Video: 2025 CGPS Tri-Agency Doctoral Scholarship Workshop
Eligibility & Program Requirements
Q. How do I know if I am eligible to apply for the CGRS D?
Q. I am currently receiving a stipend from my professor's grant. Am I eligible to apply?
A. Yes. Current or prior funding does not affect eligibility unless you've already held a Tri-Agency award under the same program.
Q. Is someone who is on the CGPS Dean's Doctoral Scholarship eligible to apply for the CGRS D?
A. Yes. Current or prior funding does not affect eligibility unless you've already held a Tri-Agency award under the same program. USask encourages eligible students to apply.
Q. How do I calculate time in program?
A. Months in program are calculated from the beginning of the entering term: January, May, July or September.
Include all time registered in graduate studies, even if you didn't receive any credentials. All prior doctoral-level studies, started in Canada or abroad, are considered in the evaluation of eligibility. Two part-time terms count as one full-time term.
Refer to the CGRS D website for full
Eligibility Criteria.
Q. I am Indigenous. Is there anything specific I need to be aware of when applying?
A. The Tri-Agencies have implemented measures to support Indigenous research and First Nations, Inuit and Métis graduate students.
Canadian Indigenous doctoral applicants are encouraged to self-identify and provide consent within the application form to share this information with their institutions and the Tri-Agencies, as universities are permitted to recommend an unlimited number of self-identified Indigenous applicants above their application quota to the national competition. Self-identification data are not seen or used by Tri-Agency selection committee members.
Please note that USask has its own
membership policy, independent of the Tri-Agencies.
Q. How will the percentage cap of awards to international students (15%) be applied?
A. Each agency applies the cap after peer review, using ranked lists to determine funding. Each agency will apply a cap of up to 15% international applicants.
The cap is not applied at the institution level.
Q. Will the scholarships approved by the Tri-Agency reflect the international quota for each institution (15%)?
A. No. Institutions cannot add additional criteria for certain applications. USask will continue to evaluate applications using the existing selection criteria and weighting.
Q. What are the guidelines for international students?
A. 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), you must be enrolled in your doctoral program of study at an eligible Canadian institution by the application deadline.
There are no other special guidelines for international students.
Q. Will applicants at different stages (e.g., 1st vs. 3rd year) be considered equally?
A. Yes. Reviewers assess progress and productivity in context, considering career stage. No quotas are enforced across stages.
Choosing the Right Agency
Q. My research is interdisciplinary. How do I determine which agency I should apply to?
Deadlines & Submission
Q. What is the application deadline?
A. USask applicants must apply by September 29, 2025.
Direct applications to Tri-Agencies from USask students will not be considered.
Q. I missed the application deadline—can I get an extension? What if my referee submitted their reference late or if my transcripts didn’t arrive on time?
A. No, extensions are not permitted. The Tri-Agency awards are highly competitive, and applicants are expected to manage their time well to ensure that all materials, including references and transcripts, are submitted on time.
Transcripts
Q. Do I need to include official transcripts? What transcripts do I need to include?
A. You will need to include official transcripts and transcript keys for your complete academic history. This includes any transfer credits, and your up-to-date USask transcripts. Your USask transcripts must show your current term registration, even if you do not have any graded courses yet.
Q. Can you order my University of Saskatchewan transcripts for me?
Q. I have already provided my transcripts to the USask when I applied to my program. Can you get them for me to use in my application?
Q. My transcripts from a previous institution aren't in English, is that okay?
A. If you have transcripts written in a language other than English or French, you must provide a certified English or French translation.
Common Mistakes & Feedback
Q. What are the most common application mistakes?
A. Applications are most commonly ineligible due to missing, outdated or unofficial transcripts or incomplete application materials.
Common mistakes that weaken an application include not following presentation and attachment standards (font size, margins, etc.), submitting poorly written or underdeveloped research proposals and weak references.
Q. Will I receive feedback on my application?
A. CGPS will review applications once submitted in the online portal, after internal deadline, for compliance-related matters. This includes ensuring the application meets the agency guidelines (ex. formatting requirements), and that all required transcripts are included.
If time permits, CGPS will return the application to the student if changes are required. Students are then expected to make the changes and return the revised application, which then goes on to the internal adjudicators.
References
Q. My reference isn't able to log in using the link they were provided. What do I do?
A. Go into your application, delete the reference's information, then re-enter it. This will trigger a new email to your reference, which should allow them to access the reference section.
Notifications & Results
Q. When will I know if my application was selected to move on to the national competition?
A. Applicants will be notified at the beginning of November. If your application is selected , you will be given the opportunity to make minor revisions to your application before it is forwarded on to the agency by the November 17th deadline.
Q. If my application was forwarded to the national competition, when will I be notified of the final results?
A. Decisions are announced in the spring of each year. Applicants will be notified to check the online portal when decisions have been posted.
Q. Would USask consider offering funding for students who make it to the National Competition but are not funded?
A. Yes. USask offers the CGPS Dean's Domestic and Dean's International Scholarships to top-ranked applicants who were not funded nationally. No additional application is required.
Indigenous Applicants
Q. Are there any Indigenous services or alternate application processes?
A. Yes. The Tri-Agencies have implemented measures to support Indigenous research and First Nations, Inuit and Métis graduate students.
These measures include:
- an opportunity for self-identified Canadian Indigenous doctoral applicants to have their application considered for submission beyond their institutions quota. Self-identified Indigenous student researchers must agree to their personal information being used for this purpose by making the appropriate selection in the application form;
- a checkbox in the application form to identify a proposed program of study as Indigenous research, such that the Guidelines for the Merit Review of Indigenous Research will apply (CIHR and SSHRC only);
- instructions for members of the doctoral review committees to take into account special circumstances that may have had an impact on the academic or career paths of Indigenous applicants; and
- concerted efforts by the three agencies to include Indigenous members and experts in Indigenous research on review committees.