Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Doctoral Scholarship
The Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Doctoral Scholarship is one of Canada's most prestigious awards for PhD students working in the humanities and social sciences. Each year the Foundation selects up to 20 Scholars from Canadian and international applicants enrolled at Canadian universities. The award funds three years of doctoral study and includes mentorship, public engagement training, and a Canada-wide community of Scholars, Mentors and Fellows. Sri Lankan PhD researchers already in (or about to enter) the first two years of a Canadian doctorate in fields like governance, public policy, human rights, sustainability or development are strong candidates.
2026 cycle closed 17 Nov 2025 — 2027 competition expected to open mid-2026
Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation
External Organization-funded
emoji_events Award Overview
Total Value
Up to CAD 180,000
Duration
3 Years (PhD)
Travel Allowance
CAD 20,000/yr included
info How this award actually works
This is a separate, highly competitive application
Awards from external organisations like this one run their own selection round against applicants from across the world, and success rates are usually in the low single digits. Lanka Scholar does not administer it and cannot submit it for you. Treat it as a bonus on top of a funded study plan — never as the plan itself.
Who awards it
Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation — not Lanka Scholar. We are not the awarding body and cannot grant, reserve or guarantee this award.
How you are considered
Through a separate application round run by the funder, with its own forms, deadlines and shortlisting. You submit it yourself — it is not part of a university admission application.
What it covers
Up to CAD 60,000/yr (incl. travel) × 3 years. Read the terms carefully: even fully-funded awards rarely cover every cost, and any shortfall is yours to fund.
Where we come in
We help you judge whether this award is worth your time, and build a realistic admission plan that works whether or not you win it.
fact_check Eligibility Criteria
Year of Doctoral Study
Must be enrolled full-time in the first or second year of a PhD program by the start of the awarded academic year. Late-stage PhDs are not eligible.
Nationality
Open to Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and foreign nationals — Sri Lankan students enrolled at a Canadian university qualify.
Research Focus
Doctoral research must fall within the humanities or social sciences and address one of the Foundation's four themes: human rights & dignity, responsible citizenship, Canada and the world, or people and their environment.
Engaged Leadership
Strong record of leadership, public engagement and the ability to communicate research beyond academia — this is weighted as heavily as the research proposal itself.
account_tree Application Process
Confirm doctoral enrolment
Secure admission to a Canadian PhD program in an eligible field. You apply directly to the Foundation — no university nomination is required, but your graduate supervisor must support your application.
Build the application package
- Research proposal aligned to one of the four Foundation themes
- Statement of leadership and engagement experience
- CV, transcripts, two letters of reference
- Endorsement from your PhD supervisor
Submit by mid-November
Applications are submitted via the Foundation's online portal (trudeaufoundation.ca). The 2026 deadline was 17 November 2025; the 2027 cycle will follow a similar calendar.
Interview & selection
Shortlisted candidates are interviewed in spring. New Scholars are announced in May/June and join the Foundation cohort the following autumn.
Beyond the Funding
Trudeau Scholars join a structured network with Mentors (senior leaders from politics, business and civil society) and Fellows (distinguished researchers). It is one of the few Canadian doctoral awards that bundles funding with formal mentorship and a public-engagement curriculum.
Up to 20
Scholars/Yr
CAD 180k
Total Award (3 yrs)
4 Themes
Humanities & Social Sciences
Looking for a scholarship because of the cost?
Then start here instead. Scholarships are competitive, usually partial, and decided by someone else — they are the least reliable way to make studying abroad affordable. Your destination and course choice move the number far more, and both are entirely within your control.
Work out your real number
Tuition, living costs, visa funds and flights for your destination — so you know the gap you are actually trying to close.
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Check the requirement arrow_forwardSimilar Scholarships
Other curated opportunities for Sri Lankan students.
Merit Scholarship Programme for Foreign Students (PBEEE)
Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ)
UBC Four Year Doctoral Fellowship (4YF)
University of British Columbia (UBC)
Canada Graduate Scholarships – Doctoral (CGS-D)
Government of Canada (Tri-Agency)