On this page
- Award Overview
- Purpose
- Eligibility
- Selection Criteria
- Nomination Process
- Results
- Contacts & Resources
- Other Information
- Award Category: Postdoctoral Awards, International Awards
- Applications open: September 9, 2026
- UTM Department due date to OVPAD: November 9, 2026
- Candidate due date to UTM Department: set by each department - candidates are encouraged to confirm this due date with their department, as may be much earlier than November 9, 2026
- Value: see UTM Postdoctoral Fellowship Programs below
- Duration: 2 years
- Required legal status: Domestic / International
- Results: February 2027
The University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM)’s Office of the Vice-Principal Academic & Dean (OVPAD) is administering 2 fellowship programs in fall 2026: the (1) Research Excellence Postdoctoral Fellows Program (REPFP) and the (2) UTM Postdoctoral Fellowship Award (UTM PDF Award). Using this single Fall 2026 UTM Postdoctoral Fellowship Competition nomination process, candidates will automatically be considered for both programs. Candidates are encouraged to review the program-specific criteria outlined for each call to ensure eligibility prior to submitting an application to their department.
UTM Postdoctoral Fellowship Calls
These awards are open to both domestic and international candidates. Successful international candidates must meet all Canadian immigration requirements.
At minimum, all candidates must:
- Have demonstrated academic excellence, proven capacity to conceptualize and execute independent research beyond their doctoral work, and evidence of intellectual leadership in their chosen field;
- Expect to complete all doctoral degree requirements by the time the fellowship commences and be within five years from the completion of their degree;
- Not have previously engaged in more than one postdoctoral appointment at the University of Toronto or elsewhere; and
- Not currently holding or have held a REPFP or UTM PDF Award
Note: Applications from scholars who are not already postdocs at UTM or the University of Toronto more broadly, and/or who have earned their graduate degrees from institutions other than the University of Toronto, will receive priority consideration.
Supervisors:
- Proposed supervisors must have a tenured or tenure stream appointment in a UTM Academic Department.
- Cannot be the applicant’s current or former Ph.D. supervisor and normally not a PhD committee member.
- A UTM faculty member with a primary budgetary appointment at UTM and an appointment with a graduate unit at the University of Toronto must be the primary supervisor.
Award Recipients must:
- Have completed all degree requirements prior to the start of the fellowship;
- Be engaged as a postdoctoral employee at UTM (teaching hospital postdocs are not employees of the university);
- Be hired by a UTM supervisor with a UTM budgetary appointment and an appointment with a graduate unit at the University of Toronto.
- Register and remain registered with the Postdoctoral Office at the School of Graduate Studies (SGS);
- Not concurrently hold another major fellowship or be on leave from a fellowship at the start of the award or throughout the duration of the award
- Not hold a faculty position or be on leave from such position; and
- Begin the postdoctoral position within 12 months of the award letter
1. Quality of Proposed Research / Scholarship Proposal (50%)
Criterion | Description (illustrative examples) |
Originality & Significance | Innovation and originality of the proposed research; potential to advance knowledge or understanding in the field; demonstrates independence from prior doctoral and supervisors’ research. |
Impact & Relevance | Scholarly, cultural, or societal significance; alignment with U of T’s research priorities & UTM’s strategic framework; potential for meaningful contribution to the discipline. |
Feasibility & Rigor | Clarity, coherence and feasibility of research questions/challenge, objectives, methods, and timeline. Research is grounded in relevant literature and demonstrates appropriate consideration of risks, ethics, and resources to ensure success. |
Research Environment & Support | Excellence of proposed UTM supervisor and department (leadership in the field); institutional/departmental/supervisor mentorship, infrastructure (e.g., space, facilities) and other resources to foster scholarly independence and research success, consistent with Tri-Agency Guidelines for Effective Research Training |
Long-Term Potential & Outcomes | Potential of the proposed research to generate significant scholarly contributions, and create scholarly opportunities to support a high-impact career trajectory. |
2. Research Experience and Potential (50%)
Criterion | Description (illustrative examples) |
Academic & Research Background | Strength and relevance of academic and research training; evidence of readiness to undertake advanced independent research; timely completion of doctoral studies (with context, i.e., program, leaves, delays, considered). |
Research Achievements & Recognition* | Quality and impact of scholarly outputs (publications, awards, presentations, etc.); demonstration of intellectual excellence, creativity, and emerging leadership. |
Research Trajectory | Demonstrated progress toward establishing an impactful research program, with potential for significant independent contributions at the University of Toronto and for sustained long-term research excellence. Evidence of emerging research leadership through scholarly achievement, development of productive collaborations, mentorship of trainees, and engagement that advances the broader research enterprise. |
*While journal impact factors may be considered, assessment of quality and impact should involve a broader evaluation of research contributions (see San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment - DORA, 2012).
The REPFP program places significant emphasis on demonstrating the independence of the proposed research from a prospective supervisor's ongoing research program. Applications that clearly establish the candidate's intellectual leadership, originality, and independent research direction are more likely to be competitive for a REPFP award.
Candidates must select one of the following broad disciplinary areas:
- Science
- Social Science
- Humanities
Departmental Nominations:
- Each UTM academic department may submit up to two nominations. Departments with eligible nominees representing all three broad disciplinary areas (Science, Social Science, and Humanities) may submit one additional nomination, for a maximum of three nominations.
- Departments with representation in two or more broad disciplinary areas, as defined above, are expected to distribute nominations across those areas. If a department is unable to submit a nomination in one disciplinary area, the nomination opportunity may be reassigned to another eligible area within the department. For departments with representation in three disciplines, no more than two nominations may be submitted in any broad disciplinary area. The OVPAD adjudication process will consider each nominee within their declared discipline.
- UTM academic departments are expected to conduct an internal review process and identify the nominations they wish to prioritize for institutional consideration.
- Nominations must come from within UTM academic departments – nominations from other divisions will not be considered.
- Faculty in an EDU with a primary budgetary appointment in a UTM department must apply through their department.
Award Distribution:
- Awards will normally be distributed across disciplines.
- A total of six awards are available, including three REPFP Awards and three UTM PDF Awards. In each of the broad disciplinary areas, one REPFP Award and one UTM PDF Award will be offered.
Candidates interested in the UTM Postdoctoral Fellowship Competitions should contact a prospective UTM supervisor, who should then contact their UTM academic department to confirm departmental deadlines and processes.
UTM academic departments will set their own internal deadlines and application processes. Each department has jurisdiction over its internal adjudication process.
Candidates should submit their portion of the application package (items 3-6 below) to their proposed UTM supervisor. The proposed supervisor is responsible for compiling the complete application package and submitting it to their academic department contact by the department’s internal deadline.
Departmental Submission:
The deadline for UTM academic departments to submit complete application packages via the Departmental Nomination Form to the OVPAD is Monday November 9, 2026. Late applications will not be accepted.
The application package should be uploaded as a PDF using 12 pt font and a minimum margin of ¾ inch (1.87 cm) with the following components in the order as listed below. Applications will be deemed ineligible if the formatting and page limit restrictions are not adhered to.
Prior to submitting the Departmental Nomination Form, please note that information pertaining to the postdoctoral candidate, the supervisor, and the departmental nomination process will be requested during the submission process. You are required to review the nomination checklist and have all required information available before beginning the form.
The components of the application package listed below cover the requirements of both postdoctoral fellowship programs. All materials are required, as applications to both programs will be reviewed through a single adjudication process.
Application package should include:
- A supervisor statement from the primary faculty supervisor (and co-supervisor, if applicable) (max. two pages). The statement should:
- describe the alignment between the research interests/background of the supervisor and candidate, how the proposed research complements the supervisor’s ongoing projects and/or new research directions, and any anticipated mutual benefits; this includes how the collaboration will support the candidate’s transition to research independence and long-term career success.
- reveal information specific to the field of study (e.g., benchmarks of excellence, publication norms/standards/practices, impact factor of research contributions) that would otherwise not be known outside the discipline.
- provide details regarding the candidate’s proposed research environment, clearly stating the supervisor’s and department or graduate unit’s commitment, if applicable. Examples of commitment include (but are not limited to) mentorship, opportunities for collaboration, space, equipment, and materials.
- dissemination, and/or knowledge translation, resources (e.g., funding, facilities, personnel) that will be available to support the candidate as they carry out their proposed research; and how these resources will enable the candidate to establish a sustainable, independent research program.
- illustrate the supervisor’s commitment to the candidate’s academic professional trajectory and development of an independent research program, clearly indicating the resources and/or mentoring activities that are available through the learning environment to support career development.
- Supervisor Commitment Form (max. one page), completed and signed by the primary faculty supervisor.
- One academic recommendation letter (max. two pages), addressed to UTM Postdoctoral Fellowship Competitions Adjudication Committee. The letter must be provided by an academic referee other than the proposed/potential supervisor. (It is the applicant's responsibility to arrange for this letter to be sent to the proposed supervisor before the departmental internal deadline.)
- Independent research proposal from the candidate (max. two pages, plus up to two additional pages for references/citations). The independent research proposal should clearly articulate how the proposed work represents a significant departure from or advancement beyond the candidate's doctoral research. The proposal should also outline the anticipated long-term impact of the research, including how it contributes to the field and aligns with U of T’s strategic research priorities and UTM’s strategic framework.
- Learning statement from the candidate (max. one page). The statement should describe:
- their professional, academic, and extracurricular experiences/achievements and how these contribute to their learning success and ability to develop and implement an independent research plan (1/2 page); and
- how the learning they expect to acquire will contribute to their productivity and to the research goals they hope to achieve. Indicate why they decided upon the proposed learning location and what they expect to learn from the learning experience (1/2 page); and
- Candidate’s C.V. (no page restriction, using any academic format)
Adjudication:
The REPFP and UTM PDF Award will be adjudicated simultaneously, with all candidates automatically considered for both awards. Within each broad disciplinary area, the top-ranked candidate will receive the REPFP, while the second-ranked candidate will receive the UTM PDF Award. A ranked reversion list will be established, including all candidates in order of merit. Should an award recipient decline their offer, the award will be offered to the next highest-ranked candidate on the reversion list.
A total of six awards are available: three REPFP Awards and three UTM PDF Awards.
OVPAD will communicate results with UTM academic departments in February 2027. All decisions regarding the award are final, appeals will not be considered.
During the period of the fellowship, the OVPAD must be kept informed of any changes to the appointment, such as deferral or cancellation. Payments will be adjusted accordingly.
The award is non-transferable and will be discontinued if the recipient's postdoctoral appointment is moved to another institution.
For information regarding the nomination process, contact:
Amanda Pennings
Graduate & Postdoctoral Affairs Specialist
Graduate & Postdoctoral Affairs Team, Office of the Vice-Principal Academic & Dean (OVPAD)
Employment as a REPFP/UTM Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Toronto is governed by the terms of the CUPE 3902, Unit 5 Collective Agreement. Departments are required to adhere to the Agreement throughout the hiring process and beyond.
Departments are expected to review and adhere to the University of Toronto Conflict of Interest Statement throughout the nomination process.