CIHR Fellowship – Frequently Asked Questions

Welcome to the FAQ page for the open competition of the CIHR Fellowship award program. Please bookmark this page for future reference.

The information below is intended to supplement the information provided within the most recent version of the open competition CIHR Fellowship funding opportunity.

For all other fellowship award funding opportunities, please consult the individual funding opportunity announcements, as these opportunities may have different requirements.

Enhancements to the Program Questions

  1. Why is CIHR moving to one competition per year instead of two?
  2. Will this have an impact on the number of awards available?

Application Questions

  1. Where can I find the most recent CIHR Fellowship competition funding opportunity and instructions on how to complete a Fellowship application?
  2. I am trying to determine under which funding agency's mandate my research proposal applies?
  3. Can I apply to the Fellowship funding opportunity even though I'm not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada?
  4. What are the specific assessment criteria for this program?
  5. Do my supervisor(s) need to submit a Canadian Common CV?
  6. Do I need to submit my official transcripts?
  7. I do not yet meet the educational requirements; I am still eligible to apply?
  8. How are applications assigned to a specific Peer Review Committee?
  9. I'm an Allied Health Professional (AHP) or Health Professional (HP), but not registered in a graduate program. Am I eligible?
  10. I am currently licensed in Canada; however, my license does not have an expiry date and ResearchNet does not allow me to continue without putting in an expiry date. How do I proceed?
  11. Is there anything I need to mail in to CIHR?
  12. How do I verify that my application has been successfully submitted to CIHR?
  13. Who can I choose as a sponsor?
  14. How do the Sponsorship Assessments work in ResearchNet and where can I find a sample form?
  15. Will the interruptions and delays in my post–PhD research training be taken into account when determining my eligibility?
  16. Does the chosen theme classification have any bearing on my application?
  17. How long should the "Research Proposal Summary" and "Training Expectations" sections be?
  18. What are Priority Announcements and how can I apply for them?
  19. Can I still be considered for funding through the open competition if I apply for a priority announcement?
  20. Can I update my application after submitting?
  21. I accidentally clicked the Submit button. How do I unsubmit my application so I can make changes to it?
  22. How can it be possible that the Funding Start Date is earlier than the anticipated Notice of Decision date?

Award Administration Questions

  1. How much time do I have to respond to an offer of award?
  2. What documents will I need to provide before I can start my award?
  3. Do I need to do anything if I'm planning to decline the award?
  4. What do I need to do if my status changes before my award expires?
  5. What happens if the required paperwork isn't received by CIHR until after my chosen start date?

For more information related to the open Fellowships Awards competition and how to apply, email fellowships@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.

For questions related to the Priority Announcements, email PA-AP@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.

For technical help related to ResearchNet, email support@researchnet-recherchenet.ca.

Enhancements to the Program Answers

  1. Why is CIHR moving to one competition per year instead of two?

    CIHR is moving to one competition instead of two to align our processes with those of NSERC and SSHRC (and most provincial funding agencies), which already use this model. This change will also allow for greater operational efficiencies. As a result of this change, the competition deadline has been changed to November 15 with anticipated Notice of Decision on April 30.

  2. Will this have an impact on the number of awards available?

    The overall budget allocated to this program will remain unchanged at approximately $21M over five years, funding approximately 170 new awards per year.

Application Answers

  1. Where can I find the most recent CIHR Fellowship competition funding opportunity and instructions on how to complete a Fellowship application?

    The most current version of the Fellowship funding opportunity can be found here and we strongly encourage applicant to read the Fellowship – application instructions.

  2. I am trying to determine under which funding agency's mandate my research proposal applies?

    Candidates should review the mandates of CIHR, SSHRC and NSERC. Specifically, CIHR accepts applications in all areas of health research; biomedical research, clinical research, health services research, and social, cultural, environmental and population health research. Definitions of these four research themes can be found at Section 1: Application Administration.

  3. Can I apply to the Fellowship funding opportunity even though I'm not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada?

    Yes, the Fellowships Funding Opportunity is open to international students studying in Canada.

  4. What are the specific assessment criteria for this program?

    Read through the Guide for Reviewers - CIHR Fellowships to learn more about how your application will be assessed.

  5. Do my supervisor(s) need to submit a Canadian Common CV?

    The candidate and all supervisors, regardless of their citizenship, must submit an Academic CV template (validated for CIHR) using the Canadian Common CV (CCV) website. For details about how to complete the CCV, please consult the Fellowship – application instructions. 

    Once the Academic CV template is submitted, the system generates a confirmation number. The CCV data is sent directly to CIHR on the condition that, on ResearchNet, the Nominated Principal Applicant/Candidate enters the confirmation number for each required CV associated with the application.

  6. Do I need to submit my official transcripts?

    Official transcript(s) are no longer required for this specific funding opportunity. CIHR will assess eligibility based on the information entered in the “Degree” field of the candidate’s CCV (YYYY/MM).

  7. I do not yet meet the educational requirements; I am still eligible to apply?

    Yes. Candidates that do not yet meet the requirements still may apply to the funding opportunity; however, they must meet the eligibility requirements by the latest possible start date on which their award must start.

  8. How are applications assigned to a specific Peer Review Committee?

    Fellowships applications are assigned to a specific committee based on the theme identified in the application as well as the candidate's qualifications (educational background and licensure).

  9. I'm an Allied Health Professional (AHP) or Health Professional (HP), but not registered in a graduate program. Am I eligible?

    Candidates with a health professional or degree (including Allied Health Professionals) may propose a program of research leading to a graduate degree; however, registration in a graduate degree program is not a requirement.

  10. I am currently licensed in Canada; however, my license does not have an expiry date and ResearchNet does not allow me to continue without putting in an expiry date. How do I proceed?

    In the "Identify participants/Supervisors" task on ResearchNet, applicants are to enter the renewal date of the license in the space provided. A copy of the license will need to be attached to the application for verification purposes.

  11. Is there anything I need to mail in to CIHR?

    No. All application material is submitted electronically through ResearchNet.

  12. How do I verify that my application has been successfully submitted to CIHR?

    If the application has been successfully submitted through ResearchNet, an automated email message confirming submission will be sent. No further confirmation is provided.

  13. Who can I choose as a sponsor?

    CIHR recommends that you choose 3 sponsors under whom you have trained and who have had a good opportunity to assess your potential for research. Be aware of the importance accorded to your choice as sponsor assessments provided are considered by the Peer Review Committee.

  14. How do the Sponsorship Assessments work in ResearchNet and where can I find a sample form?

    Once you have identified your sponsors, ResearchNet will generate an automatic email message to the sponsors. The email will contain a unique link where they will enter their assessment and submit it directly to CIHR.

    The assessment form must be completed and submitted online by the sponsors and be written in either English or French. Once an assessment is submitted, it will automatically attach itself to your application.

    Candidates do not have access to the content of the assessment submitted by sponsors. However, candidates may follow the status of the assessment directly under this task.

    Note that it is the candidate's responsibility to follow up with sponsors to ensure the assessments are submitted prior to the deadline date and therefore ensure the application completeness.

    After all three sponsors have submitted their assessments, this task will be marked as Complete in your ResearchNet Application Task List.

    A sample of the "Sponsor's Assessment of a candidate for a Fellowships" form can be found in the Index of Funding Related Forms and is available for information purposes only.

  15. Will the interruptions and delays in my post-PhD research training will be taken into account when determining my eligibility?

    Interruptions and delays in your post-PhD research training may be taken into account in determining eligibility if information on the interruptions and delays is provided in the specific section of your CCV - Academic template. Details on interruptions and delays that are considered valid can be found under the "Eligibility" section of the Fellowships funding opportunity. The same interruptions and delays will be taken into account to calculate the offered term of award for successful candidates.

  16. Does the chosen theme classification have any bearing on my application?

    Fellowships Award applications are reviewed by one of five peer review committees according to the theme indicated by the applicant: biomedical/clinical, and health services/social, cultural, environmental and population health. Please note that applications are assigned to a specific committee based on the theme and educational background.

  17. How long should the "Research Proposal Summary" and "Training Expectations" sections be?

    The "Research Proposal Summary" section is a maximum of one page. The "Training Expectations" section is limited to a maximum of two pages. References are included in these page limits.

  18. What are Priority Announcements and how can I apply for them?

    Priority announcements offer additional sources of funding for highly rated applications that are relevant to specific CIHR research priority areas or mandates.

    Each priority announcement has its own specific objectives and requirements. Your application must still meet the eligibility criteria and requirements for the open competition to which you are applying.

    You apply for a priority announcement through the task 'Apply to Priority Announcements/ Funding Pools' in your ResearchNet application. You can select up to three priority announcements. For each priority announcement for which you want to be considered, select the priority announcement title then the relevant research area addressed by your research proposal under the "Identify Priority Announcements and Relevant Research Area" section, then press 'save'.

    After pressing 'save' if the priority announcement requires a relevance form, a text box to be completed will then appear.

  19. Can I still be considered for funding through the open competition if I apply for a priority announcement?

    Yes, your application is still first and foremost submitted to the open competition to which you are applying.

    However, if your application is withdrawn from the open competition for any reason, you will not be considered for any priority announcements.

  20. Can I update my application after submitting?

    In order to ensure fairness in the evaluation of applications, equivalent time must be guaranteed for the assessment of each complete application. As a result, CIHR will not accept updates to applications after the application deadline.

  21. I accidentally clicked the Submit button. How do I unsubmit my application so I can make changes to it?

    There is no way for you to unsubmit an application yourself. Prior to the application deadline, an application can be unsubmitted by contacting ResearchNet.

  22. How can it be possible that the Funding Start Date is earlier than the anticipated Notice of Decision date?

    Payments can be made retroactively as of the first possible funding start date provided that the recipient has met all the eligibility requirements.

Award Administration Answers

  1. How much time do I have to respond to an offer of award?

    Successful candidates have 15 business days to accept or decline an award as of the date on the funding decision letter.

  2. What documents will I need to provide before I can start my award?

    In addition to the specific documents listed in the Notes section of the Offer of an Award, there are two mandatory documents that need to be either mailed or scanned in and emailed to us:

    • Response to an Offer of Award: if you are successful in receiving an award, a .pdf version of this form will become available to you in your ResearchNet account after you answer a few questions online regarding when you wish to start the award and who will be administering the funds on your behalf. Only you need to sign the printed form. This form must be returned to us within 15 business days of it becoming available to you online.

    • Confirmation of Commencement: this form will become available to you in your ResearchNet account 2 months before you indicated you would be starting your award (for example, if you chose a start date of September 1, it will appear on July 1). If your start date is within 2 months of the current date then the form will appear within a few hours of completing your Response to an Offer of Award. If it does not, it is because the information you filled in for your Response to an Offer of Award (Institution, Faculty and/or Department) does not match the information provided on your original application. In this case, please email the Program Delivery Coordinator for further information. The printed version of this form needs to be signed by both you and your supervisor and returned to CIHR before we can process your award.

  3. Do I need to do anything if I'm planning to decline the award?

    Yes. As we will be potentially offering your award to the next candidate on the ranking list, we need to know as soon as possible and certainly no later than 15 business days after the offer has been posted to your ResearchNet account. Please send us a signed copy of the Response to an Offer of Award form stating that you are declining the award and letting us know why.

    Please note that if recipients decline or terminate their open CIHR award funding for whatever reason they will not be eligible to receive, or continue receiving (for prizes with multi-year commitments), any CIHR prize funds.

  4. What do I need to do if my status changes before my award expires?

    You must contact CIHR as soon as possible if your eligibility changes at any point during tenure of the training award. You may notify CIHR in writing by email at fellowships@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.

  5. What happens if the required paperwork isn't received by CIHR until after my chosen start date?

    As long as the delays fall within the allowable start dates stated in the Notes section of the Offer of an Award, the only effect is that your payments will be delayed until we're able to process your paperwork.

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