Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation PhD Scholarship

Who can apply

A Canadian student enrolled at a Canadian university, a Canadian student enrolled at a university outside Canada, or an international student enrolled at a Canadian university; international students residing outside Canada or enrolled at a university outside Canada are not eligible
In the first or second year of a PhD programme at the time of application
Research broadly in the humanities or social sciences, addressing issues relevant to Canada's future
Research aligned with at least one of the Foundation's four themes: Human Rights and Dignity, Responsible Citizenship, Canada and the World, and People and their Natural Environment
Three reference letters required: one from your PhD supervisor, one from another academic referee, and one from a referee outside academia

A stricter eligibility rule than it first sounds

The eligibility rule here is stricter than it first sounds, and it is worth reading exactly as the Foundation states it. You qualify if you’re a Canadian student at a Canadian university, a Canadian student at a university outside Canada, or an international student enrolled at a Canadian university. What does not qualify, in the Foundation’s own words, is an international student “residing outside Canada or enrolled at a university outside Canada.” In practice that means you need either Canadian citizenship or Canadian enrolment before this scholarship is available to you at all.

A genuinely substantial award, with a real community attached

The money itself is genuinely substantial for a doctoral scholarship: up to CAD 50,000 a year for three years toward tuition and living costs, plus a separate CAD 20,000 a year specifically for research, networking, and travel. That is on top of a structured mentorship and experiential learning programme and a standing community of more than 500 alumni, which the Foundation treats as a real part of the award rather than a side benefit.

Your research has to fit one of four founding themes

Your research has to fit somewhere inside the Foundation’s four founding themes: Human Rights and Dignity, Responsible Citizenship, Canada and the World, and People and their Natural Environment. You also need to be in your first or second year of a PhD at the time you apply, not earlier and not later, and you’ll need three reference letters from specifically different vantage points: your PhD supervisor, another academic referee, and someone from outside academia entirely. Beyond academic excellence, the Foundation says it specifically looks for candidates who can mobilize knowledge, engage actively in their communities, and contribute to conversations on pressing societal challenges, not just produce strong research in isolation.

The 2027 competition has opened, but no closing date yet

As of this check, the Foundation’s application process for the 2027 competition has opened, on 1 September 2026, replacing the previous “dates will be announced shortly” placeholder. No closing date has been published yet, so watch the Foundation’s own “Become a Scholar” page directly for that announcement rather than relying on any specific date circulating on aggregator sites. For a wider view of funded study options in Canada beyond this one PhD scholarship, see the guide to the best scholarships to study in Canada.