Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)
NSERC is the Canadian federal funding agency that promotes and supports basic university research and partnered-project research in the natural sciences and engineering.
Funding Opportunities
For more information on NSERC funding opportunities, see the Research and Innovation (R+I) Funding Opportunities Database or the NSERC Grants Programs Overview page.
Research services and support for NSERC funding opportunities requiring industry participation are provided by the Industry Partnership team, and by the Office of Sponsored Research (OSR) for all other NSERC opportunities.
Our Services
R+I provides a wide range of services and resources to support applications from McGill researchers to NSERC, such as application guides, workshops, a lending library of successful applications, and grant review services.
Applying for NSERC Funding
Application systems (forms and instructions):
- NSERC Research Portal: for Discovery Grants (DG) and Research Tools and Instruments (RTI). The Canadian Common CV must be completed separately and then linked to the application form. For instructions on completing, submitting and uploading the NSERC CCV, please consult the following page.
- NSERC Online Services: for everything else, including Alliance Grants and CREATE. The Web-based CV (form 100) must also be completed through this system.
Online submission process: Upon submission in either system, the application comes to OSR or to the Industry Partnerships Team for review. The Officer will either return the application to you for editing or forward the application to NSERC after receipt of a completed OSR checklist.
Applicant eligibility: Consult NSERC Eligibility Criteria for Faculty and the Eligibility section of the funding opportunity guidelines to ensure that your affiliation and/or position would make you eligible to apply. Postdoctoral researchers, academic associates and faculty lecturers should contact OSR for details on eligibility implications and internal procedures before initiating an application. Researchers whose work overlaps with research areas typically supported by CIHR or SSHRC should consult SSHRC’s subject matter eligibility guidelines and NSERC’s addendum to ensure that the proposed project is aligned with NSERC’s mandate, and contact OSR for more information.
Administrative guidelines: Consult the Tri-agency Guide on Financial Administration for rules that apply to all NSERC programs, including eligible expenses and fund administration. Additional policies and regulations governing NSERC grants also apply.
