Search scholarships and awards for international students studying in Canada. Filter by study level, province, or keywords.
Last verified: · Sources: IRCC
International students can draw on four kinds of funding: federal government programs (mostly graduate and postdoctoral research), provincial programs (mostly graduate, administered through universities), institutional entrance awards (the biggest source of undergraduate funding, specific to each school), and private or foundation awards. Most awards are partial — full rides are rare and highly competitive.
Federal funding is mostly for graduate and postdoctoral research. The tri-agency Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral (CGRS-D) pays $40,000/year for 3 years, with up to 15% of awards reserved for international PhD students. The Canada Postdoctoral Research Award (CPRA) pays $70,000/year for 2 years, with up to 20% reserved for international postdoctoral researchers. The Vanier and Banting programs no longer accept new applications — they were folded into CGRS-D and CPRA above. Global Affairs Canada also funds short-term exchange scholarships (Study in Canada, ELAP, SEED-2), but Canadian institutions apply for these — students cannot apply directly.
Provincial scholarships are almost all graduate-level and administered through universities — you don't apply to the province directly. Examples include the Ontario Graduate Scholarship, Quebec's PBEEE for foreign students, and Alberta Innovates graduate scholarships. Undergraduate international students should not expect provincial funding.
This is where most international undergraduate funding comes from. Most Canadian universities automatically consider admitted international undergraduates for entrance awards (often $1,000–$10,000, usually for the first year only). A handful of competitive 'major' awards need a separate application or school nomination, and sometimes proof of financial need — these are the only ones that cover full tuition and living costs, and each school gives out only a few dozen a year. Because scholarships are specific to each institution, check your target school's own awards office. Only a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) can admit you on a study permit.
Some private foundations fund international students directly — for example, the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation's PhD Scholarship (up to $70,000/year) is open to international PhD students at Canadian universities, and the McCall MacBain Scholarship funds master's study at McGill for all nationalities. Many other well-known private awards, including the Loran Award, are open only to Canadian citizens and permanent residents.
Most undergraduate awards are partial — typically $1,000 to $10,000, often one-time. Full-ride awards exist (for example, the University of Toronto's Lester B. Pearson Scholarship or UBC's International Scholars Program) but are very competitive: each school awards only a few dozen a year, usually requiring a school nomination, a separate application, interviews, and sometimes proof of financial need.
A study permit application requires proof you can cover tuition, travel, and living expenses. From September 1, 2026, IRCC's living-expense amount (outside Quebec) is $23,448/year for a single student, plus $6,318 for each additional family member. Quebec applicants must meet MIFI's amounts instead.
| Family size | Amount required per year (from Sept 1, 2026) |
|---|---|
| 1 | $23,448 |
| 2 | $29,192 |
| 3 | $35,888 |
| 4 | $43,572 |
| 5 | $49,419 |
| 6 | $55,736 |
| 7 | $62,054 |
A scholarship letter can count as part of your proof of funds, but unless it's a full-ride award covering everything, you still need to show the rest of tuition, the living-expense amount, and travel. A scholarship does not change study permit eligibility or guarantee a decision.
Most undergraduate and graduate award deadlines fall between October and February, though cycles vary by program. Exceptions: the McCall MacBain Scholarship's international deadline is in August, and the Global Affairs Canada exchange programs (Study in Canada, ELAP, SEED-2) are institution-driven calls that typically run in March. Always confirm the exact current-cycle date on the official page — deadlines shown on this page are typical annual windows, not guarantees for any specific year.
Showing 15 scholarships
Government of Canada (SSHRC / NSERC / CIHR)
Eligibility: Doctoral students at Canadian institutions. $40,000/year for 3 years. Up to 15% of awards are reserved for international students, who must be enrolled in their doctoral program at an eligible Canadian institution by the deadline. (Replaces the former Vanier and CGS D programs.)
Government of Canada (SSHRC / NSERC / CIHR)
Eligibility: Postdoctoral researchers. Under the harmonized tri-agency program the former Banting fellowships were replaced by the CPRA (worth $70,000/year), with up to 20% of awards reserved for international applicants. International applicants must already (a) hold, or (b) be currently pursuing, a doctoral degree at a Canadian institution, or (c) be currently doing postdoctoral research at a Canadian institution.
Trudeau Foundation
Eligibility: First- or second-year PhD students in the humanities and social sciences. Canadian students at Canadian or foreign universities, or international students at a Canadian university. Apply directly to the Foundation.
McGill University / McCall MacBain Foundation
Eligibility: All nationalities, for master's or professional degree study at McGill University. Open, merit-based competition; apply directly through the Scholars portal.
Global Affairs Canada
Eligibility: Short-term exchange (one term) for students enrolled full-time at a home institution in an eligible country (e.g. Bangladesh, Nepal, Ukraine, Türkiye, Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana). Canadian institutions select and apply on the student's behalf; no direct applications. Not for students already enrolled in a Canadian degree program.
Global Affairs Canada
Eligibility: Short-term exchange (one term) for citizens of eligible Latin American and Caribbean countries enrolled full-time at a home institution. Canadian institutions select and apply on the student's behalf (max $150,000 per institutional project); no direct applications.
Global Affairs Canada
Eligibility: Short-term exchange for students from ASEAN member states, 14 Pacific Island countries, and Mongolia, enrolled full-time at a home institution. Canadian institutions select and apply on the student's behalf; no direct applications.
Government of Ontario
Eligibility: Graduate students at Ontario universities. Based on academic excellence. International students (on a study permit) are eligible for only a limited number of awards, set by each university — ask your graduate unit how many are reserved for international applicants.
Alberta Innovates
Eligibility: Full-time graduate students (Canadian, PR or international) researching ICT or advanced materials & manufacturing at Athabasca, Concordia Edmonton, U of Alberta, U of Calgary or U of Lethbridge.
Government of Quebec (FRQ)
Eligibility: International (foreign) students at Quebec universities, the CCTT network, or selected via the China Scholarship Council. You must be preselected/nominated by one of these, and must not have held a PBEEE before. This is the route for international graduate students in Quebec — FRQ's own regular scholarships require Canadian citizenship or permanent residence.
University of Toronto
Eligibility: International students nominated by their school (one nomination per school). Exceptional academic achievement and creativity. About 37 scholars selected per year, covering tuition, books, and full residence support for 4 years.
University of British Columbia
Eligibility: International students with demonstrated significant financial need, nominated by a school counsellor, principal, or registered non-profit (max 2 nominations per school for UBC Vancouver, 1 for UBC Okanagan). Named awards include the Karen McKellin International Leader of Tomorrow Award, the Donald A. Wehrung International Student Award, the International Impact Award, and the Vantage One Excellence Award.
McGill University
Eligibility: One-year $3,000 awards: automatic on admission. Major awards need a separate application (opens Oct 1). $12,000 awards are for Canadian citizens/PRs only.
University of Waterloo
Eligibility: International students admitted to most programs receive the $10,000 entrance award automatically — no application needed. The higher-value Math/Computer Science and Science awards require a separate, competitive application.
Dalhousie University
Eligibility: International students admitted to Dalhousie. Automatic consideration for most awards.
Scholarship amounts, deadlines, and eligibility criteria change annually. Always verify current details on the provider's website before applying.
Federal tri-agency awards for doctoral and postdoctoral research (with a capped international share), provincial graduate awards administered through universities, institutional entrance awards (the main source of undergraduate funding), and a small number of private or foundation awards. None of the federal programs funds a full international undergraduate degree.
No. Both stopped accepting new applications; they were replaced by the harmonized Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral (CGRS-D) and Canada Postdoctoral Research Award (CPRA).
A scholarship letter can count as part of your proof of funds, but unless it's a full-ride award, you still need to show you can cover the rest of tuition, living expenses, and travel. See IRCC's current financial-support amounts.
Most deadlines fall between October and February, but check each program individually — for example, the McCall MacBain Scholarship's international deadline is in August, well before most others.
No — some well-known Canadian awards, including the Loran Award, are restricted to Canadian citizens and permanent residents and are not open to study-permit holders.
Check the financial aid or awards office of each Designated Learning Institution (DLI) you're applying to — most entrance awards are automatic on admission and specific to that school.