Other Training Awards – Application Instructions

DORA: CIHR has signed the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), a global initiative whose purpose is to support the development and promotion of best practices in the assessment of scholarly research. As a signatory of DORA, CIHR recognizes that research contributions are not limited to published journal articles and can include a broader range of contributions.

Before you begin

Applicants and their supervisor(s) must ensure they have the following:

Applicants and their supervisor(s) should each only have one ResearchNet account. If you have already accessed ResearchNet in the past, do not register for a new account.

General Application Process

  1. Applications must be prepared, finalized and submitted by applicants using ResearchNet, in either one of the official languages.
  2. Complete all tasks listed for the funding opportunity to which you are applying, as well as those described below (if applicable).
  3. Any information that exceeds the page/character limits, or is not required, will be removed from the application prior to peer review.
  4. Review the funding opportunity How to Apply section under the subsection "Specific Instructions" and provide the additional information requested.
  5. Determine what signatures are needed for each part of the application. See the funding opportunity, and consult in the CIHR Application Administration Guide.
  6. Print the Signature pages, found in ResearchNet, needed for the funding opportunity.
  7. Offline, obtain signatures for all signature pages, and for any other material needing signatures.
  8. Scan the signature pages.
  9. Upload the signed signature pages to ResearchNet as part of the submission before the application deadline date.
  10. Preview all components of the application in ResearchNet using the "Preview" task to ensure that the application is complete.
  11. Submit the completed electronic application to CIHR through ResearchNet.
    Note: CIHR cannot legally accept an application until the "Consent and Submit" task is completed on ResearchNet.
  12. This document provides general instructions, but does not necessarily represent an exhaustive list of all information required to complete an application.
  13. All attachments must be in PDF format and must adhere to the Acceptable Application Formats and PDF Attachments guidelines. CIHR reserves the right to withdraw your application if it does not meet these requirements.

For technical help, contact us Monday to Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

support-soutien@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
1-888-603-4178
613-954-1968

For information not addressed therein, email support-soutien@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.

Tasks required for completing an Other Training Award application:

  1. Complete the Common CV
  2. Complete the Other Training Award ResearchNet application

Note: Not all funding opportunities will include the optional Manage Access task. The Manage Access task will be enabled based on individual funding opportunity requirements. For more information, please see the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).

A. Complete the Common CV

Nominated Principal Applicants must choose an Academic CV. Unless indicated otherwise in the funding opportunity, supervisors (if applicable) must also choose an Academic CV, regardless of their citizenship.

To produce a Common CV:

  1. Go to the Common CV website and "Login".
  2. Under "CV", select "Funding", then select “CIHR” and the appropriate CV type “CIHR Academic” from the dropdowns. Then click "Load".
  3. Enter all the relevant and necessary data and click on "Done". A validation will automatically be performed and errors, if any, will be displayed. The validation rules are specific to CIHR and the selected CV type.
  4. Review the CCV data online via a preview of the PDF.
  5. When satisfied, click on "Submit".
  6. Record the confirmation number that is displayed with the status message (which can also be found under the "History" tab and on the first page of the CCV PDF).
  7. Enter the recorded confirmation number under the "Identify Participants" section on ResearchNet. Note: It is the responsibility of applicants to obtain the CCV confirmation number from their supervisor(s) to record it under on ResearchNet.
  8. If changes are required to the CCV for a certain application after submission, applicants and/or supervisor(s) must repeat the steps above and record the new confirmation number.

Note: During peak periods, there can be a delay for the validation of the CCV confirmation number by ResearchNet. It is highly recommended that applicants enter their CCV confirmation number (and those of their supervisors) well in advance of the competition deadline.

Important Common CV information required

In addition to the instructions in the CCV, here are additional instructions that should be submitted as it may provide important information to reviewers for the adjudication of each application. Do not feel obligated to complete every CCV field. The numerous fields are simply meant to capture information from different fields of research and for various funding opportunities. Note: Depending on the specific adjudication criteria of the funding opportunity you are applying to, other sections of the CCV may be relevant to complete.

  1. Section entitled "Education", Sub-Section entitled "Degrees"
    • Every degree (Bachelor, Masters and Doctorate) must be recorded in the CCV whether they are complete or in progress. In addition, the following information must be entered in the applicant’s CCV for eligibility purposes:
      • Degree Type
      • Degree Name
      • Specialization
      • Organization
      • Degree Status
      • Degree Start Date (YYYY/MM)
      • Degree Received Date / Degree Expected Date (YYYY/MM) (if applicable)
      • Supervisor(s) (if applicable)
      Note: Applicants who have transferred to a doctoral program without completing their Master’s studies and/or are pursuing a combined doctoral program should still record their studies as per below:
      • Record the Master's and/or any combined studies distinctively by indicating "In Progress" as the degree status.
      • Record the doctoral studies distinctively by indicating "In Progress" as the degree status and by responding "Yes" to the question "Transferred to PhD without completing Masters?"
  2. Section entitled "Recognitions"
    • Indicate any recognition received, including honors, distinctions, prizes, awards (competitive or not, monetary or not, declined …etc.) and citations.
      • In the Recognition Name field (limited to 250 characters, including spaces), enter from which channel the recognition was obtained (competitive process or not), and from which source (Federal, Provincial, Non-Profit organizations…etc.). If the recognition was declined, it should also be indicated.
  3. Section entitled "Employment", Sub-Section entitled "Leaves of Absence and Impact on Research"
    • Describe any special considerations that have had an effect on your performance or productivity. Include any considerations that may have resulted in delays in disseminating your research results, such as health problems, family responsibilities, disabilities or other circumstances (for example, the time necessary to complete a monograph, file a patent, or commercialize an industrial process or product). Explain any gaps in the chronology of your experience.
    • If there are none, leave this section blank.

For the following sections, if there are no entries to add, leave it blank. Do not repeat entries.

  1. Section entitled "Research Funding History"
    • This list should only include research funding entries whereby the applicant was formally recorded as co-applicant, co-investigator, co-knowledge user, collaborator, decision maker, policy maker, principal applicant, principal investigator or principal knowledge user.
    • The information in this section should not duplicate information included elsewhere in the CCV (e.g. awards such as CGS Master’s awards and CIHR Doctoral awards or any other type of federal or non-federal awards should be listed in Recognitions and not in this section).

Applicants are encouraged to highlight a range of contributions (e.g., research publications, reports, books, guidelines, datasets, code, tools, standards, software, and commercialized products). Reviewers are asked to avoid using journal-based metrics, such as Journal Impact Factors, as a surrogate measure of the quality and impact of individual research publications. As stated in DORA, the "scientific content of a paper is much more important than publication metrics or the identity of the journal in which it was published". In line with DORA, applicants can highlight a broad range of contributions and impacts. For further guidance consult the Applicant Resource: How to highlight your research contributions and impacts.

  1. Section entitled "Activities"
    • The activities and contributions defined in this section should include both academic and non-academic achievements, and their relevance and impacts.
    • Only entries with dates within the past 5 years may be submitted.

Note: The supervisor(s) should add to their CV activities that will best serve the applicant's application.

  1. Section entitled "Contributions"
    • Presentations:
      • Conference poster presentations should be listed under "Presentations". If the abstract was published in a conference journal, it should be listed under the sub-section entitled "Conference Publications" found under the "Publications" section;
      • Only entries with dates within the past 5 years may be submitted.
    • Publications:
      • Only include publications that have been accepted or are in press. Do not include publications in preparation or submitted (unless available in a recognized scientific public archive).
      • Thesis should be included under sub-section “Dissertations”.
      • Only entries with dates within the past 5 years may be submitted.
    • Intellectual Property:
      • This section should include details for patents and intellectual property rights for technology transfer, products and services. Do not include publications in this section. Descriptions might include the title, patents or intellectual property rights number and date, country(ies) of issue, the name of the inventors, as well as relevance or impact of the stated item;
      • No entry limits.
    Note: The supervisor(s) should add to their CV contributions that will best serve the applicant's application.

B. Complete the Other Training Award ResearchNet application

1. Identify Participants

  1. Identify, at a minimum, a Nominated Principal Applicant (and a Primary Supervisor if applicable). Consult the funding opportunity to determine if additional supervisor(s) may be identified, and to which conditions. The CIHR Application Administration Guide should also be consulted for more information.
  2. It is the Nominated Principal Applicant's responsibility to obtain their supervisor(s)' Common CV Confirmation Number and enter it in this section.
  3. This section collects information on:
    • The Nominated Principal Applicant:
      • CIHR PIN;
      • CCV Confirmation Number;
      • Contact information which will serve CIHR to communicate with the applicant if needed.
    • The Primary Supervisor (and other Supervisor(s), if applicable):
      • CIHR PIN;
      • CCV Confirmation Number;
      • Contact information which will allow CIHR to communicate with the supervisor(s) if needed.
Publications List

This section allows the applicant to include supplemental information for each entry made under the “Publications” section in their CCV, that is:

  • For each multi-authored publication, define their role in the publication and indicate their estimated percent contribution to the team effort.
  • Only include publications that have been accepted or are in press. Do not include publications in preparation or submitted, unless available in a recognized scientific public archive (e.g. preprints).
  • At your discretion and where relevant, outline the impact of specific factors (e.g. leave history, career stage, family responsibilities, pandemic impact or other circumstances) on your capacity to publish.
  • Only entries with dates within the past 5 years may be submitted.
  • Refer to the General Application Process section at top of this document for formatting instructions. The document must be uploaded in PDF format (unprotected) and the total size cannot exceed 30 MB.
  • Maximum 2 pages are permitted, unless otherwise indicated in the funding opportunity to which you are applying. Note: Any additional pages will be removed from the application prior to peer review.
Proof of Citizenship or Permanent Residence (if applicable)

The applicant must attach their valid proof of Canadian Citizenship or Permanent Resident document. The document must be uploaded in PDF format (unprotected) and the total size cannot exceed 30 MB.

2. Identify Sponsors (if applicable)

Applicants should refer their selected sponsors to the Information for Sponsors web page for useful tips.

This section collects information on the sponsors who will provide an assessment of the applicant. Unless indicated otherwise in the funding opportunity, these assessments should come from people under whom the applicant has trained and/or who have had a good opportunity to assess their potential for research. It is at the discretion of candidates to choose people they would like to seek an assessment from; keeping in mind that there is no opportunity within the application to provide a justification for their choices.

Applicants must enter the sponsors' names within their application, update the Assessment Required Deadline Date* (if applicable) and press on "Click and Send Sponsor Request". Sponsors will then receive two emails:

  • To notify them of a request to complete a sponsor assessment, and;
  • To provide sponsors with the link that they need to access in order to complete and submit the electronic form. The deadline for submission is indicated within the form.


    *New: Applicants can manage the deadline by which sponsors must submit their assessments. By default, the Sponsor Required Deadline in ResearchNet is set for two days before the application deadline. However, applicants can adjust this to any date prior to the application deadline.

    • The assessment form must be completed and submitted online prior to the Assessment Required Deadline Date and be written in English or French. Once an assessment is submitted, it will automatically be attached to the application.
    • It is the applicant's responsibility to follow up with sponsors to ensure the assessments are submitted prior to the deadline date and therefore ensure the application completeness. Only after all sponsors have submitted their assessments will this task be marked as complete in the ResearchNet Application Task List. Applicants do not have access to the content of the assessment submitted by sponsors. However, applicants may follow the status of the assessments submission directly under this section and are encouraged to follow up with the sponsors if the task is not completed shortly before the deadline.

3. Enter Degree Information (if applicable)

This section collects information on any Degrees, Qualifications, Certificates and/or Licenses in progress as well as Degrees for which support is being requested.

Indicate if there is a degree in progress. You must specify at least one degree for which support is being requested to complete this section.

4. Enter Proposal Information (if applicable)

This section collects information related to the research project of applicants.

Note: Refer to the specific funding opportunity to which you are applying as it may require specific information to be provided instead for this section.

Overview
Title

Provide a title for the project that is in a language clear to the general public. The Project Title cannot be edited after your application is submitted.

Lay Title

Provide a lay title for your project that is in a language clear to members of the general public. Lay titles are used by CIHR to inform the public and Parliament about the valuable research supported through public funds.

Lay Abstract

Describe the project in a way that is accessible to a lay audience. Indicate how the proposed research/training/dissemination can improve personal health, the health of populations and/or the health delivery system. This information is used by CIHR to inform the public and Parliament about the valuable research supported through public funds.

Details
Institution

Select the institution that will administer the funds. Consult the Institutional Eligibility Requirements in the CIHR Application Administration Guide for more information.

Certification Requirements

If the application is selected for funding, the necessary certification requirements must be met in accordance with policies on ethical conduct of research. Relevant policies:

In order to carry out the proposed research in this application, is an exemption from Health Canada under Section 56 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act required?
As an application to a training award’s program, you are exempt and should answer “No”.

Indicate whether any phase of the proposed research will take place on "federal lands" as defined under the Impact Assessment Act (IAA), which includes land owned by the Government of Canada, including reserves created under the Indian Act; or outside of Canada?
Answer either “yes” or “no” as appropriate.

Does this application propose research involving Indigenous Peoples?
Indicate if the application proposes research involving Indigenous Peoples. This information will be used for statistical purposes only.

Applicants, whose proposed research will involve Indigenous Peoples, please consult Ethics of Health Research Involving First Nations, Inuit and Métis People.

Are sex (biological) and/or gender (socio-cultural) considerations taken into account in this study?
Indicate if sex (biological) and/or gender (socio-cultural) considerations are taken into account in this study. For guidelines to sex and gender based analysis, please consult the CIHR website. Also describe how sex and/or gender considerations will be considered in your research design or are not applicable (limit of 2000 characters, including spaces).

Period of Support Requested
Indicate the period of support required. Note: Applicants should consult the funding opportunity for period of support that are available.

Proposed Start Date
Please indicate the date for which funding for the research project/program would begin (funding start date must be within proposed start dates specified under the “Conditions of Funding” of the selected funding opportunity although project/program may have already started).

Percentage of Time Spent on Different Activities

Indicate the percentage of time to be spent on different activities. Applicants are expected to spend at least 75% of their time in research training (Research + Course work) throughout the duration of the funded award.

Descriptors

Provide keywords that describe the research project, the techniques and the methodologies it will employ, and areas of interest.

Areas of Research

Select the areas of research/training/dissemination that best describe the proposal from the list provided.

Classification

Select the classifications that best describe your proposal from the list provided.

Themes

Select a primary theme classification. Indicate additional theme classifications only if the substance of the application significantly overlaps more than one theme. Consult the definition of the four CIHR Themes in the Guidelines for the Eligibility of Applications Related to Health.

Suggested Institutes

Select a primary CIHR Institute whose research mandate is related to the application's research area(s) and objective(s). Additional Institutes should only be selected if the substance of the application significantly overlaps with the research mandate of more than one Institute.

Attachments

The list below is an entire list of attachments that may be required. The attachments that are indicated within the Funding Opportunity to which you are applying are the only attachments required. Note: attachments that are not required and/or exceeding page limits for a funding opportunity will be removed prior to peer review.

Research Proposal

Summarize the research/training/dissemination proposal.

Note: refer to the Funding Opportunity you are applying for to find out if required and/or if more specific instructions to be followed are being provided.

Training Expectations
  • Applicants must describe how the training they expect to acquire will contribute to their professional development and career goals and to the research goals they hope to achieve.
  • In addition, for Post-docs applicants only:
    • Provide an overview of how their previous research training and/or experience outside of academia relates to the present proposal (i.e., how their previous experience will benefit their current/upcoming postdoctoral work) and elaborate on their career goals.
    • If relevant, describe how additional postdoctoral experience, including the development of research, technical and professional skills and networks, will contribute towards their career goals.
  • Applicants must indicate why they decided upon the proposed training location and what they expect to learn from the training experience.
  • Maximum 7000 characters, including spaces (2 pages), unless indicated otherwise in the funding opportunity.

Note: refer to the Funding Opportunity you are applying for to find out if required and/or if more specific instructions to be followed are being provided.

Research Proposal Summary
  • The research project summary should be completed in collaboration with the proposed supervisor(s).
  • The research project summary should be written in general scientific language, which is an important skill to acquire for future success in the research environment as applications are being reviewed by multi-disciplinary committees.
  • Include the specific hypothesis of the research and describe the applicant's role on the project.
  • The research project summary is among the most important parts of the application. Applicants and their supervisor(s) should ensure that it provides a concise account of the subject matter, an overview of each part of the research plan, specific project aims and the methodology. The summary should reflect the significance of the project.
  • Maximum 3500 characters (1 page), including references, unless indicated otherwise in the funding opportunity.

Note: refer to the Funding Opportunity you are applying for to find out if required and/or if more specific instructions to be followed are being provided.

Research Proposal Appendix

Appendices may include items such as, references, tables, charts, figures, photographs, questionnaires, RCT methods, and consent forms.

Notes: For the purpose of peer review, the research proposal should not depend on information in the Research Proposal appendix, other than references, tables, charts, figures and photographs, which are not included in the page limit of the research proposal. Reviewers are under no obligation to read the Research Proposal appendix.

5. Enter Space, Facilities and Personnel Support (if applicable)

This section describes the space, facilities and personnel support that is available to the applicant.

6. Enter Foreign Training Environment Rationale (if applicable)

This section provides the rationale for training outside of Canada.

7. Attach Other Application Materials (if applicable)

Upload any other application materials that are required with your application, based on the funding opportunity requirements. All documents must be in PDF format (unprotected) not to exceed 30 MB.

Examples of documents that may be required for a funding opportunity:

  • Letters of support
  • Official transcripts

Requirements for submission of Official Transcripts (if required):

Up-to-date official transcripts of the applicant's complete academic record (this includes all undergraduate and graduate studies, completed or ongoing). Instructions below must also be followed:

  • One copy of the legend (reverse of each transcript) must be included;
  • Transcript text must be horizontal and uploaded in order from least recent to most recent. Original copies of any uploaded transcripts must be retained since they may be requested by CIHR for verification purposes at any point in the process.

Note 1: Transcripts printed from the applicant's personal institution account are not accepted.

Note 2: Up-to-date official transcripts are defined as transcripts issued by the Registrar's Office and dated or issued in the most recent session of the year of the application (if currently registered) or after the last term completed (if not currently registered). Opening the envelope to scan the transcript will not render it unofficial for CIHR's purposes.

Note 3: Certified true copies of official transcripts from the institution are accepted. A certified true copy is defined as a copy of the original document (or of the original translated document if official transcript is not in either English or French).

Note 4: Applicants who are or were registered at an institution that does not provide transcripts must submit, in lieu of a transcript, a letter bearing the official institution seal/stamp or a letter signed by the Dean of Graduate Studies confirming the applicant’s program of study, the applicant’s registration status, the date of initial registration, the degree obtained or sought and the fact that the institution does not provide transcripts.

8. Apply to Priority Announcements / Funding Pools (if applicable)

Priority Announcements/Funding Pools on CIHR's core competitions offer additional sources of funding for highly rated applications that are relevant to specific CIHR research priority areas or mandates.

Priority Announcements/Funding Pools are listed on the CIHR website throughout the year together with CIHR's other current funding opportunities. For requirements on individual Priority Announcements/Funding Pools, verify the "How to Apply" section of each Priority Announcement/Funding Pool on the Funding Opportunities page. This section will indicate if relevance information is required at the application stage.

To apply for funding through a Priority Announcement/Funding Pool, select the Priority Announcement/Funding Pool title from the list on ResearchNet and the Relevant Research Area(s) addressed by your proposal, then press save. If a relevance form is required, a text box should appear. Complete the text box and press save again.

9. Print/Upload Signature Pages

  1. Print the signature page PDF file from ResearchNet.
  2. Obtain all required signatures.
  3. Scan and upload all required signed signature pages in the Print/Upload Signature Pages task in ResearchNet prior to submitting your application.

10. Preview

Applicants must review all components of the application. If a task is incomplete, they must provide the missing information to successfully submit the application.

The applicant is responsible to ensure that the information provided is complete, is uploaded within the appropriate sections, and that is conforms to the application requirements. ResearchNet does not validate the content of the uploaded documents. Failure to comply with these requirements can negatively impact the status and evaluation of your application in a competition.

Note: Applicants cannot preview their CCV information through ResearchNet. They must verify the information directly on the CCV portal.

11. Manage Access (optional) (if applicable)

This task allows a Nominated Principal Applicant (NPA) to delegate access to a maximum of five [5] individuals to support the completion of application tasks.

How to delegate access:

  1. Ensure the delegate has a valid ResearchNet account/email address.
  2. Select the Manage Access task.
  3. Select the Add Access link.
  4. Complete the mandatory Email Address (ResearchNet account) and Last Name fields. Note, first name field is optional.
  5. Select Save or Save and Add Another User.

How to remove access:

  1. Access can be revoked at any time before eSubmission by selecting Delete.
  2. Once deleted, the individual will no longer be able to view the application.

A delegate’s access does not carry through the various phases of a competition. The NPA will have the option to delegate access to individuals at each stage of a competition.

The NPA is encouraged to remove access from all delegates prior to completing the Consent and Submit task. Should access not be revoked prior to submission, the delegate will retain access to the application in their Completed Activities tab.

For more information, please see the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).

12. Consent and Submit

Applicants must review the terms listed and respond to the questions regarding consent in order to submit their application.

Applicants must click Submit to CIHR to send their application to CIHR.

It is highly recommended that applicants submit their application well ahead of the CIHR deadline. If this task has been performed correctly, a confirmation email will be sent. No further confirmation is provided.

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