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Courtois Fellowship Scholarship: Fully Funded Guide
If you’re searching for a fully funded fellowship in Canada that pays a real salary instead of a small stipend, the Courtois Fellowship Scholarship deserves the top of your list. Officially known as the Institut Courtois Postdoctoral Fellowship, it is hosted at the Université de Montréal and funded by the Fondation Courtois.
This guide breaks down everything you need: benefits, eligibility, deadlines, required documents, the application process, and insider tips — updated every cycle so you always have the current details in one place.
What Is the Courtois Fellowship Scholarship?
The Courtois Fellowship Scholarship is a fully funded postdoctoral research program run by the Institut Courtois at the Université de Montréal, Canada. Launched in 2022 through a donation from the Fondation Courtois, the Institute focuses on materials science research at the intersection of chemistry, physics, computer science, mathematics, and artificial intelligence.
Every cycle, the Courtois Fellowship Scholarship recruits early-career researchers to work on ambitious, interdisciplinary projects. Fellows are not treated as trainees on a stipend — they receive a genuine three-year salaried appointment plus a dedicated research budget, which is why this fellowship consistently ranks among the most competitive fully funded postdoctoral opportunities in Canada.
Short on time? Here’s the one-line summary: the Courtois Fellowship Scholarship pays close to CAD 76,000 a year (salary plus benefits), adds up to CAD 30,000 a year for research costs, runs for three years, and is hosted in one of Canada’s leading materials-science research hubs.
Courtois Fellowship Scholarship Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Scholarship name | Courtois Fellowship Scholarship (Institut Courtois Postdoctoral Fellowship) |
| Host institution | Université de Montréal, Canada |
| Level | Postdoctoral |
| Funding type | Fully funded |
| Annual salary | CAD 63,819 (≈ CAD 76,000 including benefits) |
| Research funding | Up to CAD 30,000/year |
| Duration | 3 years |
| Fields | Materials science, chemistry, physics, mathematics, computer science, AI |
| Eligibility | PhD holders (within ~3 years of completion) |
| Nationality | Open to Canadian and international researchers with a valid work permit |
Courtois Fellowship Scholarship Benefits: What’s Fully Funded?
What makes the Courtois Fellowship Scholarship genuinely “fully funded” instead of just partially subsidized? Here’s the full breakdown:
- Competitive salary: CAD 63,819 per year, valued at roughly CAD 76,000 once benefits are included.
- Dedicated research funding: Up to CAD 30,000 per year to cover equipment, conferences, publication fees, and collaboration costs.
- Three-year security: Unlike one-year postdoc contracts, the Courtois Fellowship Scholarship guarantees three full years of funding.
- Visa and work-permit support: The Institut Courtois assists selected international fellows through the Canadian work-permit process.
- Mentorship and co-mentorship: Fellows are paired with Institut Courtois members across disciplines, encouraging genuinely interdisciplinary research.
- World-class infrastructure: Access to the Institute’s labs on the University of Montreal’s MIL campus, one of the newest science campuses in Canada.
Who Is Eligible for the Courtois Fellowship Scholarship?
To apply for the Courtois Fellowship Scholarship, you must meet the following criteria:
- Be enrolled, or plan to enroll, in a postdoctoral program at the Université de Montréal.
- Have completed your PhD within roughly three years of the funding start date (career-break exceptions apply for parental leave or illness).
- Propose an original, high-impact research project aligned with the expertise of Institut Courtois members.
- Be legally entitled to work in Canada, or commit to applying for the necessary work permit (support is provided).
- Show a strong academic record: publications, presentations, and evidence of research leadership.
If you tick these boxes, you already meet the baseline requirements for the Courtois Fellowship Scholarship — the next step is building a project that fits the Institute’s research axes: quantum materials, energy and environmental materials, molecular materials, and AI for materials science.
Courtois Fellowship Scholarship Key Dates
The Institut Courtois typically reopens the Courtois Fellowship Scholarship competition every spring. For the current cycle, the published timeline is:
- Contest launch: May
- Notice of intent: Early-to-mid September
- Full application deadline: Late September
- Results announced: January
- Funding start: March–September of the following year
Because dates shift slightly each year, always confirm the exact deadline on the official Institut Courtois postdoctoral fellowship page before submitting.
Required Documents for the Courtois Fellowship Scholarship
A complete Courtois Fellowship Scholarship application file includes:
- Research project proposal (maximum 6 pages): problem statement, objectives, literature review, methodology, and justification for choosing an Institut Courtois mentor.
- Budget and budget justification (maximum 1 page), using the official Excel template.
- Bibliographical references (maximum 1 page).
- Official doctoral transcripts, including the grading scale for non-Canadian universities.
- Curriculum vitae with a full list of publications.
- A letter of support from your chosen Institut Courtois mentor (co-signed if there’s a co-mentor).
- Three letters of recommendation, sent directly by referees to the Institute.
How to Apply for the Courtois Fellowship Scholarship (Step-by-Step)
- Identify a mentor. Browse the Institut Courtois research team and choose a potential supervisor whose work matches your proposal.
- Submit a notice of intent. This short form (candidate name, project title, 10 keywords, PhD institution, and referees) is submitted through the official online form before the September deadline.
- Draft your 6-page research project, following the Heilmeier Catechism structure recommended by the Institute for clarity.
- Prepare your budget using the official Excel template and write a one-page justification.
- Collect your documents: transcripts, CV, bibliography, and mentor support letter.
- Arrange three reference letters to be emailed directly by your referees.
- Submit your full application as a single PDF, formatted in Times New Roman 12pt, single-spaced, with 1-inch margins, in French or English.
- Wait for results, typically announced in January, with funding starting between March and September.
Every step of the Courtois Fellowship Scholarship process is documented on the official application page, so cross-check your file against it before you hit submit.
Courtois Fellowship Scholarship Evaluation Criteria
Reviewers score Courtois Fellowship Scholarship applications on three pillars:
- Excellence of the file: academic record, publications, scientific leadership.
- Excellence of the project: originality, feasibility, and added value to the mentor’s research program.
- Integration at the Institut Courtois: alignment with the Institute’s research axes, collaboration potential, and use of its infrastructure.
Because the evaluation committee is multidisciplinary, your Courtois Fellowship Scholarship proposal needs to be understandable to a chemist, a physicist, and a computer scientist at the same time — not just specialists in your subfield.
Tips to Win the Courtois Fellowship Scholarship
- Start with the mentor, not the form. A strong co-mentorship pairing (two Institut Courtois members) noticeably strengthens a Courtois Fellowship Scholarship application.
- Write for a mixed audience. Avoid field-specific jargon; explain your project the way you would to a smart colleague outside your discipline.
- Lean into interdisciplinarity. Projects that combine AI with materials science, or chemistry with quantum physics, map directly onto the Institute’s cross-cutting research axes.
- Request references early. Three letters take time to arrange — don’t leave this for the final week.
- Use the Heilmeier Catechism to structure your 6-page proposal; it forces clarity on the problem, the novelty, and the “so what.”
Other Fully Funded Fellowships in Canada (Similar to the Courtois Fellowship Scholarship)
If the Courtois Fellowship Scholarship isn’t the right fit, or you want to apply to multiple programs, these fully funded Canadian opportunities are worth exploring on their official pages:
- Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Scholarship — up to $210,000 total for doctoral candidates in the humanities and social sciences.
- IVADO — Montreal’s AI institute, which co-funds exploratory postdoctoral projects with Institut Courtois.
- Université de Montréal Faculty of Arts and Sciences — the parent faculty hosting the Institut Courtois, with additional graduate funding listings.
Want a broader list? Browse LicensureHub’s Canada scholarship hub and PhD funding category for more fully funded options we’ve already reviewed in depth.
People Also Ask About the Courtois Fellowship Scholarship
Is the Courtois Fellowship Scholarship really fully funded?
Yes. It covers a full annual salary (≈CAD 76,000 with benefits), up to CAD 30,000 per year in research funding, and visa support — with no tuition or personal cost to the fellow.
Who can apply for the Courtois Fellowship Scholarship?
Anyone who holds, or is close to completing, a PhD within roughly three years of the funding start date, and who can propose a research project aligned with the Institute’s materials-science focus.
What is the salary of the Courtois Fellowship Scholarship?
CAD 63,819 per year in base salary, valued at approximately CAD 76,000 annually once benefits are included.
How long does the Courtois Fellowship Scholarship last?
Three years, making it longer than most standard one- or two-year postdoctoral contracts.
Is the Courtois Fellowship Scholarship open to international applicants?
Yes. International researchers can apply if they are legally entitled to work in Canada or commit to obtaining a work permit; the Institute assists with the visa process.
When does the Courtois Fellowship Scholarship open each year?
The competition typically launches in May, with a notice of intent due in September and full applications due later that same month.
Related Fully Funded Scholarship Guides
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- UCL Research Excellence Scholarship (RES)
- Graduate Assistantships at University of Waterloo 2026
- Global Korea Scholarship (GKS): Fully Funded
- Mitacs Globalink Internship 2027 in Canada (Fully Funded)
- University of Leeds PhD Scholarship | Fully Funded
- Wellington Doctoral Scholarship: Fully Funded PhD
Final Thoughts on the Courtois Fellowship Scholarship
The Courtois Fellowship Scholarship stands out because it pays a real salary, funds three full years of research, and hosts fellows inside one of Canada’s newest interdisciplinary science institutes. If your background touches materials science, AI, chemistry, physics, mathematics, or computer science, this is one of the strongest fully funded postdoctoral programs in Canada worth applying for.
Bookmark this page — we update the salary, dates, and requirements every cycle so you always have the latest Courtois Fellowship Scholarship information in one place. For the full, current application form and official terms, always start at the Institut Courtois Postdoctoral Fellowship page.
