Details

The Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships program provides funding to the very best postdoctoral applicants, both nationally and internationally, who will positively contribute to the country’s economic, social, and research-based growth.

The objective of the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships program is to:

• attract and retain top-tier postdoctoral talent, both nationally and internationally 
• develop their leadership potential
• position them for success as research leaders of tomorrow

Features

The Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships program is unique in its emphasis on the synergy between:

• the applicant – their individual merit and potential to launch a successful research-intensive career; and
• the host institution – their commitment to the research program and alignment with the institution’s strategic priorities

An applicant to the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships program must complete their application in full collaboration with the proposed host institution.

Benefits

Successful applicants will receive the following benefits:

• $70,000 per year (taxable)
• 2 years (non-renewable)

70 fellowships are awarded annually approximately 140 awards are active at any time.

Fellowships are distributed equally among: 

• the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
• the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)
• the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)

Eligibility

To be eligible for Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships program, applicants must be:

• Canadian citizens
• Permanent residents of Canada
• Foreign citizens

• Applicants who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada may only hold their Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship at a Canadian institution. 
• Applicants who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada and who obtained their PhD, PhD-equivalent or health professional degree from a foreign university may only hold their Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship at a Canadian institution.
• Applicants who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada and who obtained their PhD, PhD-equivalent or health professional degree from a Canadian university may hold their Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship at either a Canadian institution or an institution outside of Canada. 

Application

Applications must be completed in full collaboration with the potential host institution. 

• Applicants must be endorsed by the institution’s president (equivalent or designate). 
• In order to select the most meritorious applicants for endorsement, many institutions have their own internal deadlines. These deadlines are established by the institution so that appropriate representative(s) can review all applications and select the applicants who will be endorsed. It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to ensure that all deadlines are met. We recommend that applicants contact the institution’s department in charge of postdoctoral affairs as soon as possible to begin this process.
• Applicants are responsible for supplying their proposed institution and referees with the documents necessary for them to write their respective letters. ResearchNet does not grant the referees or host institutions access to view the application or its attachments. 
• From the outset of the application process, applicants and their host institution should discuss:
  • the details of the fellowship appointment
    • any benefits offered to the Banting postdoctoral researcher
    • any financial obligations associated with the appointment (union dues, insurance premiums, etc.)
    • the availability of any research and/or other support
    • the rights and responsibilities of postdoctoral researchers
    • any other institution-specific policies that might apply to a Banting postdoctoral researcher
  • any established research-related policies and protocols (e.g., protocols for conducting research involving the First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples of Canada; approvals for research involving the use of humans, animals or biohazards)
• The applicant and supervisor must carefully consider which selection committee should review the application. For more details on choosing the area of research, please see Identify area of research.

The host institution must provide the applicant with two documents that will be included in the application. Applicants are responsible for uploading the documents to ResearchNet as part of their complete application submission. For more information on these documents, please refer to the appropriate sections found at the end of Enter proposal information and supporting documents.

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