Doctoral Mobility Program

*Applications must comply with Global Affairs Canada’s Travel advice and advisories by destination.

Students must meet all the following conditions: 

• Enrolled in a full-time doctoral program at uOttawa and completed all compulsory coursework;
• Supervised by a full-time tenured or tenure-track professor at uOttawa who is an active member of APUO (Association of Professors of the University of Ottawa) or who holds an appointment at an affiliated hospital; and
• Not in receipt of any previous IREX funding; this award may not be combined with other IREX programs.

Successful applicants will receive an award of up to $8,000, depending on distance and duration, for research visits of 6 to 12 weeks. Eligible travel expenses include return economy airfare, ground transportation, accommodations, and a living allowance. Note that some foreign institutions require an application fee for research stays. In addition, any additional fees or requirements, such as visas, should be noted in the application. Supervisors are encouraged to provide supplementary funding which, if provided, should also be noted in the application.

Applications are completed by the student using the online application form and must be approved by both the home and host supervisors.

Excellence of the project /25
Complementarity between the host supervisor’s and the PhD student’s interests and expertise /25
Description of supervision arrangements and learning objectives /15
Excellence of the letter of support /15
PhD student’s CV /10
Budget justification /5
Feasibility of planned activities, including a timeline /5

• Students are responsible for obtaining any residence permits or visas needed for travel;
• Students will be mentored by the host supervisor during their stay;
• A hosting agreement may be required, depending on the policies of the host institution, and should be in place at the faculty level shortly after the funding is awarded; and
• Visits must take place between May 2027 and May 2028 in one single trip.

All uOttawa researchers and international partners are subject to and must comply with the University's regulations and with policies, procedures, instructions, and directives (as may be amended from time to time):

• Responsible conduct of research and its related procedures;
• Ethics standards, regulations for research involving humans, animals, and animal care, as applicable;
• Training requirements (e.g. lab safety training, hazardous materials);
• Applicable laws, government rules, and policies governing the conduct of research activities in Canada and the partner country.

• If selected for the award, each student must have a Canadian bank account to receive the funds;
• Awards are not renewable or transferable; and
• Students must submit a short written report within one month of completing their visit (a template will be provided) and may be invited to make a brief presentation to the Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation.

Research security refers to the actions that safeguard the integrity of research domestically and internationally and that protect against threats to national and economic security. In alignment with the Canadian government, uOttawa maintains a collaborative approach to protect research and innovation. International research collaborators must have low-risk profiles and must not be affiliated with, obtain funding from, or receive in-kind support from an institute on the Named Research Organizations list. This list comprises universities, research institutions, and laboratories connected to military, national defence, or state security entities that the federal government has determined could pose a risk to Canada’s national security.