The Fellowship is a central tool in the Foundation's 2025–2028 mission to support academic excellence, societal engagement, and increased intellectual outreach. The award is a public recognition of the Fellows' outstanding academic achievements and a promise of future transformative contributions.
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.
• are senior academics in Canada who are leaders in their field. They are academics holding a full-time tenured appointment in a Canadian university at or near the rank of Full Professor with 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.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
When does the nomination process open and close?
The 2026 Fellowship nomination process opens on September 1, 2025, and closes on November 15, 2025. No nomination will be accepted after November 15, 2025, at 5 p.m. (ET). Incomplete or partial applications are not accepted.
How are applications to be submitted?
A complete package must be submitted by the home university to the Foundation by email: nominations@trudeaufoundation.ca
Can I apply myself?
No. Candidates must be nominated by their home university. Direct applications are not accepted.
How many candidates may a university put forward each year?
Canadian universities with one or more doctoral programs in the humanities and social sciences are invited to submit up to three nominations per year; all other Canadian universities may submit one nomination per year.
What does the nomination package look like?
A nomination package for the Fellowship must include the following elements:
(1) a presentation letter from the candidate, explaining their interest in the Foundation’s Fellowship program;
(2) a letter of nomination from the candidate’s home university;
(3) a three- to five-page presentation of the proposed Fellowship research project, including links to previous or ongoing research and the expected impact of the Fellowship research funding;
(4) the candidate’s academic curriculum vitae (max. 20 pages);
(5) three recommendation letters (two to four pages maximum).
Do you have any tips on choosing referres?
We encourage referees be chosen based on their capacity to clearly demonstrate the candidate's academic leadership in their research area, how the candidate is impactful in knowledge creation and dissemination; and how the candidate contributes to the development of graduate students and the community.
Is there a word limit on any of the letters from the candidate, nominator, or referees?
No, there is no word limit but quality trumps quantity. A letter should not be longer than 3-4 pages.
Can references be included in the presentation of the proposed Fellowship research project document?
Yes, references can be included as annexes to the document.
Are travel costs to attend the in-person interview in Montreal covered by the Foundation? Are virtual interviews permitted if the candidate is not available to travel?
No Travel costs are covered by the Foundation and in-person interviews are preferred.
Is the membership of the review committee public (and if not, how is the committee comprised)?
Members of our selection committees are mentioned in our Annual Reports, following the selection processes.
Is the membership of the review committee public (and if not, how is the committee comprises) ? How should the nomination package be submitted (e. g., as a single PDF file?)
A single PDF would be appreciated.
Are the four Foundation themes of importance for the application?
Yes, they are. Candidates’ research must be linked to one or several of the four Foundation themes (Human Rights and Dignity; Responsible Citizenship; Canada and the world; People and their natural environment) and must integrate itself in the general field of humanities and social sciences.
What kind of candidates is the Foundation looking for?
Candidates are senior academics in Canada who are leaders in their field. They are academics holding a full-time tenured appointment in a Canadian university at or near the rank of Full Professor with a national or international reputation.
Candidates tackle important current issues in social sciences and humanities intersecting with one or more of the four themes of the Foundation.
Candidates propose a research project that is innovative and socially significant, pushing research and thinking in new directions.
Candidates have a demonstrated commitment to supporting graduate students.
Candidates have a proven record of academic excellence, as established by their prior success in obtaining research grants.
Candidates are effective communicators willing to engage with a range of actors in society.
What happens after the submission by the university?
A selection committee will determine a limited number of short-listed candidates who will be invited for an in-person interview in Montréal, QC, held usually end of February or early March. Only candidates invited for an interview will be informed. Following the interview a final selection will be made by the selection committee which will be approved by the Board of Directors of the Foundation.
When will the successful candidates be informed?
Successful candidates will usually be informed by the end of April.
How many Fellows are chosen per year?
The Foundation nominates up to four (4) Fellows per year, chosen among full professors at Canadian universities, for a mandate of three (3) years.
What is the total value of the Fellowship?
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.
What are the Fellow’s obligations once chosen?
Fellows will join other community members (Scholars, Fellows, and Mentors). Involvement in the Foundation's programming is strongly encouraged. The Foundation requires Fellows to participate in the Foundation's annual summer schools and a second event organized by the Foundation each year; participation in Foundation conferences is encouraged but not mandatory; before the end of their term, all Fellows give a presentation on their research (P.E. Trudeau Talks). During their term, Fellows will identify themselves as “Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Fellow.”
For all other questions, contact Mai-Gee Hum, Program Director (mghum@trudeaufoundation.ca).