Fulbright Canada-Honouring Nations Student Award for Canadians

Fulbright Canada - Honouring Nations Student Awards

• US$25,000 for one academic year (8 months)
• Grants begin in September 2025
• Program Officer, Recruitment
• Applicants who will have a Ph.D. in hand at the time they would take up the award, should instead apply to the Fulbright Scholar Program.
• Residential academic exchange entails living in the United States for the duration of the grant. Virtual programs are not endorsed.
• Grantees are expected to use the award to cover necessary expenses such as housing, travel, school fees and other academic expenditures.
• Fulbright enrichment opportunities are also available on a competitive basis.

The Fulbright Canada - Honouring Nations Student Award, established by Fulbright Canada and the Samuel Centre for Social Connectedness, supports Canadian graduate students, prospective graduate students, or promising young professionals. These awards are dedicated to advancing research that focuses on critical Indigenous issues and fostering social connectedness and belonging within Indigenous communities.

These residential exchange awards may be held at any university, research center, think tank, or government agency in the United States.

Explore a wide range of scholarly issues, including important contemporary issues that are relevant to Canada, the United States, and to the relationship between our two countries. Research topics should emphasize building belonging and social connectedness. Relevant fields include, but are not limited to:

• Indigenous conceptions of belonging
• Social connectedness
• Inequality
• Loneliness
• Polarization

Research can also intersect with areas such as:

• Public policy
• Urban planning
• Healthcare
• Environmental studies

Additional Eligibility

Applicants must be Canadian citizens.

Applicants should be planning to enroll in a graduate program in the United States, enrolled in a graduate program in Canada and planning to undertake field research in the United States, or early career independent researchers who are working in a compelling and socially impactful focus or project area on building belonging and social connectedness.

Applicants must demonstrate leadership potential, flexibility, and adaptability.

Applicants must also meet the Fulbright Canada Student Award eligibility criteria.

Added Benefits

Awardees will benefit from both the academic support and resources of the Fulbright Canada Student Award. Grantees will gain access to the Samuel Center for Social Connectedness and its Belonging Lab, providing valuable academic and practical resources.

Canadian students can take up the award in one of three ways

• Formal enrolment awards are intended for students who plan to enroll in a graduate program at an American university. The student must seek admission at the same time as they apply for a Fulbright award. The award would support the first eight months of the student’s graduate degree.
• Research awards are intended for students enrolled in a graduate program at a Canadian university, and who wish to conduct research in the United States that will support their Canadian degree. The award would support the student’s eight-month academic year in the United States.
• Independent research awards are intended for researchers who have completed an undergraduate degree or a master’s degree at a Canadian university and who wish to pursue one academic year of independent research in the United States.

Affiliation

All grantees must have an approved affiliation with an appropriate host (i.e., a university or other research-oriented institution) in the United States and are responsible for securing such affiliation and documenting it in the application. Applicants are encouraged to establish an affiliation with the intended host institution at an early stage and ideally have a fallback position. Applicants must list their potential host institution(s) in the Statement of Grant Purpose.

HOW TO APPLY

Create an online application for the Fulbright Canada Student Award.

Select the Fulbright Canada – Honouring Nations Student Award when completing your application.

Follow the Study/Research Objectives guidelines as per the application guidelines.

Try to address the following questions in your Study/Research Objectives:

• Why is your research significant and relevant, and what potential social impact does it aim to achieve?
• How does your research foster a sense of community, belonging, and social connectedness?
• How will access to the resources and support from the Samuel Center for Social Connectedness and its Belonging Lab enhance your research and amplify its impact?

 

The Samuel Centre for Social Connectedness (SCSC) is dedicated to understanding and addressing the causes and consequences of social isolation and promoting a sense of belonging and community. Through research, advocacy, and collaboration with partners around the globe, SCSC aims to create inclusive societies where everyone can thrive. The Centre's Belonging Lab specifically focuses on fostering connections within and across communities, leveraging innovative research and practical initiatives to bridge social divides. By partnering with SCSC, the Fulbright Canada - Honouring Nations Student Award provides awardees with access to invaluable resources and networks, enhancing their research impact and supporting their professional development.

how to Apply