External graduate awards

• Amount: $50,000 per year for up to three years 
• For more information and how to apply: Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships website You must be nominated by your department and university. 

The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Vanier CGS) program is designed to attract and retain world-class doctoral students by offering them a significant financial award to assist them during their studies at Canadian universities. The Vanier CGS program reaffirms Canada as a global centre of excellence in research and education.

Vanier Scholars demonstrate leadership skills and a high standard of scholarly achievement in the social sciences and humanities, natural sciences and engineering, and health-related fields.

Canadian and international students are eligible to be nominated for a Vanier Scholarship.

• Amount: $35,000 per year for 3 years
• For more information and how to apply: Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) website

Doctoral Research Awards (DRA) are intended to provide special recognition and support to students who are pursuing a PhD degree in a health-related field in Canada or abroad.

You are expected to have an exceptionally high potential for future research achievement and productivity. 

The top ranked Doctoral Research Award (DRA) applicants pursuing doctoral research training in Canada may be eligible for a Canada Graduate Scholarships (CGS) Doctoral Award.

You cannot apply directly for the CGS Doctoral Award, if you apply for a DRA and meet the requirements, you will be automatically nominated.

• Amount: $17,500 for 12 months
• For more information and how to apply: Canada Graduate Scholarships – Master’s program on the NSERC website

The Canada Graduate Scholarships Master's Awards are intended to provide special recognition and support to students who are pursuing a Master's degree in a health or science related field in Canada.

You are expected to have an exceptionally high potential for future achievement and productivity. 

Canada Graduate Scholarships – Doctoral Program

Amount: $35,000 per year for 3 years

NSERC Postgraduate Scholarships – Doctoral program

Amount: $21,000 per year for three years

Canada Graduate Scholarships and NSERC Postgraduate Scholarships provide financial support to high-calibre scholars who are engaged in doctoral programs in the natural sciences or engineering.

The Canada Graduate Scholarships (CGS) will be offered to the top-ranked applicants, and the next tier of meritorious applicants will be offered an NSERC Postgraduate Scholarship (PGS). 

• Master’s Awards – $25,000 plus $1,000 research allowance
• Doctoral Awards – $35,000 plus $2,000 research allowance
• Postdoctoral Awards – $50,000 plus $5,000 research allowance

See the OCGS website for more details.

Funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, a Scholar Awards Program in Women's Health has been established to ensure that Ontario attracts and retains pre-eminent women's health scholars.

The community of women's health scholars fostered by this Awards program will excel, according to internationally accepted standards of scientific excellence, in the creation of new knowledge about women's health and its translation into improved health for women, more effective health services and products for women, and a strengthened heath care system.

• Amount: no monetary award
• For more information and how to apply: The Governor General's Academic Medal Directives

The Governor General's office annually awards Governor General's Gold Medals to honour academic excellence at the graduate level.

At U of T, three medals are available:

1. one medal is awarded to a candidate graduating from Division I or II
2. one medal is awarded to a candidate from Division III or IV
3. one medal is awarded to the runner-up from any Division. 

Medals are presented on behalf of the Governor General by the participating educational institutions, along with a personalized certificate signed by the Governor General.