the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Scholarship for PhD students 2023, Canada

Deadline for applications: December 2, 2022

Are you eligible?

Are you ready to embark on a leadership development journey rooted in Brave Spaces?

To apply to the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Scholarship, you must meet the following eligibility criteria:

1) You must be already accepted into or in year one or two of a full-time doctoral program, and expected to complete your doctoral studies in 2026 or later.

2) Your field of study is broadly related to the humanities or human sciences of direct relevance to the future of Canada; (please refer to the FAQ for more details and read up on past scholarship recipients)

3) Your doctoral work must relate to at least one of the Foundation’s Four Themes: Human Rights and Dignity, Responsible Citizenship, Canada and the World, People and their Natural Environment.

4) Be a Canadian citizen studying at a Canadian or foreign institution, or a non-Canadian (permanent resident of Canada or foreign national) enrolled in a doctoral program at a Canadian institution.

Here’s what we’re looking for

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 in the context of Brave Spaces? Are you able to collaborate respectfully across difference, including with those who hold different opinions and ideologies, in order to pursue your goals?

Academic excellence and intellectual capacity

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

Leadership and engagement

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

Agility and tenacity

Are you resourceful, adaptable, and tenacious in the face of adversity? Are you willing to be challenged and take risks in order to bring about meaningful impact in your community or institution(s)?

Other considerations:

• Young researchers who are at the beginning of their professional career will be given priority and special circumstances can be taken into consideration.
• Willingness to embark on a transformative leadership journey which will require commitment, humility, emotional investment, and self-reflection.
• Interest in learning more about Canada in the World: The Future of Foreign Policy, the scientific cycle for 2023-2026.
• Commitment to participate fully in all mandatory activities of the program:
  • Community Retreat in June 2023
  • Institute of Engaged Leadership in – Spring 2024
  • Institute of Engaged Leadership in– Autumn 2024
  • Impact Conference, for which participation is required over years two and three to be presented to the public in Spring 2026
  • Participation in different events (mandatory and optional) on an ongoing basis
• Commitment to improving your abilities in the Canadian official language with which you are less familiar and an interest in becoming familiar with Indigenous Languages.
• Commitment to volunteer service or community initiatives (requirements are flexible in the context of the pandemic)
• Authenticity and integrity
• Willingness to learn from peers, Fellows and Mentors

The Foundation is committed to selecting a diverse group of Scholars, including diversity in terms of gender, race, disability, language, socioeconomic background, Indigenous knowledge, and region of origin, as well as in terms of perspectives and disciplines.

By design, each cohort is selected to be diverse.

What does the Scholarship cover?  

Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Scholars receive: 

• Up to $40,000 per year for three years to cover tuition and reasonable living expenses to support Scholars to focus on their doctoral studies and the Foundation’s leadership program. 
• Tailored leadership training from our Fellows and Mentors, for each cohort of Scholars, notably in the context of our Institutes of Engaged Leadership, which are held twice a year, in Canada and abroad, as well as related travel and accommodations (for an approximate value of $5,000).
• Opportunities to acquire greater proficiency in Canada’s official languages (French and English) as well as Indigenous languages for up to $5,000 a year. 
• Up to $10,000 per year for three years, as a research, networking, and travel allowance related to the Scholar’s doctoral research. 
• Membership in a vibrant community of Scholars, Mentors, and Fellows, all of whom are leaders in their respective disciplines and sectors, and lifelong membership in the Foundation’s alumni network. 

2023 competition key dates

September 29, 2022 9:00 a.m. EDT

2023 application period opens 

December 2, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. EST

Deadline to apply directly to the Foundation.

February 6, 2023

Invitation to semi-finalists for Round One group interviews

February 20 to 23, 2023

Round One: Virtual group interviews and information sessions with semi-finalists 

March 10, 2023

Invitation to finalists for Round Two individual interviews

March 28 to 30, 2023

Round Two: Final interviews with members of the Application and Nomination Review Committee 

End of May 2023

Official announcement of 2023 Scholars 

More information on application process / Official Website HERE.