The Research Excellence Postdoctoral Fellows Program

Overview & Purpose

The Research Excellence Postdoctoral Fellows Program is a university-wide initiative launched in 2025 to strengthen postdoctoral recruitment, mentorship, and professional development across all three campuses. The program aims to position the University of Toronto as a leading destination for emerging independent scholars, supporting both research excellence and pathways to academic and research leadership careers. The program will support 100 postdoctoral fellows over two years. The program provides structured professional development, mentorship, and access to research resources to support transition to faculty or other research leadership roles.

Eligibility

This award is open to both domestic and international candidates. The following criteria are the institutional eligibility requirements for successful engagement as a Research Excellence Postdoctoral Fellow. 

Candidates must: 

• Be engaged as, or seeking a position as a postdoctoral employee of the University of Toronto (teaching hospital postdocs are not employees of the University);
• 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 normally be within five years from the completion of their degree; and
• Not have previously engaged in more than one postdoctoral appointment.

Award Recipients must:

• Have completed all degree requirements prior to the start of the fellowship;
• Be engaged as a postdoctoral employee of the University of Toronto (teaching hospital postdocs are not employees of the university);
• Be hired by a U of T supervisor appointed to a graduate unit; lab must be located 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 (if selected);
• Not hold a faculty position or be on leave from such position during the fellowship term; and
• Establish an Individual Development Plan (IDP) and submit it to the Postdoctoral Office at SGS within the first three months of the fellowship. The IDP should be reviewed annually and the revised copy sent to SGS.

Value

$80,000 in salary per year (plus benefits) for up to two years of postdoctoral research plus an additional $10,000 in annual independent research funding. 
Total cost breakdown: 60% - Institutional Funds & 40% - P.I. Supervisory Grant. 

The structure of the award is as follows:

• The postdoctoral employee is hired at the salary rate of $80,000 per year for two years;
• An additional $10,000 in funding is provided annually for independent research; and
• Sufficient funds to cover the annual employer costs; e.g., in 2025 this includes an annual salary increase payable at a rate of 1.8%, the Standard Benefit Rate (SBR) at 10.5% and the PDF Levy, payable at a rate of 7.75%.
• The total value of this award is structured as follows: 60% is provided through institutional support, while the remaining 40% is funded via the Principal Investigator's supervisory grant. 

Fellowship Commence: April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027*

*The fellowship start date must be within 12 months following the date of the offer. Deferrals (up to six months) may be permitted. An Independent Development Plan (IDP) must be implemented within the first three months of the Fellowship.

Application Requirements

• Completed application form (MS-forms link below)
• 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 your 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.
• Learning Statement from the Candidate
  • Max 1 page
  • The statement should describe your professional, academic, and extracurricular experiences/achievements and how these contribute to your learning success and ability to develop and implement an independent research plan (1/2 page); and
  • How the learning you expect to acquire will contribute to your productivity and to the research goals you hope to achieve. Indicate why you decided upon the proposed learning location and what you expect to learn from the learning experience (1/2 page).
• Supervisor's Statement
  • Describe the complementarity 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 the 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 graduate unit’s commitment. Examples of commitment include (but are not limited to) mentorship, opportunities for collaboration, 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 applicant’s academic and 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.
• Candidate's C.V. 
  • No page restriction
  • NIH Biosketch format recommended. 

*All documents must be prepared in PDF, single spaced Times New Roman 12-point font, including citations if applicable with 2.5cm margins.

How to Apply

Interested candidates can submit their applications using the link below. For additional information, contact Yasman Mohammadzadeh, Project Coordinator, Data and Awards, at rhse.awards@utoronto.ca