Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
NSERC is one of the Tri-Council Agencies, along with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). All research that is funded by the Tri-Council Agencies must be in accordance with the Agreement on the Administration of Agency Grants and Awards by Research Institutions. This agreement describes the basic requirements for obtaining and maintaining institutional eligibility to administer research funds. For a full listing of NSERC deadlines, please click here.
2021 Competition Deadlines
Funding Program |
RSO Deadline** |
Final version Submission in Research Portal |
NSERC Deadline |
U of A Approvals Required (obtained through RHP workflow) |
|
|
5 business days |
By 10am of the application submission day (in NSERC On-line System) |
Continuous intake |
Yes |
|
CREATE LOI U of A internal adjudication |
Noon April 1st Send materials to your Research Facilitator |
n/a |
No |
|
|
CREATE LOI |
April 26 |
Before 6 pm May 3 |
May 3 |
Yes |
|
CREATE full application |
Sept 15 |
10 am Sept 22 |
Sept 22 |
Yes |
|
Discovery Horizon (pilot) Grant LOI |
N/A |
Before 6 pm June 15 (in the Convergence Portal) |
June 15 |
No |
|
Discovery Horizon (pilot) Grant |
Oct 11 |
10 am Oct 18 (in the Convergence Portal) |
Oct 18 |
Yes |
|
Discovery Grants NOI |
N/A |
Before 6 pm Aug 2 (in the Research Portal) |
Aug 2 |
No |
|
Discovery Grants Discovery Grants Northern Research Supplements DND-NSERC Discovery Grant Supplements |
Oct 20 |
10 am Oct 29 |
Nov 1 |
Yes |
|
Idea to Innovation (I2I) Grant |
5 business days |
By 10am of the application submission day |
Jan 5, Mar 29, Jun 28, Sep 27 |
Yes |
|
Subatomic Physics RTI Category 1 |
Oct 18 |
10 am Oct 25 (in the Research Portal) |
Oct 25 |
Yes |
|
Subatomic Physics RTI Category 2 and 3 NOI Subatomic Physics MRS NOI Subatomic Physics Discovery Projects >$500,000/yr NOI |
N/A |
Aug 2 |
No |
|
|
Subatomic Physics RTI Category 2 and 3 Subatomic Physics MRS Subatomic Physics Discovery Projects >$500,000/yr |
Sep 24 |
10 am Oct 1 (in the Research Portal) |
Oct 1 |
Yes |
|
RTI Category 1 (Application Checklist) |
Oct 18 |
10 am Oct 25 (in the Research Portal) |
Oct 25 |
Yes |
NSERC Alliance Grants have replaced NSERC CRD, IRC, Engage, Connect, Strategic Partnership Grants programs which are now closed.
**Your faculty may have additional internal submission deadline requirements. Please contact your research facilitator for more information.
For a complete list of NSERC Application Deadlines and Notification of Decisions click here. If you have any questions, please contact your research facilitator.
Self-Identification Data Collection in Support of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
As of Summer 2018, NSERC is asking all applicants for funding competitions (grants, scholarships, and fellowships) to self-identify with information on age, gender, Indigenous identity, and status as a member of a visible minority group or person with a disability. The questionnaire was revised in May 2021 to reflect changes in legislation and as a result of the human rights settlement agreement pertaining to the Canada Research Chairs program. For more information please see Frequently Asked Questions about the Self-identification Questionnaire.