Western Postdoctoral Fellowship Program
Western’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program awards funding to postdoctoral scholars who contribute to the stimulation of research, scholarship, and creative activity across the institution.
Grounded in the guiding principles of the Western Research Strategic Plan "Mobilize for Impact!" (2022-2027), which fits within the broader context of "Towards Western at 150", the Postdoctoral Fellowship program aspires to:
- Attract diverse postdoctoral talent from a global candidate pool, who will contribute positively to research excellence;
- Enhance support for promising research programs;
- Foster a vibrant and inclusive environment for scholars and position them for success as early career researchers.
Application Deadline:
- April 29, 2025: ROLA Deadline
- May 6, 2025, 3 p.m. EDT: Application Deadline (including Referee Letters)
- May- June 2025: Selection Committee Review
- June 2025: Communication of Results
- July 2025- June 2026: Successful Candidates' Start Date
Application Guidelines:
WPDF Streams
Subject to available funding, Western Research is pleased to offer three streams of Western Postdoctoral Fellowship awards for the 2025 competition:
- Stream 1: Postdoctoral fellowship awards
- Stream 2: For projects in biotherapeutics (up to 3 awards)
- Stream 3: For projects that support PIs with an active SSHRC Insight Grant (up to 2 awards)
For further details about each stream, please access the full Program Guidelines.
Value and duration:
- Fellowships will provide a minimum stipend of $70,000/year (pending any association agreement changes) plus recoverable benefits and a $5,000/year research allowance for two years.
- Matching requirement: Western Research will contribute 50% of the base fellowship (stipend and recoverable benefits), plus a $5,000/year research allowance for a total maximum contribution of $90,997 over the term of the postdoctoral fellowship (maximum 2 years). The host faculty and/or supervisor is responsible for securing, at minimum, the remaining 50% of the stipend/benefits.
Eligibility:
- The applicant's PhD (including PhD-equivalent or health professional degree) must have been granted (official convocation/graduation date) within five (5) years prior to the proposed start date of their award, unless documented career interruptions or special circumstances apply (see b) below). For applicants with a PhD in progress, it is expected this documentation will be provided and that all PhD requirements will be met by the start date of the award.
- Various life events may interrupt and affect the applicant's project work, career trajectory and academic achievements within the outlined five-year period mentioned above. The five-year window of eligibility could be extended if:
- Applicants can provide additional details in the application section "7. Career Interruptions and Exceptional Circumstances outlining the nature and dates of these circumstances for consideration by the adjudication committee relating to applicant eligibility and relevant research progress.
- Relevant circumstances may include parental leave, child-rearing, illness, disability, cultural or community responsibilities, socioeconomic challenges and context, or health- related family responsibilities and pandemic-related difficulties.
- Applicants who currently hold a postdoctoral position or have previously held a postdoctoral position at Western are not eligible to apply. Applicants are considered to currently hold a postdoctoral position at Western if they are registered as postdoctoral scholars with the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies at Western prior to the application deadline.
- Applicants cannot currently hold a permanent faculty position, or a faculty position leading to permanency.
- Successful applicants cannot hold a postdoctoral position at another institution while holding this award. Applicants awarded a Western Postdoctoral Fellowship who hold a postdoctoral position at another institution must formally end that appointment before the start date of the award. Applicants who secure a position at another institution during the tenure of the Western Postdoctoral Fellowship must terminate their award prior to taking up their new position, and any remaining funding will be returned to Western Research and the faculty/supervisor.
- Applicants must secure written commitment of a qualified faculty member at Western who has the expertise, experience and capacity to act as the host Supervisor of the grantee and their proposed project (see instructions for the Supervisor's Statement; attachment on the application form). Supervisors must also hold a research-eligible position at Western.
- Western Research may consider applications where postdoctoral scholars are also retained by Western to teach one or more courses. In these cases, the proposed fellowship will be reduced proportionally to remunerated teaching on a case-by-case basis in consultation with SGPS.
- Applicants who are not Canadian citizens will be required to secure all necessary permits, visas, or documentation required by all relevant jurisdictions. More information can be found on Western's School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies' website.
Submission:
- Internal program applications must be accompanied by a completed ROLA proposal, reviewed and approved by the Department Chair and Faculty Dean.
- Program applications must be received by the Western Research Internal Grants online submission portal before the posted deadline.
Final Report:
The postdoc and the supervisor must submit final reports no later than 3 months after the award is completed. Please click here to access the final report feedback form.
