistant (TA) positions, university entrance awards, and Mitacs, a fully funded graduate experience is achievable even without a scholarship in your own name.

Supervisors pay RA stipends from their Tri-Agency research grants.
Choosing a well-funded supervisor/lab is a key funding strategy.
Mitacs programs are open to international students under their own rules.
Combine supervisor funding, RA/TA work, university awards, and Mitacs.

Provincial aid and a realistic funding plan

Note that provincial student-aid programs such as OSAP in Ontario are for Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and protected persons — they are not open to international students either. So both the federal master's scholarships and provincial loans/grants are, for the most part, closed to you on a study permit.

The realistic plan for an international student is therefore: target doctoral awards (CGRS-D) if you are doing a PhD and qualify; prioritise a funded supervisor and an RA/TA package; pursue university entrance and graduate awards; and consider Mitacs. No funding is guaranteed, so line up several sources. For eligibility specifics, always defer to each agency's official page and your university's graduate funding office.

Provincial aid (e.g. OSAP) is also citizen/PR/protected-person only.
PhD applicants who qualify can target CGRS-D in their own name.
Prioritise a funded supervisor and an RA/TA package.
No funding is guaranteed — combine sources and verify eligibility officially.

Frequently asked questions

Can international students get NSERC, SSHRC, or CIHR master's scholarships?

Generally no. The Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Master's (CGRS-M) requires you to be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or protected person as of the application deadline, so international students on a study permit are not eligible. Plan a master's budget around university awards, assistantships, and supervisor funding instead.

Are any Tri-Agency scholarships open to international students?

Yes, at the doctoral level. The Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral (CGRS-D) is open to foreign citizens who are enrolled in an eligible doctoral program at a Canadian institution by the application deadline, though a capped share of these awards goes to international applicants. Confirm the current eligibility and cap on the agency's official page.

Is the Vanier scholarship still available?

Vanier is no longer accepting new applications — it and the older doctoral awards have been consolidated into the harmonised Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral program. If a source points you to Vanier, look to CGRS-D for the current doctoral funding route and verify on the agency's live page.

If I can't hold the scholarship myself, how does the funding help me?

Professors use their NSERC, SSHRC, or CIHR research grants to pay research assistant stipends, so joining a well-funded supervisor or lab is often the most reliable funding route for international graduate students — alongside teaching assistantships, university awards, and Mitacs programs.

Can international students get Mitacs funding?

Mitacs runs research internship and fellowship programs that are open to international students under their own eligibility rules, connecting students with industry-partnered research. Check Mitacs's official program pages for the current eligibility and amounts, which vary by program.

Can international students get OSAP or provincial student aid?

No. Provincial student-aid programs such as OSAP in Ontario are for Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and protected persons, not international students. Both federal master's scholarships and provincial aid are largely closed to students on a study permit.

Official sources

This guide explains the process and is for guidance only. Eligibility, dates, fees and rules change every year — always confirm the current details on the official site before you act.

Verified against: NSERC — Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral program (canada.ca); CIHR — Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral (CGRS-D) Program (canada.ca); Mitacs — Globalink Research Award (official).

Last verified: 3 July 2026.