Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship

The Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships program provides funding to the very best postdoctoral applicants, both nationally and internationally, who will positively contribute to Canada's economic, social and research based growth. Across Canada, seventy Banting fellowships (valued at $70,000 per year for two years) are awarded annually with an equal distribution among CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC.

The Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships program is unique in its emphasis on the synergy between the applicant and the host institution, including demonstrated alignment of the supervisor’s research, the applicant’s research and the institution’s strategic priorities and opportunities.

For this reason, the applicant is expected to work closely with their (proposed) supervisor when drafting and completing the Banting Fellowship application.

How to Apply

Confirm eligibility and suitablity

Check Banting Program Eligibility →

Eligibility FAQ: What is the “fulfilled all requirements of the degree” date?
It is the date when the applicant completed all the steps required for obtaining their degree. Although these requirements may vary by institution and degree, they normally include thesis defence corrections and thesis deposition. It is not the convocation date. Applicants who completed their PhD at SFU can contact postdoc@sfu.ca

Find a host Supervisor

Prospective applicants may locate faculty members in their area of interest by accessing SFU's Research Expertise Engine and SFU's Faculties + Departments pages. Currently available SFU postdoctoral positions are posted here.

Note: Applicants already affiliated with SFU must justify remaining in the same research environment.

ATTEND SFU’S WEBINAR - May 16, 2024 @ 1 -2 pm

Prospective applicants and host supervisors are invited to a webinar to learn more about the application requirements and SFU's internal process and ask questions of panelists who are familiar with the program. To obtain the Zoom link, please contact postdoc@sfu.ca.

Prepare and submit documents by june 24 for internal "letter of intent" stage

Prospective applicants must seek endorsement from the SFU Banting Selection Committee by submitting a simplified (short) version of the draft application. The following files compiled into a single PDF in the following order must be received at postdoc@sfu.ca by the deadline with cc' to your host supervisor:

Max 1-page summary of research contribution (top3)
Max 1-page summary of leadership contributions (top3)
Max 1-page special circumstances page, optional (required for applicants already affiliated with SFU and/or outside of Banting’s 3-year eligibility window)
Max 1-page abstract of research proposal (no bibliography required)
Max 1-page supervisor statement (Summarizing the reseach excellence of the applicant and their proposed research and aspects of synergy with the supervisor's research, research environment, and SFU's research priorities)
Draft Canadian Common CV (CCV) using the Vanier-Banting academic template

For more details, please refer to the Banting application guide, Selection committee guide and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion page. Reference assessments are confidential and are not part of the institutional review process.

Prospective applicants will be notified by July 15 if they have been selected to continue in the competition and will receive feedback from the SFU Banting Selection Committee.

DEVELOP FULL APPLICATION FOR INTERNAL REVIEW BY AUGUST 6 (SELECTED APPLICANTS ONLY)

Once receiving notification that their application has been selected by the SFU Banting Selection Committee, the applicants should work closely with their host supervisor to finalize the application. Please follow the steps indicated in Task 3 of the Banting Application Guide (register for a Canadian Common CV account, ResearchNet account, CIHR PIN, and complete the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Self-Identification Questionnaire).

At this time, applicants should also invite their referees on the ResearchNet system and send them a copy of their draft application package for reference.

COMPLETE AND SUBMIT FULL APPLICATION TO AGENCY BY SEPTEMBER 17*

Selected applicants are responsible for completing and uploading all documentation on the ResearchNet System. SFU Institutional Strategic Awards (ISA) does not have access to the Banting Competition in ResearchNet. ISA is not responsible for missed deadlines.

The ISA will provide selected applicants with an Institutional letter of endorsement committing top-up research funding of $15,000 if the fellowship is awarded by the Banting program.

*Note: the Banting program deadline is 20:00 Eastern Time (5:00 pm Pacific Time).

Banting Fellowships Website

Learn more

For more information contact Postdoctoral Affairs Coordinator at postdoc@sfu.ca.

Postdoctoral Fellows