The University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) Postdoctoral Fellowship Program (UTSC PFP) is designed to provide outstanding recent doctoral students with advanced training in their field of study. These scholarships are not discipline-specific but rather can be held in any department or research unit across U of T Scarborough Opens a new window . New recruits are encouraged to apply.
Postdoctoral fellows must secure sponsorship of a supervisor(s) from the professoriate at U of T Scarborough. UTSC supervisor(s) must nominate their prospective postdoctoral fellow following the timeline and processes outlined below.
Value and Duration
Up to three UTSC Postdoctoral Fellowships are offered in each application cycle.
Each fellowship provides either USD 59,000 (full fellowship) or USD 29,500 (partial fellowship) per year toward the postdoctoral fellow's minimum annual gross salary and employer-paid costs.
The CUPE 3902 Unit 5 Collective Agreement expired on December 31, 2025. Until further notice, this fellowship assumes a minimum postdoctoral salary of USD 50,000 and Employer costs: Standard Benefit Rate (SBR) payable at a rate of 10.5% and the PDF Levy, payable at a rate of 6%.
Full Fellowship
Fellowship Value : USD59,000/year
Example – Annual Salary : USD50,000
Estimated Employer-Paid Costs (on a salary of USD50,000) : ~USD9,000
Total Estimated Employment Cost : ~USD59,000
Supervisor/Unit Contribution Required : If salary, benefits, or employer costs exceed the fellowship value
Partial Fellowship
Fellowship Value : USD29,500/year
Example – Annual Salary : USD50,000
Estimated Employer-Paid Costs (on a salary of USD50,000) : ~ USD 9,000
Total Estimated Employment Cost : ~USD 59,000
Supervisor/Unit Contribution Required : Minimum USD 29,500/year, plus any additional salary, benefit, or employer cost increases*
The postdoctoral fellow's salary will be determined by the supervisor in accordance with departmental norms and the CUPE 3902 Unit 5 Collective Agreement Opens a new window .
Partially funded fellowships require supervisors to match the fellowship award (USD 29,500) and cover the cost of any salary increases or changes to employer costs. Supervisor and/or unit contributions to a partially funded fellowship must be paid from an account held at UTSC, as the primary research site for the Postdoctoral Fellows is on the UTSC campus.
Whether awardees receive a full or partial fellowship, any costs that exceed the fellowship value, including salary increases or changes to employer costs, are the responsibility of the Supervisor/Department.
Eligibility
Nominees must
• Demonstrate academic excellence and strong potential for success in their field of research.
• Have obtained, or expect to obtain, a PhD or equivalent degree. Funds cannot be released until all doctoral degree requirements have been met.
• Normally have completed their degree within the last three years at the start of the fellowship. Any special circumstances, including parental or medical leave, will be taken into consideration.
• Apply for the fellowship under the supervision of a tenure-stream or tenured faculty member at U of T Scarborough.
• Have not previously engaged in more than one postdoctoral appointment.
Recipients must :
• Register and remain registered with the Postdoctoral Office at the School of Graduate Studies (SGS), as required by University policy.
• Hold the fellowship under the supervision of a tenure-stream or tenured faculty member at U of T Scarborough.
• Not concurrently hold another postdoctoral fellowship.
• Not hold a tenure-stream or tenured faculty position, nor can they be on leave from such a position.
• Have completed all requirements for their doctoral degree before fellowship funds can be released.
Application Process
Applicants should collaborate with their potential supervisor on the application for this award. This includes coordinating the application components and ensuring that referees are identified and confirmed early in the application preparation process.
Eligible supervisors must have a tenure-stream or tenured (primary) appointment at U of T Scarborough and the primary research site for the Postdoctoral Fellow must be the UTSC campus.
Given the competitive nature of the program, faculty members can only nominate ONE postdoctoral applicant each year.
The application process has two components :
• A notice of intent by October 27, 2026 (11:59 PM), via MS Forms
• An application package as one PDF file by November 10, 2026 (11:59 PM) to the UTSC Graduate and Postdoc Dropbox
Incomplete applications or late submissions will not be considered.
Application Components
The prospective supervisor should assemble all application components, and submit it according to the Dropbox Submission Guidelines (see below). This application package should include:
• UTSC Postdoctoral Fellowship Program Nomination Form
o The nominating supervisor should indicate on the Nomination Form if the nominee is to be considered for a fully funded fellowship or a partially funded fellowship.
o Partially funded fellowships require supervisors and/or units to match the fellowship award (USD 29,500) per year. Supervisor and/or unit contributions to a partially funded fellowship must be paid from an account held at UTSC, as the primary research site for the Postdoctoral Fellows is on the UTSC campus.
o The Budgetary Chair’s endorsement of the application is required.
• Supervisor’s Nomination Letter of Support (maximum two pages)
o Please comment in clear, non-specialist language suitable for an interdisciplinary audience on the nominee's research potential, the quality of the proposed research environment and resources available to the applicant, and how the fellowship will advance the nominee’s career development.
• Statement of Research Intent (maximum two pages)
o Should describe the proposed research project the postdoctoral fellow will engage in using clear, non-specialist language suitable for an interdisciplinary audience, highlighting the importance and impact of the research and how it fits into their academic/professional goals. Emphasis will be placed on the project’s novelty and significance considering the norms and expectations of its field. Reference list or bibliographies are required for the proposal and will be included in an extra page.
• Nominee’s C.V. (maximum 5 pages)
• Research Contributions & Leadership (maximum 3 pages)
o We value the full range of contributions across the natural and social sciences, humanities, arts, and related fields. These include publications and creative works; datasets, tools and methods; partnerships and community engaged research; knowledge sharing and public communication; and products, services or advice that benefit organizations or society. We also recognize leadership in research teams, organizations and professional communities, as well as contributions to policy and practice, professional service, equity and accessibility, and Indigenous knowledge and ways of knowing. Some contributions may be documented in confidential reports when sensitive information must be protected. Applicants should explain the significance of their work and its value to the people or communities it serves.
• Two Academic Reference Letters (maximum 2 pages)
o Nominees should arrange for the reference writers to submit the letters directly to the prospective supervisor in a timely fashion (ideally by November 2).
o The proposed supervisor cannot act as a referee.
Selection Criteria
Applicants will be assessed based upon the following criteria:
1. Excellence of the applicant:
o Experience of the applicant relative to career stage and discipline
o Quality, quantity and significance of past research activity and published output relative to career stage
o The ability of the fellowship to advance the applicant’s career development
2. Quality of the proposed research project:
o Significance and expected contributions to research
o Appropriateness and feasibility of the approach
3. Environment for the Research
o Suitability/sufficiency of the research environment and available resources at UTSC
Application Deadline : November 10, 2026 (11:59 PM)
Results : February 2027
Fellowship Start-Date : between May 1, 2027, and January 15, 2028
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