Trudeau Research Fellowships - 2026
Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation
Through its Scholarship, Fellowship, and Mentorship programs, the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation focuses on the Scholars' leadership development
Trudeau Fellowships celebrate and recognize senior academics in Canada who are leaders in their field. They are valued at $300,000 (over three years), and the title, “Trudeau Fellow” is awarded for life. Fellows join a growing community of researchers and creators in an impressive array of fields. They take regular part in events organized by the Trudeau Foundation to disseminate their work and share ideas with national and international experts. Fellowships, therefore support outstanding individuals who have the drive and ability to take on some of the most critical issues of modern society, setting themselves apart through their research achievements, creativity, and social commitment to one or more of the Foundation’s four themes:
- Human Rights And Dignity
- Responsible Citizenship
- Canada in the World
- People and their natural environment
Up to four Fellows will be selected from among full professors in SSHRC-related disciplines at Canadian universities, for a term of three (3) years. The Fellowship is of a total value of $300,000 per Fellow:
- $70,000 as prize;
- $50,000 as research grant;
- Up to $100,000 as possible additional research grant;
- Up to one (1) year of teaching buy-out, with $80,000 in compensation paid to the university.
Eligibility
Candidates must:
- Be senior academics in Canada who are leaders in their field.
- Hold a full-time tenured appointment in a Canadian university at or near the rank of Full Professor with a national or international reputation.
Nomination Process
Candidates must be nominated by a Canadian university.
Western Internal Process
Internal Adjudication submission deadline: September 30, 2025
Internal Adjudication
Western has been invited to submit up to three institutional nominations. Internal applicants must submit the following by September 30, 2025:
- Rationale addressing how you and your work meet the characteristics of a Trudeau Fellow (maximum 3 pages). Trudeau Fellows...
- are senior Canadian academics holding a full-time tenured appointment in a Canadian university and have a national or international reputation;
- tackle important current issues in social sciences and humanities intersecting with one or more of the four themes of the Foundation;
- propose a research project that is innovative and socially significant, pushing research and thinking in new directions;
- have a demonstrated commitment to supporting graduate students;
- have a proven record of academic excellence, as established by their prior success in obtaining research grants;
- are effective communicators willing to engage with a range of actors in society.
- Current CV
- Names and contact information of 3-5 external reviewers
Foundation Nomination Process
A complete nomination will consist of:
- Letter from the Candidate, explainin gtheir interest in the Foundation's Fellowship program (maximum 4 pages)
- Nomination Letter from the University (maximum 4 pages)
- Proposed Fellowship research project, including links to previous or onling research and the expected impact of the Fellowship research funding (maximum 5 pages)
- Academic CV (20 pages maximum)
- Three recommendation letters (4 pages maximum)
EDID Resources
Dedicated support and resources for Indigenous research and Equity Diversity, Inclusion, and Decolonization in research are provided through the Inclusive Research Excellence and Impact team. You can access tailored and curated resources through our webpages (EDID, Indigenous Resources, Knowledge Mobilization) and you can also complete a request for support form to request a consultation and additional assistance. If you are unsure if your nomination involves Indigenous research, it is recommended that you contact the team early for determination and support.
Deadline and Submission
Internal Deadline: September 30, 2025 (submit to rwprizes@uwo.ca)
Foundation Deadline: November 15, 2025
Complete nominations will be submitted by Awards & Distinctions as a PDF to nominations@trudeaufoundation.ca.
Contact
Potential nominees must contact Research Awards & Distinctions at rwprizes@uwo.ca regarding Western Research support and coordination of your nomination.
