CIHR Postdoctoral Research Award Program

Postdoctoral research opportunities funded through CIHR. E-Approval done through the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs.

Fellowships provide support for highly qualified applicants in all areas of health research at the post-PhD degree or post-health professional degree stages to add to their experience by engaging in health research either in Canada or abroad.

Value

Up to $70,000 per annum for two years.

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply, you must

  • hold or expect to hold a doctorate or health professional degree before the start date of your award; and
  • not hold or be on leave from a tenure-track or tenured faculty position.
  • have completed all requirements of your doctorate or health professional degree no more than three years before September 1 of the year in which you apply. (see federal program website for exceptions to the eligibility period)

If you are not a Canadian citizen, permanent resident of Canada or protected person under subsection 95(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada), as of the application deadline, you must be:

  • currently enrolled in or have completed a doctorate or health professional degree at a Canadian institution; or
  • conducting postdoctoral research at a Canadian institution.

Up to 20% of all postdoctoral awards will be available to international applicants.

For more information, please see the ResearchNet website for information on eligibility requirements, guidelines, how to apply, and information regarding the review process and evaluation.

General application process

Important Dates

Applications are prepared and submitted by individuals on ResearchNet by the internal deadline set by McMaster.

McMaster Internal ResearchNet Deadline: Wednesday, September 10, 2025, 11:59 p.m. ET

It is important to note that it is the applicant’s sole responsibility to follow up with their sponsors to ensure that the assessments are submitted online by their sponsors no later than Monday, September 8, 2025, 11:59 p.m. ET

Please note that applications will be returned to the applicants no later than Friday, September 12, 2025, 4 p.m., for correction or review before McMaster submits them to CIHR.

You are required to resubmit your revised application by Monday, September 15, 2025, 12 p.m. ET (noon)

CIHR Deadline: McMaster will be submitting all eligible applications to CIHR on Tuesday, September 16, 2025

Anticipated Notice of Decision: March 31, 2026

Earliest Funding Start Date: April 1, 2026

Contacts

For questions on CIHR funding guidelines, how to apply, contact:

For ResearchNet technical support contact:

This competition is being managed by the School of Graduate Studies. Please email postdoc@mcmaster.ca with questions regarding deadlines and submissions.

Clarification of Signature Pages

  • Only supervisor(s) signatures are required. Printed names should always accompany signatures.
  • No institution signatures are required on the pages at the time of application, as McMaster University’s submission on your behalf acts as the institution/institution paid signature.

Scan and upload the signed signature pages, including the routing slip, as one PDF (unprotected and not exceeding 30 MB), in the Print/Upload Signature Pages task in ResearchNet prior to submitting the application.

Learn more at ResearchNet