Applications are now open for the Tomlinson Doctoral Fellowships 2025 at McGill University, Canada. Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS) awards these fellowships annually to recruit outstanding students into Doctoral degree programs. It is GPS’s most prestigious internal award, and the Tomlinson Scholars usually go on to win other prestigious awards like Vanier’s or CGSDs.

Established in 2000, this generous gift from Dr. Richard H. Tomlinson is up to $35,000 per year, renewable twice. Incoming students accepted into a doctoral degree program at McGill University in Winter 2026, Summer 2026, or Fall 20256are welcome to apply for this opportunity.

Who is Dr. Richard H. Tomlinson 

Brief Details

• Organizer: Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS)
• Host University: McGill University
• Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
• Gender: Male/Female
• Funding Type: Partially-Funded
• Eligible Country: All
• Deadline to Submit Application to Unit: Confirm with Unit
• Deadline for Units to Submit to GPS: 22 May 2026
• Results Announced: July 2026

Benefits of Tomlinson Doctoral Fellowships

Joining the Tomlinson Doctoral Fellowships, contestants will benefit from the following:

• About $35,000 per year, which is renewable twice.
• International students are also eligible to receive a Differential Fee Waiver (DFW):
• Differential Fee Waivers (DFWs) help eligible international graduate students at McGill University offset costs by covering the difference between International and Quebec Resident tuition fees. There are two main pathways to receive this support: External and Internal. External DFWs are granted by the Quebec government through bilateral agreements with specific countries; students must verify their country’s eligibility via the MEES website and apply directly through their home government’s designated authority. Internal DFWs—valued at $17,700 for Master’s students and $15,578.10 for PhD candidates for the 2026-2027 academic year—are allocated directly by McGill faculties to eligible full-time international doctoral and select Thesis Master’s students in their initial curriculum years. While External waivers require a formal application process through your home country, eligible students are automatically considered for Internal DFWs by their academic unit, though recipients must maintain full-time registration throughout the academic year to prevent the waiver from being revoked

What are the Eligibility Criteria?

Tomlinson Doctoral Fellowships eligibility criteria are as follows:

• Applicants should be incoming students accepted into a doctoral degree program at McGill University in Winter, Summer, or Fall .
• Currently enrolled students at McGill, those who completed the latest degree or completed at McGill University are ineligible.
• Previous McGill students who later completed a graduate degree in any other university are eligible to apply for this opportunity.
• Visiting students at McGill from other universities completing the requirements for a degree may apply.
• Applicants should prove a first-class GPA of 3.7 or 3.5 in Law degree in the last two years of full-time study at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Only applicants with a first-class academic record can apply.

Evaluation Process

The Judges will evaluate and score candidates against the following criteria for Tomlinson Doctoral Fellowships:

• Academic Excellence: 20%
• Potential or Research Ability according to the personal statement (20%)
• Research Project (20%)
• Reference Letters (20%)
• Nomination Letter from Department (10%)
• Quality of the Chosen Environments (10%)

How to Apply for Tomlinson Doctoral Fellowships?

To apply for this Fellowship, candidates should submit their application package to the department or academic unit where they intend to study. Please contact the department for more information and an internal deadline earlier than the GPS deadline.

Apply Now

Required Materials for the Tomlinson Doctoral Fellowships

The application package should consist of the following documents:

• The Application Form (TO BE AVAILABLE SOON)
• All official transcripts or certified copies from graduate and undergraduate degrees
• Two letters of reference from two external referees commenting on the applicant’s academic or research accomplishments and potential; Referees should send the letters directly to the academic unit or department.
• Proposed supervisor’s statement remarking on:
  • How does the proposed project of the candidate integrate with the supervisor’s research program;
  • What is the available source(s) of funding for the research program;
  • Explaining available resources like space, facilities, equipment, and access to required expertise.

Important Notes:

• Candidates should already have an admissions letter and a funding letter.
• If selected, the intended department will submit the applicant’s application package and all required documents to GPS on their behalf. Candidates should not submit the application documents directly to GPS.
• Nomination process information for Faculty and Staff is available on the Faculty and Staff website.

Please visit McGill University’s official website for detailed information about the Tomlinson Doctoral Fellowships.

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