
The Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Scholarship brings together remarkable individuals from various disciplines and backgrounds with a shared interest in making Canada and the world a better place into a life-changing community. It's about more than money.
We are looking for students with exceptional qualities.
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.
Candidates must meet the eligibility criteria.
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.
Applicants should apply directly through the Foundation’s platform by the deadline, with no university nominations needed, and universities are thanked for their support in promoting the scholarship.
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.
Interested candidates are encouraged to consult the FAQ section for more information.
For additional information, please consult our FAQ.
The Selection Process
Eligible applications, duly completed and submitted by November 17, 2025 at 4 p.m. EST, are subject to the multi-stage selection process.
Selection Process
& Key Dates
2026 Competition
September 9, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. EST
2026 Application period opens
September 18, 2025
Awards officers’ meeting (informal Q&A + Formal presentation)
- French – 11 a.m.: [Register here]
- English – 2 p.m.: [Register here]
October 7, 2025
1st candidates' information sessions
- French – 11:30 a.m.: [Register here]
- English – 2 p.m.: [Register here]
October 22, 2025
2nd candidates' information sessions
- French – 11:30 a.m.: [Register here]
- English – 2 p.m.: [Register here]
November 12, 2025 at 9:00 p.m. EST
Deadline to submit references
November 17, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. EST
Deadline to apply to the Foundation.
January 26, 2026
Invitation to semi-finalists for Round One group interviews
February 10 to 12, 2026
Round 1: Virtual group interviews and information sessions with semi-finalists
February 19, 2025
Invitation to finalists for Round Two individual interviews
March 10 to 13, 2026
Round 2: Final interviews with members of the Selection Committee
April 10, 2026
Official announcement of the 2026 Scholars