Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)

Research Security Update

New research security training requirements that will support the U of A research community in safeguarding their research are being introduced - please click for more information

As of May 1st, 2024 there are new Tri-Agency and Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) research security requirements in place that could impact your research funding application. Check out the Safeguarding Research Office (SRO) webpage for more information or you can talk to someone on our team at safegrd@ualberta.ca to find out what these requirements could mean for you.

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) hosts a variety of funding competitions for both investigator-led and strategic, priority-driven research. NSERC funding competition deadlines occur throughout the year, usually in May or September. For more information on specific upcoming deadlines, please review the Important NSERC Deadlines at a Glance table below, or the competition-specific pages on the left side bar.

Please note that the NSERC is asking all applicants to complete a concerning information on age, gender, Indigenous identity, and status as a visible minority group member or person with a disability.

  • For more information on this questionnaire, please review these .
  • For more information on applying to an NSERC grant competition, please review our how-to guide or contact your applicable Research Partner.

Important NSERC Competition Deadlines at a Glance

Funding Program **RAS Deadline -
Submit to RAS via the Researcher Home Page
Final Version Submission Deadline NSERC Deadline U of A Approvals Required

Alliance Grant

Application Checklist

5 business days before application submission date

By 10:00 am MST on the application submission day

Submit final application to the NSERC via their . 

Continuous intake Yes
Alliance International 5 business days before application submission date

By 10:00 am MST on the application submission day

Submit final application to the NSERC via their  . 
Continuous intake Yes
Alliance Quantum grants

5 business days before application submission date

By 10:00 am MST on the application submission day

Submit final application to the NSERC via their  . 

Continuous intake

Yes
CREATE Letter of Intent (LOI)

Jan 10, 2024

12:00 pm MST

May 1, 2024

10:00 am MST

Submit final LOI to the NSERC via their .

May 1, 2024

6:00 pm MST

Yes
CREATE full application

Sep 15, 2024

4:30 pm MST

Sep 22, 2024
10:00 am MST

Submit final application to the NSERC via their .

Sep 22, 2024

6:00 pm MST

No
Discovery Horizon (pilot) Grant LOI N/A

Jun 14, 2024

Submit LOI directly to the NSERC via the

Jun 14, 2024 No
Discovery Horizon (pilot) Grant full application TBA

Oct 18, 2024
10:00 am MST

Submit final application to the NSERC via the  

Oct 18, 2024
6:00 pm MST
Yes
Discovery Grants NOI N/A

Aug 1, 2024
6:00 pm MST

Submit NOI directly to the NSERC via the

Aug 1, 2024 No

Discovery Grants full application

Discovery Grants Northern Research Supplements

DND-NSERC Discovery Grant Supplements

Oct 22, 2024

Oct 31, 2024
10:00 am MST

Submit final application to the NSERC via the

Nov 1, 2024 Yes
Idea to Innovation (I2I) Grant 5 business days before the applicable NSERC deadline

By 10:00 am MST on the application submission day

Submit final application via the  

Jan 8
Apr 2
Jun 25
Sep 16

6:00 pm MST

Yes
NSERC Alliance – Mitacs Accelerate grants 5 business days before application submission date

By 10:00 am MST on the application submission day

Submit final application to the NSERC via their  . 
Continuous intake Yes
Subatomic Physics RTI Category 1 Oct 18, 2024

Oct 25, 2024
10:00 am MST

Submit final application to the NSERC via the

Oct 25, 2024 Yes

Subatomic Physics RTI Category 2 and 3 NOI

Subatomic Physics MRS NOI

Subatomic Physics Discovery Projects >$500,000/year NOI

N/A

Aug 1, 2024
6:00 pm MST

Submit NOI directly to the NSERC via the 
Aug 1, 2024 No

Subatomic Physics RTI Category 2 and 3 full application

Subatomic Physics MRS full application

Subatomic Physics Discovery Projects >$500,000/year full application

Sep 24, 2024

Oct 1, 2024
10:00 am MST

Submit final application to the NSERC via the

Oct 1, 2024

Yes

RTI

NSERC RTI External Co-applicant Confirmation Form

Oct 18, 2024

Oct 25, 2024
10:00 am MST

Submit final application to the NSERC via the

Oct 25, 2024 Yes
**Note: Your faculty may have additional internal submission deadline requirements. Please contact your Faculty Associate or Vice-Dean of Research for more information.

Who Can Help Me?

The U of A's Research Partner Network (RPNet) and your Faculty Associate or Vice Dean of Research offer proposal development assistance to U of A researchers interested in applying for NSERC grants. 

For more information about the specific assistance programs available to you, please contact your  for more information or reach out to your Faculty Associate or Vice Dean of Research.

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