To complete your Full Application, follow the CIHR Strategic Master’s Award (SMA) – Applications Instructions.

• Applications are submitted through ResearchNet
• Applicants and their supervisors are required to:
  • Have/obtain a CIHR PIN
  • Complete the Self-identification Questionnaire
  • To have a Common CV account (Applicants only)

Note: Applicants and their supervisor(s) should each only have one ResearchNet account. If you have already accessed ResearchNet in the past, do not register for a new account.

1. Print/ the signature page PDF file which is found on ResearchNet.
2. The Primary Supervisor signature is required (page 2). Printed names should always accompany signatures.
3. The signature of individual with signing authority from the Institution Paid is required and is provided by our office. All 3 Signature Pages and your Research Project Summary must be submitted to graduatescholarships@mcmaster.ca after the supervisor’s signature has been obtained, no later than noon, Wednesday, January 7, 2026. The Institution Paid signature will be provided for you and returned to you by Wednesday, January 14, 2026 for upload to your application.
4. All 3 pages of the document must be uploaded as part of the application prior to your submission.

This funding opportunity will support projects relevant to the following research areas:

• Bioinformatics, Computational Biology and Health Data Sciences
  • Projects must focus on advancing the field of Bioinformatics, Computational Biology and Health Data Science in genetics and genomics.
  • Note that projects focusing on the use of computational biology tools rather than their development will not be deemed eligible for this award.
  • Applications that address health equity, sex and gender and/or Indigenous health and wellness issues are encouraged.
  • More information on the research priorities of the CIHR Genomics Data & Capacity-Building Initiative can be found on its website.
• Sex and Gender in Health Research
  • Project must be relevant to the Institute of Gender and Health’s (IGH) mandate and research priorities as outlined in the Research Priority Plan and must align with at least one of the following:
    • Advancing intersectionality in sex and gender science
    • Understanding sex and gender mechanisms and processes
    • Sex and gender science for health equity in priority communities
  • Applicants must comment on the integration of intersectionality, if applicable.
  • Applications that address Indigenous health and wellness issues and/or population groups experiencing health inequities must also elaborate on the applicant’s ability to engage meaningfully and in a culturally safe way with these communities.
  • More information is available in the Research Priority Plan.
• First Nations, Inuit and/or Métis Health
  • Project must focus on First Nations, Inuit and/or Métis Health and Indigenous Health in accordance with the Institute of Indigenous Peoples’ Health’s (IIPH) mandate to advance a national health research agenda to improve and promote the health of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples in Canada, through research, knowledge translation and capacity building. The Institute’s pursuit of research excellence is enhanced by respect for community research priorities and Indigenous knowledges, values and cultures.
  • More information on the research priorities of CIHR-IIPH can be found on their website.

For an application to be eligible, all the requirements stated below must be met.

• The applicant must:
  • be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada or a Protected Person under subsection 95(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada) as of the application deadline date.
  • be enrolled in or have applied for full-time admission (or full-time equivalent)* to an eligible master’s program of study at a Canadian institution (see Conditions of Funding):
    • Program of study eligibility: An eligible master’s program must include a significant research component that leads to the completion of a thesis, major research project, dissertation, scholarly publication, performance, recital and/or exhibit that is merit/expert-reviewed at the institutional level as a requirement for completion of the program.
      • Joint programs (equivalent to a master’s level) with a professional degree for example, MD/PhD, DVM/PhD, JD/MA, JD/PhD, MBA/PhD, MA/MBA) as well as clinically oriented programs of study, including clinical psychology, are eligible if they have a significant autonomous research component, as described above.
      • Master’s programs that are based only on course work are not eligible since they do not include a significant research component, as described above.
  • have completed, as of December 31, 2025:
    • a maximum of 18 months of full-time studies (or full-time equivalent)* with a minimum of 12 months of study remaining upon award activation in the program for which the applicant is requesting funding**, which may be one of the following:
      • a master’s program
      • a combined master’s-doctoral program
      • a master’s program that will transition to an eligible doctoral program, either before or after award activation, with no master’s degree conferred (fast-track)

*Note 1: Part-time status is considered if approved by the Paid Institution prior to submission of the application to the competition and in accordance with the Tri-agency research training award holder’s guide on part-time studies. Evidence of institutional approval may also be requested by CIHR at any point during the process.

**Note 2: All studies credited toward the eligible program will be counted, whether or not they were completed at the degree-granting institution. Two terms of part-time study count as one term of full-time study; and one-term of full-time study equals 4 months.

• • complete one of CIHR’s three interactive modules on sex and gender in research and include the completion certificate with their application (see Application Instructions for details).
• For the purpose of this funding opportunity, applicants cannot hold or be on leave from an independent research position.
• The applicant must identify a Primary Supervisor on the application. The Primary Supervisor must be affiliated with the institution where the applicant’s master’s studies will be conducted.
• Applicants may also submit an application to the Canada Graduate Research Scholarships – Master’s program (CGRS-M) from either CIHR, NSERC or SSHRC for the same academic year, but cannot be holding both awards.
• Applicants must select at least one (1), and up to a maximum of three (3) funding pools (see research areas). Each selected pool will require the completion of a Relevance Form (see Application Instructions for details on how to provide this form).

Note 3: Applicants cannot concurrently accept or hold another direct Tri-Agency (CIHR, NSERC or SSHRC) or agency-specific federal funding training award, including a Canada Graduate Research Scholarships – Master’s program (CGRS-M) award. The maximum duration of federal funding received at the Master’s level cannot exceed one (1) year.

To support the objectives of this funding opportunity, the following evaluation criteria will be used:

1. Academic Achievement (25%)
2. Research Ability or Potential (25%)
3. Experiences and achievements within and beyond academia (25%)
4. Research Training Environment (25%)

For all inquiries, please contact:

CIHR Contact Centre
Telephone: 613-954-1968
Toll Free: 1-888-603-4178
Email: support-soutien@cihr-irsc.gc.ca