Find Canada Scholarships for International Students
Canada Scholarships for International Students
You have applied for or already obtained your Canada student visa. Now it is time to find Canada Scholarships for International Students for your study in Canada.
See also Find Canada Universities & Colleges.
International Students have access to many special scholarships from various sources. These also include by the Canadian government, provincial governments, private foundations, and not-for-profit organizations.
Canada International Students Scholarships to study in Canada
You may pre-qualify for a Canada immigration program.
To help you immediately here are top suggestions for your study in Canada:
- Government of Canada International Scholarships Program. Global Affairs Canada offers major international scholarship programs. You can search for awards for study and research by your country of origin.
- Canada Graduate Scholarships – Master’s Program. For Canadian students enrolled on a master’s degree or PhD at a (CGS-M allocated) university in Canada.
- Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships. Worth $50,000 per year for three years. It is open to both Canadian and international PhD students studying at Canadian universities.
- Fonds de recheche du Quebec Scholarships and Grants. The Quebec government offers scholarships and grants. Awards through its research funds FRQNT (nature et technologies), FRQS (santé) and FRQSC (société et culture). Awards are for doctoral studies, postdoctoral fellowships and short-term research or professional development.
- Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Doctoral scholarships. Yearly awards to 15 outstanding doctoral candidates in a social sciences and humanities program. The annual value is up to $60,000 per scholar, and for up to four years.
- Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships. Canadian government scholarships and fellowships offered to international students. Must be undertaking postgraduate study within the natural and social sciences or health research.
- IDRC Research Awards. Canadian government scholarships for students from developing countries. Available to undertake a master’s and also doctoral-level research degree. At a recognized Canadian university.
- NSERC Postgraduate scholarships. Various Canadian government scholarships, grants and awards. Open to outstanding students. Must be undertaking study in the natural sciences or engineering at an accredited Canadian university. Funded by the NSERC.
- Organization of American States (OAS) Academic Scholarship Program. Canadian government scholarships from the Organization of American States (OAS). Open to graduate students from any OAS member state (including selected countries in Latin America and the Caribbean islands).
- Anne Vallee Ecological Fund. Scholarships for international students undertaking animal research at doctoral level. Available at an accredited Canadian university in Québec or British Columbia.
- Canada Memorial Scholarship. Full scholarships available for British postgraduate students. Available to study at any accredited Canadian higher education provider. It covers tuition, airfares, accommodation and more.
- Surfshark Privacy and Security Scholarship. A $2,000 prize is available to an international student. You will need to submit an essay to apply. The scholarship is open to all nationalities.
- Trudeau Scholarships and Fellowships. The Trudeau Foundation offers a number of scholarships, fellowships and mentorships. Open to international students at doctoral level in selected Canadian institutions.
University-specific Canada International Students Scholarships to study in Canada
- Carleton University Awards for International Students – Scholarships to study in Canada at Carleton University. Open to all graduate students. You are automatically considered for the awards upon application.
- Concordia University International Undergraduate Awards – Various scholarships for international students. Available to study in Canada at Concordia University in Montréal. Open to international students at undergraduate level.
- Dalhousie University Scholarships – Scholarships for current and prospective international/domestic students of all levels studying at Dalhousie University in Halifax.
- Fairleigh Dickinson Scholarships for International Students – Scholarships for international students of all levels undertaking study in Canada at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Vancouver.
- HEC Montréal Scholarships – Various merit- and need-based Canadian scholarships for international students at HEC Montréal. Also includes mobility scholarships for international students.
- International Student Scholarships at Humber College Canada – A range of Canadian scholarships for international students at undergraduate level. To study in Canada at Humber College in Toronto.
- McGill University Scholarships and Student Aid – Various funding opportunities. They include the McGill Entrance Scholarship Program and the PBEEE – Quebec Merit Scholarship for Foreign Students. Available for international students enrolled in graduate and postdoctoral studies.
- Queen’s University International Scholarships – A number of scholarships for international students. Available to study in Canada at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. Some awards solely open to students from India, Pakistan and the US.
- Quest University Canada – Scholarships are available ranging from CA$2,000 to full tuition. Available to study at Quest University Canada. All international students are eligible.
- UBC International Leader of Tomorrow Award – Merit-based Canadian scholarships to study at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. Open to undergraduate students who demonstrate leadership skills and exceptional academic achievement.
- UBC Graduate Scholarships – A searchable database of scholarships for master’s and PhD students at the University of British Columbia. Also includes the university’s four-year doctoral fellowships and Graduate Support Initiative.
- University of Alberta International Scholarships – A range of scholarship options for international students. To study at undergraduate/graduate level at the University of Alberta.
- University of Calgary International Scholarships – A selection of scholarships for international students. To study in Canada at the University of Calgary. Awards range from CA$500 to CA$60,000.
- University of Manitoba – Scholarships to study in Canada at the University of Manitoba. Open to international undergraduates. The university’s Faculty of Graduate Studies lists scholarship options for international graduate students.
- The University of Saskatchewan International Student Awards – Merit-based ‘excellence’ scholarships to study in Canada. For undergraduate international students at the University of Saskatchewan.
- University of Toronto Ontario Graduate Scholarship – Scholarships for domestic and international students. Available to study at the University of Toronto’s School of Graduate Studies.
- The University of Waterloo International Funding – A variety of Canadian scholarships to international students. Must be undertaking a master’s degree or doctoral program at the University of Waterloo.
- Simon Fraser University Financial Aid and Awards – A range of scholarships and other funding opportunities for domestic and international students. Must be currently studying or planning to study at Simon Fraser University.
- Western University International President’s Entrance Scholarships – Various Canadian scholarships offered to international students undertaking study at Western University.
- York University International Student Program – York University offers a number of international scholarships for undergraduate students to study in Toronto.
Read more about How to get Canada student visa and Find Canada Universities & Colleges.
Tips and Resources to find Canada Scholarships
Canada has numerous scholarship awards, grants, or bursaries for international students to finance their education.
These are different from government student loans which must be paid back. Scholarships, grants and bursaries are based on academic merit, financial need, or other qualifiers, but you don’t have to pay it back.
They tend to be granted to students with outstanding academic achievement, although some also recognize volunteer and work experience.
You must apply for some scholarships, but others are awarded automatically.
Scholarship funding for international students who wish to study in Canada is limited. It is also highly competitive, and available mostly at the postgraduate level.
Nevertheless, here are some tips and resources to help you explore this possibility.
We later provide you links to other online resources, tools and forms to easily find Canada scholarships.
Start at your home country
Overall and in short, students should first explore Canada scholarships from their home country. For example, contact the department of education in your country of citizenship and inquire about Canada scholarships.
Get motivated and spend time to search
Like all good FREE things, Canada international students scholarships do not come knocking on your door. You have to look for them.
Most importantly motivate yourself to find Canada scholarships for your studies. And devote time and effort to the search.
For example the minimum wage in Canada ranges between $11 to $15 an hour. But consider what you can find if you search for scholarships in that one hour.
During that same one hour you could potentially find Canada scholarships worth hundreds of dollars towards your education.
Contact your chosen university
Firstly, get in touch with the financial aid office of the Canadian university or college that you wish to attend.
And secondly, ask for information about scholarships for Canada international students and any application guidelines.
Don’t neglect smaller awards
Certainly every international student would love a big scholarship that covers tuition, flights, accommodation and even upkeep. However, unfortunately, there aren’t many such huge scholarships available. And also the few available are extremely competitive.
But instead of focusing only on one $12,000 award think different. For example, also devote much of your time to several awards in the $2,000 to $3,000 range. You are likely to be far more successful if you do so.
TIP: Best strategy is to apply to lots of smaller awards in addition to the few big ones too. They are less competitive and can really add up!
Apply for students loans too
The Canadian government offers many full-time and part-time students loans. These are through the Canada Student Loans Program if you can show that you are in financial need.
Furthermore, international students in Canada have access to student loans on the same terms as Canadians or permanent residents.
The Government of Canada will give you a loan (if you’re eligible). However, you can’t apply for a specific amount. They give you what they determine through a number of factors, like your family income, tuition costs, etc.
The best part about a loan from the government is that you don’t have to pay anything until you graduate. Nothing. You just need to make sure you have a smart budget. Because you don’t want spend the entire loan too early in the school year.
Also the Government of Canada and most provincial and territorial governments jointly give you study grants and loans.
Examples of the joint government study grant programs
- Ontario, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador. The Government of Canada and provincial governments work together to provide Integrated Student Loans
- In Alberta, Manitoba, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Canada Student Loans and Grants are available alongside provincial or territorial student financial assistance
- Nunavut, the Northwest Territories and Quebec, Canada Student Loans are not available. They have their own student loan programs
- In Yukon, only Canada Student Loans and territorial Grants are available to permanent residents
How can I find Canada International Students Scholarships online?
Due to the wide range of scholarships available in Canada, it is important to research scholarships individually. Eligibility criteria and application process may differ widely.
For example, some scholarships may require an essay or references from teachers or employers. Other scholarships may be based solely on grades, sporting achievements, or other extracurricular activities.
Below we have listed for you some of the top tools to find Canada Scholarships. Searchable databases of thousands of awards available to international students in Canada.
Each tool has everything you need to know to apply for an award. For example,
- monthly views gives you an idea of the competition
- renewable means you keep receiving the award each year if you continue to qualify
- automatic consideration means you don’t have to apply for the award directly. Because you’re added to the list when you apply to the school
- deadline information tells you the last day to submit an application… and more.
Online resources to find Canada Scholarships
International scholarships – Government of Canada
International Scholarships in Canada
You may pre-qualify for a Canada immigration program.