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Extension of Tri-agency scholarships and fellowships (CGS M, CGS D, agency-specific doctoral awards, PDF, Vanier CGS and Banting PDF)
News release Professors Students
May 29, 2020
Canada’s three granting agencies—the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)—recognize the vital role that highly qualified talent plays in preserving Canada's research enterprise throughout the major disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
As announced on April 22, the Government of Canada committed $291.6M to support students and postdoctoral researchers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, through the federal research funding agencies. Part of this investment will be used to support trainees paid directly through scholarships and fellowships, as well as those supported indirectly through grants awarded to their supervisors.
We are pleased to provide further information on the direct support being offered for scholarship or fellowship holders, through the Canada Graduate Scholarships (Masters, Doctoral and Vanier streams), Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships and agency-specific doctoral and postdoctoral programs, which will be granted an extension. For eligible students and postdoctoral researchers whose research scholarship or fellowship ends between March and August 2020, support will be extended for an additional four (4) months and fully funded. This represents an investment of up to $40 million to help these students and postdoctoral researchers complete their research projects and training. Award holders will be contacted in the coming weeks by their respective agency and the funding will be provided before September 30, 2020. Details about the supports for trainees paid indirectly through grants will be provided in a future update.
Award holders will need to attest that their research was disrupted by COVID-19 constraints and that they are not benefiting from compensation under the Canada Emergency Student Benefit or the Canada Emergency Response Benefit or other income supports related to COVID-19.
Please see the accompanying frequently asked questions, which provides details on how this additional funding will be implemented, and visit the agency websites (CIHR , NSERC, SSHRC) all of which are updated regularly. You may also contact the agencies’ scholarships and fellowships program staff at:
NSERC: schol@nserc-crsng.gc.ca
SSHRC: fellowships@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca
CIHR: support-soutien@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
Vanier CGS: vanier@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
Banting PDF: banting@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
Frequently Asked Questions
On this page
- Am I eligible for the paid four-month extension?
- Do I need to contact the agency to benefit from the four-month extension?
- Will the end date of my award be modified?
- Can the paid extension be prolonged?
- May I decline the extension?
- Will I receive revised decision documents?
- When will funds be distributed?
- How will funds be distributed?
- Will I be paid at the same rate as my award?
- Can the extension be combined with the Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) or the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) or other income supports related to COVID-19? (Updated)
- Do I need to submit any documents to support that the extension does not overlap with other COVID-19-related support?
- Can I receive the paid extension if I graduate(d) in spring 2020?
- Can I receive the paid extension if my research has been largely uninterrupted by COVID-19?
- Do I need to submit any documents to support that my research or studies have been disrupted by COVID-19?
- Can I receive the paid extension as well as a stipend through my supervisor’s grant?
- I am on unpaid interrupted leave, but my award was originally due to expire between March and August 2020. Am I eligible for the extension? (Updated)
- The end date of my award was April 30, 2020, can I defer the start date for the paid extension to the fall?
- How does this affect my paid parental leave?
- I received the Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) or the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), can I return this benefit and take this 4-month extension?
- How will eligibility of award holders be verified?
- Will I be taxed on this additional funding?
- Where can I get more information?
1. Am I eligible for the paid four-month extension?
All award holders of research training programs covered by the Tri-Agency Research Training Award Holder’s Guide (TARTAHG) including scholarships or fellowships, through CGS M, CGS D, Vanier CGS, Banting PDF and agency-specific doctoral and postdoctoral programs that end between March and August 2020 can benefit from this four-month extension, provided they meet certain conditions (see questions 10 and 13).
2. Do I need to contact the agency to benefit from the four-month extension?
No. Agency staff will contact eligible award holders.
3. Will the end date of my award be modified?
Yes. The end date of the scholarship or fellowship will be extended by four (4) months.
4. Can the paid extension be prolonged?
The paid extension is limited to four (4) months.
5. May I decline the extension?
Yes, award holders may decline the extension.
6. Will I receive revised decision documents?
Yes. The agencies will send updated decision documents.
7. When will funds be distributed?
The agencies will distribute funds before September 30, 2020.
8. How will funds be distributed?
Eligible award holders currently paid through their institution will continue to be paid this way. For eligible award holders who are paid directly, the payment will be made directly.
9. Will I be paid at the same rate as my award?
Yes. Funds will be prorated based on the annual value of the scholarship or fellowship.
10. Can the extension be combined with the Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) or the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) or other income supports related to COVID-19? (Updated)
Award holders will be required to ensure that the support provided through this extension does not overlap with any other COVID-19-related support, including but not limited to, the Canada Emergency Student Benefit, the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, the agency supplements for trainees and research support personnel, or other income support related to COVID-19.
11. Do I need to submit any documents to support that the extension does not overlap with other COVID-19-related support?
No. Eligible award holders will have to attest that the extension does not overlap with COVID-19-related support.
12. Can I receive the paid extension if I graduate(d) in spring 2020?
Students who graduate(d) in spring 2020 are not eligible for granting agency extensions.
13. Can I receive the paid extension if my research has been largely uninterrupted by COVID-19?
No. Eligible award holders must attest that their research was disrupted by COVID-19.
14. Do I need to submit any documents to support that my research or studies have been disrupted by COVID-19?
No. Award holders must attest that their research has been disrupted by COVID-19 when requesting the extension.
15. Can I receive the paid extension as well as a stipend through my supervisor’s grant?
As per the TARTAHG, the agencies do not normally place restrictions on other sources of funding or employment that award holders may have while holding the award, except if such sources are related to COVID-19 support.
16. I am on unpaid interrupted leave, but my award was originally due to expire between March and August 2020. Am I eligible for the extension? (Updated)
You may be eligible for the extension provided that award holders meet the conditions.
17. The end date of my award was April 30, 2020, can I defer the start date for the paid extension to the fall?
No, the four-month extension will be applied to the end date of the award holder current award.
18. How does this affect my paid parental leave?
There will be no change to your paid parental leave (PPL).
19. I received the Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) or the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), can I return this benefit and take this 4-month extension?
Yes, refer to the CRA website to determine how to return these benefits. https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/covid19-emergency-benefits.html
20. How will eligibility of award holders be verified?
Award holders must attest that they remain eligible to receive agency funds as per the terms and conditions of their award, funding opportunity eligibility, and Tri-agency Research Training Award Holder’s Guide regulations. For award holders paid by institutions, the institution must confirm their eligibility before payments can be made. For award holders paid directly by the agency, they must follow the process outlined in the email received after accepting the paid extension.
21. Will I be taxed on this additional funding?
Refer to the TARTAHG for further information on taxation.
22. Where can I get more information?
The agencies will follow up with award holders through targeted communication to help them navigate next steps. In the meantime, visit the COVID-19 web pages for CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC, which are updated regularly.
