Scholar Program
Our Scholar Program supports early-career health researchers who are building leading-edge health research programs, training the next generation of scientists and expanding their potential to make significant contributions to their field.
As one of Health Research BC’s flagship funding opportunities since 2001, we’ve granted more than 560 Scholar awards to develop, attract, and retain BC’s best and brightest health researchers.
2025 update
BC’s research talent needs are changing, and we’re adapting our funding programs in response. Starting fall 2025, we will lead provincial discussions to identify talent needs and gaps to inform future program decisions. While we do this work, the Scholar competition will pause. The Research Trainee Program will continue and launch in fall 2025.
Program details
Supports outstanding BC health researchers within six years of starting their first institutional appointment as independent investigators.
Helps researchers launch and develop new research programs.
Helps researchers launch and develop new research programs.
Protects researchers’ time to conduct research, build independent research careers, attract additional research funding, and train the next generation of researchers.
Guided by advice from Indigenous partners, award holders, peer reviewers and advisors, we are introducing a distinct peer review panel for applications with a central focus on Indigenous health. Applicants may choose a review by a panel with expertise in Indigenous health research with some additional evaluation criteria developed in collaboration with Indigenous advisors.
Top-up funding from the BC SUPPORT Unit is available to help support engagement activities for recipients whose research meaningfully engages Indigenous communities.
Applicants will no longer be able to include a Canadian Common CV in their application and instead will be asked some new questions about supervision of trainees, career history, and experience leading or participating in funded research projects .
Eligibility
Applicants must:
- Have a PhD, or equivalent.
- Hold or have a commitment for an appointment at a BC institution that holds a memorandum of understanding with Health Research BC and commit to a minimum of 75 percent of their time conducting research.
- Be within six years of starting their first university appointment.
- Be eligible under an adjusted calculation, where parental, medical, caretaking and bereavement leaves are credited at twice the amount of time taken (see guidelines Section 4, Eligibility Requirements).
How to apply
Applications to our funding competitions are coordinated through Health Research BC’s ApplyNet, our online grants management system that allows users to manage their entire award lifecycle, from application submission to post-award monitoring.
We recruit reviewers who are subject matter experts in areas that align with applications. These reviewers are selected for their research excellence, breadth of knowledge and maturity of judgement.
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DownloadPartnered awards are available for this program!
Health Research BC’s partners may co-fund successful applications through this program to provide additional support. Indicate your interest when prompted in your application, or, if you missed this step, email the Partnerships team with your Application ID and preferred partner(s). The organizations below are interested in co-funding through this competition.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions Heading
Review Panel (optional section)
- Panel Chair: Martha MacLeod, PhD, RN, FNEI, FCAN, Professor Emerita University of Northern British,Columbia School of Nursing
- Jenny Arntzen, PhD Co-Lead SPOR Evidence Alliance
- Fraser Bell, PhD Senior Consultant Northern Health Authority
- Agnes Black, RN MPH, Adjunct Professor University of British Columbia School of Nursing, Research Associate Centre for Advancing Health Outcomes, BC Representative Canadian Association of Nurses for the Environment
- Heather Cook, RN, MScN Director BC Ministry of Health Seniors Services Branch, Long-term Care and Assisted Living
- Sobia Khan, PhD Director of Implementation The Center for Implementation
- Robin Urquhart, PhD, Associate Professor Dalhousie University Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Endowed Chair in Population, Cancer Research, Canadian Cancer Society (Nova Scotia Division)
Optional Subheading
Optional Subheading
- Vestibulum id ligula porta felis euismod semper. Nullam quis risus eget urna mollis ornare vel eu leo.
- Nullam id dolor id nibh ultricies vehicula ut id elit. Nullam id dolor id.
- Fusce dapibus, tellus ac cursus commodo, tortor mauris condimentum nibh, ut fermentum massa justo sit amet risus.
Review Panel (optional section)
- Panel Chair: Martha MacLeod, PhD, RN, FNEI, FCAN, Professor Emerita University of Northern British,Columbia School of Nursing
- Jenny Arntzen, PhD Co-Lead SPOR Evidence Alliance
- Fraser Bell, PhD Senior Consultant Northern Health Authority
- Agnes Black, RN MPH, Adjunct Professor University of British Columbia School of Nursing, Research Associate Centre for Advancing Health Outcomes, BC Representative Canadian Association of Nurses for the Environment
- Heather Cook, RN, MScN Director BC Ministry of Health Seniors Services Branch, Long-term Care and Assisted Living
- Sobia Khan, PhD Director of Implementation The Center for Implementation
- Robin Urquhart, PhD, Associate Professor Dalhousie University Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Endowed Chair in Population, Cancer Research, Canadian Cancer Society (Nova Scotia Division)
Optional Subheading
Optional Subheading
- Vestibulum id ligula porta felis euismod semper. Nullam quis risus eget urna mollis ornare vel eu leo.
- Nullam id dolor id nibh ultricies vehicula ut id elit. Nullam id dolor id.
- Fusce dapibus, tellus ac cursus commodo, tortor mauris condimentum nibh, ut fermentum massa justo sit amet risus.
Review Panel (optional section)
- Panel Chair: Martha MacLeod, PhD, RN, FNEI, FCAN, Professor Emerita University of Northern British,Columbia School of Nursing
- Jenny Arntzen, PhD Co-Lead SPOR Evidence Alliance
- Fraser Bell, PhD Senior Consultant Northern Health Authority
- Agnes Black, RN MPH, Adjunct Professor University of British Columbia School of Nursing, Research Associate Centre for Advancing Health Outcomes, BC Representative Canadian Association of Nurses for the Environment
- Heather Cook, RN, MScN Director BC Ministry of Health Seniors Services Branch, Long-term Care and Assisted Living
- Sobia Khan, PhD Director of Implementation The Center for Implementation
- Robin Urquhart, PhD, Associate Professor Dalhousie University Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Endowed Chair in Population, Cancer Research, Canadian Cancer Society (Nova Scotia Division)
Optional Subheading
Optional Subheading
- Vestibulum id ligula porta felis euismod semper. Nullam quis risus eget urna mollis ornare vel eu leo.
- Nullam id dolor id nibh ultricies vehicula ut id elit. Nullam id dolor id.
- Fusce dapibus, tellus ac cursus commodo, tortor mauris condimentum nibh, ut fermentum massa justo sit amet risus.
Review Panel (optional section)
- Panel Chair: Martha MacLeod, PhD, RN, FNEI, FCAN, Professor Emerita University of Northern British,Columbia School of Nursing
- Jenny Arntzen, PhD Co-Lead SPOR Evidence Alliance
- Fraser Bell, PhD Senior Consultant Northern Health Authority
- Agnes Black, RN MPH, Adjunct Professor University of British Columbia School of Nursing, Research Associate Centre for Advancing Health Outcomes, BC Representative Canadian Association of Nurses for the Environment
- Heather Cook, RN, MScN Director BC Ministry of Health Seniors Services Branch, Long-term Care and Assisted Living
- Sobia Khan, PhD Director of Implementation The Center for Implementation
- Robin Urquhart, PhD, Associate Professor Dalhousie University Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Endowed Chair in Population, Cancer Research, Canadian Cancer Society (Nova Scotia Division)
Optional Subheading
Optional Subheading
- Vestibulum id ligula porta felis euismod semper. Nullam quis risus eget urna mollis ornare vel eu leo.
- Nullam id dolor id nibh ultricies vehicula ut id elit. Nullam id dolor id.
- Fusce dapibus, tellus ac cursus commodo, tortor mauris condimentum nibh, ut fermentum massa justo sit amet risus.
Review Panel (optional section)
- Panel Chair: Martha MacLeod, PhD, RN, FNEI, FCAN, Professor Emerita University of Northern British,Columbia School of Nursing
- Jenny Arntzen, PhD Co-Lead SPOR Evidence Alliance
- Fraser Bell, PhD Senior Consultant Northern Health Authority
- Agnes Black, RN MPH, Adjunct Professor University of British Columbia School of Nursing, Research Associate Centre for Advancing Health Outcomes, BC Representative Canadian Association of Nurses for the Environment
- Heather Cook, RN, MScN Director BC Ministry of Health Seniors Services Branch, Long-term Care and Assisted Living
- Sobia Khan, PhD Director of Implementation The Center for Implementation
- Robin Urquhart, PhD, Associate Professor Dalhousie University Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Endowed Chair in Population, Cancer Research, Canadian Cancer Society (Nova Scotia Division)
Optional Subheading
Optional Subheading
- Vestibulum id ligula porta felis euismod semper. Nullam quis risus eget urna mollis ornare vel eu leo.
- Nullam id dolor id nibh ultricies vehicula ut id elit. Nullam id dolor id.
- Fusce dapibus, tellus ac cursus commodo, tortor mauris condimentum nibh, ut fermentum massa justo sit amet risus.
Past recipients
2025 Scholar award recipients
Congratulations to these exceptional BC-based health researchers, recognized as 2025’s Scholar Program award recipients.
See recipients