You are responsible for preparing the required documentation, which must follow NSERC’s general presentation guidelines. Documents that do not meet the presentation standards may be removed or the application may be at a disadvantage compared with those that meet the standards.

Applications must be submitted through NSERC’s ICSP Secure Submission Site. All parts of the application package must be combined into a single Portable Document Format (PDF) file. Only the documents requested by NSERC will be given to the selection committee. Note that hyperlinked material will not be considered as part of the review process.

Applications must be submitted before 8:00 pm (ET) on the deadline date. If the deadline falls on a weekend or federal holiday, NSERC must receive your application before 8:00 pm (ET) the following working day.

Late applications will not be accepted. Once submitted, applications cannot be updated.

In January, applicants will receive a system-generated email from NSERC with instructions to complete a self-identification questionnaire. This data provides information on the diversity of the population applying for and receiving NSERC awards. This information increases NSERC’s capacity to monitor its progress on increasing equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in its programs, to recognize and remove barriers, and to design new measures to achieve greater EDI in the research enterprise. Although completing the questionnaire is required, if you do not wish to self-identify, you have the option to choose “I prefer not to answer” for each question. Self-identification data are not seen or used by NSERC peer reviewers.

As an eligible candidate, you may apply by preparing the materials listed below and submitting them to your institution for consideration. Institutions can only certify up to six applications.

You must include the following documents in your application:

1. Tri-agency CV

   You must use the tri-agency CV template and follow the tri-agency CV instructions (see the tri-agency CV landing page for more information and a list of resources).

   The selection committee will use information from the tri-agency CV and tri-agency CV appendix to assess your research achievements and impacts, as well as your past activities related to outreach, mentorship and leadership.

   A wide range of contributions to research, training and mentoring are considered and valued in the merit review process, with a focus on the quality and impact of these contributions. See NSERC’s guidelines on the assessment of contributions to research, training and mentoring. When research, training or mentoring occurs in the context of a large collaboration, it is important to explain your role in contributing to the collaboration’s overall achievements in these areas. When research and training occur beyond the natural sciences and engineering, it is important to explain the impact of these contributions within the natural sciences and engineering.

   Outreach refers to any scientific communication that engages an audience beyond the research community. It may focus on specific research (knowledge mobilization) or on science and engineering topics more broadly (science promotion). Audiences may include policymakers, journalists, industry, undergraduate students, underrepresented groups in the natural sciences and engineering, or the general public (youth or adults), among others. Outreach can improve the impact of research, promote the role of science in evidence-based decision making, advance equity, diversity and inclusion in the research ecosystem, increase science literacy and the appreciation of science in society, and counter science-related misinformation.
   
   Mentorship refers to the formal or informal relationship between a mentor and mentee, where the mentor provides advice, counsel and support to foster the growth and development of the mentee. Topics may include learning and career guidance, networking, developing proposals and applications, effective collaborations, and navigating interpersonal conflicts, among others. Mentorship is distinct from training, which is provided by a supervisor or trainer as part of a skills education program. Mentorship can help mentees to boost confidence, overcome challenges, develop and advance learning and career goals, and improve inclusion, especially for mentees from underrepresented groups.

2. Future directions (maximum 4 pages if written in English or 5 pages if written in French)

   When completing the Future directions section of the application, incorporate the following elements:

   • Research vision: Describe how your research represents an original or innovative concept or line of inquiry and how it will advance a research area or areas in the natural sciences and engineering, and if applicable, its policy- or technology-related impact.
   • Proposed research: Describe the research you propose to carry out for the duration of the award. 
     The proposed research must be primarily in the natural sciences and engineering. Considering equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in the research process promotes research excellence by making research outcomes more ethically sound, rigorous, reproducible and useful. It is important to consider EDI through each stage of the research process including, but not limited to, the research questions, design, methodology, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of results and integrate these considerations where relevant. Consult Equity, diversity and inclusion considerations at each stage of the research process and the video Strengthening research by integrating equity, diversity and inclusion considerations in the research process for more information.
   • Training of highly qualified personnel (HQP): Describe your approach to training and mentoring HQP and to ensuring equity, diversity and inclusion in the research and training environment.
   • Proposed outreach, mentorship and leadership activities: Describe the outreach, mentorship and leadership activities you propose to carry out for the duration of the award.
      

3. McDonald tri-agency CV appendix 

   For the Delays in research section, clearly identify any eligible leaves of absence (for example parental leave, personal illness, chronic illness, mental illness, or disability associated with reduced research activity, leave taken for family-related illness or responsibilities, bereavement, extraordinary administrative duties, or delays related to COVID-19) within the last 10 years in consultation with NSERC’s guidelines on interruptions in research, training and mentoring. You do not need to describe or explain personal details (such as illness or treatment), but rather the impact on your research activity. Please:

   • state the type of eligible leave (e.g. parental leave, delay related to COVID, etc.) and duration of the circumstances
   • state the reduced percentage of time devoted to regular research, training and mentoring activities during the specified time period
   • describe the impact of the interruption on your research and training activities
      

4. Application for a grant (Form 101)

   Sensitive Technology Research Areas

   In accordance with the Policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern (STRAC), the applicant must indicate on their Application for a grant (Form 101) whether their proposed research activities supported by this grant will aim to advance any of the listed Sensitive Technology Research Areas (STRA). Research that will merely use, but not advance, an existing technology is not within the scope of this policy.

   For more information, please read the Tri-agency guidance on the STRAC Policy.

   Note that signatures on Form 101 are not required.

5. Impact Assessment form (Appendix A), if required
    

6. External reviewer suggestions form

   External reviewers should not be members of your institution, or current or former supervisors or collaborators. See the Conflict of interest and confidentiality agreement for review committee members, external reviewers and observers for more details.

   NSERC strongly recommends that you suggest a cross-section of reviewers such as international and Canadian researchers, early career to established researchers, researchers from underrepresented groups, including women, and researchers at a variety of academic and non-academic institutions with expertise in your area of research.

7. Attestation for Research Aiming to Advance Sensitive Technology Research Areas, if required

   If you answered “Yes” to the question “Will the proposed research activities supported by this grant aim to advance any of the listed sensitive technology research areas?” on the Application for a grant (Form 101), you must sign and submit the Attestation as part of your application.

8. Terms and conditions form for applicants

   Please do not use the encrypted digital signature function.

9. McDonald Fellowship institution certification of application form

   Your institution must certify its support for your application by completing the McDonald Fellowship institution certification of application form. This form is mandatory. The certification form will not be shown to the selection committee. Institutions may certify up to six applications.

   The certification form must include the following information:

   • Eligibility: the date, position and institution of your first independent academic appointment, as well as the total length of eligible delays in research or periods of inactivity since starting the position (for part-time delays, please state the full-time equivalent length of the delay)
   • Teaching and administrative relief: a description of how the institution will relieve you of these responsibilities while you hold the award
   • Application selection: a description of the process the institution used to identify and select applications overall, not just the process used for your application
     • this process should consider best practices in equity, diversity and inclusion
     • for institutions with multiple submissions, this section can be reused for all applications, if appropriate
   • Certification by the executive head of the institution confirming your eligibility and institutional support for your application

   NSERC is acting on the evidence that achieving a more equitable, diverse and inclusive Canadian research enterprise is essential to creating the excellent, innovative and impactful research necessary to advance knowledge and understanding, and to respond to local, national and global challenges. This principle informs the commitments described in the Tri-agency Statement on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. NSERC strongly encourages university officials to address barriers to equity, diversity and inclusion in their institutional selection processes.

   To promote equity, diversity and inclusion, institutions should ensure that all eligible candidates are considered and given the opportunity to apply. The Canada Research Chairs web page, Creating an Equitable, Diverse and Inclusive Research Environment: A Best Practices Guide for Recruitment, Hiring and Retention, describes how an institution can identify and select applicants to achieve these aims. Your institution must summarize the process it used to identify and select applicants, as well as how it applied best practices in equity, diversity and inclusion.

NSERC will host the following virtual sessions:

• Preparing a tri-agency CV for a McDonald application (English session): September 23, 2026, from 12 pm to 1 pm (ET)
• Preparing a tri-agency CV for a McDonald application (French session): September 24, 2026, from 12 pm to 1 pm (ET)

Please contact NSERC staff at mcdonald@nserc-crsng.gc.cato register and receive meeting details for the above sessions.