Program Description: 

Title: Global Affairs Canada Indo-Pacific Scholarships and Fellowships for Canadians 2025

Application deadline: August 3, 2025

Global Affairs Canada Indo-Pacific Scholarships and Fellowships for Canadians 2025: Overview

Global Affairs Canada has announced the Indo-Pacific Scholarships and Fellowships for Canadians (IPSFC) to strengthen educational and research links between Canada and the Indo-Pacific region. This $10 million initiative supports Canadian post-secondary institutions in awarding scholarships and fellowships to Canadian graduate students, researchers, and academics for study and research in the Indo-Pacific. The program aligns with Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, fostering greater research capacity, international collaboration, and knowledge generation related to the Indo-Pacific.

Global Affairs Canada Indo-Pacific Scholarships and Fellowships for Canadians 2025: Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following:

• Eligible Applicants: Canadian post-secondary institutions, university consortia, and research organizations.

• Eligible Participants:

  • Canadian graduate students (Master’s, PhD, Postdoctoral)

  • Canadian researchers (academic or professional)

  • Canadian academics (tenured or non-tenured)

• Project Requirements:

  • Start after November 1, 2025 and end before March 31, 2028

  • Request ≤ $520,000 CAD in funding

  • Include at least one letter of support from an eligible Indo-Pacific host institution

  • Include complete documentation in English or French

  • Must travel to the Indo-Pacific region for research/study

  • Administrative costs ≤ 15% of total budget

• Travel Restrictions: The program does not fund travel to regions under Canadian Government “avoid all travel” or “avoid non-essential travel” advisories.

• Exclusion: The program does not fund activities in the People’s Republic of China.

Eligible Fields of Study/Research

Proposals must align with Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, in areas including:

• Regional diplomacy and political change

• Security and strategic issues

• Trade and economic cooperation

• Technological innovation

• Sustainable development and climate change

• Natural resources and marine management

• Applied scientific research

Eligible Indo-Pacific Countries/Economies

• Southeast Asia: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste, Vietnam

• South Asia: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka

• Northeast Asia: Japan, Mongolia, Republic of Korea, Taiwan

• Oceania: Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu, and others

Global Affairs Canada Indo-Pacific Scholarships and Fellowships for Canadians 2025: Benefits

• Up to $520,000 CAD per project

• Research funding for eligible graduate students, researchers, and academics

• Development of new international partnerships and collaborative research streams

• Support for new or existing partnerships with Indo-Pacific institutions

Application Requirements

• Completed concept note and full proposal

• Budget (using IPSFC Budget Template)

• Letters of support from Indo-Pacific host institutions

• Compliance with project and administrative guidelines

• All documents must be in English or French

Selection Criteria

• Alignment with the Indo-Pacific Strategy

• Potential to increase Canadian research capacity on Indo-Pacific topics

• Strength of proposed partnerships and institutional collaboration

• Feasibility and impact of the proposed project

• Financial and administrative clarity in the proposal

Restrictions

• Projects exceeding $520,000 CAD will not be considered

• No funding for activities in restricted countries or ineligible regions

• No funding for research or study involving the People’s Republic of China under this program

Application Process (for McMaster University Applicants)

1. Concept Note Deadline: June 29, 2025, to Adelina Sylaj (sylaja@mcmaster.ca)

2. Internal Selection Results: July 4, 2025

3. Internal Application Deadline: August 3, 2025, to Adelina Sylaj

4. External Submission Deadline: August 6, 2025 (noon ET) — submitted by McMaster’s Office of International Affairs (OIA)

For more information and application: 

Visit the official website of the Global Affairs Canada Indo-Pacific Scholarships and Fellowships for Canadians 2025