Sponsor

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)

Program

All NSERC Programs

For More Information

NSERC Eligibility requirements for individuals to apply for or hold grant funds [1] (updated)

Summary of changes implemented on August 1, 2025 [2]

Description

This communication is intended to provide Researchers and Administrators with important information on NSERC’s eligibility requirements for grant holders. This communication further clarifies the Research Services Office requirements related to the completion of the OR-5 Form.

Following consultation with stakeholders (e.g., eligible institutions), NSERC has revised the eligibility requirements for grant holders [2]. These revisions are in effect as of August 1, 2025.

Eligibility

Highlights regarding NSERC's eligibility criteria:

• Only Applicants and Co-applicants are eligible to apply for and hold NSERC funds.
• Eligibility for applying for/holding an NSERC grant:
  • Hold (or have a firm offer for) an academic appointment at an eligible Canadian university [3] at the time of application. The appointment can be:
    • a) permanent (no fixed term), or
    • b) a term or contract that can be renewed during the grant term if the eligible appointment is not established for the full grant term.
  • The position must require the individual to engage in research that is not under the direction of another individual; and,
  • The position must authorize the individual to supervise or co-supervise the research of students or postdoctoral fellows (e.g., thesis supervision and not supervision of regular course or laboratory assignments).
• Notes on Adjunct professors:
  • Adjunct is considered a part-time position.
  • Adjuncts whose primary affiliation is outside of Canada are not eligible for NSERC funding.
  • Conferring Adjunct appointments that meet the above-noted criteria will result in the person holding the Adjunct appointment being ineligible to be paid a stipend/salary from NSERC and any matching industrial funding that is part of the application to NSERC (if applicable).
• Collaborators and Participants are eligible to participate in a research team (but not hold NSERC funds).
• Certain programs may have specific requirements or restrictions in addition to these criteria.
• Only the conditions of appointment at the time of making an application will be considered by NSERC. Revisions to appointments made after making an application will not be accepted by NSERC.
• NSERC provides a detailed list of all conditions which must be in place for eligible appointments.
• For awarded grants, grantees must adhere to the Tri-agency guide on financial administration [4].

For additional and more comprehensive information, please consult the NSERC Eligibility requirements for individuals to apply for or hold grant funds [5].

By signing the OR-5 Form, the Associate Dean/Dean confirms that the NSERC Applicant has an eligible appointment as outlined by NSERC. In the event an Applicant is deemed to be ineligible after submission to NSERC, the application will be withdrawn and removed from the competition. The University is not permitted to make changes to the Applicant’s appointment to comply with the eligibility criteria once the application has been submitted to NSERC.

Special Notes

Please see the program-specific eligibility criteria in addition to the general criteria outlined above.

Please note: If you will be taking a leave during the tenure of your award, please contact the Research Services Office at research.services@uoguelph.ca [6].