NSERC Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE) 2026

Sponsor

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)

Program

Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE) Program

For More Information

CREATE Program Guidelines 

CREATE Program - Frequently Asked Questions

NSERC guide on integrating equity, diversity and inclusion considerations in research

NSERC Accessibility Web Page

See 'File Attachments' section below for slides from the 2026 Information Webinar for Prospective Applicants

Description

The Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE) program supports the training and mentoring of teams of highly qualified students and postdoctoral fellows from Canada and abroad through the development of innovative training programs that:

• Encourage collaborative and integrative approaches between institutions of various sizes to address significant scientific challenges; and
• Facilitate the transition of new researchers from trainees to productive employees in the Canadian workforce.

These innovative programs must foster the acquisition and development of important professional skills among students and postdoctoral researchers that complement their qualifications and technical skills and improve their job readiness for careers in industry, government, non-governmental organizations and/or academia.

Proposed initiatives should encourage interaction with future employers and provide opportunities for trainees to participate in exchanges at the national or international level. The initiative should provide value-added experiences to better prepare trainees for careers in industry, government or academia. Successful initiatives require a diverse group of researchers working collaboratively to develop and deliver a defined research training program. 

Supported training programs will be recognized for:

• Their innovative nature to create a rich research training and mentoring environment;
• The excellence of the researchers and their success in training and mentoring highly qualified personnel (HQP) for future employment in all sectors;
• Raising the standard for best practices in research training, mentoring and development of professional skills of new researchers; and
• Ensuring student mobility between different Canadian universities, potential workplaces, or among participating Canadian and international institutions.

NEW: For the current competition, NSERC will fund one CREATE initiative through the Government of Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS). The initiative will help advance the DIS’s workforce development priorities by supporting training opportunities that result in skilled and technologically-proficient research trainees in areas including, but not limited to, quantum communications, quantum sensing, quantum materials, quantum computing and quantum software. Applications will be evaluated through the normal CREATE peer review process, but applications should include “Quantum” in the title.

Eligibility

CREATE grants are tenable only at NSERC-eligible Canadian universities and the applicant must hold an eligible full-time position at that university in an NSERC-supported field. Adjunct professors are not eligible to be applicants but may be co-applicants. A researcher can participate in a maximum of two CREATE grants/LOIs at any given time and a maximum of one as the lead applicant. All universities that will be involved in the application must have at least one co-applicant listed in the proposal.

Ensure that you consider the eligibility requirements for applicants, co-applicants and collaborators described on NSERC’s website under Eligibility criteria for faculty.

In addition, the following conditions apply to all applications:

• Only trainees supervised by the applicant, co-applicants or collaborators at an applicant or co-applicant institution are eligible for CREATE stipends and expenses.
• Up to 30% of the co-applicant team may be from non-NSE areas covered under the umbrella of CIHR and SSHRC.
  • Applicants submitting a proposal at the interdisciplinary frontiers of CIHR and SSHRC may be required to justify why NSERC is the most appropriate funding agency for their proposal.
• The focus should be on new training initiatives; for example, CREATE initiatives cannot be renewed or duplicated, and a new proposal must be different in theme, approaches to training and applicant team from previous grants.
• CREATE initiatives are expected to increase the inclusion and advancement of under-represented groups in the natural sciences and engineering as one way to enhance excellence in research and training. EDI considerations should also be developed into the rationale of the composition of the group of trainees and their supervisors, role models and mentors (without including personal or demographic data).

Maximum Project Value

Funding of $150,000 (± $50,000) in the first year and $300,000 (± $50,000) annually for up to five subsequent years will be provided by NSERC for up to $1.65 million over six years. It is expected that funds will be spent on an annual basis. Year 4-6 funding is dependent on positive performance evaluations by NSERC. The grantee will be able to choose either an April or a September start. 

CREATE initiatives are expected to be self-sustaining by the end of six years. Note that there is no automatic extension for the use of funds, and renewal of funding beyond six years is not possible.

Collaborators may contribute additional funds. The application must provide a detailed justification of all expenses.

Eligible Expenses:

• At least 70% of the CREATE grant must be used for trainees’ stipends.
  • Up to 30% of this portion can be distributed to trainees who are not enrolled in the NSE.
  • CREATE stipends to postdoctoral researchers are normally limited to two years of support.
• Remaining 30% of the CREATE funds may be used for the following expenses:
  • Training program structure;
  • Travel;
  • Dissemination of training materials and research results;
  • Services and miscellaneous expenses.

Indirect Costs

0%

Special Notes

The Letter of Intent (LOI) stage is now semi-competitive. There will be no limit on the number of LOIs submitted from any university. The University of Guelph has an allotment of 2 proposals that may move forward to the full application stage. If more than 2 LOIs are submitted by the University, LOIs will be reviewed by the NSERC Selection Committee to determine which may move forward to the full application stage. LOIs submitted to the International stream are exempt from the institution’s allotment. LOIs will be evaluated based on the following:

• Merit of proposed training program (60%)
• Excellence of the team of researchers (40%)

How to Apply

Applying to the CREATE Program involves a two phase application process: 

• Phase 1: Letter of Intent; and,
• Phase 2: Full Application.

Phase 1: Letter of Intent

To apply for a CREATE Program grant, researchers must first submit Form 187 to their university for consideration. Refer to NSERC's instructions for submitting an LOI for complete information. The entire LOI application process is performed using NSERC’s Online System. Applicants must wait to "Submit" their LOI until the research grants office has reviewed and approved the submission. Applicants will be responsible for submitting the approved LOI to NSERC directly online.

A complete LOI includes the following:

• Form 187;
  • Co-applicants and collaborators:
    • Teams should strive for a diverse group of co-applicants.
    • For multi-institutional applications, you must include at least one co-applicant from each participating university.
    • Listed co-applicants and collaborators must have confirmed their willingness to participate. At the time of LOI submission, the applicant team composition must be finalized, meaning that the individuals listed as applicants and co-applicants should remain the same throughout both the LOI and application stages.
  • Letter from the applicant’s University Vice-President Research (or designate) confirming the University's support:
    • Indicate the total number of LOIs the university will be submitting this competition year.
    • Do not provide support details, as these will be included in the support letter provided at the application stage.
    • The letter is for NSERC administrative purposes only and should not be more than 1 page long. The letter must be written on letterhead, signed and saved in a portable document format (PDF).
  • Outline of Training Program (Maximum 3 pages) (60%)
  • Excellence of Team (Maximum 3 pages) (40%)
• Form 100 for the applicant.

Phase 2: Application

Applicants invited to submit a full application must then submit the following documents to NSERC through RSO by the deadlines indicated above. Refer to NSERC's Instructions for completing a Collaborative Research and Training Experience program application for complete information. RSO will submit the full application to NSERC directly, on behalf of the applicant. 

• Form 102;
  • Research training program proposal (Maximum 14 pages, plus one page for references);
  • Budget justification (Maximum 2 pages);
  • Support from other sources (Maximum 2 pages);
  • One letter of support from the lead university (signed by Department Head, College Dean, ADR, or VPR (or designate));
    • List of all contributions from the university;
    • Describe the details of support;
    • Involvement in the training program; and
    • Plans to ensure sustainability.
  • A maximum of three letters of commitment from collaborators, saved into a single PDF file; and
  • STRAC attestation forms for applicant and co-applicants if working in a Sensitive Technology Research Area.
• Form 100 for the applicant;
• Form 100 or CCV for up to 10 co-applicants; and
• Self ID questionnaire for applicant and co-applicants.

Attachment(s)

Attachment	Size
Information_session_for_prospective_applicants_-_Feb_9_2026.pdf	1.99 MB