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The Arts & Science (A&S) Collaborative Research Funding Program aims to leverage our research excellence in the humanities, social sciences and sciences and offers seed funding to support new cross-disciplinary research collaborations between tenure stream faculty members with a primary budgetary appointment within Arts & Science (St. George campus) from different A&S academic units and disciplines.

The purpose of the program is to support novel collaborative research projects that seek to:

• answer research questions that are best addressed through interdisciplinary approaches;
• advance new ways of thinking about research questions, ideas, approaches and methods; and
• provide leading-edge training for highly qualified personnel (HQP) in interdisciplinary research environments.

Application Deadline

March 1, 2026 (17:00 EST)

Note: When a deadline falls on a weekend, the deadline will shift to the next immediate business day.

Value and Duration

Applicants can choose from one of two streams, depending on the amount of funding that is required to complete the project:

Stream A: $20,000 per year for two-year projects (for a total of $40,000)
Stream B: $35,000 per year for two-year projects (for a total of $70,000)

Project Team and Eligibility

• Each project requires a minimum of two co-principal investigators (Co-PIs).
• Each Co-PI must be tenure stream with a primary budgetary appointment within the Faculty of Arts & Science (St. George campus).
• Applicants must have an active academic appointment at the time of award start date (May 1 in each competition year).
• Co-PIs cannot share the same primary academic unit.
• Co-PIs cannot have previously collaborated on a funded research project within the last five years. The proposed project must explore new research questions and/or approaches that are distinct from previous collaborations between the Co-PIs.
• Faculty members who hold a primary appointment in another division or from outside the University of Toronto can be listed as collaborators. These team members will not be eligible to receive funding from this grant.

Evaluation Criteria and Scoring

All proposals will be assessed on the following evaluation criteria:

• Quality of the research (30%) — provide a clear and original overarching goal and set of research questions/objectives.
• Plan for collaboration (20%) — outline how the Co-PI’s expertise will be united to solve an important, unsolved, interdisciplinary research problem. Describe the role of additional collaborators, if applicable.
• Excellence of the research team (10%) — provide evidence of established or emerging leadership of each Co-PI in their respective research area(s).
• Training highly qualified personnel (HQP) (20%)
  • Describe the plans for the training and development of HQP
  • Incorporate equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) considerations in the training plan
• Annual milestones (10%) — define the milestones and timelines that will form the foundation of the collaboration during the funding period and how the project could provide the basis of future collaborative grant applications beyond the funding period.
• Feasibility (10%) — describe the appropriateness of the research team, the research plan, and the research environment and provide a justification for the proposed budget.

Scoring Table

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)

Applicants are expected to describe EDI challenges and considerations that have been addressed in the development of the project team and how EDI has been integrated into the research design, as applicable to the project. Actions taken to form the research team are expected to remove identified barriers and provide opportunities for the integration of individuals from all groups, including but not limited to women, Indigenous Peoples, members of racialized minorities, persons with disabilities and members of the LGBTQ2S+ community.

Sex and Gender-Based Analysis Plus (SGBA+)

Applicants are expected to effectively integrate evidence-based sex-and gender-based analysis plus in their proposed research methodology, where appropriate.

Indigenous Research

The Faculty of Arts & Science is committed to the appropriate peer review of research with and about Indigenous peoples and communities. All applicants are asked to indicate whether the proposed project involves or impacts Indigenous individuals, communities, peoples, topics, lands, or areas of interest. In cases where an applicant indicates “Yes,” they are asked to elaborate in their research proposal.

Budget & Use of Funds

Applicants may request $20,000 per year (for a total of $40,000) under stream A, or $35,000 per year (for a total of $70,000) under stream B.

• Eligible costs are those deemed necessary for carrying out the research project, including but not limited to:
  • Employment and compensation expenses: research personnel costs, including student salaries or stipends;
  • Services: costs for professional and technical services;
  • Honoraria for research participants and to support community involvement in the research;
  • Travel: costs associated with research-related travel to conduct the proposed research and for research participants, where applicable;
  • Knowledge dissemination: costs associated with knowledge dissemination including publication costs and conference attendance travel costs;
  • Consumables: materials and supplies required to conduct the research;
  • Non-consumables: non-consumable expenses to conduct the research (e.g., data sets; software)
• Ineligible costs:
  • Equipment
• Proposed project expenses must adhere to the University of Toronto Guide to Financial Management.

Competition Results

We anticipate funding up to three (3) new projects under stream A and up to two (2) new projects under stream B annually. Results will be communicated in May of each year.

Contact & Resources

For program inquiries, please contact Stephanie Fisher: s.fisher@utoronto.ca.

Application Process

Completed submissions must include (as one single PDF attachment):

1. Application form
2. Research proposal (maximum four pages)
3. Short CVs for each Co-PI (maximum three pages per CV)

Applications are to be combined into a single PDF and emailed to research.artsci@utoronto.ca. Please include "A&S Collaborative Research Funding Program" in the subject line. An MRA is not required for this program.

Style Guide

• Body text minimum 12 pt. Times New Roman font
• Single-spaced, with no more than 6 lines of type per inch
• All margins set at a minimum of 3/4" (1.87 cm)

Application Preparation Guidelines (Narrative Sections)

• Research proposal (maximum four pages)

All three sections outlined below must be addressed.

Proposed Research Activities

Proposed research activities are two pages maximum and must include the following six sections:

1. Project Description and Research Design (approx. 3/4 page)

Describe the research goals and objectives, theoretical context, methodological approach and research challenges and opportunities to be tackled through the collaboration.

If applicable, describe how 1.) sex- and gender-based analysis plus (SGBA+), 2.) EDI considerations, and/or 3.) Indigenous research concepts, principles and protocols for conducting respectful research with Indigenous Peoples and communities are integrated into each stage of the research process.

Applicants engaging in community-based research are also encouraged to describe whether an agreement, partnership, or understanding is already in place with the relevant communit(ies).

2. Complementarity of Research Expertise (approx. 1/4 page)

Describe how the Co-PI’s expertise will be united to solve an important, unsolved, interdisciplinary research problem and the added value of taking a collaborative and multidisciplinary approach to the proposed project. Describe additional collaborators and the contribution to the research project of these individuals, if applicable.

3. Expected Impact (approx. 1/4 page)

Describe the expected significance and impact of the research as a result of the proposed collaboration.

4. HQP Training Plans (approx. 1/4 page)

Describe the plans for the training and development of HQP, including a description of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) in the recruitment and training plan.

Faculty members from social sciences and humanities disciplines may find the following document helpful for illustrating how highly qualified personnel (i.e., students and other trainees) can be incorporated into proposed projects: Tips for Incorporating Students and Trainees into Research Projects.

5. Plans for future collaboration (approx. 1/8 page)

Detail the potential and plans for future research collaborations as a result of this project (e.g., joint publications, joint research grant funding opportunities, collaborative community outreach, or other research collaborative opportunities).

6. Project Milestones and Timeline (approx. 1/8 page)

Describe the project timeline, milestones and planned outputs.

Budget Table & Justification (maximum one page)

Using the budget categories listed below, explain how you will use the funds over the two years to achieve the project objectives. Please indicate the amount that will be allocated to each Co-PI.

Fully justify all budget costs in terms of the needs of the research, keeping in mind that the appropriateness of the requested budget and justification of the proposed costs are part of the feasibility evaluation criterion. Proposed project expenses must adhere to the University of Toronto Guide to Financial Management. For up-to-date rates for each of the categories and further information about hiring personnel, please consult the A&S Research Costs Table.

Note: Equipment costs are not eligible.

Budget Categories

• Employment and compensation
• Services (professional and technical)
• Travel
• Knowledge dissemination
• Consumables (materials and supplies)
• Non-consumables
• Other (please describe)

References (maximum one page)

List all references cited or works referred to in your proposal.

Short Curricula Vitae (maximum three pages per CV)

For multi-authored publications, as applicable, identify any students and trainees supervised by underlining their names.

Adjudication Process

• The Faculty of Arts & Science, vice dean, Research & Infrastructure or delegate shall chair the selection committee. The composition of the selection committee shall reflect the broad diversity of individuals and disciplines within A&S (St. George campus). The values of equity, diversity and inclusiveness are an institutional priority for the University of Toronto and A&S wants to ensure that its internal review processes and committee reflect this commitment.
• Selection committee members shall review the applications, individually and in an adjudication committee meeting, using the program evaluation criteria to weigh the strengths and weaknesses of each respective application.
• Members of the selection committee are expected to reinforce standards of rigour, fairness, respect and equity, diversity and inclusion throughout the adjudication process.
• The VPRI Best Practices in Peer Review Guide shall serve as a resource for members of the selection committee.

Previous Recipients

Recipients of the A&S Collaborative Research Funding Program (2025–27)

• Jordan Brensinger, Department of Sociology, and Karina Vold, Institute for the History & Philosophy of Science and Technology — Neurotech Futures: Disability, Ethics and Society in Canada
• Sebastian Jaimungal, Department of Statistical Science, and Andrei Swidinsky, Department of Earth Sciences — Optimizing Geological Carbon Storage with Reinforcement Learning
• Alex Mariakakis, Department of Computer Science, and Aaron Wheeler, Department of Chemistry — Automated Multi-modal Forensic Analysis of Biological Evidence
• Semra Sevi, Department of Political Science, and Yang Xu, Department Computer Science — The Impact of AI Driven Conversations on Political Attitudes
• Keiko Yoshioka, Department of Cell & System Biology, and Shiho Satsuka, Department of Anthropology — From Lab to Field: Social and Technical Pathways to Sustainable Agriculture

Recipients of the A&S Collaborative Research Funding Program (2024–26)

• Samuel Akinbo, Department of Linguistics, Comfort Azubuko-Udah, Department of English and Kariuki Kirigia, School of the Environment — Ecology and Oral Narrativization in African Indigenous Communities
• John Calarco, Department of Cell & Systems Biology and Haissi Cui, Department of Chemistry — Visualizing Genetic Code Interpretation in Living Animals
• Marsha Chechik, Department of Computer Science and Jason Plaks, Department of Psychology — Eliciting and Operationalizing Ethical Principles for Intelligent Systems: A Case Study with Social Chatbots
• Al-Amin Dhirani, Department of Chemistry and Xiang Li, Department of Physics — New Class of Plasmonic-enhanced, Quantum Optoelectronic Devices Based on Metal Nanoparticle Nanosheets

The Arts & Science (A&S) Fund for Indigenous Research Excellence (FIRE) program provides funding support for faculty-member-led research taking place in partnership with Indigenous organizations and communities and on Indigenous territories and/or about Indigenous lands. The FIRE program responds to the commitments outlined in the A&S Academic Plan, the A&S Strategic Research Plan, 2023–28 and the A&S Decanal Advisory Committee on Indigenous Research, Teaching and Learning, the latter of which guides A&S in answering the calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

FIRE is intended to enhance the support of Indigenous research and scholarship and advance research that is ethical, respects Indigenous ways of knowing and engages Indigenous communities and nations here on Turtle Island (North America), specifically through offsetting the unique costs related to working in and with Indigenous communities.

The purpose of the program is to:

• Support Indigenous community-based and/or fieldwork research, with a particular emphasis on supporting Indigenous faculty members.
• Provide funding for costs unique to Indigenous community-based and/or field work research that may not be sufficiently funded with other funding opportunities.
• Advance sustainable and respectful research relationships between A&S faculty members and Indigenous organizations and communities.
• Support community-engaged research with Indigenous communities.

Value and Duration

The program will provide up to $15,000 per project (based on project need and a justification for the requested amount). The funds must be used within two years of the award start date.

Application Deadline

Anytime

Eligibility

Applicants:

This program will support faculty members with a full-time A&S St. George campus primary budgetary appointment, who are eligible principal investigators (PIs) according to the University of Toronto PI Eligibility Guidelines. While applications are welcomed from all eligible A&S faculty members, funding for the program is primarily intended to support Indigenous faculty-member-led research.

The fund is envisioned as complementary to tri-agency (CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC) research grant funding, and it may be leveraged for all stages of community-based and field research on Indigenous lands with Indigenous communities, including early-stage research planning with Indigenous communities to facilitate co-development of research studies and activities. If the funds will be used to supplement an already funded project, the active grant must have received an ethics review (as applicable to the research).

Research areas:

This funding opportunity is open to all research fields and disciplines. All field work requires Indigenous community consultation and engagement, including research that does not directly involve humans (e.g., environmental sciences). Applicants are encouraged to consult the tri-agency webpage on Indigenous research for further guidance.

Evidence of partnership:

While the FIRE program can be used to support both nascent and established partnerships, the application should be accompanied by some form of agreement with an Indigenous organization or community (i.e., an appended agreement, letter, other form of communication, or symbol of partnership/cooperation).

Use of Funds

Eligible costs are those deemed necessary for carrying out the research project while meaningfully engaging with the Indigenous community. This includes but is not limited to:

• Employment and compensation expenses: research personnel costs including student salaries or stipends and non-student salaries
• Services: costs for professional and technical services
• Honoraria (for community participants, elders, etc.)
• Travel: costs associated with research-related travel to conduct the proposed research, and for research-participant travel, where applicable
• Consumables: materials and supplies required to conduct the research
• Non-consumables: non-consumable expenses to conduct the research (e.g., data sets, software)
• Research-related gifts
• Research-related hospitality items

In developing your planned budget and project activities, you are encouraged to consult the University of Toronto Payments to Indigenous Payees Guidelines.

Proposed project expenses must adhere to the University of Toronto Guide to Financial Management.

Additional helpful guidelines:

• University of Toronto Guidelines for the Compensation & Reimbursement of Research Participants

Adjudication Process and Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be assessed by the Vice-Dean, Research & Infrastructure in consultation with an Arts & Science review panel that includes a senior Indigenous faculty member and an Indigenous community member, based on the following evaluation criteria:

• Need for funding — Justify the need for the requested funds to carry out the proposed research.
• Indigenous engagement — Describe the process of engagement with the Indigenous community including steps taken/to be taken to ensure engagement is responsible, respectful and reciprocal.

Application Process

Completed submissions must include:

• Application form (one page proposal + budget)
• Documentation of Indigenous-community engagement

Please combine applications into a single PDF and email to research.artsci@utoronto.ca.

Questions

Please contact Gabrielle Sugar, Funded Research Officer at gabrielle.sugar@utoronto.ca.

The Arts & Science International Research Events Fund is a matching funds program, designed to facilitate hosting research-related events that contribute to increasing the international research profile of A&S research.

Eligibility

Faculty members who have full-time faculty appointments in A&S units (i.e., St. George campus faculty members) are welcome to apply to the fund in support of events they are organizing or co-organizing on campus.

Faculty members and researchers who hold graduate-only appointments, other types of cross-appointments, or the rank of emeritus/emerita are not eligible.

Events Arts & Science supports through other means (e.g., a SSHRC-Connections-Grant-funded project that has A&S funding support) are not eligible for funding through this program.

Application Deadline

Any time. Applications must be made at least one month in advance of the event.

Value and Duration

Arts & Science will match A&S academic unit cash contributions up to $7,500. Applicants have up to one year from the time of the award to use the funding.

Frequency of Request

Eligible faculty members may apply for (and receive) funding from this program no more than once every three years (based on U of T fiscal year — May 1 to April 30).

Eligible Sources of Matching Funding from Academic Units

1. Operating reserves within a Faculty of Arts & Science (St. George campus) academic unit.
2. Available funding within an individual principal investigator’s (the applicant's) PI fund centre (i.e., start-up funding, etc.).
   • Note: Funding from your personal expense reimbursement allowance (PERA) is not eligible for matching against this award.

Application Process

To submit your application, please email the following to research.artsci@utoronto.ca:

1. Your application form
2. Email or letter confirmation of matching funds (from the individual who has budgetary signing authority, such as the chair or director)

Questions

Please contact research.artsci@utoronto.ca with any questions.

Arts & Science International Research Events Fund Application Form

The Arts & Science Tri-Council Bridge Funding Program is designed to help bridge research funding gaps for full-time A&S faculty members (i.e., St. George campus) whose Tri-Council grant applications have been unsuccessful. The program is designed to allow researchers to continue their work and become more competitive on their next application. Faculty members and researchers who hold graduate-only appointments, other types of cross-appointments, or are emeritus faculty, are not eligible. While we accept requests for bridge funding for all of the below listed programs, first priority will be given to applicants in the SSHRC Insight, SSHRC Insight Development and NSERC Discovery Grant competitions. The CIHR and NSERC RTI programs will require some vetting depending on the quantity and magnitude of the requests.

The Tri-Council Bridge Fund is a 1:1 matching funds program. Principal investigators must first apply for funding through their department chair or director. Matching fund requests are to be submitted by the unit chair or director to the A&S Research Services Office for review and approval by the Vice-Dean, Research & Infrastructure.

Opportunities & Deadlines

SSHRC Insight, SSHRC Insight Development, NSERC Discovery and NSERC Discovery Horizons Grants Bridge Funding

A&S will match unit contributions, up to $15,000, for one year.

• Deadline: Any time before August 1 (immediately following an unsuccessful application).

CIHR Project Grant Bridge Funding

A&S will match unit contributions, up to $20,000, to PIs on CIHR Project grants that were unfunded in the Spring or Fall competition.

• Deadlines:
  • Fall competition: Apply for Bridge Funding by April 15 (immediately following an unsuccessful application).
  • Spring competition: Apply for Bridge Funding by August 1 (immediately following an unsuccessful application).

Note: Principal investigators who are awarded a bridge fund after an unsuccessful grant application in either the SSHRC Insight, SSHRC Insight Development, NSERC Discovery, NSERC Discovery Horizons or CIHR Project grant competition must submit an (A&S Tri-Council Bridge Funding Program-eligible) operating grant proposal to the same funding council in the next competition cycle (fall or spring round for CIHR applicants).

NSERC Research Tools & Instruments (RTI) Bridge Funding

A&S will match unit contributions, up to $50,000.

• Deadline: Any time before August 1 (immediately following an unsuccessful application)

Eligible sources of matching funding from Academic Units

1. Operating reserves within an academic unit.
2. Available funding within an individual principal investigator’s (the applicant's) PI Fund Centre.
3. Funding for graduate students from an academic unit’s graduate program account.

Note: Graduate program account funding cannot be transferred directly to a PI account and must be transferred directly to the student via a ROSI/ACORN award.

Please note, there is a new application process coming soon.

The Joint Seed program is an interdivisional research funding program designed to promote multi-disciplinary research and catalyze new innovative partnerships between a co-PI from the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering (FASE) and a co-PI from outside engineering. Funding is available for a maximum of ten (10) new collaborative projects, three (3) of which will be allocated to the Faculty of Arts & Science. One A&S project will be earmarked for co-PIs from either the humanities or social sciences.

Additional collaborative projects with A&S co-PIs may be considered for funding by the Translational Biology and Engineering Program (TBEP) if they align directly with TBEP’s criteria and research goals. Applications related to cardiovascular digital health (including remote monitoring, point-of-care devices, and implantable sensors) and to systems biology approaches to cardiovascular health and disease will receive priority consideration.

For complete program details, visit the FASE Call for Proposals page, where you can also view past recipients (under ‘XSeed Funded Projects’)

Deadline

The current application deadline is 12 pm on Monday, March 9, 2026.

Value

$80,000/year for a maximum of two years: $20,000 from the collaborating faculties and home unit of each co-PI.

Eligible sources of matching funding from Arts & Science academic units:

1. Operating reserves within an academic unit.
2. Available funding within an individual principal investigator’s (the applicant's) PI Fund Centre.
3. Funding for graduate students from an academic unit’s graduate program account.

Note: Graduate program account funding cannot be transferred directly to a PI account and must be transferred directly to the student via a ROSI/ACORN award.

Contact and Resources

For Arts & Science applicant inquiries, please contact Carrie-Lynn Keiski: carrie.keiski@utoronto.ca.

Joint workshops help lay the groundwork for future international collaborative research. They allow faculty members and students to leverage complementary research strengths and increase their access to the unique capabilities of other international institutions. The Office of the Vice-President, International will provide up to $5,000 to help facilitate a joint research workshop. Please note, workshop organizers must demonstrate a match of $10,000 in order to be eligible for the full $5,000.

Deadline: Rolling

Value: Up to $5,000 (matching commitments required)

View complete program details

$1 million annually will be awarded to support approximately 4 team initiatives of up-to $250,000 each. The program aims to heighten U of T’s contribution to important issues facing society through the advancement of knowledge, and the transfer and application of solutions. Global Challenge teams will represent new collaborations involving leading U of T researchers and students from multiple disciplines, along with innovators and thought leaders from other sectors. The program objective is to enhance U of T’s capacity to achieve meaningful outcomes and impact, including but not limited to major new external funding to further develop solutions to the global challenge, important new partnerships and/or new research oriented academic programs.

Value: $250,000 (over two years)

View complete program details

The Connaught Innovation Fund was created to accelerate the development of promising technology and promote commercialization and/or knowledge transfer. Connaught applications will be at or above Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4 as defined by Science and Economic Development Canada (SEDC) to support evolving the innovation to the next level with potential commercial partners. Information regarding SEDC TRL Scale can be found here. Successful projects will have strong socioeconomic and/or commercial potential and will strive to have a positive impact on society.

Deadline: Fall

Value: $150,000

View complete program details

The Connaught Mid-Career Researcher Awards program is a divisional allocation nomination-based program to support mid-career researchers in leading significant, innovative research and continuing to grow their research programs, with the goal of attracting large scale external research funding, particularly from the tri-agencies.

Value of Award

Up to $250,000 each, to support 4 awards, provided to the highest ranked proposals, with a funding envelope of $1,000,000 for this year’s competition. Normal duration of the award is 2 years.

Arts & Science Allocation (2026)

4 nominations

Arts & Science Nomination Deadline

Tuesday, February 3, 2026 (12 pm noon EST)

Note: When a deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, the next business day will be considered the deadline date.

Eligibility Requirements

To be nominated for the mid-career researcher award in the Faculty of Arts & Science, candidates must be tenure-stream faculty members with a primary budgetary appointment (at least 51%) in the Faculty of Arts & Science (St. George campus). Awards are open to all tenure-stream faculty members at the University of Toronto in any discipline, who hold the rank of associate professor and are between 5 and 15 years of their first tenure-stream professorial appointment (at U of T or elsewhere). See program guidelines for details.

One nomination per A&S Academic Unit (that holds tenure-stream budgetary appointments) may be submitted to the divisional selection process.

Divisional nominations must be submitted through one of two streams:

1. Accelerator stream: For those investigators aiming to lead larger or significantly different research programs than they have previously, while developing leadership skills and training the next generation of scientists/scholars. Goals may include but are not limited to: establishing national/international networks, changes in research direction or incorporating new disciplines.
2. Resurgence stream: For those investigators experiencing mid-career challenges, including but not limited to expanding team sizes, increased committee / administrative duties, or a lack of success in securing external funding in an increasingly competitive climate.

In both streams, nominees are required to indicate, amongst other objectives, at least one specific external research funding opportunity that they intend to apply for. Priority should be given to tri-agency funding programs given the importance of these in driving CRC and other allocations for the university.

Mentorship is a critical component of this program and nominees must identify one or more faculty members who will provide professional and academic mentorship during the Connaught-funded project.

Arts & Science Nomination Submission Instructions

The chair or director of the academic unit (or delegate) in which the candidate holds a budgetary academic appointment (primary or secondary is fine) shall submit a completed nomination package on behalf of candidate to: research.artsci@utoronto.ca.

Nomination Submission Instructions

Each nomination package should be submitted containing all materials (3 parts as a consolidated single pdf file) as listed below (see program guidelines for details). Incomplete nomination packages will not advance in the divisional selection process:

1. A nominee research project information form, to be completed by the nominee (found on the program webpage) outlining:

• the selected nomination stream (Accelerator or Resurgence)
• excellence and impact of their research achievements to date
• future research plans, identifying both short-term and long-term objectives, and including:
  • enhanced training opportunities for HQP
  • incorporation of EDI principles in the research design and methods (as appropriate to the research project) and in the research team and environment
  • future external funding opportunity(s) (emphasis on tri-agency programs) to which they will apply and how the MCR award will help to increase competitiveness
• demonstrated need for the funding
• proposed budget

2. A nomination letter prepared by the unit chair/director and included in the nomination package (2 pages max). If selected to go forward in the competition, the letter will form the basis of the Vice-Dean, Research & Infrastructure endorsement letter. The letter should outline:

• why the nominee should be considered for this award, with emphasis on demonstrated excellence in the field and positive impact on society, industry, culture or technology.
• the nominee’s publication record relative to norms within the discipline.
• how the MCR award will help the nominee advance their research program and, as relevant, challenges encountered by the nominee in moving their research program forward.
• divisional supports that will be provided to the nominee, including designated mentors (required).

3. An academic or standard Canadian Common CV

Arts & Science Evaluation & Selection Process

• Selected nomination packages will be submitted to the Connaught Secretariat, by the nominating division only, endorsed by the Arts & Science Vice-Dean, Research & Infrastructure.
• If Arts & Science receives more than four nominations, a selection committee will be chaired by the Vice-Dean, Research & Infrastructure to evaluate and recommend the top candidates. The selection committee reflects the broad diversity of individuals and disciplines within the Faculty of Arts & Science (St. George campus) and includes equal representation by academic leaders from the humanities, social sciences and science sectoral units in Arts & Science. Members of the selection committee are expected to reinforce standards of rigour, fairness, respect and equity, diversity and inclusion throughout the adjudication process.

Nomination Timeline

• Tuesday February 3, 2026 by 12 pm noon (EST): Arts & Science internal nomination submission deadline. Chair or director of the academic unit to submit complete nomination packages to research.artsci@utoronto.ca.
• Early March 2026: nominees informed of divisional selection committee results.
• Thursday March 12, 2026 by 12 pm noon (EST): final Arts & Science deadline for nominees to submit their final nomination package to Arts & Science Research Services (research.artsci@utoronto.ca).
• March 16, 2026: deadline for A&S Research Services to submit nomination packages to the Connaught Secretariat on behalf of all nominees.
• Results will be announced in summer/fall 2026.

Questions

• Should you have any questions on the Arts & Science nomination process, please contact Monica Caverson, Associate Director, Strategic Research Development: monica.caverson@utoronto.ca.

View Complete Program Details

The purpose of this program is to help new tenure stream faculty members establish competitive research programs. Up to $1 million awarded support for approximately 50 awards of up to $20,000 will be provided to the highest ranked proposals (no matching required). These awards are intended to establish a strong research program, thereby increasing the faculty member’s competitiveness for external funding.

Deadline: November 15

Value: $30,000

View complete program details

The Major Research Project Mobilization (MPRM) program complements other proposal development supports offered by the Division of the Vice-President Research and Innovation (VPRI) and academic divisions. Its particular focus is on increasing the strength and success of applications to Tri-Agency programs that contribute to U of T’s ‘market share’ and related allocations, such as Canada Research Chairs. The MRPM will provide up to $15,000 (no match required) toward development of applications requesting funding for the following Tri-Agency Programs at or above the threshold amounts noted. Eligible requests will be supported to the extent that MRPM budget allows. Should demand threaten to exceed funds available, funds awarded per academic division will be taken into consideration.

Eligible Programs

CIHR: Team grant ≥ $1 million
NSERC: CREATE full proposal ≥ $1 million
SSHRC: Partnership stage 1 ≥ $2 million

Deadline

Any time

View complete program details

Through engagement in meaningful research collaborations with international partners, U of T faculty members and students contribute to solving complex global problems. One way the Office of the Vice President, International helps support this work is through various joint calls for research proposals with select international institutions. The collaborations supported through this seed funding leverage each institution’s unique research strengths, foster the mobility of researchers and accelerate discovery.

Each call varies with respect to project length, allocated funding and prioritized field depending on the nature of the partnership.

View current opportunities

The Arts & Science Postdoctoral Fellowships are designed to provide outstanding recent doctoral students advanced training in their field of study. These fellowships are not discipline specific, but rather can be held in any department or research unit across the Faculty of Arts & Science at the University of Toronto. Applicants must secure sponsorship of a supervisor, or supervisors, from the professoriate (tenure stream) within the Faculty of Arts & Science (St. George campus).

Application Deadline

• Applicant submission deadline: November 14 (20:00 EST)
• Supervisor submission deadline: November 28 (20:00 EST)
• Department submission deadline: December 4 (20:00 EST)

Required Legal Status

Domestic or international

Results

April

Value and Duration

Each award will provide $63,000 in salary (plus benefits) per year for a maximum of two years. There are two types of funding for the fellowships. One is fully-funded, where A&S contributes the full salary of $63,000 and benefits. The other is match-funded, where supervisors and/or academic units contribute half the salary ($31,500) and employer paid benefits, the second half of which is matched by Arts & Science. A section on the supervisor’s portion of the postdoctoral fellowship application requires the supervisor to specify which funding type applies to their application.

Eligibility to Apply

The award is open to both domestic and international post-graduates. Successful international candidates must meet all Canadian immigration requirements before taking up the award.

Fellowships are only tenable within the Faculty of Arts & Science at the University of Toronto. Proposed supervisor(s) must have a tenure-track or tenured appointment within the Faculty of Arts & Science (primary budgetary appointment in Arts & Science, St. George campus).

Note: Supervisors may only support a maximum of two applicants in the competition as the primary supervisor.

Nominees must:

• Demonstrate academic excellence and high potential for success in their chosen fields;
• Have completed all requirements for their doctorate degree no earlier than May 1, 2023. (If your career was significantly interrupted after completing your doctorate due to extenuating circumstances, you may qualify for an extension of the eligibility period. Eligible career interruptions may include parental, medical and/or family-related responsibilities, mandatory military service, disruptions due to war, civil conflicts or natural disasters in your country of residence or limited research opportunities due to socio-economic reasons. The eligibility period can be extended by the duration of the eligible delay(s)/interruption(s). "Career interruption" refers to a period of time when you were not working (full-time or part-time) and when your research was completely interrupted. If this applies, applicants should add a section at the end of their CV describing special circumstances and career interruptions.)
• Not hold or be on leave from a tenure-track or tenured faculty position. Generally, "tenure or tenure-track" refers to an open-ended academic position in which the holder can form a research group, apply for externally funded research as a principal investigator and teach.
• Not hold concurrently another major fellowship;
• Begin the fellowship between May 1 and December 1 in the year of award;
• Be associated with a supervisor appointed to the Faculty of Arts & Science (St. George campus).

Note: The program prioritizes applicants who are submitting proposals to do their first post doc and/or a new postdoctoral project with a new supervisor(s).

Application Process

A&S Postdoctoral Fellowship applications must be submitted using the A&S Research Services Online Application Management System:

Apply Online — Arts & Science Postdoctoral Fellowship Program

Note: It is important to secure your prospective supervisor well before beginning the application submission process.

The application system includes a simple five-step submission, review and approval flow (outlined below), which begins with the applicant creating a new application in the system.

Overview of Online Application Steps

Step 1 — Applicant: Applicant applies to the program by filling out and submitting the applicant application form, along with the required attachments. (Due November 14)

Step 2 — Supervisor: Once the applicant application package is submitted, the primary supervisor will be prompted via email to view and approve the application. The supervisor may then fill out and submit the supervisor application form (along with the required attachment), or reject the application, as applicable (Due November 28) — system navigation instructions for supervisors.

Step 3 — Department chair/director: When the primary supervisor submits the supervisor application package, the department approver will be prompted to review, approve and submit the entire application package to the A&S Research Services Office (due December 4) — system navigation instructions for department approvers.

Step 4 — A&S Office of Research Services: Once the department approver approves the application package, the Office of Research Services will review the application for completeness and eligibility. If approved, the application will then go through the A&S PDF application evaluation review process.

Step 5: Once the review process is completed, applicants and supervisors will be notified of their application’s status.

If you have questions, please contact: Megan Tate, Research Operations Coordinator at research.artsci@utoronto.ca.

Components completed by the postdoctoral applicant within the online application system:

• Form Fill — A&S Postdoctoral Fellowship Application Form
• Upload —
  • One-page research proposal, written for a multi-disciplinary academic audience and an optional one-page bibliography (single-spaced, 11 point font, 3/4 inch margins). Your proposal should describe your proposed research project, highlighting the importance and impact of the research and how this research fits into your academic goals.
  • Upload — Applicant’s CV.
• Applicant Demographic Survey — Completed and submitted separately.
  • Note: All survey answers will remain confidential and will not be used as part of the evaluation of your application or any other future application. Gathering demographic data supports our ability to evaluate the diversity of our pool of applicants in each competition and allows us to contextualize our adjudications processes and inform our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion reporting and best practices.

Supervisor Application Components completed by the supervisor within the online application system:

• Form Fill — A&S Postdoctoral Fellowship Supervisors Form
• Upload — One-page supervisor’s statement (single-spaced, 11 point font, 3/4 inch margins, written for a multi-disciplinary academic audience). In the space provided please comment on the applicant’s research potential, the quality of the proposed research, the research environment and resources that will be available to the applicant and how the fellowship will advance the applicant’s career development. If you are proposing to supervise a current or former U of T trainee (i.e., graduate student or postdoc), please include a brief justification.

Evaluation and Selection Process

The Vice-Dean, Research & Infrastructure chairs the A&S Postdoctoral Fellowship Selection Committee, which meets each competition year to evaluate and recommend top candidates. The selection committee reflects the broad diversity of individuals and disciplines within the Faculty of Arts & Science (St. George campus) and includes equal representation by academic leaders from the humanities, social sciences and science sectoral units in Arts & Science. Members of the selection committee are expected to reinforce standards of rigour, fairness, respect and equity, diversity and inclusion throughout the adjudication process. The Office of the Vice-President, Research & Innovation (OVPRI) has developed a best practices in peer review guide that may serve as a resource for members of the selection committee.

The single criteria for A&S Postdoctoral Fellowship applications is demonstrated academic excellence and high potential for success in the chosen field. The multidisciplinary selection committee members assess this through their evaluation of each applicant’s 1) proposal, 2) CV, and 3) the postdoctoral fellowship supervisor’s statement.

Applicants are encouraged to write their applications for a multi-disciplinary academic audience and to avoid the use of jargon.

The committee utilizes the following Evaluation Scale:

Important Information

• Please consult the information regarding postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Toronto on the website of the School of Graduate Studies.
• Canadian citizens and permanent residents must have completed their PhD requirements no later than six months after their start-date of an A&S Postdoctoral Fellowship. International applicants must have completed their PhD requirements before the start date of an A&S Postdoctoral Fellowship. In each instance, proof of PhD completion must be provided within three months of completion if the applicant did not have it in hand at the time of application. Degree completion does not mean convocation, but rather the completion of all the requirements necessary for the PhD.
• A&S Postdoctoral Fellows may not concurrently hold another postdoctoral fellowship.
• Applicants are strongly encouraged to also apply for the appropriate Canada Postdoctoral Research Award (CIHR, NSERC or SSHRC), depending on their eligibility. To further incentivize applicants to apply for a federal postdoctoral fellowship, if an applicant is awarded both an A&S PDF fellowship and a Canada Postdoctoral Research Award (CIHR, NSERC, or SSHRC), working with an A&S supervisor, A&S will provide a $10,000 top-up supplement to the Canada Postdoctoral Research Award each year of the fellowship.
• Employment as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Toronto is covered by the terms of the CUPE Unit 5 Collective Agreement. The normal hours of work are 40 hours per week for a full-time postdoctoral fellow (pro-rated for those holding a partial appointment) recognizing that the needs of the employee’s research and training and the needs of the supervisor’s research program may require flexibility in the performance of the employee’s duties and hours of work.
• Requests for award interruptions for reasons that are not outlined within Article 11 (Leaves) of the CUPE Unit 5 Collective Agreement will not normally be considered.
• The University of Toronto is strongly committed to diversity within its community and especially welcomes applications from visible minority group members, women, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, members of sexual minority groups and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

At the University of Toronto, we strive to be an equitable and inclusive community, rich with diversity, protecting the human rights of all persons and based upon understanding and mutual respect for the dignity and worth of every person. We seek to ensure to the greatest extent possible that all students and employees enjoy the opportunity to participate as they see fit in the full range of activities that the university offers and to achieve their full potential as members of the university community.

Contact & Resources

Faculty of Arts & Science Research Office: research.artsci@utoronto.ca

Past Recipients of Arts & Science Postdoctoral Fellowships

The Data Sciences Institute (DSI) is a central hub and incubator for data science research, training and partnerships at the University of Toronto. Its goal is to accelerate the impact of data sciences across disciplines to address pressing societal questions and to drive positive social change. DSI is focused on training the next generation of data science scholars.

DSI Postdoctoral Fellowships support multi/interdisciplinary training and collaborative research in data sciences that include faculty from the University of Toronto and researchers from DSI external funding partner institutions. To be considered for a Fellowship, applicants must pursue a research project that has a data sciences focus, through the development of novel methodology or the innovative application of existing approaches. New for this round, proposed projects must can be categorized within at least one of four methodological pillars (described below).

Applicants must identify at least two eligible faculty members from complementary disciplinary backgrounds to serve as co-supervisors, who together can supervise the different multidisciplinary aspects of the proposed research project. At least one supervisor should have a track record supporting the training and development of novel statistical or computational tools. Co-supervisors can be drawn from the same academic unit as long as they represent different disciplines and one is focused on the development of a novel methodology.

View complete program details

The University of Toronto’s Eric and Wendy Schmidt AI in Science Postdoctoral Fellowship, a program of Schmidt Sciences, brings together the brightest minds who have completed a PhD in the natural sciences or engineering and who aim to pursue a research project that includes the application of artificial intelligence (AI) to their domain.

The program funds cutting edge applications of AI in the natural sciences and engineering and creates a community of interdisciplinary leaders. Applicants must demonstrate clear expertise and promise within their field of study. Experience with AI is not a requirement, but applicants must have a desire to learn new AI methodologies that stand to accelerate discoveries in their domain. These Fellowships will fund research and provide training in AI and related computational skills to support new directions in the application of AI.

Apply for the Eric and Wendy Schmidt AI in Science Postdoctoral Fellowship

Please stay tuned for details on the Arts & Science process.

The University of Toronto Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowship program provides funding to increase opportunities for hiring postdoctoral fellows from underrepresented groups, specifically Indigenous and Black researchers only. These fellowships will enable postdoctoral researchers to grow their scholarly profiles, undertake academic work at the University of Toronto and strengthen the research environment at the university with diverse perspectives.

This funding is designed to help the university compete with peer institutions for top-tier candidates and to support the university in meeting its institutional goal of fostering increased diversity and representation at all levels of teaching, learning and research. Nominees must be nominated by their prospective faculties/divisions following the timeline and processes outlined below.

Read about the recipients of the Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowship on the PPFP webpage.

Value

The Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program is available to engage eight Indigenous and/or Black postdoctoral researchers annually. Each award will provide $80,000 per year to the faculty to support up to two years of a postdoctoral fellowship salary and employer costs. This level of funding exceeds the median postdoctoral salary at the University of Toronto and is in keeping with Canada’s most prestigious postdoctoral awards.

Effective 2026–27 the fellowship may be used to fund:

• The gross salary only: The salary is provided at the rate of $80,000/year (or higher), in which case, the unit/supervisor would be responsible for covering the additional employer costs above the annual $80,000 PPFP envelope; or
• Both the gross salary and employer costs: The salary is provided at a minimum rate of $70,000/year, with the remaining $10,000 contributing towards the employer costs payable by the unit/supervisor.

Employer costs in 2026–27 include the Standard Benefit Rate (SBR) payable at a rate of 10.5% and the PDF Levy payable at a rate of 7.75%.

Additionally, successful postdoctoral fellows will also receive a start-up stipend fund of $5,000 per year (as taxable income), funded through the faculty advisor or academic unit. Units may augment the salary, cover the start-up stipend and employer cost from a variety of sources, including operating budget, faculty advisor funds such as research grants, other awards, etc.

Employment as a Provost Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Toronto is covered by the terms of the CUPE Unit 5 Collective Agreement.

Arts & Science Deadline

March 3 (17:00 EDT)

To be considered in the Faculty of Arts & Science competition, interested applicants should be directly in touch with potential supervisors. Applicants must secure sponsorship of a full-time supervisor, or supervisors, from the professoriate (tenured or tenure-stream) within the Faculty of Arts & Science (primary budgetary appointment in Arts & Science, St. George campus).

Arts & Science Allocation

Each Faculty Research Office is invited to nominate their top three (3) candidates in each self-identification category to the School of Graduate Studies for consideration by the University of Toronto evaluation committee.

Eligibility

The award is open to Indigenous and/or Black researchers, both domestic and international candidates.

Nominees must:

• Demonstrate academic excellence and high potential for success in their chosen fields;
• Identify as Indigenous to Turtle Island and/or Black — Indigenous and/or Black researchers only;
• Have obtained a doctoral degree, at the time the fellowship commences and normally within the last five years from the start of the fellowship; and
• Not have held a Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowship previously.

Recipients must:

• Begin the fellowship by January 2027, following the competition;
• Be engaged as a postdoctoral employee of the University of Toronto;
• Be hired by a U of T supervisor appointed to a graduate unit;
• Register and remain registered with the Postdoctoral Office at SGS;
• Not hold concurrently another major fellowship;
• Not hold a faculty position or be on leave from such a position;
• Establish an IDP (Independent Development Plan) and submit to SGS within the first three months of the fellowship. The IDP should be reviewed annually and the revised copy sent to the Postdoctoral Office at SGS; and
• Submit proof of completion of degree no later than three months after the fellowship commences if they had not fulfilled all requirements for their degree at the time of nomination.

At the University of Toronto, we strive to be an equitable and inclusive community, rich with diversity, protecting the human rights of all persons and based upon understanding and mutual respect for the dignity and worth of every person. We seek to ensure to the greatest extent possible that all students and employees enjoy the opportunity to participate as they see fit in the full range of activities that the university offers and to achieve their full potential as members of the university community.

Selection Criteria

Preference in this competition is given to nominees who have not yet held a postdoctoral fellowship.

The evaluation committees (in Arts & Science and in the School of Graduate Studies) assess applications using the following criteria:

Research or Scholarship Proposal

• Are the ideas put forward in the research plan innovative and/or original?
• Are the approaches and/or methodologies appropriate?
• Is the research plan relevant to the nominee’s research career objectives?
• Does the research plan have the potential of significantly advancing our understanding of the area?

Applicant Track Record

• Academic and research training received by the nominee (take an inclusive excellence lens)
• Awards or acknowledgements of academic achievement
• Scholarly activity as relevant to discipline (e.g., publications, chapters, presentations, community-engaged work, public scholarship, creative practice and related scholarly activity)
• Research accomplished to date — has the nominee started to demonstrated independence and originality? Contributions to team research?
• Quality of the nominee’s training, mentorship and supervisory activities

Scholarly Potential

• Scholarly potential in the field can be demonstrated through the nominee’s engagement as a mentor, their ability to manage research, to contribute novel ideas to their research program, to make decisions that are crucial to the success of the research program, to lead their research collaboratively, have excellent working relationships with those around them, etc.
• Will the nominee make meaningful contributions while a postdoctoral scholar at U of T? Will the postdoctoral scholar be launched into a meaningful career trajectory?
• Does the research or scholarship plan provide evidence of the applicant’s leadership in the design and conduct of the proposed research?

Feasibility

• Is the proposed research feasible, given the resources and support available to the investigator?
• Has the supervisor demonstrated support for the scientific development of the candidate and their independent research program?
• What space, operating funds, infrastructure and/or other resources will be available to the nominee and are they adequate?
• Does the department or organization demonstrate leadership in the nominee’s chosen field?
• Will the nominee receive adequate scientific and career guidance?

Scoring Rubric

Using a holistic approach, committee members assign a score for each nomination package they review, using the following as a guide:

Submit applications to: research.artsci@utoronto.ca

Submission Instructions for Chairs and Academic Directors

The nomination packages for each nominee should be submitted to the Arts & Science Research Office by the supervisor’s academic unit chair/director (or delegate). Each nomination package should be a single PDF file, containing all application materials in the order as listed below.

Please use file naming convention of: Last name, First name_PPFP2026

NEW — If an academic unit supports more than one applicant in either/or both of the two self-identification categories, please submit a rank order list with the submission packages.

Completed Nomination Packages must include:

1. A nomination letter from the graduate unit/department chair (maximum two pages). The letter should:

• Explicitly state how the $80,000 per year award funds will be allocated to the trainee, i.e.
  • $80,000/year towards salary (with unit or supervisor responsible for covering the additional employer costs); or
  • $70,000/year towards salary (with $10,000 towards the employer costs).
• Indicate who will cover the required start-up stipend fund of $5,000 per year (academic unit or supervisor)
• address how the nominee meets the selection criteria, clearly state which underrepresented group (Indigenous and/or Black) the nominee identifies as and confirm that the nominee intends to accept the offer if funding is made available;
• illustrate the synergy between the research proposal and the research goals of the supervisor/unit, as well as the mission of the university; and
• outline support of the nominee by describing how the applicant and faculty/unit will mutually benefit from this engagement.

2. A supervisor statement from the faculty advisor/mentor (maximum two pages). The statement should:

• describe the complementarity between the research interests/background of the supervisor and nominee, how the proposed research complements the supervisor’s ongoing projects and/or new research directions and the anticipated mutual benefits;
• reveal information specific to the field of study (e.g., benchmarks of excellence, publication norms/standards/practices, impact factor of research contributions) that would otherwise not be known outside the discipline;
• provide details regarding the applicant’s proposed research environment, clearly stating the supervisor’s and department’s commitment. Examples of commitment include (but are not limited to) mentorship, opportunities for collaboration, dissemination and/or knowledge translation, resources (e.g., funding, facilities, personnel) that will be available to support the nominee as they carry out their proposed research; and
• illustrate the supervisor’s commitment to the applicant’s academic and professional trajectory, clearly indicating the resources and/or mentoring activities that are available through the training environment to support career development.
• if applicable, provide a statement describing your commitment to providing the required start-up stipend fund of $5,000 per year to the PDF nominee.

3. Research or scholarship proposal from the nominee (maximum two pages, plus up to two additional pages for references/citations);

4. Training statement from the nominee (maximum one page). The statement should describe:

• their professional, academic and extracurricular experiences/achievements and how it will contribute to their training success (1/2 page); and
• how the training they expect to acquire will contribute to their productivity and to the research goals they hope to achieve. Indicate why they decided upon the proposed training location and what they expect to learn from the training experience (1/2 page).

5. Nominee’s CV (no page restriction);

6. A short personal biography written by the nominee (maximum 1/3 page), which may be used on the SGS Postdoctoral Fellows website or other communications, should they be successfully selected as a Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellow; and

7. Completed Faculty of Arts & Science Application Form — To be completed and submitted directly by each nominee (not required for inclusion in departmental submission packages). If you have any issues accessing this document, please contact research.artsci@utoronto.ca.

Complete University of Toronto Program Details

Visit U of T’s School of Graduate Studies website for complete program details.

The Research Excellence Postdoctoral Fellows Program (REPFP) at the University of Toronto is a prestigious opportunity for early-career scholars to develop and expand their research expertise at one of the world’s most distinguished public research universities. The program will empower postdoctoral scholars with the autonomy to pursue an ambitious research program, while benefiting from close collaboration with leading faculty and access to tailored professional and career development supports. The program is designed for exceptional postdoctoral scholars eager to contribute to an innovative, vibrant and inclusive academic community.

This program specifically seeks to bridge the critical gap between doctoral training and independent academic careers by providing postdoctoral fellows with the resources, autonomy and mentorship necessary to establish themselves as independent researchers. Fellows are expected to develop and lead their own research agenda, distinct from but complementary to their supervisor's work, positioning them for future faculty appointments or leadership roles in research-intensive environments.

Arts & Science Application Deadline

April 2, 2026

To be submitted by academic units to Arts & Science Research Services (research.artsci@utoronto.ca), on behalf of prospective supervisors/applicants.

Arts & Science Allocation

Funding for up to eight (8) two-year awards each year for two years, with a 2026 intake and a 2027 intake.

Required Legal Status

Domestic or international

Results

June 2026

Value and Duration

• Each award will provide $80,000 in salary (plus all applicable employer paid benefits) per year for a maximum of two years.
• An additional $10,000 in funding is provided annually for independent research.

Co-Funding Requirements

• School of Graduate Studies funds 60% of the total salary and benefits, as well as 60% of the total annual independent research funding.
• The remaining 40% of funding for total salary and benefits and the annual independent research funding must be paid by the supervisor(s) or sponsoring Arts & Science academic unit(s).
• The funding breakdown below is based on the current CUPE collective agreement and includes annual salary increase payable at a rate of 1.8%, the Standard Benefit Rate (SBR) at 10.5% and the PDF Levy, payable at a rate of 7.75%.
• Supervisors and/or academic units will be responsible for covering any additional employer costs that may be applicable as a result of future collective agreements.

Eligibility to Apply

This award is open to domestic and international candidates. The following criteria are the institutional eligibility requirements for successful engagement of the Research Excellence Postdoctoral Fellowship.

Candidates must:

• Be associated with a supervisor appointed to the Faculty of Arts & Science (St. George campus) to be considered for one of the Arts & Science fellowships.
• Be engaged as, or seeking a position as a postdoctoral employee of the University of Toronto (teaching hospital postdocs are not employees of the university);
• Have demonstrated academic excellence, proven capacity to conceptualize and execute independent research beyond their doctoral work and evidence of intellectual leadership in their chosen field;
• Expect to complete all doctoral degree requirements by the time the fellowship commences and normally be within five years from the completion of their degree;
• Not have previously engaged in more than one postdoctoral appointment.

Award recipients must:

• Have completed all degree requirements prior to the start of the fellowship;
• Be engaged as a postdoctoral employee of the University of Toronto (teaching hospital postdocs are not employees of the university);
• Be hired by a U of T supervisor appointed to a graduate unit;
• Register and remain registered with the Postdoctoral Office at the School of Graduate Studies (SGS);
• Not concurrently hold another major fellowship;
• Not hold or be on leave from a tenure-track or tenured faculty position. Generally, "tenure or tenure-track" refers to an open-ended academic position in which the holder can form a research group, apply for externally funded research as a principal investigator and teach; and
• Establish an Individual Development Plan (IDP) and submit it to the Postdoctoral Office at SGS within the first three months of the fellowship. The IDP should be reviewed annually and the revised copy sent to SGS.

Supervisor Eligibility

• Proposed supervisor(s) must have a tenure-track or tenured appointment within the Faculty of Arts & Science (primary budgetary appointment in Arts & Science, St. George campus).
• Note: Supervisors may only support a maximum of one applicant in the competition as the primary supervisor.

Application Process

Arts & Science departments and EDU:As (with faculty members who hold primary tenure-stream budgetary appointments only) are invited to nominate up to two applications in the Arts & Science competition.

Arts & Science EDU:Bs and :Cs (with faculty members who hold primary tenure-stream budgetary appointments in an Arts & Science academic unit, St. George campus) are invited to nominate no more than one application in the Arts & Science competition.

Submission Instructions for Chairs and Academic Directors

• The nomination package for each nominee should be submitted to the Arts & Science Research Office by the supervisor’s department/unit chair (or delegate).
• The cover email from the academic unit must include:
  • Confirmation of how the 40% portion of the award(s) (including salary and benefits and the independent research award portion) will be paid.
  • Academic units submitting more than one application in the Arts & Science competition must also rank the candidates.
• Each nomination package should be submitted as a single PDF file, containing all application materials in the order as listed below (item numbers 1-4).
• Please use file naming convention of: Last name, First name_REPFP2026

Submit applications to: research.artsci@utoronto.ca

Application Components

Application packages must include sections 1-5 below:

1. A supervisor statement from the primary faculty supervisor (and co-supervisor, if applicable) (maximum two pages). The statement should:

• Confirm the plan for paying 40% of total salary and benefits, plus annual independent research funding costs, as applicable. If your academic unit(s) is paying a portion of these costs, it must also be confirmed in writing by the chair or director of the academic unit.
• Describe the complementarity between the research interests/background of the supervisor and candidate, how the proposed research complements the supervisor’s ongoing projects and/or new research directions, and the anticipated mutual benefits; this includes how the collaboration will support the candidate’s transition to research independence and long-term career success.
• Reveal information specific to the field of study (e.g., benchmarks of excellence, publication norms/standards/practices, impact factor of research contributions) that would otherwise not be known outside the discipline.
• Provide details regarding the candidate’s proposed research environment, clearly stating the supervisor’s and academic unit’s commitment. Examples of commitment include (but are not limited to) mentorship, opportunities for collaboration, dissemination and/or knowledge translation, resources (e.g., funding, facilities, personnel) that will be available to support the candidate as they carry out their proposed research; and how these resources will enable the candidate to establish a sustainable, independent research program.
• Illustrate the supervisor’s commitment to the applicant’s academic and professional trajectory and development of an independent research program, clearly indicating the resources and/or mentoring activities that are available through the learning environment to support career development.

2. Independent research proposal from the candidate (maximum two pages, plus up to two additional pages for references/citations). The independent research proposal should clearly articulate how the proposed work represents a significant departure from or advancement beyond the candidate's doctoral research. The proposal should also outline the anticipated long-term impact of the research, including how it contributes to the field and aligns with U of T’s strategic research priorities.

3. Budget Justification (maximum one page). Applicants must succinctly explain and justify how the $10,000 per year will be used to support their independent research activities.

Eligible costs are those deemed necessary for carrying out the research project, including but not limited to:

• Services: costs for professional and technical services;
• Honoraria for research participants and to support community involvement in the research;
• Travel: costs associated with research-related travel to conduct the proposed research and for research participants, where applicable;
• Knowledge dissemination: costs associated with knowledge dissemination including publication costs and conference attendance travel costs;
• Consumables: materials and supplies required to conduct the research;
• Non-consumables: non-consumable expenses to conduct the research (e.g., data sets; software)

Ineligible costs:

• Equipment

Proposed project expenses must adhere to the University of Toronto Guide to Financial Management.

4. Learning statement from the candidate (maximum one page). The statement should describe:

• Their professional, academic and extracurricular experiences/achievements and how these contribute to their learning success and ability to develop and implement an independent research plan (1/2 page); and

• How the learning they expect to acquire will contribute to their productivity and to the research goals they hope to achieve. Indicate why they decided upon the proposed learning location and what they expect to learn from the learning experience (1/2 page).

5. Candidate’s CV (no page restriction).

6. Application Form filled out and submitted by applicants separate from the application packages. Note: Only applicants who are endorsed at the academic unit-level competition are required to submit this form.

Selection Criteria

Candidates for the Research Excellence Postdoctoral Fellows Program will be evaluated on the following general criteria.

Research or Scholarship Proposal

• Has the candidate identified a promising independent research agenda?
• Does the research plan demonstrate clear intellectual independence from the candidate's doctoral work and supervisor's existing research portfolio?
• Are the ideas put forward in the research plan innovative and/or original?
• Is the research plan relevant to the candidate’s research career objectives?
• Does the research plan have the potential of significantly advancing our understanding of the area?
• Does the research plan clearly identify areas of cross-disciplinary collaboration?

Applicant Track Record

• Academic and research training received by the candidate
• Awards or acknowledgments of academic achievement
• Scholarly activity as relevant to discipline (e.g., publications, chapters, presentations, community-engaged work, public scholarship, creative practice and related scholarly activity)
• Research accomplished to date — has the candidate started to demonstrate independence and originality? Contributions to team research?
• Quality of candidate’s training, mentorship and supervisory activities

Scholarly Potential

• Scholarly potential in the field can be demonstrated through the candidate’s engagement as a mentor, their ability to manage research, to contribute novel ideas to their research program, to make decisions that are crucial to the success of a research program, to lead cross-disciplinary and collaborative research and to have excellent working relationships with those around them, etc.
• Will the candidate make meaningful contributions while a postdoctoral fellow at U of T? Will the postdoctoral fellow be launched into a meaningful career trajectory?
• Does the research or scholarship plan provide evidence of the candidate’s leadership in the design and conduct of the proposed research?

Feasibility & Potential for Impact

• How might the proposed research advance U of T's excellence in the area over the longer term?
• Has the supervisor demonstrated support for the scholarly development of the candidate and their independent research program?
• What institutional arrangements or structures will be in place to support the candidate’s development of an independent scholarly program?
• What space, operating funds, infrastructure and/or other resources will be available to the candidate and how will these supports set the research program up for success?
• Does the graduate unit or supervisor demonstrate leadership in the candidate’s chosen field?
• How will the candidate be set up for career success beyond the period of the fellowship?

Evaluation and Selection Process

The Vice-Dean, Research & Infrastructure chairs the selection committee to evaluate and recommend top candidates. The selection committee reflects the broad diversity of individuals and disciplines within the Faculty of Arts & Science (St. George campus) and includes equal representation by academic leaders from the humanities, social sciences and science sectoral units in Arts & Science. Members of the selection committee are expected to reinforce standards of rigour, fairness, respect and equity, diversity and inclusion throughout the adjudication process. The Office of the Vice-President, Research & Innovation (OVPRI) has developed tips and resources for honours and awards nominations with a best practices in peer review guide that may serve as a resource for members of the selection committee.

The multidisciplinary selection committee members assess this through their evaluation of each completed application package, using the below evaluation scale.

Applicants are encouraged to write their applications for a multi-disciplinary academic audience and to avoid the use of jargon.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

At the University of Toronto, we strive to be an equitable and inclusive community, rich with diversity, protecting the human rights of all persons and based upon understanding and mutual respect for the dignity and worth of every person. We seek to ensure to the greatest extent possible that all students and employees enjoy the opportunity to participate as they see fit in the full range of activities that the university offers and to achieve their full potential as members of the university community.

Terms and Conditions for Accepting Awards

Institutional policies and collective agreements for postdoctoral fellows apply to recipients of the REPFP.

These require that participating faculties/units ensure the following:

• The fellowship start date is within 12 months following the date of the offer.
• Requests for deferrals (up to six months) may be permitted.
• REPFP recipients will have completed all doctoral degree requirements prior to the start of the fellowship.
• An employment letter of offer is issued prior to the commencement of the fellowship, which indicates the appropriate level of funding, received and vetted by the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) Postdoctoral Office; and
• An Independent Development Plan (IDP) is implemented within the first three months of the Fellowship.

Leaves

Terms of leaves are in accordance with CUPE Local 3902, Unit 5 Collective Agreement.

Pregnancy & Parental Leave: REPFP recipients are to seek an interruption of their fellowship during the period of leave (up to 12 months) and will be eligible to continue their fellowship upon returning from leave. The end date of the fellowship will be extended by the period of the leave.

Medical Leave: Time taken for medical leave (up to four months) is normally included within the two-year fellowship funding period.

Contact & Resources

The University of Toronto Excellence Award (UTEA) provides opportunities for research experience at the undergraduate level in the natural sciences and engineering (NSE), social sciences and humanities (SSH), or health and life sciences (HLS) to augment the formal research courses offered by the University of Toronto; provide undergraduate students opportunities to gain direct research experience on a faculty-member-led project; help students learn and appreciate the investigative methodologies of areas of particular interest; and foster interest in and knowledge of careers in research.

Faculty of Arts & Science Application Deadline for Academic Units

• March 4, 2026, 4 pm, Eastern Standard Time (EST)

Note: Applicants are responsible for determining and following the internal deadlines within the supervisor’s academic unit.

Value and Duration

• $7,500 total award value; $6,000 from the university, with a minimum $1,500 top-up from the supervisor or academic unit
• The Faculty of Arts & Science does not provide the matched funding portion.
• The award period is 14 to 16 weeks during the summer term, beginning no earlier than May 1, 2026 and ending no later than September 30, 2026.
• All other research-related costs covered by supervisor, as relevant (i.e., consumables, travel, field work, etc.)
• Awards cannot be deferred to the following summer term.

Faculty of Arts & Science 2026 Allocation (97 in total)

• 40 UTEAs in natural sciences and engineering
• 40 UTEAs in social sciences and humanities
• 17 UTEAs in health and life sciences
• Note: There is no limit to the number of awards an academic unit can put forward for this competition.

Evaluative criteria include the quality of the research project, the student’s academic excellence, clear learning outcomes and the degree of supervisor engagement.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility of students:

• Students must be registered in a bachelor’s degree program at the University of Toronto at the time of application and in at least one of the two terms immediately before holding the award.
• Graduating (i.e. fourth-year) students may hold an award in the summer term immediately following the completion of their undergraduate program, as long as they have not started a graduate program.
• Must have obtained a cumulative average of B- or higher. Exception letters may be considered.
• May already hold a bachelor’s degree in any discipline and be studying towards a second bachelor’s degree.
• Canadian citizens, permanent residents or international students with valid visa for the full summer term are eligible.
• Part-time students are only eligible for UTEA if they only need a part-time course load in their final term to complete their degree requirements.

A student is ineligible to hold a UTEA if they:

• are currently enrolled in an undergraduate professional degree program (e.g., MD, DDS, BScN);
• hold higher degrees above bachelor’s;
• are currently or have at any time been enrolled in graduate studies.

Please note:

• A student may only hold one award — either UTEA or USRA — per year and cannot concurrently hold any other equivalent summer research award.
• A student may hold a maximum of three awards — any combination of UTEAs or USRAs — throughout their university career with priority given to first-time applicants.

Eligibility of faculty supervisors:

To be eligible as a UTEA supervisor for the Faculty of Arts & Science competition, a faculty member must be:

• a primary budgetary or status-only appointee in the Faculty of Arts & Science (St. George campus), and
• a principal investigator (PI) on an active tri-agency grant or have a pending/recent tri-agency application at the time of UTEA application.
• a faculty member can be the supervisor on a maximum of two UTEAs per year.

Application Preparation and Submission Instructions

Students must:

• Read the program guidelines, including eligibility information.
• Find a supervisor who is willing to support your application.
• Develop an excellent, feasible research project that you can conduct with a faculty-member supervisor over the summer.
• Work with your supervisor to complete and submit the UTEA application form. Student completes Part I & II; faculty-member supervisor completes Part III. The final application needs to be finalized and approved by your proposed supervisor before it is submitted to the supervisor’s home academic unit.
• Include an up-to-date transcript (ACORN or e-transcript) in the final application submission package.

Supervisors must:

• Read the program guidelines, including eligibility information.
• Submit the completed UTEA application form including the student’s up-to-date transcript (ROSI or e-transcript) to your undergraduate office or the office in your home academic unit that administers undergraduate research opportunities.

Submission Instructions for Academic Unit Undergraduate Offices (or Delegates)

• All unit-approved undergraduate award applications, inclusive of NSERC USRA, SSHRC and CIHR USRA, and UTEAs are to be submitted to the Faculty of Arts & Science Office of Research Services by March 4, following the below instructions:
  • Locate your academic unit's assigned folder on the A&S Research Services SharePoint (folders are labelled by academic unit).
  • Upload the completed approved applications into the correct sub-folder.
  • Each application must be uploaded as a single PDF file, using the following file naming convention: award name (i.e., UTEA-SSH or UTEA-NSE or UTEA-LSE), student last name, supervisor last name.
  • Upload a completed academic unit Undergraduate Awardee Workbook. (This is an Excel spreadsheet with one tab per award program and units are asked to complete all relevant tabs.)
  • Notify research services when unit submission is complete via research.artsci@utoronto.ca.

Important notes:

• Applications will not be accepted from students directly.
• If the supervisor has a home academic unit outside the Faculty of Arts & Science (St. George campus) the application needs to be submitted through the relevant non-A&S unit/division. For example, undergraduate students working with faculty members who have primary appointments within medicine need to go through the Temerty Faculty of Medicine process and must follow that division’s process and deadlines.

Post Final Award Decisions

• Once all final award decisions have been made by the Faculty of Arts & Science selection committee (by approximately March 18), supervisors will be prompted to submit an MRA — no later than April 15.
• Supervisors who are supervising multiple nominated students will need to submit an MRA for each awarded application. Supervisors must ensure they choose the correct program.
• Review the tip sheet to guide applicants on how to properly complete an MRA for the UTEA program.

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

The University of Toronto embraces diversity and is building a culture of belonging that increases our capacity to effectively address and serve the interests of our global community. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities and people of diverse sexual and gender identities.

Divisions are expected to post opportunities widely to attract a broad/diverse pool of students. Academic divisions/units must establish a peer review committee to make award decisions. Academic units make award decisions through their own competitive, peer-review process. In the absence of such a committee, academic divisions can rely on their executive committee or other existing committee of faculty members.

Review committees are expected to demonstrate a strong commitment to the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion and to adopt equitable and consistent peer review processes. Committees must develop and consistently apply predetermined selection criteria that align with information found in the posting and account for and not penalize academic interruptions/leaves/extenuating circumstances.

Arts & Science contact: Amy Ratelle, Funded Research Officer, research.artsci@utoronto.ca

Internal Forms and Documents

• UTEA application form
• Undergraduate Awardee Workbook
• MRA Submission Tip Sheet

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) have each introduced their respective Black Student Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA) program. Modelled on NSERC’s USRA program, the goal of both CIHR’s and SSHRC’s programs is to provide research experience that complements the degree program undergraduate students are pursuing, which may lead them to consider graduate studies in the fields of health and life sciences (CIHR) or the social sciences and humanities (SSHRC).

• CIHR's and SSHRC’s Black student USRA awards are only for Black students.
• When students are completing their portion of the USRA application, they will confirm they self-identify as Black and confirm their awareness that this declaration will be shared with the institution and the funding agency.

Faculty of Arts & Science Application Deadline for Academic Units

• March 4, 2026, 4 pm, Eastern Standard Time (EST)

Note: Applicants are responsible for determining and following the internal deadlines within the supervisor’s academic unit.

Value and Duration

• $7,500 total award value; $6,000 from the funding agency, with a minimum $1,500 top-up from the supervisor or academic unit.
• The Faculty of Arts & Science does not provide the matched funding portion.
• 14 to 16 full consecutive weeks in the summer term (between May 1 and August 31).
• All other research-related costs covered by supervisor, as relevant (i.e., consumables, travel, field work, etc.).
• Awards cannot be deferred to the following summer term.
• U of T USRAs cannot be transferred to another university.

The USRA program makes no provision for sick leave or vacation or for other types of interruptions. Should a USRA be interrupted or terminated early for any reason, the agencies must be informed immediately.

U of T 2026 Allocation

• The University of Toronto can select 30 CIHR Black student USRAs and 12 SSHRC Black student USRAs.
• There is no limit to the number of applications an academic unit can endorse for CIHR or SSHRC USRAs for Black students.
• As a result of the allocation provided to U of T, an internal selection process will be used as outlined in the sections below.

Evaluative criteria include: the quality of the research project, the student’s academic excellence, clear learning outcomes and the degree of supervisor engagement.

Eligibility

Eligible students must:

• Self-identify as Black on the online application form.
• Be Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada, or a Protected Person under subsection 95 (2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada), as of the deadline date for applications at the institution.
• Be registered either full-time or part-time at the time of application in a bachelor's degree program in at least one of the two terms immediately before holding the award. A student is still eligible if they already hold a bachelor’s degree, as long as they are currently studying towards a second bachelor’s degree.
• Have obtained a cumulative average of at least a grade of B- over the previous year of study.
• Have completed, at the time of application, a minimum of two academic terms/semesters. First-year students are not eligible.
• If graduating, be in the term immediately following the completion of their undergraduate program requirements and have not started a program of graduate studies at U of T. Students can hold a USRA in the summer immediately following their final spring term.
• Be engaged on a full-time basis in research and development activities during the award tenure.

Ineligible students:

• Foreign or international students.
• Students who are currently enrolled in an undergraduate professional degree program in the health sciences (e.g., MD, BScPhm, DDS, BScN).
• Students who are currently registered, or have been previously registered at any time, in a graduate program in the same field of study.

Please also note:

• A student may only hold one award — either a USRA or UTEA — per year and cannot concurrently hold any other equivalent summer research award.
• A student may hold a maximum of three awards — any combination of USRAs or UTEAs — throughout their university career with priority given to first-time applicants.

Eligible supervisors must:

• hold a budgetary or status-only appointment in the Faculty of Arts & Science (St. George campus) and
• be a principal investigator (PI) on an active tri-agency grant or have a pending/recent tri-agency application at the time of USRA application.

Ineligible supervisors:

• Postdoctoral fellows and graduate/PhD students are not eligible USRA supervisors.

Eligible projects:

• Research proposed for the SSHRC or CIHR USRA must fall within the respective agency’s mandate.

Ineligible projects:

• Research that falls outside the respective agency’s mandate.

Useful Resources for Applying

• Instructions on how to complete a USRA application: Instructions for USRA applications
• To complete a USRA application on NSERC’s online site: Completing a USRA Application
• For information on the USRA program: USRA Program

Application Completion and Submission Instructions

For students:

Note: Before preparing an application, students need to have secured a faculty-member supervisor and ensure they are eligible to hold the award.

1. Complete the latest version of the application form (Form 202, Part I) online. Follow the instructions and adhere to NSERC’s general presentation guidelines. Handwritten applications are not accepted.
2. Identify whether this application is for CIHR or SSHRC based on the field of study that most closely aligns with either agency’s mandate.
3. Be sure to complete the self-identification section in part I of form 202.
4. Attach a PDF copy of your transcripts (or the university e-transcripts or the most recent academic-history report from ACORN) to the application form (Part I).
5. Once form 202 part I has been completed, provide your supervisor with the reference number generated by the system so that they may complete Part II of the form.
6. Once both parts of the form have been completed and verified by the supervisor, the supervisor exports a copy to PDF format.
7. Submit the application to the department or academic unit contact that corresponds to where the supervisor is based (the supervisor’s home academic unit where their primary appointment is held).
8. If any additional changes are made by either the student or the supervisor, the one not making the change will need to go back online and verify in the online system in order to re-submit the edited application. Please ensure your supervisor exports the modified application into a PDF file to submit to the correct administrative contact in the supervisor’s home academic unit.

For supervisors:

1. Once the student has completed form 202 part I online on NSERC’s system, they must provide you with the reference number generated by the system. You will not be able to complete Part II of Form 202 online without the reference number.
2. Log on to NSERC’s online system or create a new account and complete part II of form 202.
3. Once all the modules of Form 202 have been completed, you must go back to the "My Portfolio" page and select verify, which will assess whether all required information has been entered. Once verification is complete, the status of the application will change to "completed".
4. No changes should be made to the form after it has been “completed.” If you need to update any information, contact the NSERC On-line Services Helpdesk. Once both parts of the form have been completed and verified, any additional changes made by either party — you or the student — will require the other party’s verification and confirmation in the online system.
5. Export the application to PDF and submit it to the correct administrative contact in the supervisor’s home academic unit.

Submission Instructions for Academic Unit Undergraduate Offices (or Delegates)

• All academic-unit-approved undergraduate award applications, inclusive of NSERC USRA, SSHRC and CIHR USRA, and UTEAs are to be submitted to the Faculty of Arts & Science Office of Research Services by March 4, following the below instructions:
  • Locate your academic unit's assigned folder on the A&S Research Services SharePoint (folders are labelled by academic unit.)
  • For USRA applications only: Academic units must upload one signed USRA eligibility confirmation form attesting that all of the applications put forward meet the program eligibility criteria (inclusive of NSERC, CIHR, and SSHRC USRA applications, as applicable).
  • Upload the completed approved applications into the correct sub-folder
  • Each application must be uploaded as a single PDF file, using the following file naming convention: award name (i.e., CIHR Black USRA or SSHRC Black USRA), student last name, supervisor last name.
  • Upload a completed academic unit Undergraduate Awardee Workbook. (This is an Excel spreadsheet with one tab per award program and units are asked to complete all relevant tabs.)
  • Notify research services when unit submission is complete via research.artsci@utoronto.ca

Post Final Award Decisions

• Once all final award decisions have been made by the U of T selection committee (by approximately March 18), supervisors will be prompted to submit an MRA — no later than April 15.
• Supervisors who are supervising multiple nominated students will need to submit an MRA for each awarded application. Supervisors must ensure they choose the correct program.

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

The University of Toronto embraces diversity and is building a culture of belonging that increases our capacity to effectively address and serve the interests of our global community. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities and people of diverse sexual and gender identities.

Divisions are expected to post opportunities widely to attract a broad/diverse pool of students. Academic divisions/units must establish a peer review committee to make award decisions. Academic units make award decisions through their own competitive, peer-review process. In the absence of such a committee, academic divisions can rely on their executive committee or other existing committee of faculty members.

Review committees are expected to demonstrate a strong commitment to the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion and to adopt equitable and consistent peer review processes. Committees must develop and consistently apply predetermined selection criteria that align with information found in the posting and account for and not penalize academic interruptions/leaves/extenuating circumstances.

Arts & Science contact: Amy Ratelle, Funded Research Officer, research.artsci@utoronto.ca

Internal Forms and Documents

• USRA eligibility confirmation form
• Undergraduate Awardee Workbook

The University of Toronto NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA) program provides opportunities for research experience at the undergraduate level in the natural sciences and engineering (NSE). It provides undergraduate students with opportunities to gain direct research experience on a faculty-member-led project, learn and appreciate the investigative methodologies of areas of particular interest, and foster interest in and knowledge of careers in research.

Faculty of Arts & Science Application Deadline for Academic Units

• March 4, 2026, 4 pm, Eastern Standard Time (EST)

Note: Applicants are responsible for determining and following the internal deadlines within the supervisor’s academic unit.

Value and Duration

• $7,500 total award value; $6,000 from the funding agency, with a minimum $1,500 top-up from the supervisor or academic unit.
• 14 to 16 full consecutive weeks in the summer term (between May 1 and August 31).
• All other research-related costs covered by supervisor, as relevant (i.e., consumables, travel, field work, etc.).
• Awards cannot be deferred to the following summer term.
• U of T USRAs cannot be transferred to another university.

The USRA program makes no provision for sick leave or vacation or for other types of interruptions. Should a USRA be interrupted or terminated early for any reason, the agencies must be informed immediately.

Arts & Science NSERC USRA Allocation (number of awards)

• Each eligible Faculty of Arts & Science academic unit has been given an NSERC USRA allocation for 2026. This determines the maximum number of awards for this unit.
• NSERC USRA Programs for Black or Indigenous Students: NSERC provides additional USRA awards for students who self-identify as Black or Indigenous. The institutional allocation of Black Student USRAs for NSERC is 24 awards above and beyond the institutional allocation and there are no limits on the institutional allocation of Indigenous Student NSERC USRAs.

Evaluative criteria:

• Applications are evaluated on the quality of the research project, the student’s academic excellence, clear learning outcomes and the degree of supervisor engagement.
• Academic units are encouraged to follow NSERC’s recommendations when undertaking their local selection processes.

Eligibility criteria for NSERC USRA

Students must:

• Be Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada, or a Protected Person under subsection 95 (2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada), as of the deadline date for applications at the institution.
• Be registered either full-time or part-time at the time of application in a bachelor's degree program in at least one of the two terms immediately before holding the award. A student is still eligible if they already hold a bachelor’s degree, as long as they are currently studying towards a second bachelor’s degree.
• Have obtained a cumulative average of at least a grade of B- over the previous year of study.
• Have completed, at the time of application, a minimum of two academic terms/semesters. First-year students are not eligible.
• If graduating, be in the term immediately following the completion of their undergraduate program requirements and have not started a program of graduate studies at U of T, students can hold a USRA in the summer immediately following their final spring term.
• Be engaged on a full-time basis in research and development activities during the award tenure.

Note: NSERC reserves the right to verify the eligibility of those nominated to receive a USRA by the institution.

A student is ineligible to hold an NSERC USRA if they are:

• Foreign or international students.
• Currently enrolled in an undergraduate professional degree program in the health sciences (e.g., MD, BScPhm, DDS, BScN) is not applicable to CIHR USRAs.
• Currently registered or have been previously registered, at any time, in a graduate program in the same field of study.

Please also note:

• A student may only hold one award — either a USRA or UTEA — per year and cannot concurrently hold any other equivalent summer research award.
• A student may hold a maximum of three awards — any combination of USRAs or UTEAs — throughout their university career with priority given to first-time applicants.

Eligibility of faculty-member supervisors:

To be eligible as an NSERC USRA supervisor in Arts & Science, a faculty member must be:

• a full-time faculty member with a primary budgetary or status-only appointment in Faculty of Arts & Science (St. George campus), and
• a principal investigator (PI) on an active tri-agency grant or have a pending/recent tri-agency application at the time of the USRA application. There is no limit on the number of USRA awards a faculty member can hold.

Useful resources for applying:

• Instructions on how to complete a USRA application: Instructions for USRA applications
• To complete a USRA application on NSERC’s online site: Completing a USRA Application
• For information on the USRA program: USRA Program

Application Completion and Submission Instructions

Note for students and faculty-member supervisors:

• Consult local submission processes in the home academic unit of your prospective supervisor — Faculty of Arts & Science contacts are listed below.

For Students:

Before preparing an application, students need to have secured a faculty-member supervisor and ensure they are eligible to hold the award.

1. Complete the latest version of the application form (Form 202, Part I) online. Follow the instructions and adhere to NSERC’s General Presentation Guidelines. Handwritten applications are not accepted.
2. For projects that align with the NSERC Mandate, select NSERC as the field of study.
3. Be sure to complete the self-identification section in part I of form 202.
4. Attach a PDF copy of your transcripts (or the university e-transcripts or the most recent academic history report from ACORN) to the application form (Part I).
5. Once form 202 part I has been completed, provide your supervisor with the reference number generated by the system so they may complete Part II of the form.
6. Once both parts of the form have been completed and verified by the supervisor, the supervisor exports a copy to PDF format.
7. Submit the application to the academic unit contact that corresponds to where the supervisor is based (the supervisor’s home academic unit where their primary appointment is held).
8. If any additional changes are made by either the student or the supervisor, the one not making the change will need to go back online and verify in the online system in order to re-submit the edited application. Please ensure your supervisor exports the modified application into a PDF file to submit to the correct administrative contact in the supervisor’s home academic unit.
9. Additionally, students who would like to ensure consideration for the additional awards that are allocated for students who self-identify as Black and/or Indigenous, consider completing and submitting directly to your academic unit's local USRA administrator U of T’s Black and Indigenous USRA Self-ID Form (Optional) .docx.

For Supervisors:

1. Once the student has completed form 202 part I online on NSERC’s system, they must provide you with the reference number generated by the system. You will not be able to complete Part II of Form 202 online without the reference number.
2. Log on to NSERC’s online system or create a new account and complete part II of form 202.
3. Once all the modules of Form 202 have been completed, you must go back to the "My Portfolio" page and select verify, which will assess whether all required information has been entered. Once verification is complete, the status of the application will change to "completed".
4. No changes should be made to the form after it has been “completed.” If you need to update any information, contact the NSERC On-line Services Helpdesk. Once both parts of the form have been completed and verified, any additional changes made by either party — you or the student — will require the other party’s verification and confirmation in the online system.
5. Export the application to PDF and submit it to the correct administrative contact in the supervisor’s home academic unit.

Submission Instructions for Academic Unit Undergraduate Offices (or Delegates)

• All academic-unit-approved undergraduate award applications, inclusive of NSERC USRA, SSHRC and CIHR USRA, and UTEAs are to be submitted to the Faculty of Arts & Science Office of Research Services by March 4, following the below instructions:
  • Locate your academic unit's assigned folder on the A&S Research Services SharePoint (folders are labelled by academic unit)
  • For USRA applications only: Academic units must upload one signed USRA eligibility confirmation form, attesting that all of the applications put forward meet the program eligibility criteria inclusive of NSERC, CIHR, and SSHRC USRA applications, as applicable.
  • Upload the completed approved applications into the correct sub-folder.
  • Each application must be uploaded as a single PDF file, using the following file naming convention: award name (i.e., NSERC USRA), student last name, supervisor last name.
  • Upload a completed academic unit Undergraduate Awardee Workbook. (This is an Excel spreadsheet with one tab per award program and units are asked to complete all relevant tabs.)
  • Notify research services when unit submission is complete via research.artsci@utoronto.ca.

Important Notes:

• Applications will not be accepted from students directly.
• All NSERC USRA applications from a unit are to be included in the local award selection process, including those students who self-identify as Black.
• To facilitate maximizing USRA slots for Black and Indigenous students, academic units may elect to encourage students who self-identify as Black and/or Indigenous to complete and submit the Black and Indigenous USRA Self-ID Form (Optional). docx. The form should be submitted directly to the academic unit's local USRA administrator.
• USRA coordinators in academic units will need to notate in their unit workbook the student applicants who self-identify as Black and/or Indigenous.
• NSERC USRA applicants not selected due to allocation limitations should also be included in the Undergraduate Awardee Workbook on the ranked Reserve list.
• Divisions will submit one master Divisional Nomination Workbook to RSO by March 16, 2026. RSO will then allocate NSERC Black Student USRAs from the university’s allocation of 24 to those who were selected for an NSERC USRA by the unit and who self-identified as Black.
• RSO will notify the division of the additional NSERC USRA allocations that become available to those on the Reserve list by March 18, 2026.

Use of MRA for NSERC USRAs:

• After March 18, 2026, units will be prompted to advise each nominated USRA supervisor to submit an MRA. Supervisors who are supervising multiple nominated students will need to submit an MRA for each awarded application. Supervisors must ensure they choose the correct program.
• MRA Block Grant Module for NSERC USRA: RSO will obtain the name of the business officer(s) in units where NSERC USRAs were awarded to ensure they can access the MRA Block Grant module (only used for NSERC USRA, which was developed prior to the NSERC USRA for Black Students.)
• RSO will run a workshop in February (date to be confirmed) on how to use the NSERC USRA MRA Block Grant module.
• Important note about the USRA program: Should NSERC reject an application, the unit must be prepared to fund that student’s stipend cost associated with this award.

Faculty of Arts & Science, NSERC USRA Academic Unit Contacts

Faculty of Arts & Science Office of Research Services contact: Amy Ratelle, Funded Research Officer, research.artsci@utoronto.ca.

Important Internal Deadlines

• February TBA: U of T Info Session: Discussing the MRA tool for the 2026 NSERC USRA competition and the USRA Black and Indigenous Student Researcher Awards
• February 28, 2026: Please notify the division’s research office by this date if your unit will not use any of its allocation.
• March 4, 2026 (4 pm) Divisional Internal Deadline: Units submit the information for awarded USRA applicants to the divisional contact.
• March 16, 2026: Division submits all USRA nominations to RSO.
• March 16 to 18, 2026: RSO allocates NSERC Black Student USRAs to students chosen for an award who self-identified as Black. RSO notifies divisions of who obtains an NSERC USRA spot from the Reserve list as a result of any adjustments in available USRAs due to allocation from the Black student supplement.
• Between March 18 and April 15, 2026:
  1. Units confirm with students chosen for a USRA.
  2. Supervisor submits an MRA by entering the student's name exactly as it appears on the student's NSERC form.
  3. Unit approves NSERC USRA MRAs submitted by the supervisors: Please note that by approving an MRA, the unit confirms all applications have been verified for completeness and accuracy and that both the supervisor and the student meet the NSERC USRA program eligibility requirements. *An MRA is only required for nominated students.*
  4. Electronic applications must be finalized and submitted on the NSERC On-line System by the student and the supervisor.
  5. Transcripts should not be submitted in MRA — only on the NSERC On-line System.
     Note: Due to limitations on NSERC’s system, student substitutions cannot be accommodated after this date.
• April 15, 2026: MRA submission deadline
• May 1, 2026: Sponsor deadline

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

The University of Toronto embraces diversity and is building a culture of belonging that increases our capacity to effectively address and serve the interests of our global community. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities and people of diverse sexual and gender identities.

Divisions are expected to post opportunities widely to attract a broad/diverse pool of students. Academic divisions/units must establish a peer review committee to make award decisions. Academic units make award decisions through their own competitive, peer-review process. In the absence of such a committee, academic divisions can rely on their executive committee or other existing committee of faculty members.

Review committees are expected to demonstrate a strong commitment to the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion and to adopt equitable and consistent peer review processes. Committees must develop and consistently apply predetermined selection criteria that align with information found in the posting and account for and not penalize academic interruptions/leaves/extenuating circumstances.

Faculty of Arts & Science contact: Amy Ratelle, Funded Research Officer, research.artsci@utoronto.ca

Internal Forms and Documents

• USRA eligibility confirmation form
• Undergraduate awardee workbook
• Black and Indigenous USRA Self-ID Form (Optional).docx

The purpose of the Research Opportunities Program is to provide an opportunity for degree students in their second and third year in the Faculty of Arts & Science to work on the research project of a professor in return for 299Y or 399Y course credit. The Program is completely voluntary and serves to enhance the fundamental connection between teaching and research in a research intensive university.

Timeline: Fall/winter and summer term course offerings.

View complete program details

The Research Excursions Program (REP) provides small groups of second- and third-year students the opportunity to contribute to faculty research in an off-campus setting, in Canada or abroad. These group projects are based on experiential learning and are supervised by an Arts & Science faculty member.

Timeline: Applications accepted in the fall

Value: $5,000 - $15,000

View complete program details