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16 awards for Canada

Scholarships to study in Canada

Canada's money sits at the entrance gate: undergraduate awards from Toronto, UBC, Waterloo and Calgary — many considered automatically when you apply for admission.

Canada inverts the UK's pattern: its strongest international scholarships target undergraduates at the point of entry. The Lester B. Pearson International Scholarships at Toronto cover a full degree; UBC, Waterloo and Calgary run entrance awards that discount tuition for strong applicants — and several consider every admitted international student automatically, which makes applying early the main scholarship strategy.

At the doctoral end, the government's Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships fund PhD researchers generously. The thinner tier is taught master's funding, where dedicated awards are scarcer — master's applicants more often assemble funding from assistantships and department money, which is a conversation to have with your counsellor course by course.

16 scholarships

2 fully funded · 14 partial or varies

Canada
Varies funding

Dalhousie University Entrance Scholarships

Dalhousie University

More than 2,000 entrance awards, including named international awards worth up to C$22,000 a year

Study level
Undergraduate
Deadline
The general entrance award application closes in mid-February
Canada
Full funding

Lester B. Pearson International Scholarships

University of Toronto

Fully funded: four years of tuition, books, incidental fees and full residence support

Study level
Undergraduate
Deadline
School nominations close in November, with student applications due by January for September entry
Canada
Varies funding

McGill Entrance Scholarship Program

McGill University

One-time awards from C$3,000, and renewable major entrance scholarships worth C$3,000 to C$12,000 a year

Study level
Undergraduate
Deadline
Typically 21 January for entry the following September
Canada
Varies funding

McMaster International Undergraduate Entrance Awards

McMaster University

From automatic entrance awards up to the McMaster Award of Excellence, worth as much as C$200,000 over the degree

Study level
Undergraduate
Deadline
The competitive awards normally close in February for September entry
Canada
Partial funding

Mitacs Globalink Graduate Fellowship

Mitacs

C$15,000 towards the first year of graduate study in Canada

Study level
Postgraduate · Doctoral
Deadline
Applications are accepted in set rounds through the year — check the current cycle
Canada
Partial funding

Ontario Graduate Scholarship

Government of Ontario, administered by Ontario universities

C$5,000 per session — C$10,000 for two consecutive sessions or C$15,000 for three

Study level
Postgraduate · Doctoral
Deadline
Set by each university's graduate unit, typically in the winter; results are announced around mid-July
Canada
Partial funding

Queen's University International Admission Scholarships

Queen's University

Grade-based admission awards, renewable for up to three further years

Study level
Undergraduate
Deadline
Automatic consideration from the admission application
Canada
Varies funding

International Excellence Entrance Scholarship

Simon Fraser University

Entrance award applied in the first year, with other SFU entrance scholarships assessed alongside

Study level
Undergraduate
Deadline
Tied to the undergraduate admission deadlines for the Fall term
Canada
Partial funding

UBC International Major Entrance Scholarships

University of British Columbia

Up to C$20,000 per year, renewable for up to four years of study

Study level
Undergraduate
Deadline
Automatic consideration with UBC admission applications, usually due mid-January
Canada
Varies funding

International Scholars Program

University of British Columbia

Need-and-merit awards, including the Karen McKellin International Leader of Tomorrow Award, covering tuition and living costs proportional to financial need, renewable for up to three further years

Study level
Undergraduate
Deadline
Requires school nomination — internal deadlines typically fall in November, with UBC deadlines in early December
Canada
Partial funding

University of Alberta International Admission Scholarship

University of Alberta

Up to C$10,000 towards tuition, awarded automatically to admitted students with superior academic results

Study level
Undergraduate
Deadline
No separate deadline — assessed with your admission application
Canada
Partial funding

International Entrance Scholarship

University of Calgary

CAD 20,000, renewable in years two to four for students who maintain a strong GPA

Study level
Undergraduate
Deadline
Typically closes at the start of December for the following September intake
Canada
Partial funding

University of Ottawa International Merit Scholarship

University of Ottawa

A renewable reduction of around C$15,000 a year on international tuition fees

Study level
Undergraduate
Deadline
No separate deadline — applied automatically on admission to an eligible programme
Canada
Partial funding

International Student Entrance Scholarships

University of Waterloo

Awards of typically CAD 10,000, with a wider set of entrance scholarships from CAD 1,000 upwards assessed automatically

Study level
Undergraduate
Deadline
No separate application for most awards — assessed from admission applications, typically complete by March for September entry
Canada
Full funding

Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships

Government of Canada

C$50,000 per year for three years

Study level
Doctoral
Deadline
University-internal deadlines typically fall in the autumn, with the national deadline around early November
Canada
Partial funding

York University Global Leader of Tomorrow Award

York University

Awards of up to C$20,000 a year, renewable across the degree where results are maintained

Study level
Undergraduate
Deadline
Assessed from the undergraduate admission application — apply by the February deadline

Scholarship terms, values and deadlines change every award cycle. Always confirm the current details on the official programme website, linked on each scholarship page, before you apply.

Which of these could you actually win?

A counsellor reads your grades and profile against the real eligibility criteria, flags the awards worth your time, and helps you prepare the applications — free, alongside your university placement.

Find your university in 90 seconds

Answer a few questions and we will show you where you stand, then a Tutopiya counsellor takes it from there.

Step 1

⏱ About 90 seconds

SGD 50 in total, charged as 2 monthly instalments of SGD 25. University tuition is separate and paid directly to the university.

Frequently asked questions

Scholarships to study in Canada — what students ask us most.

Do Canadian universities award scholarships automatically?

Several entrance awards in our catalog consider every admitted international applicant with no separate scholarship application — the award decision rides on the strength and timing of your admission file. That flips the strategy: apply for admission early with your strongest possible academic record, rather than hunting separate scholarship forms.

Is there a fully funded undergraduate scholarship for Canada?

The Lester B. Pearson International Scholarships at the University of Toronto cover tuition, books, incidental fees and residence for four years — and select only a few dozen scholars globally each cycle, with a school nomination required. Treat it as the long shot it is, and build the realistic plan around partial entrance awards, which are far more attainable.

How do scholarships interact with Canada's post-study work permit?

They don't conflict — scholarship funding has no bearing on Post-Graduation Work Permit eligibility, which depends on your institution and programme length. A funded degree followed by up to three years of PGWP work is exactly the combination that makes Canada's total cost picture so competitive.

What does the placement service cost?

A flat SGD 50, billed as two monthly instalments of SGD 25. That covers everything: counselling, university matching, application support and guidance right up to your offer. There are no hidden extras, no agent fees and no commission on your tuition, because our counselling is funded by our university partners, the SGD 50 only covers administration. Separately, you pay the university’s own tuition or semester fees directly to the university after you accept your offer.

What exactly do you help with?

Everything from start to finish: understanding your options, shortlisting the right programme, preparing your application and personal statement, submitting to the university, and guiding you through the offer, enrolment and visa paperwork, all with a dedicated counsellor.