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Scholarships in Canada for International Students: What Is Available in 2026/27 and How to Apply

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For an international student, the main source of money in Canada is the university, not the government. At undergraduate level this means entrance awards, usually granted automatically on the basis of your admission average: $7,050–10,580 (CAD 10,000–15,000) for first year at the University of Toronto, $7,050–17,630 (CAD 10,000–25,000) a year renewable at UBC, and up to $10,580 (CAD 15,000) in first year at York. Full coverage comes only from a handful of competitions such as U of T's Lester B. Pearson Scholarship — about 37 recipients a year, each nominated by their school. At PhD level, funding usually arrives as a department package; the federal CGRS-D is worth $28,210 (CAD 40,000) a year, but at most 15% of awards go to international students. Global Affairs Canada programs and Mitacs Globalink currently exclude citizens of Russia and Central Asia.

This guide covers which awards are open to international students at each level, how much they cover compared with 2026/27 tuition, the application calendar for a fall 2027 start, and how a scholarship counts in a study permit application. Amounts come from official university and funder pages checked on September 24, 2026; USD conversions use the ECB rate of September 29, 2026 (1 USD ≈ 1.4180 CAD).

Circular hall with tiers of carved wooden bookcases, Gothic windows and a white marble statue in the centre
The reading room of the Library of Parliament in Ottawa, Canada, with the statue of Queen Victoria. Photo: Concierge.2C / source, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Who funds international students in Canada

"Scholarship" in Canada covers several different mechanisms. Separate them early, because you apply to each at a different time and through a different channel.

Source Level How to get it Typical size
University entrance awards bachelor's often automatic when you apply by the deadline $705 (CAD 1,000) to $17,630 (CAD 25,000) a year
Major university competitions bachelor's separate application, sometimes school nomination up to full tuition and residence
Department funding package research master's, PhD stated in the offer, often via a supervisor stipend plus paid assistantship
Federal awards (CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC) PhD through the university after enrolment $28,210 (CAD 40,000) a year for doctoral students
Provincial awards master's, PhD through the university $3,530 (CAD 5,000) per term in Ontario; up to $17,630 (CAD 25,000) a year for PhDs in Quebec
Global Affairs Canada programs short exchanges through a Canadian institution, by country list Russia and Central Asia not eligible

Awards for international students in Canada are almost always merit-based. Financial need is considered only by some programs, such as UBC's International Scholars.

Undergraduate scholarships you are considered for automatically

Most entrance awards need no separate application. The university reviews every international applicant who applies by the main deadline and announces awards with the offer or later.

University Award Value Conditions
University of Toronto President's Scholars of Excellence Program $10,580 (CAD 15,000) for first year, non-renewable about 150 awards, based on admission average
University of Toronto University of Toronto Scholars $7,050 (CAD 10,000) for first year, non-renewable about 900 awards
University of Toronto Arts & Science Global Scholarship tuition, fees and UHIP for four years (not residence) merit-based; financial need may be considered
UBC International Major Entrance Scholarship (IMES) $7,050–17,630 (CAD 10,000–25,000) a year in 2026/27, renewable for up to three more years automatic if you apply by the deadline
UBC Outstanding International Student Award $7,050–17,630 (CAD 10,000–25,000) one-time (2025/26 figure, the latest published; confirm the current amount with UBC) automatic
UBC Okanagan Global Elevation Award $5,640 (CAD 8,000) a year for up to four years all new international undergraduates at the campus
York University Scholarship of Distinction (90%+) $10,580 (CAD 15,000) in first year, then $5,290 (CAD 7,500) a year; maximum $26,450 (CAD 37,500) fall 2026 intake; not for CS, Cybersecurity and Engineering except Ontario-curriculum students
York University Merit Award (80–89.9%) $7,050 (CAD 10,000), then $3,530 (CAD 5,000) a year; maximum $17,630 (CAD 25,000) fall 2026 intake
York University Entrance Award (75–79.9%) $3,530 (CAD 5,000) one-time fall 2026 intake
University of Waterloo International Student Entrance Scholarship $7,050 (CAD 10,000) for first year every full-time first-year international fee-paying student, no application; not for Medical Sciences, Social Work, Optometry, Pharmacy
University of Waterloo President's Scholarship of Distinction (95%+) $1,410 (CAD 2,000) plus $1,060 (CAD 1,500) each for international experience and research automatic, stacks with the $7,050 (CAD 10,000) award

"Non-renewable" means the money covers first year only. York's renewable awards continue if you complete at least 24 credits a year with a 7.5 (B+) GPA. The percentages in York's and Waterloo's conditions are on the Canadian scale; each university converts foreign grades using its own rules.

Compare these with tuition: $46,620 (CAD 66,110) a year for U of T Arts & Science, about $28,210 (CAD 40,000) at York, $36,340 (CAD 51,530) for UBC Arts. Full price details are in our guide to the cost of studying in Canada.

Full undergraduate scholarships: few places, early deadlines

Awards that cover almost everything are rare in Canada, and each has its own route.

  • Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship, University of Toronto. Covers tuition, books, incidental fees and full residence support for four years; about 37 scholars a year. Your school nominates you, one student per year. For a September 2027 start, schools nominate by October 9, 2026; applicants submit their U of T application through OUAC by October 16 and the scholarship application with documents by November 6, 2026. You must be in your final year of secondary school in 2026/27 or have graduated no earlier than June 2026.
  • Arts & Science Global Scholarship, University of Toronto. Equal to international tuition plus incidental fees and UHIP for four years; residence is not included. No separate application.
  • President's International Scholarship of Excellence (PISE), York University. $31,740 (CAD 45,000) a year for four years, $126,940 (CAD 180,000) in total. Separate application; in the current cycle the student deadline is January 27, 2027, and the nominator deadline February 4, 2027.
  • International Scholars, UBC. Considers both merit and financial need; nominees for this program are not considered for IMES or OIS.

If your school does not yet take part in Pearson nominations, it can apply to join; in the current cycle, by October 9, 2026. Ask about this at the start of your final year.

Master's and PhD: funding packages rather than scholarships

After the bachelor's, the logic changes. In research master's and PhD programs, money usually comes as a package rather than a separate scholarship: a department stipend plus pay for work as a teaching assistant (TA) or research assistant (RA) on a supervisor's project. The amount and term are stated in the offer.

The practical order follows from this: for a research program, first find a supervisor with a matching project and funding, then apply. Professional master's degrees (MEng, MBA, MScAC and other course-based programs) usually come without a package, so plan on competitive awards or your own funds.

Government and provincial awards open to international students:

Award For Value Key limitation
Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral (CGRS-D) PhD $28,210 (CAD 40,000) a year for 36 months international applicants must already be registered in a Canadian PhD; up to 15% of awards; apply through the university
Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Master's (CGRS-M) master's $19,040 (CAD 27,000) for 12 months Canadian citizens and permanent residents only
Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) master's, PhD in Ontario $3,530 (CAD 5,000) per term, up to $10,580 (CAD 15,000) a year students holding a valid study permit apply under each department's internal rules
Quebec merit scholarships (FRQNT, PBEEE) PhD at Quebec universities $17,630 (CAD 25,000) a year for up to three years universities preselect candidates

CGRS-D replaced earlier doctoral awards, including the Vanier scholarship; anyone who has already held a CIHR, NSERC or SSHRC doctoral award is not eligible. University internal deadlines come well before the agency deadline, so ask your department as soon as you enrol.

See also our guide to master's degrees in Canada.

What is not available to citizens of Russia and Central Asia

Many scholarship lists include government programs that do not accept applicants from Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and neighbouring countries.

  • Study in Canada Scholarships (Global Affairs Canada): short exchanges through a Canadian institution. The only European countries on the list are Türkiye and Ukraine; in Asia, Bangladesh, Nepal and Taiwan. Russia and Central Asia are not included.
  • Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program: Latin America and the Caribbean only.
  • Mitacs Globalink Research Internship: a 12-week research internship for undergraduates from partner countries. The 2027 list includes Ukraine but not Russia or Central Asia.
  • CGRS-M and most federal master's awards: Canadian citizens and permanent residents only.

For these applicants, the realistic sources are university awards at bachelor's level and department packages in research master's and PhD programs.

How much a scholarship covers

An entrance award rarely covers more than a third of the bill. Here is the share of first-year 2026/27 tuition.

Situation First-year award Annual tuition Coverage
U of T Scholars, Arts & Science $7,050 (CAD 10,000) $46,620 (CAD 66,110) ≈ 15%
President's Scholars, U of T $10,580 (CAD 15,000) $46,620 (CAD 66,110) ≈ 23%
UBC IMES at maximum, Arts $17,630 (CAD 25,000) $36,340 (CAD 51,530) ≈ 49%
York, 90%+ average, Arts & Science $10,580 (CAD 15,000) ≈ $28,210 (CAD 40,000) ≈ 38%
Waterloo, 95%+ average, Arts $8,460 (CAD 12,000) (10,000 + 2,000) $40,900 (CAD 58,000) including fees ≈ 21%

The budgeting takeaway: an entrance award reduces the bill but does not replace a financial plan for the whole program. Many awards cover first year only, and the living amount required for the study permit — $16,540 (CAD 23,448) for applications from September 1, 2026 — is not reduced by a tuition scholarship.

Application calendar for a fall 2027 start

When What to do
Summer to early fall 2026 choose universities and programs, check each one's awards, take your English test
By October 9, 2026 school nomination for Pearson (U of T)
By October 16, 2026 U of T application via OUAC for Pearson candidates
By November 6, 2026 Pearson scholarship application and documents
Fall to winter 2026/27 apply to other universities by the main deadlines to be considered automatically
By January 15, 2027 financial section of the profile for U of T Engineering International Scholarships
By January 27, 2027 PISE application (York)
Mid-February to end of April 2027 UBC decisions on IMES and OIS
Spring 2027 compare offers and awards, pay the deposit, obtain the PAL, apply for the study permit

For master's and PhD programs, the department sets the dates; applications that want funding consideration are usually due earlier than the general program deadline. Check the page of the specific program.

How to prepare a strong application

  • Grades: for automatic awards, your admission average decides. Keep official transcripts for every year the university counts, with translations that make the grading scale clear.
  • English: U of T requires IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0 for undergraduate admission; check the requirement for each university and program.
  • Essays and forms: competitive awards such as Pearson and PISE ask about leadership, projects and community impact. Write about what documents and referees can confirm.
  • References: ask teachers early and give them concrete facts about your projects.
  • For research master's programs: a targeted email to a potential supervisor and a research proposal.

Scholarships and your study permit

A scholarship letter is valid proof of funds for IRCC. If the award covers tuition only, you must separately show $16,540 (CAD 23,448) for living costs plus travel money. For programs longer than a year, the officer expects a plan for later years: a multi-year award is a strong answer, a first-year-only award is not.

Global Affairs Canada scholarship holders are exempt from the provincial attestation letter (PAL), but those programs do not cover Russia or Central Asia. Master's and doctoral students at public institutions have not needed a PAL since January 1, 2026, regardless of funding. Details are in our Canada study permit guide.

Common mistakes

  • Applying after the main deadline and missing automatic award consideration.
  • Assuming a first-year award repeats every year. U of T Scholars and President's Scholars awards are non-renewable.
  • Looking for a government grant for a bachelor's degree. For international students, practically none exist in Canada.
  • Not checking country eligibility. Study in Canada Scholarships and Mitacs Globalink use country lists that exclude Russia.
  • Sending a supervisor a generic email unrelated to their research.
  • Responding to intermediaries who charge a fee and claim they can obtain a scholarship for you. U of T explicitly warns about fraudulent emails using the Pearson program's name.

FAQ

Yes, but places are very limited. U of T's Pearson Scholarship covers tuition, books, fees and residence for four years for about 37 students a year nominated by their schools. U of T's Arts & Science Global Scholarship covers tuition, fees and UHIP without residence. York's PISE pays $31,740 (CAD 45,000) a year for four years.

For bachelor's and master's study, practically none. Global Affairs Canada programs and Mitacs Globalink use country lists that do not include Russia. A doctoral student already enrolled at a Canadian university can compete for CGRS-D through the university on the same terms as other international students.

For most entrance awards, no: U of T, UBC, York and Waterloo consider international applicants automatically when they apply by the main deadline. Separate applications are needed for major competitions such as Pearson and PISE and for some faculty awards.

At U of T, $7,050–10,580 (CAD 10,000–15,000) for first year against tuition of $46,620 (CAD 66,110); at UBC, $7,050–17,630 (CAD 10,000–25,000) a year against $36,340 (CAD 51,530) for Arts. That is usually 15–50% of first-year tuition, before living costs.

Find a supervisor with funding, apply by the date your department sets for funding consideration, and compare offers by the size of the package. Once enrolled, you can apply for CGRS-D ($28,210 (CAD 40,000) a year) and provincial awards through your university.

Yes. A scholarship letter is accepted as proof of funds. If it covers tuition only, you still need to prove living costs and travel money separately.

Sources

Shortlisting programs with funding, requirement checks and document preparation are provided under an agreement with StudyU. The university or funder decides on admission and awards; StudyU does not guarantee any scholarship.

During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step.

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