Application Deadline: November 5, 2025 (12 PM Eastern Standard Time).
LOCATION: Canada
The CIFAR Global Scholars Program offers early-career researchers the opportunity to develop and lead high-risk, high-reward interdisciplinary research, expand their professional networks, and receive focused leadership training in their pivotal first years as independent investigators. CIFAR welcomes applications from candidates across the natural, biomedical, and social sciences, as well as the humanities. Successful applicants join one of CIFAR’s interdisciplinary research programs, collaborating with global research leaders to advance transformative knowledge and address some of the most important questions facing science and humanity.
ELIGIBILITY:
CIFAR welcomes applicants from all countries and is committed to building a diverse, international community of scholars.
To be considered for the CIFAR Global Scholars program, you must:
Hold a PhD (or equivalent).
Hold a full-time position at an institution of higher education or research. Your role must include responsibility for leading independent research as a principal investigator and supervising or teaching trainees toward their attainment of a degree. This position must be secure throughout the full term from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2028. Typically, an eligible applicant is a tenure-track Assistant Professor (in the North American context) or holds an equivalent position designed to lead to a permanent faculty appointment (in academic systems outside of North America). Examples of eligible positions around the world are listed in the Detailed Program Overview.
Have started your first position, as described above, post-PhD, no earlier than July 1, 2021 and no later than December 31, 2025. Special consideration may be given to applicants who have taken parental leave or faced exceptional circumstances.
Engage in research that complements the themes and goals of a recruiting CIFAR research program. See the section below on Programs Accepting Applications.
Be available for a virtual interview on March 24-26, 2026.
Hold a valid passport, and if applicable, be able to obtain travel visas to attend CIFAR meetings globally, approximately two to three times per year.
Be fluent in spoken and written English.
Note: Postdoctoral fellows are not eligible to apply.
If you have questions about your eligibility, please contact us at global.scholars@cifar.ca.
BENEFIT:
A two-year opportunity to collaborate and receive mentorship within a close-knit, interdisciplinary network of leading global researchers in a CIFAR research program.
$100,000 CAD in unrestricted research support. These flexible funds can be used for research expenses, teaching release, student or postdoc support, conference travel, and more. They are not tied to a specific project or proposal.
Opportunities to apply for CIFAR seed funds. These time-limited funds support high-risk, high-reward interdisciplinary collaborations with Fellows, Advisors and other Global Scholars.
Membership in the extended community of CIFAR Global Scholars. This network of creative and like-minded peers across cohorts and diverse disciplines offers invaluable support and further opportunity for collaboration.
Targeted training in essential areas of research leadership, including team leadership, trainee mentorship, science communication and science advocacy.
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