University of Toronto Announces $100M PhD Scholarship Programme

The University of Toronto launches a $100 million PhD scholarship programme offering $80,000 annually for four years, targeting global research talent and supporting interdisciplinary work on major societal challenges.

The University of Toronto launches a $100 million scholarship programme to attract outstanding PhD talent from Canada and around the world. The Presidents’ Impact Scholarship Programme is designed to strengthen doctoral education through financial support, interdisciplinary research and practical learning opportunities.

Under the initiative, each selected scholar receives $80,000 annually for four years, taking the total scholarship value to $320,000 per recipient. The programme is expected to support 50 scholars once it reaches full capacity, with 12 to 13 new scholars receiving four-year funding each year from September 2027.

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The programme aims to create a cohort-based model of doctoral education in which scholars work collectively on major societal challenges. Each cohort focuses on an annual research theme and benefits from interdisciplinary collaboration and co-supervision.

Scholars work with two faculty supervisors, allowing them to develop expertise across multiple disciplines. The programme also provides professional development, networking opportunities and experiential placements involving university, government and industry stakeholders.

Research areas supported through the programme include artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, genomics, biomedical sciences, sustainability, public policy and cybersecurity. The university says the initiative is intended to strengthen the connection between academic research and real-world applications.

The $100 million programme is enabled by a $50 million endowed gift from a Canadian family foundation, with the university matching the annual payout from the gift. The foundation has a long-standing association with the University of Toronto and higher education in Canada.

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The university describes the scholarship as a major investment in attracting and supporting doctoral researchers whose work addresses complex global and societal challenges. Applications are scheduled to open in late fall 2026, with the first group of scholars beginning their studies in September 2027.

The programme also comes as Canada expands efforts to attract international research talent. The federal government has separately announced a $1.7 billion initiative to support more than 1,000 leading international and expatriate researchers, including funding for international doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers.