adminToronto Metropolitan University Canada Fellowship with Visa Sponsorship 2025
Are you a highly motivated PhD candidate or an early-stage postdoctoral researcher eager to make a difference in the world of migration and digital innovation? The Future Leaders Fellowship 2025 at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) offers a unique and prestigious opportunity to amplify your academic journey while working at the intersection of cutting-edge technology and immigrant integration.
This fully funded, international fellowship is designed for scholars ready to explore how digital transformation is reshaping the immigrant experience across sectors such as health, employment, infrastructure and civic life. If you are passionate about addressing real-world challenges through impactful research, this fellowship is tailored for you.
Hosted by TMU’s Bridging Divides Program, the fellowship supports a global community of emerging scholars, pairing them with expert mentors in interdisciplinary research environments. Through a combination of collaborative investigation, strategic mentorship and academic presentation, participants are empowered to develop solutions to some of the most urgent societal issues facing migrants in an increasingly digital world.
Whether you’re exploring smart infrastructure for refugee housing or digital equity in immigrant healthcare access, this program will help refine your research into publishable, policy-relevant work.
The year-long fellowship structure includes an initial in-person orientation in Toronto, followed by remote collaboration with a senior academic mentor and culminates in a peer-reviewed journal article and an international conference presentation.
TMU ensures fellows are well-supported throughout, covering everything from stipends and travel costs to open-access publication fees. More than just a research opportunity, the Future Leaders Fellowship functions as a stepping stone toward academic leadership and long-term impact in public policy or global advocacy.
One of the standout features of this fellowship is its deep focus on thematic relevance. Applicants align their research with one of four key areas: Immigrant Health and Wellbeing, Employment and Lifelong Learning, Place and Infrastructure or Citizenship and Participation. These themes reflect real-world priorities in policy and planning, offering fellows the chance to influence systems and decisions that directly affect migrant communities around the world.
In a world increasingly shaped by digital systems and data-driven solutions, it is critical to understand how these tools impact migration, identity and belonging. The Future Leaders Fellowship 2025 provides not only the funding and institutional backing to explore these questions, but also the mentorship and visibility to elevate your work to a global platform.
If your research sits at the intersection of technology, society and migration, this is your chance to lead the conversation – and drive change.
Degree Level
The Toronto Metropolitan University Future Leaders Fellowship 2025 (Fully Funded) is classified as a non-degree program. It is aimed at senior-level doctoral candidates and recent postdoctoral researchers pursuing fellowship-level academic and research advancement.
The fellowship does not culminate in a formal academic degree but significantly contributes to career progression, research output and professional visibility in the field of migration and technology.
Fellowship Structure
The Future Leaders Fellowship is organized around a well-planned structure that ensures meaningful engagement, productive output and personalized academic support throughout the 12-month duration. It includes three core components:
1. Launch Phase (Orientation and Research Visit):
Fellows begin their journey with an intensive in-person visit to Toronto Metropolitan University, typically held in September 2025, though January 2026 is available for an alternate cohort. This five-day session includes research workshops, thematic discussions, mentor meet-and-greets and strategic planning for the fellow’s project. All travel expenses are fully covered.
2. Mentorship Program:
Once launched, each fellow is paired with a senior academic mentor from TMU, selected based on research alignment and thematic focus. Over the next year, fellows will work closely with their mentor through virtual meetings, research reviews and collaborative planning. This mentorship is core to the fellowship and helps guide each fellow toward producing high-impact, policy-relevant academic work.
3. Research and Output Development:
Fellows are expected to produce two key deliverables during the fellowship period:
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A peer-reviewed academic article based on their research findings, with open access publication fees fully covered.
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A presentation at an international conference, where they will showcase their research to a global audience of scholars, policymakers and stakeholders.
Fellows conduct the bulk of their research at their home academic institutions, maintaining their existing affiliations while benefiting from TMU’s resources and guidance remotely.
Available Subjects
The Future Leaders Fellowship 2025 focuses on research projects situated at the crossroads of migration and digital technology. While broad in thematic possibility, the program specifically welcomes applicants working in the following fields:
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Migration Studies
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Digital Technologies and Innovation
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Smart Cities and Digital Infrastructure
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Digital Health and E-Integration
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Civic Tech and E-Governance
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Digital Equity and Social Inclusion
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Education Technology and Workforce Development
This multidisciplinary framework supports diverse academic backgrounds such as sociology, public policy, engineering, computer science, health sciences, political science and human geography.
Benefits
Selected scholars for the Future Leaders Fellowship will receive a comprehensive funding package totaling up to CAD $18,000, disbursed across the following categories:
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Stipend: A CAD $5,000 research stipend, provided in two parts:
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$3,000 at the program’s start
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$2,000 after submission of the peer-reviewed journal article
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Travel Coverage: Full reimbursement of travel costs associated with the 5-day orientation visit to Toronto, including round-trip airfare, hotel accommodation, local transport and daily meal allowance.
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Conference Participation: All expenses (airfare, accommodation, per diem and conference fees) are covered for one major international academic conference.
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Publication Fees: Open Access fees for the journal article submission will also be paid in full, ensuring that the fellow’s research reaches the widest possible audience.
These benefits are designed to eliminate financial barriers to international collaboration and high-impact research dissemination.
Eligible Nationalities
The Future Leaders Fellowship 2025 is a globally inclusive opportunity, welcoming applications from all countries. Whether you’re based in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas or Oceania, you are eligible to apply as long as you meet the academic and research criteria outlined below.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must meet the following requirements to qualify for the program:
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Academic Standing:
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Be a PhD candidate who has completed the first draft of their dissertation;
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OR be a postdoctoral researcher who completed their PhD within the past five years.
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Institutional Affiliation:
Must be currently affiliated with an accredited academic institution, research organization or university at the time of application. -
Research Alignment:
Your research should directly intersect with migration and digital technology. Ideal sub-topics may include (but are not limited to):-
Digital platforms for immigrant services
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Technological access among refugee populations
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Smart infrastructure and migrant integration
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AI and digital ID systems for newcomers
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Digital literacy and employment among migrants
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Civic participation through e-governance tools
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These criteria ensure that all participants can contribute meaningfully to the fellowship’s core themes and objectives.
Application Procedure
To apply for the TMU Future Leaders Fellowship, candidates must submit a complete application package using the official online form provided on the TMU Bridging Divides Program website by the deadline of June 1, 2025.
Your application should include the following materials:
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One-Page Cover Letter:
Introduce yourself, explain your academic journey and articulate why this fellowship is a strategic next step in your research career. -
Two-Page Research Proposal:
Outline your proposed research topic, demonstrate its alignment with one of the Bridging Divides themes and mention your preferred TMU mentor based on current faculty listings. -
Four-Page Curriculum Vitae (CV):
Highlight your educational background, research achievements, publications, presentations and relevant academic experience. -
One Letter of Reference:
Must come from an academic or professional referee familiar with your research capabilities and academic potential.
Important Note: Incomplete applications or those missing any required document will be disqualified without review.
Timeline
Here’s a breakdown of the critical dates and deadlines related to the fellowship application and program schedule:
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Application Deadline: June 1, 2025
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Notification of Results: July 1, 2025
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Program Start Date: September 2025 (or January 2026 for the alternate intake)
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Research Submission Deadline: June 2026
All fellows are expected to meet the research output deadlines and participate in all required fellowship activities.
Why Apply for the Future Leaders Fellowship?
The TMU Future Leaders Fellowship 2025 is more than just a funding program – it’s a launchpad for the next generation of global scholars in migration and digital innovation. Here’s why this opportunity is worth considering:
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Professional Mentorship:
Direct access to senior-level academics with expertise in migration studies, digital governance, smart cities and civic technology. -
Global Exposure:
Opportunities to present your work internationally, publish in leading journals and build global academic networks. -
Structured Research Support:
From proposal development to publication, fellows are supported every step of the way, ensuring impactful and polished scholarly output. -
No Financial Burden:
The program covers all major expenses – research funding, travel, accommodation, publication – allowing fellows to focus entirely on quality research. -
Career Advancement:
A prestigious fellowship on your academic CV signals readiness for tenure-track positions, international collaborations or leadership roles in global NGOs and research bodies.
Application Link
If you’re ready to take your research career to the next level, you can start your application process here:
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