Dorothy Killam Fellowships support scholars who are mid-career researchers. Typically, this means they have completed their PhD no more than 15 years prior, though special circumstances may result in applicants being more or less than 15 years post-PhD. There is no specific year cut-off for the fellowship.

If an applicant would like to note career interruptions or special circumstances to support their justification to be considered mid-career, they should do so in the Candidate Statement. We encourage candidates to be concise and fact-based` in their comments, sharing only those details they wish to be considered by external reviewers and selection committee members.

While holding a PhD is typical of candidates applying to the Dorothy Killam Fellowship, it is not essential. To be competitive, candidates are encouraged to demonstrate their research and knowledge mobilization record at a PhD-equivalency level and as described in the applicant guidelines.

Those who win Dorothy Killam Fellowships in the 2027 program cycle (apply spring 2026, notified of award early in 2027), typically begin no later than January 1, 2028. This means that when applying for the Fellowship, researchers should have the intention of beginning the fellowship by January 1, 2028.

However, we understand that life happens, postponements due to leave are addressed as the situations arise. Additional flexibility is available in the second year of the fellowship.

Dorothy Killam Fellowships are intended as release time from teaching and administrative duties for established scholars who have demonstrated outstanding research ability. The funds are intended to assist the institution to cover the costs of replacement of the applicant's work in these areas while still paying regular salary and benefits during the 2-year fellowship period.

Individual circumstances vary with some Fellows requiring release from teaching workloads and others from administrative workloads, or a mix of both teaching and administration.

The funds should primarily be used to cover the replacement costs associated with the Fellow’s teaching and administrative duties. Any remaining funds must be used to directly support the project including student support and knowledge mobilization costs. The funds should not be used for indirect costs.

Recipient Institutions are responsible for providing a release plan when confirming acceptance of the fellowship. This plan is subject to approval by the National Killam Program Office.

Dorothy Killam Fellowships are intended as release time from teaching and administrative duties for established scholars who have demonstrated outstanding research ability; it is not intended to be applied to directly fund the research project. It is possible for the Fellow to hold other grants/awards at the same time; however, if the other grant/award is also intended to cover the applicant's salary in order to grant them release time, it may be incompatible with the Dorothy Killam Fellowship. Please contact the National Killam Program Office to discuss specific cases.

Applicants are welcome to note other active grants/projects in their research proposal and detail the extent to which the proposed project will build upon existing funded projects or how the fellowship will enable exploration of a new area/project beyond the areas already funded other programs.

The proposal does not need to be a new project, however, the research proposal must clearly demonstrate the extent to which this project builds upon or is different from existing projects. The release time funding is intended to enable the researcher to explore new area of research and/or a new project.

The Dorothy Killam Fellowships provide support to scholars of exceptional ability by granting them time to pursue research projects of broad significance and widespread interest within the disciplines of the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, health sciences, engineering or studies linking any of these disciplines. Please consult our website for complete evaluation and eligibility criteria.

Candidates working in areas of international impact are encouraged to apply to the program. In their application, candidates should address how their work contributes to building Canada’s future through advanced study.

Dorothy Killam Fellowships provide support to scholars of exceptional ability by granting them time to pursue research projects of broad significance and widespread interest. External evaluators and Selection Committee members need to know how this funding could be a difference-maker in your career. Why is this project important and timely?

Check out this video where Barbara Sherwood Lollar explains the important timing of the Killam Research Fellowship (now Dorothy Killam Fellowship): Videos - National Killam Program - Killam Laureates

There is usually one contact at each institution for the Dorothy Killam Fellowships. There may be exceptions where multiple contacts are involved based on local needs: these should be clearly reflected in the list of institutions (e.g., UofU Campus 1 and UofU Campus 2).

Please get in touch with us by email at KillamProgram-ProgrammeKillam@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca if you do not see your institution or if the award administrator you are working with is not on the portal.

The final submission of a Dorothy Killam Fellowship application is done by the applicant. As the institutional contact, clicking ‘submit form’ is optional. Once you as the institutional contact click ‘submit form’, the system sends the applicant an email to inform them that the application is ready for final submission. Applicants are responsible for submitting the application after the institutional attestation has been completed and all supporting files have been uploaded.

Completing this optional step may be useful for you to identify which applications are in progress (Edit button is available in your list of applications from your institution) and which are complete from your perspective (View only available for that application in your list).

No, there is no limit to the number of Dorothy Killam Fellowship applications that an institution can submit.

When submitting a new application, applicants are encouraged to review feedback from previous cycle(s) in detail so they may address gaps and opportunities in the new application.

Applicants for the Dorothy Killam Fellowships must be employed by a university or other research institute for the duration of the fellowship (2 years). A representative from the applicant’s institution must attest to the terms and conditions of the fellowship prior to submission. This includes attestation that the research institute will provide release time in the event that the applicant receives a Dorothy Killam Fellowship. In the case of a cross-appointed researcher, the institution administering the fellowship is responsible for coordinating with the other institution(s).

The preliminary research abstract is solely for the purposes of matching your submission with expert reviewers. Preliminary research abstracts must be submitted through the portal by April 30, 2026. The preliminary abstract is not used to evaluate your submission.

Knowledge mobilization is defined as the dynamic and iterative process that:

• includes synthesis, dissemination, exchange and ethically sound application of knowledge to improve the lives of Canadians
• takes place between researchers and knowledge users and varies in intensity, complexity and level of engagement depending on the nature of the research and the findings

Recognizing that knowledge mobilization can be different for each research project, applicants are required to include in their research proposal their plans to share and communicate their research beyond traditional modes of scholarly output.

Strong Dorothy Killam Fellowship submissions contain knowledge mobilization plans that are clear, tangible, and demonstrate a commitment to share knowledge beyond the academic community.

Institutional contacts from supporting institutions may view Dorothy Killam Fellowship applications that originate from their institutions, as well as upload some supporting documents (applicant’s CV, letters of support). Institutional contacts are required to provide institutional attestation as proof of eligibility. The applicant is responsible for providing their research proposal and supporting material, and for submitting the completed application.

No documentation is required at the time of application. The institution contact is required to attest in the Killam program portal to their acceptance of conditions of the fellowship, which includes confirmation of eligibility and employment-specific conditions. Proof of employment may be requested as a condition of awarding the Fellowship.

Typically, a Fellowship recipient is a faculty member at a Canadian university with significant teaching and/or administrative responsibilities. Researchers employed in settings such as a hospital or another scientific institute may qualify if they demonstrate outstanding ability and if their proposed project meets standards of scholarly merit.

No. There are no formatting guidelines for Dorothy Killam Fellowship application packages. Applicants must respect page and word limits and ensure that their documents are easy to read.

For applicants who have included a community research supplement in their submission, it is encouraged that one of the letters of support articulates the importance of the proposed research to the particular community. This letter may be co-signed by multiple community partners.

The community research supplement is written by the candidate. A member from the community can provide a letter of support.

Successful Dorothy Killam Fellowship submissions have strong alignment with the Killam attributes. It is not necessary to have alignment with all three attributes. Applicants should clearly articulate how they align with the Killam attributes. Alignment with the Killam attributes is measured under the significance category of the evaluation criteria and contributes to 25% of the overall evaluation by reviewers.

Dorothy Killam Fellows are evaluated under 4 areas: Significance, Advancement of knowledge, Methods, and Relevance. A brief summary of the key questions considered in each category is as follows:

• Significance: How significant is the research and its proposed impact? How well does the candidate align with the Killam attributes?
• Advancement of knowledge: How sound is the knowledge mobilization component of the research proposal? How will the research advance knowledge in the field?
• Methods: Is the proposed research detailed clearly, and are the research methods sound? Does the proposal demonstrate a commitment to ethical research and adherence to professional standards?
• Relevance: Why is the research important now? Are the proposed immediate and long-term outcomes clear? Is there a clear demonstration on how the research stands to have a positive impact on Canada?