Greetings,
We are excited to share this funding opportunity from the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR), a Canadian research organization which mobilizes scholars from around the world across disciplines to advance transformative knowledge and solve humanity’s biggest problems. CIFAR's Global Scholars Program offers early-career scholars 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. More information about the award can be found in the synopsis and links below. For a full list of currently open opportunities that have been announced through our office, please visit our Current Opportunities web page. As a reminder, our Research Development team is available to provide proposal development support to FAS ladder faculty.
- OSP Deadline: October 28, 2026 at 9:00 AM ET
Departments or areas may require additional time for proposal review and submission. Please discuss a timeline with your grants administrator.
- Sponsor Deadline: November 4, 2026 at 12:00 PM ET
- Award Amount: $100,000 CAD in unrestricted research support over two years
CIFAR does not support indirect costs. Because these are early career awards, FAS/SEAS recognizes this indirect cost limit and does not require further action, such as a waiver or direct charge of other costs.
Program Overview
The CIFAR Global Scholars Program accelerates the rise of research leaders who are positioned to drive new discoveries and open new fields of inquiry. CIFAR welcomes applications from candidates across the natural, biomedical, and social sciences, as well as the humanities.
The program's three core pillars are:
- Fostering Novel Interdisciplinary Research
- Developing and Broadening Networks
- Strengthening Leadership Skills
Successful applicants join one of CIFAR’s interdisciplinary research programs (see below for programs that are currently recruiting) for two years, collaborating with pioneering experts to advance transformative knowledge and address some of the most important questions facing science and humanity. Global Scholars collaborate and receive mentorship within a close-knit, interdisciplinary network of leading global researchers, receive targeted training in essential areas of research leadership, and are eligible to apply for CIFAR seed funds. CIFAR Global Scholars remain at their home institution and are expected to participate in CIFAR Research Program meetings, typically held twice per year in various locations around the world; attend the CIFAR Global Scholars Annual Meeting, usually held in May or June (the next Annual Meeting will be held in St. John's, Newfoundland, from June 8-10, 2027); and join at least two virtual leadership development workshops per year. CIFAR separately covers all travel costs associated with attending CIFAR meetings.
Priority Areas
An applicant's research should complement the themes and goals of a recruiting CIFAR research program. For the 2027-29 cohort, the following CIFAR research programs are accepting applications:
Eligibility Criteria
-
To be eligible for the 2027-29 cohort, applicants must hold a PhD (or equivalent) and a full-time position at an institution of higher education or research which includes responsibility for leading independent research as a PI and supervising or teaching trainees toward their attainment of a degree. This position must be secure throughout the full term from April 1, 2027 to March 31, 2029. 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).
-
Applicants must have started their first position, as described above, post-PhD no earlier than July 1, 2022 and no later than December 31, 2026. Special consideration may be given to applicants who have taken parental leave or faced exceptional circumstances.
-
Applicants must engage in research that complements the themes and goals of a recruiting CIFAR research program. Eligible researchers may apply to more than one program. To do so, the candidate must complete a separate application for each.
- Applicants must demonstrate an outstanding record of research achievement and promise of future impact, as shown through reference letters, publications, awards, and other research contributions.
- Applicants should show a strong interest in interdisciplinary engagement to extend and enrich the impact of the applicant's research program.
-
Applicants must be available for a virtual interview on March 23-25, 2027.
- There is no limit to the number of times a candidate may apply over the period of their eligibility.
- CIFAR welcomes applicants from all countries. Applicants must be fluent in spoken and written English.
-
Applicants must 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.
Application Materials
This program funds the person, not a project. CIFAR does not ask for a detailed proposal for a specific project. Instead, CIFAR wants to understand the applicant's research background and how their ideas for future inquiry would contribute to and benefit from interdisciplinary exchange and collaboration within the chosen CIFAR research program. The following components are required (please see the detailed Request for Proposals (RFP) for additional information):
- Summary section
- Detailed section
- Academic CV
- Narrative CV
- Two reference letters
Selection Criteria and Review Process
- Basic Eligibility: CIFAR screens all applications for basic eligibility.
- Program-Level Review: Each participating program forms a sub-committee of CIFAR Fellows and Advisors to evaluate applications using three criteria.
- Inclusive research excellence
- Potential contribution to the program
- Leadership potential
- Interviews: Shortlisted candidates will be notified by mid-February 2027 and invited to participate in a virtual interview on March 23-25, 2027. Interviews are conducted by an independent and diverse Selection Committee that includes academic researchers and professionals with expertise in areas such as science policy, communication, and leadership development. Candidates are evaluated on:
- Capacity and motivation to engage across disciplines
- Communication skills
- Potential for leadership and impact
- Shortlisted candidates are informed of the competition results by early April 2027. CIFAR will publicly announce the cohort in May 2027.
Additional Information and Resources
The detailed Request for Proposals (RFP) is available online. All applications must be submitted using CIFAR's application portal. CIFAR provides instructions for starting an application.
Each recruiting research program will accept up to three new CIFAR Global Scholars. Over the past ten years, an average of 6% of eligible applicants per year have been selected.
Recent Harvard recipients include: Feyaad Allie (Government, 2025), Daniel E. Agbiboa (AAAS, 2024), Carlos Argüelles-Delgado (Physics, 2024), David Yang (Economics, 2021). Applicants may review a complete list of Global Scholars.
Questions from FAS or SEAS faculty about this opportunity may be directed to FAS Research Development. |
