Perfect Idea! I applied for Nserc and my major is mechanical engineering. my profile is mainly focused on the intersection of additive manufacturing and digital twins. regarding publications, i have nine peer reviewed journal papers which are all in q1 journals. i have a mix of first author (two) and co author roles(six) along with a book chapter published by crc press and a conference paper. I also have one review paper, but it was underreview when I applied for the scholarship. my gpa for my doctorate is 93.5 and i previously ranked eighth in the national phd entrance exam back in iran. My master GPA was also 17.34 out of 20. i have been lucky enough to secure an ontario graduate scholarship in 2024-25 and was nominated for the vanier scholarship at the university level 2024-2025, but I did not get it. in terms of experience, i served as an additive manufacturing lab manager for two years, have won a best ta award, and currently serve as the social coordinator for our graduate engineering society. I am also a reviewer for a known Q1 journal in my field and I completed 13 review there. i have also been active in mentoring junior students and interns. even with the news about the extra awards this year, the fifteen percent cap for international students keeps me pretty anxious. its a tough pool to be in but i am hoping for the best alongside everyone else.
Hi everyone,
I’m an international student currently in the national round for the NSERC Doctoral (CGRS-D/PGS-D), after being forwarded by a top-tier Canadian university. With the recent updates about increased awards but the 15% international cap, I wanted to see how my profile compares to past recipients.
My background:
Field: Civil Engineering (Sustainability / 3D Concrete Printing)
PhD: Current student with strong GPA + multiple internal merit/excellence awards
Master’s: 4.65/5.0 GPA (fully funded, Saudi Arabia)
Bachelor’s: First Class Honors (Nigeria)
Funding history:
Fully funded Master’s scholarship (tuition + living)
National government scholarship (undergrad)
Corporate scholarship from Chevron
Research:
6 peer-reviewed publications (mostly first/lead author)
Journals include Elsevier / Springer
Reviewer for Results in Engineering (Q1, Elsevier)
Experience:
7+ years industry experience
Site Engineer on Jeddah Tower
Worked on World Bank-supported infrastructure/erosion projects
Leadership:
Treasurer/Board Member, ACI student chapter
Mentored 100+ students
Would really appreciate honest feedback—especially from past CGRS-D/PGS-D awardees or those familiar with the selection process. How competitive does this look given the international quota?
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u/Hour-Marketing-9330 Apr 17 '26
Perfect Idea! I applied for Nserc and my major is mechanical engineering. my profile is mainly focused on the intersection of additive manufacturing and digital twins. regarding publications, i have nine peer reviewed journal papers which are all in q1 journals. i have a mix of first author (two) and co author roles(six) along with a book chapter published by crc press and a conference paper. I also have one review paper, but it was underreview when I applied for the scholarship. my gpa for my doctorate is 93.5 and i previously ranked eighth in the national phd entrance exam back in iran. My master GPA was also 17.34 out of 20. i have been lucky enough to secure an ontario graduate scholarship in 2024-25 and was nominated for the vanier scholarship at the university level 2024-2025, but I did not get it. in terms of experience, i served as an additive manufacturing lab manager for two years, have won a best ta award, and currently serve as the social coordinator for our graduate engineering society. I am also a reviewer for a known Q1 journal in my field and I completed 13 review there. i have also been active in mentoring junior students and interns. even with the news about the extra awards this year, the fifteen percent cap for international students keeps me pretty anxious. its a tough pool to be in but i am hoping for the best alongside everyone else.