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Institutional Eligibility Requirements
An institution that wishes to authorize applications and administer NSERC grants, scholarships and fellowships must submit a written eligibility request to NSERC, signed by the institution’s president/principal or delegate. The institution must demonstrate that it meets all the requirements set out below.
An institution will be approved as NSERC-eligible only when NSERC has received all the documentation and is satisfied that the institution meets all the requirements.
Once you have assembled all the documentation mentioned in the checklist, please send your request to:
Louise F. Martel
Coordinator, Program Literature,
Corporate Projects, Eligibility of Institutions
Executive Vice-President’s Office
Science and Engineering Research Canada (NSERC)
350 Albert Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 1H5
E-mail: sectr@nserc.ca
Note: An institution that is federated with, or affiliated to, or a constituent portion of another institution that is already eligible to authorize grant applications will not normally be accorded its own independent authority.
Requirements
To be recognized as eligible to authorize applications for NSERC awards and to administer such awards, universities and colleges must meet the following eight requirements and submit the supporting documentation. Please note that the first three requirements apply in one way to universities and in another to colleges. The last five requirements apply in exactly the same way to both universities and colleges.
- A university must grant degrees in the natural sciences and/or engineering fields, at least at the bachelor’s level.
A college must offer programs in the natural sciences and/or engineering fields.
Documentation
A short overview of the institution’s programs, areas of research, and number of students and faculty.
- The degrees granted by the university are generally accepted by other Canadian universities for direct admission into their own postgraduate degree programs, without the necessity of a period of qualifying study.
This requirement does not apply to colleges.
Documentation
Letters from Deans of Graduate Studies from at least three NSERC-eligible universities attesting to this fact.
- The university’s faculty members in the natural sciences and/or engineering fields are required to engage in research, and the university will ensure that these faculty members have the time to conduct research.
The college’s faculty members in the natural sciences and/or engineering fields are permitted to engage in research, and the college will ensure that these faculty members have the time to conduct research. Note: For colleges, research includes innovation-related activities such as developing new or enhanced products and processes; disseminating and bringing new knowledge to market; building and testing prototypes; and, carrying out non-routine laboratory testing or field studies, etc.
Documentation
A statement attesting to the institution’s commitment to research, with supporting documentation such as section(s) of the institution’s mission statement, policy on research, etc.
- The university or college will provide the basic facilities and services (including space) to enable its natural sciences and/or engineering faculty members to conduct research.
Documentation
A statement to this effect, with a short description of the research facilities and services and the general terms governing their use or availability.
- The university or college will absorb the indirect costs of research undertaken through NSERC grants.
Documentation
A statement attesting to this financial commitment, indicating a clear understanding of the policies and regulations presented under Roles and Accountability in the Financial Administration section of the NSERC Program Guide for Professors.
- The university or college agrees to sign and adhere to the Memorandum of Understanding on Roles and Responsibilities in the Management of Federal Grants and Awards.
Documentation
- A completed Federal Agencies’ Grant and Award Management Questionnaire;
- A copy of the institution’s policy on integrity in research and scholarship including the procedures for handling allegations of misconduct. (Institutions drafting a research policy may wish to consult the Framework for Tri-Council Review of Institutional Policies Dealing with Integrity in Research);
- A copy of the institution’s policy on research involving humans, including the procedures for conducting an ethics review. (For additional information, please refer to the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans at http://www.pre.ethics.gc.ca/ english/policystatement/policystatement.cfm);
or
- A statement indicating that research involving humans is not conducted within the institution's jurisdiction or by its members and that, should the institution begin allowing its members to conduct research involving humans:
- the institution will promptly inform NSERC, and
- the institution will, within a timeframe that is acceptable to NSERC, develop and implement a policy and procedures for conducting an ethics review that meets the standards of the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans as a minimum standard; and
- A statement affirming which of the options described in Article 5.3 (Ethics Review of Research Involving Animals) of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Roles and Responsibilities in the Management of Federal Grants and Awards applies to the institution. If you select Option 1 (i.e., the institution uses animals for research and/or for teaching and testing), please include a statement indicating whether the institution holds a Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) Certificate of Good Animal Practice (GAP). For additional information on the GAP certificate, please visit the CCAC Web site at: http://www.ccac.ca/en/ Publications/PUBLICAT/RESOURCE/VOL212/ ART4212E.HTM.
- The university or college agrees to abide by the policies on research involving biohazards, radioactive materials and research in the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, as detailed in the program guides.
Documentation
A statement affirming that the university or college will abide by these policies.
- The university or college has adequate safeguards to protect the sensitive information that NSERC entrusts to it so that the university or college can administer applications and awards; and, the university or college agrees to abide by the data protection requirements defined in the Memorandum of Understanding on the Roles and Responsibilities in the Management of Federal Grants and Awards.
Documentation
A statement affirming that the university or college meets this requirement, supported by references to provincial legislation or institutional policies concerning data protection.
Note: Before you start preparing your submission, please direct your questions to the following individuals, according to subject matter:
General process or requirements
Louise F. Martel
Tel.: (613) 996-7542
E-mail: louise.martel@nserc.ca
Integrity policy
Lorraine Stewart
Tel.: (613) 992-0842
E-mail: lorraine.stewart@nserc.ca
Ethics in research involving humans
Hanan Abdel-Akher
Tel.: (613) 996-2564
E-mail: hanan.abdel-akher@nserc.ca
Management of grants and awards
Carole Crête-Robidoux
Tel.: (613) 992-5596
E-mail: carole.crete-robidoux@nserc.ca
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