NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowships

NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowships are valued at $45,000 per year for two years.

• The fellowship is a stipend that is awarded to the postdoctoral researcher.
• For fellowships taken up at the U of A, the annual stipend does not cover the cost of benefits for postdoctoral fellows.
• Applicants and their proposed supervisors should discuss the details of the fellowship appointment (any benefits offered to the postdoctoral researcher; any financial obligations associated with the appointment; availability of research and/or other support; rights and responsibilities), as well as any established research-related polices and protocols.
• Refer to the university’s PDF Collective Agreement and Benefits website for information on postdoctoral fellow appointments.

This is a direct application in which applicants submit their application to NSERC. There is no university internal application/adjudication process, however applicants who receive a fellowship and plan to hold it at the U of A will be paid by Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS). Refer to the Acceptance section to accept the award at the U of A.

Refer to NSERC's website for complete details on the application process.

External Deadline: October 17. Refer to NSERC's website for complete details.

NSERC will notify applicants of the results by the end of February. 

The Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies (GPS) is the primary contact and administrator for the NSERC PDF and its regulations for the term of the researcher’s appointment. Effective April 1, 2022, new NSERC Postdoctoral Fellow recipients will be paid through the U of A instead of directly by the agency.

Successful NSERC recipients should review the U of A’s Postdoctoral Fellows Policies and Procedures prior to accepting the fellowship. Note: the fellowship stipend does not cover the cost of annual benefits at the university (as per the Postdoctoral Fellows Collective Agreement). The postdoc’s supervisor or department are responsible for covering these costs each year the award is held. An estimate of costs can be viewed on Human Rescoure Services’ (HRS) Compensation Calculator application. For more information contact HRS Shared Services.   

1) Recipients are to complete and submit the following to GPS Award Services (grad.awards@ualberta.ca) to start the fellowship at the U of A:

• NSERC Notice of Award (offer letter).
• Tri-agency’s Request for First Instalment Paid by a Canadian Institution form. GPS will sign Part 4, host institution official.
• Copy of doctoral degree certificate. If the degree has not been conferred, a signed letter from the university Registrar or Faculty of Graduate Studies (or equivalent) confirming the degree requirements have been met, and the certificate is to be awarded. Fulfillment of degree requirements may vary by institution and degree type, but they normally include thesis defense corrections and thesis deposition. 
• Up-to-date CV.

2) Once the recipient has accepted the fellowship, GPS Award Services will initiate the hire/payment process to proceed with a letter of offer for the postdoctoral appointment at the university.

• The postdoc’s supervisor or department will be required to provide GPS a speed code that benefits can be charged to.
• All degree requirements must be met before the start date of the Fellowship.
• NSERC recipients are responsible for informing GPS of any of the following changes after commencement of the fellowship/appointment: leave of absence (for reasons of maternity/parental, medical, or professional reasons), termination or discontinuation of full time research, or change from full time status to part time.
• Recipients are to refer to their Notice of Award, the Tri-agency Award Holder’s Guide, and their U of A appointment offer for complete details of all acceptance contingencies.