Killam Doctoral Scholarships | Apply Now
Canadian citizens, Permanent Residents, and International students — open to applicants who meet the program and CGRS-D eligibility
Program Overview!
Looking for a top-tier PhD scholarship that rewards outstanding research potential? The Killam Doctoral Scholarships are among UBC’s most prestigious awards — ~25 awards are offered annually and winners receive $40,000 per year (up to 2 years) plus special recognition and possible additional tuition support on the Vancouver campus. Apply if you’re a high-performing doctoral student (or incoming PhD) with a strong research record, meet CGRS-D eligibility, and want a big, reputation-boosting award that helps you focus fully on research.
The University of British Columbia’s Graduate School administers the Killam Doctoral Scholarships in partnership with the Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Fund. The Killam programs were established to support advanced education and research and to recognize students “likely to contribute to the advancement of learning.” Within UBC, these scholarships are awarded via the Affiliated Fellowships competition and carry strong prestige — they are intended for doctoral candidates with exceptional academic and research promise.
The Killam Doctoral Scholarships are awarded to top doctoral candidates identified through UBC’s Affiliated Fellowships — Doctoral competition (which in turn aligns with the national Canada Graduate Research Scholarships — Doctoral (CGRS-D) process). Approximately 25 Killam awards are offered each year to outstanding PhD students; awardees receive a high-value stipend and recognition as Killam scholars. Because Killam winners are drawn from the Affiliated competition, there is no separate Killam application — you participate via the Affiliated/CGRS-D pathways.
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Benefits:
- $40,000 CAD per year for up to two years (stipend).
- Prestige & visibility — Killam scholars are among UBC’s most distinguished doctoral awardees.
- Possible additional tuition support: winners on UBC-Vancouver who qualify become Four Year Fellowship (4YF) holders and may receive extra tuition funding.
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Eligibility Criteria
- Degree level: Doctoral (PhD) students.
- Months of study: Applicants must have completed no more than 24 months of doctoral study as of the scholarship start date. (For the 2026–2027 competition the site specifies this as no more than 24 months as of 1 September 2026 — read carefully for which competition year you’re applying to).
- CGRS-D requirements: Applicants must meet the Canada Graduate Research Scholarships – Doctoral (CGRS-D) eligibility to be considered for Affiliated funding — review CGRS-D rules (research area alignment, enrollment requirements, and documentation). International applicants who are not registered in a PhD program at UBC for the fall term may be ineligible for CGRS-D via UBC.
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Application Process
- Prepare your CGRS-D / Affiliated Fellowships application: follow the CGRS-D instructions and ensure transcripts, referees, research statement, and other supporting documents are ready. (UBC sets an internal deadline: 9 Sept 2025, 12:00 PM PT for CGRS-D/Affiliated applications).
- Complete the Affiliated checklist (if applicable): if you may qualify for criteria-based affiliated awards, list the award numbers in your application and submit the checklist to your graduate program by the application deadline.
- Graduate program ranking & nomination: your graduate program reviews and ranks applications, then forwards nominations to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (nominations due 7 Oct 2025, 4:00 PM PT).
- Adjudication: UBC adjudication committees select nominees for the national CGRS-D competition; top candidates from the Affiliated competition are designated Killam awardees. Results for CGRS-D are typically announced in spring; specific timelines and procedures are on the CGRS-D page.
Typical required documents / items (confirm current checklist on UBC pages): application form (CGRS-D/Affiliated), official transcripts, research proposal/statement, referee assessments, checklist for criteria-based affiliated awards (if relevant), passport/ID for international students
About Killam Doctoral Scholarships
Looking for a top-tier PhD scholarship that rewards outstanding research potential? The Killam Doctoral Scholarships are among UBC’s most prestigious awards — ~25 awards are offered annually and winners receive $40,000 per year (up to 2 years) plus special recognition and possible additional tuition support on the Vancouver campus. Apply if you’re a high-performing doctoral student (or incoming PhD) with a strong research record, meet CGRS-D eligibility, and want a big, reputation-boosting award that helps you focus fully on research.
The University of British Columbia’s Graduate School administers the Killam Doctoral Scholarships in partnership with the Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Fund. The Killam programs were established to support advanced education and research and to recognize students “likely to contribute to the advancement of learning.” Within UBC, these scholarships are awarded via the Affiliated Fellowships competition and carry strong prestige — they are intended for doctoral candidates with exceptional academic and research promise.
The Killam Doctoral Scholarships are awarded to top doctoral candidates identified through UBC’s Affiliated Fellowships — Doctoral competition (which in turn aligns with the national Canada Graduate Research Scholarships — Doctoral (CGRS-D) process). Approximately 25 Killam awards are offered each year to outstanding PhD students; awardees receive a high-value stipend and recognition as Killam scholars. Because Killam winners are drawn from the Affiliated competition, there is no separate Killam application — you participate via the Affiliated/CGRS-D pathways.
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