Call for applications: 2026-27 CIHR’s Health System Impact Fellowship

The Health System Impact (HSI) Fellowship provides an embedded research opportunity for highly-qualified PhD trainees and postdoctoral researchers studying health services and policy research (HSPR), or related fields. This is a unique opportunity for awardees to:

  • apply their research and analytic talents to critical health system challenges that are being addressed by health system organizations (e.g., public, private for-profit, not-for-profit, and Indigenous health organizations) outside of the traditional university setting, and
  • develop and expand professional experience, new skills, and networks.

While embedded in a health system partner organization for the duration of their fellowship, awardees are exposed to how a health system organization works, how decisions are made, and how research and analytic skills contribute to an organization’s rapid learning and improvement. Accordingly, the program also aims to build embedded research capacity in health system organizations to support the advancement of learning health systems (LHSs) across Canada.

Funds are allocated across two mutually exclusive streams.

  • HSI Award for Doctoral Trainees (Stream A): The maximum amount per award is $50,000 for up to one year. Of this:
      • Stipend: $45,000
      • Professional development training and research allowance: $5,000*
  • HSI Awards for Postdoctoral Researchers (Stream B): The maximum amount per award is $155,000 for up to two years. Of this:
      • Stipend: $70,000 per year
      • Professional development training and research allowance: $7,500* per year

*Note: A supplemental $5,000 per year may be awarded to fellows funded in the Northern and International pools to supplement their professional development training allowance in recognition of the disproportionately high cost of living in and travel to/from these regions (see How to Apply for details).

Partner matching contributions

  • CIHR and Health Research BC will contribute up to a maximum of 70% of the total award value (i.e., $35,000 of the $50,000 doctoral award and $108,500 of the $155,000 postdoctoral award). See relevant research areas for further information.
  • Applicants must secure the remaining 30% of the award value in cash from the host partner organization at the time of application (see Eligibility section).

Important dates

  • MRA deadline (internal to U of T): June 26, 2025
  • CIHR/ResearchNet application deadline: July 3, 2025
  • Anticipated notice of decision: February 18, 2026
  • Funding start date: April 1, 2026

For more information, please visit the CIHR Funding Opportunity Details.

MRA Instructions:

Applications for the CIHR Health System Impact Fellowship Program requires a two-stage application: the full application to CIHR, filed through ResearchNet by the applicant, and a separate MRA (My Research Application) filed internally to the University of Toronto by the Academic Supervisor listed on the application (students are not able to access the MRA system directly). Detailed instructions for the submission of a MRA can be found at: MRA User Guide.

Contact

For questions regarding MRA submission, please contact Kitishia-Trista Cordner at kitishia.cordner@utoronto.ca.

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