The University of Toronto has opened its highly competitive Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowship 2026, offering an exceptional opportunity for early-career Indigenous and Black scholars to advance their academic careers within one of the world’s leading research universities. Through the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), the University is inviting outstanding researchers to be considered for nomination to this prestigious fellowship, designed to strengthen scholarly profiles, support impactful research, and enrich the University’s research environment with diverse perspectives.
This opportunity is particularly significant for postdoctoral researchers working in education, psychology, and related disciplines across the social sciences and humanities. Successful candidates will work closely under the supervision of an OISE faculty member and become part of a vibrant academic community known for interdisciplinary research and global influence.
Funding Plan and Fellowship Support
The Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowship offers a robust and highly competitive funding package aimed at providing both financial security and research flexibility.
Each selected fellow will receive a postdoctoral salary of CAD 80,000 per year, plus benefits, for up to two years. In addition to salary support, OISE will provide CAD 10,000 per year in start-up research funding, allowing fellows to cover research-related expenses, professional development activities, and academic dissemination.
Fellowships must commence no later than January 2027 and are tenable for a maximum duration of two years, offering fellows a stable and well-resourced period to deepen their research, publish, and build long-term academic trajectories.
Who Is Eligible to Apply?
OISE will consider applications from scholars who demonstrate strong academic promise and meet the following criteria:
Applicants must demonstrate academic excellence and clear potential for success in their research field. The fellowship is specifically intended for scholars who identify as Indigenous to Turtle Island and/or Black. Candidates must have completed a doctoral degree by the time the fellowship begins, normally within five years prior to the fellowship start date.
Applicants must not have previously held a Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowship and must not hold another major fellowship or a faculty appointment concurrently. A key requirement is the confirmed support of an OISE faculty member whose research closely aligns with the applicant’s proposed project and who is willing to act as supervisor and submit a formal nomination.
Both Canadian and international applicants are welcome to apply, reflecting the University of Toronto’s commitment to global academic inclusion.
Application Process and Required Materials
The application process begins with identifying and securing the support of an OISE faculty supervisor. Applicants are encouraged to explore faculty profiles across OISE’s four departments: Applied Psychology and Human Development; Curriculum, Teaching and Learning; Leadership, Higher, and Adult Education; and Social Justice Education. A strong alignment between the applicant’s research agenda and the supervisor’s expertise is essential.
Once a faculty member agrees in principle to support the nomination, applicants must prepare and submit a comprehensive application package to the prospective supervisor. This includes a detailed and current academic CV, a statement of research intent outlining the proposed fellowship research, and a structured training statement describing prior experiences, expected training outcomes, and the rationale for selecting OISE as the research environment. Applicants must also provide a short professional biography that may be used for official University communications if selected.
If the faculty member supports the application, they will forward all materials along with a formal nomination letter to the OISE selection committee.
Apply: https://www.oise.utoronto.ca/home/research/opportunities/postdocs/provosts-postdoc
Application Timeline
The application timeline for the Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowship 2026 at the University of Toronto follows a clearly defined sequence. Supervisors supporting nominations must submit complete application materials to the OISE selection committee by March 2, 2026. OISE will then review all eligible applications and select a limited number of top candidates for nomination to the university-wide competition by April 1, 2026.
Final outcomes of the Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowship competition are expected to be announced in mid-June 2026, at which point applicants will be formally notified of their results. Successful fellows must begin their appointments no later than January 2027.