Closed
Source verified July 10, 2026
Trudeau Foundation - Doctoral scholarships
Leadership-focused doctoral funding
Latest source updateLast Update: July 9, 2026Latest change: The Become a Scholar page now points to the 2027 competition, and the 2026 competition notice with its November 17, 2025 close date is no longer shown.View change
Latest source update
Last Update: July 9, 2026
Latest change: The Become a Scholar page now points to the 2027 competition, and the 2026 competition notice with its November 17, 2025 close date is no longer shown.
Become a Scholar timeline updated
The Become a Scholar page has shifted from the 2026 doctoral scholarship competition to a 2027 competition reference. The page previously stated that the annual 2026 competition was closed as of November 17, 2025; that dated notice has been removed, and no new opening date or deadline is shown on the page. This is a material timeline update because it changes the active intake cycle displayed to applicants, while the scholarship description and scholar profile content remain in place.
Funding available
$ 45,000 - $ 70,000
Deadline
November 17, 2025
Opened September 9, 2025
Location
Montreal, Montréal, Canada
Overview
The Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Scholarship provides up to $50,000 per year for three years to PhD students at Canadian universities, including Canadian students abroad and foreign students at Canadian universities, to support doctoral research and Engaged Leadership. Funding covers tuition and living expenses, plus research, networking, and travel related to the doctoral project.
/100
Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Increase social or community impact
- Conduct research and development activities
- Train or support volunteers
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 70,000 $
- Minimum amount : 45,000 $
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Montreal
- Montréal
Legal structures
- All legal structures
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- Indigenous Peoples
- Canadians
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Activities funded
- Doctoral research in the humanities and social sciences or human sciences
- Doctoral research that aligns with at least one of the Foundation’s Four Themes
Documents Needed
- Application form
- Four essay questions
- Doctoral project description
- Up-to-date undergraduate and graduate transcripts
- Three reference assessments or letters of recommendation
Official resources
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Students enrolled in a PhD program
- Canadian students studying at a Canadian university
- Canadian students studying at a foreign university
- Foreign students studying at a Canadian university
Who is not eligible
- Students in undergraduate programs
- Students in master's programs, including candidates in the final year of a master’s degree
- Postdoctoral researchers
- Foreign students living outside Canada and studying at a foreign university
- Professional doctorates are not eligible
Eligible expenses
- Tuition and living expenses
- Research, networking, and travel related to the doctoral project and Foundation programming
Selection criteria
- Academic excellence and intellectual capacity
- Leadership and engagement
- Openness to diverse perspectives
- Agility and resilience
- Participation in mandatory activities
How to apply
- Apply directly through the Foundation’s online portal.
- Register on the platform or sign in using your email.
- Select the appropriate category, confirm your eligibility, and complete the contact information form.
- Confirm your email and set your password.
- Fill out all required sections, save as you go, and complete the essays, doctoral research, achievements/experience, and references sections.
- Invite your three referees, review the application, and submit it.
Processing and Agreement
- Once your application has been submitted, you will receive a confirmation email.
- All eligible applications that are complete and submitted before the deadline are reviewed and evaluated by the Foundation.
- Only applicants selected as semi-finalists are informed of their application status, and semi-finalists selected for group interviews are notified in late January 2026.
- Finalists proceed to individual interviews with the Application and Nomination Review Committee, and final selection is approved by the Board of Directors.
- After Board approval, you sign the funding agreement and submit the required documentation before funds begin.
Additional information
- Applicants may complete the application in either English or French, but they must use only one language throughout the form.
Contacts
Frequently Asked Questions about the Trudeau Foundation - Doctoral scholarships Program
What is the Trudeau Foundation - Doctoral scholarships?
The Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Scholarship provides up to $50,000 per year for three years to PhD students at Canadian universities, including Canadian students abroad and foreign students at Canadian universities, to support doctoral research and Engaged Leadership. Funding covers tuition and living expenses, plus research, networking, and travel related to the doctoral project.
How much funding can be received?
Trudeau Foundation - Doctoral scholarships Funds up to $70,000 of admissible expenses.
What is the deadline to apply?
The application deadline for this grant program was November 17, 2025.
Who is eligible for the Trudeau Foundation - Doctoral scholarships program?
To be eligible for the Trudeau Foundation - Doctoral scholarships program, you must:
Must be in the first or second year of a doctoral program at the time of application
Doctoral research must align with at least one of the Foundation’s Four Themes
Applicants must be able to communicate effectively in French or English
What expenses are eligible under Trudeau Foundation - Doctoral scholarships?
Doctoral research in the humanities and social sciences or human sciences
Doctoral research that aligns with at least one of the Foundation’s Four Themes
Who can I contact for more information about the Trudeau Foundation - Doctoral scholarships?
You can contact La Fondation Pierre Elliott Trudeau by email at scholarships@trudeaufoundation.ca or by phone at 4032204938.
Where is the Trudeau Foundation - Doctoral scholarships available?
The Trudeau Foundation - Doctoral scholarships program is available across Canada.