Become a Scholar

Academic excellence and intellectual curiosity

Do you have a record of strong academic performance attested to by your transcripts and other forms of educational achievement (e.g., publications, conference presentations)? Are you committed to excellence in research and knowledge dissemination? Are you an original thinker who can engage in constructive critical thinking about society?

Commitment and openness to engaging with a plurality of perspectives

Are you willing to engage with a plurality of people, cultures, institutions, forms of knowledge, ideologies, and perspectives? Can you collaborate respectfully across differences, including with those who hold different opinions and ideologies, to pursue your goals?

Leadership and engagement

Are you engaged in activities and organizations within and beyond academia? Do you aspire to take on more significant leadership roles in your community or organization(s)? Do you have the potential to take your research beyond academia to benefit the wider public?

Participation in Foundation community events

Are you committed to fully participating in all Foundation activities, whether conferences, masterclasses, or seminars, and to engaging respectfully and actively with all participants? 

Core values

We expect our community members to be interested in improving their capacities in both official languages.

We also encourage our members to learn from their peers, Fellows, and Mentors and act authentically and with integrity. 

The Foundation is committed to selecting diverse scholars based on perspectives and disciplines.

1. You are: 

• A Canadian student studying at a Canadian university
• A Canadian student studying at an international university
• An international student studying at a Canadian university

NOTE: Students from international universities that are living outside Canada are not eligible. 

2. At the time of application, you must:

• Be in the first year of a doctoral program
• Be in your second year of a doctoral program

NOTE: Candidates completing their master's degree are no longer eligible for the 2026 scholarship competition.

3. Your field of study is broadly related to the humanities and social sciences or human sciences and is directly relevant to the future of Canada.

4. Your doctoral work must relate to at least one of the Foundation's four general themes: 

• Human Rights and Dignity
• Responsible Citizenship
• Canada and the World
• People and their Natural Environment.

The Foundation asks all applicants to apply directly via its application platform. Universities are not required to nominate their candidates. The Foundation will review and assess all candidates who submit completed applications by the specified deadline. 

We sincerely thank participating universities for any publicity, advertising, and encouragement for student applications they provide to the Pierre Elliot Trudeau Foundation Scholarship. 

Award officers are invited to join webinars/Q&As to learn more about our Scholarship program.

For additional information, please consult our FAQ.