Top scholarships to study in Canada

1. Schulich School of Business- York University

This scholarship is renewable in the MBA/IMBA second year with the fulfillment of GPA- 7.0(A) over the first 30 credit hours of the course.

This scholarship is allocated to incoming students in the Fall of each year, and selected incoming students are encouraged to apply as only three scholarships are awarded each year.

Value: full-time domestic tuition, renewable + $5,000 living subsidy (approximately $80,000 over two years, i.e., $40,000 (CAD) for one year)

Schulich offers a wide range of scholarships and awards, thereby meeting the financial needs of students. These scholarships and awards are broadly categorized into four categories, namely- Entrance awards, Continuing student awards, Specialized masters awards, and Graduating student awards.

Some other popular Schulich awards include-

• Seymour Schulich MBA Entrance Scholarship
• Tanna H. Schulich MBA Entrance Scholarship
• Heather L. Main Scholarship (Women in Capital Markets)
• Franklin & Sasarman Simard Scholarship

2. President’s Scholarship for International Students- University of Ottawa

The President’s Scholarship by the University of Ottawa is awarded to one full-time undergraduate international student. For this prestigious scholarship, applicants must hold a student visa, have a minimum admission average of 92% (or equivalent), exhibit leadership excellence, and a commitment to academic and extracurricular activities.

This scholarship can be renewed for the 3 following years given the student perseveres full-time enrolment, international student status, and a minimum CGPA of 8.50. The University also presents a one-time award to applicants in second, third, and fourth place worth $1,500.

• If students have a CGPA between 8.00 and 8.49 at the end of the academic year, they can renew their scholarship at 50% of the annual value. They may even renew their scholarship for the full amount in the following year if their CGPA rises to 8.50 or higher.
• However, it’s important to note that this scholarship cannot be combined with a Chancellor’s Scholarship for International Students, with the Faculty of Arts Dean’s Merit Scholarship or with the Merit Scholarship.

Value- $30,000 ($7,500 per year)

Other popular scholarships of the University of Ottawa include-

• Faculty of Arts Dean’s Merit Scholarship
• Faculty of Engineering Dean’s Merit Scholarship
• Faculty of Engineering Memorial Scholarship
• University of Ottawa Financial Aid Bursary for International Students

7. University of Calgary Graduate Awards

International scholars are eligible to apply for several of the awards administered through the University of Calgary Graduate Scholarship Office. Here are the chief points of this scholarship-

• Applicants may apply for awards after they have submitted an application for admission and obtained a University of Calgary student number.
• Applicants must apply for graduate awards as they are not considered automatically.

Value: ranges from $1,000 to $40,000 and covers different fields of study.

Other awards include-

• Alberta Innovates– This award is applicable and open for international students researching the area of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), Nanotechnology, Genomics, Proteomics, Metabolomics, Transcriptomics, or Regulomics. The award is valued at $26,500 for master’s, up to two years, and $31,500 for doctoral, up to four years.
• Graduate Award Competition: The following scholarships are awarded at a value as high as $36,000, and are given through the annual Graduate Award Competition:

-Izaak Walton Killam Doctoral Scholarships

-Open Doctoral Scholarships

-Special Awards

-Bursaries

To be eligible, scholars must have attained a first-class average, as determined by the university issuing the transcripts, in the immediate two completed years of full-time study or its equivalent.

8. UBC Graduate Global Leadership fellowships

The UBC Graduate Global Leadership Fellowships empower assuring leaders from developing countries to undertake their doctoral studies at UBC. The fellowships endeavor to assist international students exhibiting exceptional leadership in humanitarian and development work in their home country.

Here are the essential points of this scholarship:

• The scholarship value is $18,200 per year plus tuition for four years
• Two new fellowships will be offered each year
• The student must be a citizen of a developing country such as India

Selection is based on the following criteria-

• Academic Excellence – up to 30% as confirmed by academic transcripts, awards, and distinctions
• Research Ability / Potential – up to 30% quality analytical skills, critical thinking capability, the capacity to implement skills and knowledge, judgment, creativity, leadership and autonomy, determination, etc- as expressed in the description of the program and through work experience, research contributions, letters of appraisal, etc.
• Leadership in the development of civil and sustainable society in the home country – this aspect holds 40% weightage. Scholars need to hold a confirmed history of leadership in pursuits like professional, academic, or volunteer work – as exhibited in their work experience, society involvement, and other extracurricular pursuits; communication skills, etc.

9. McGill University Scholarships and Student Aid

The graduate funding is managed by the McGill University’s academic departments and applicants should probe regarding financial support accordingly. Students into research-based programs receive support typically through McGill funding by fellowships and assistantships as well as outside funding in the form of grants and fellowships regulated by provincial and federal governments or other agencies.

10. Queen’s University International Scholarships

Queen’s University draws a community of exceptional student scholars from across the world. The University offers distinct financial aid programs to assist International and U.S. students studying at Queen’s. 

 To reward the exceptional academic excellence demonstrated by the university’s incoming International and U.S. students, Queen’s awards an array of scholarships to international students entering any first-entry undergraduate program of study.

Eligibility

To be eligible for most International Admission Scholarships and Awards students must be:

• an international student (Canadian citizens, inclusive of those students carrying dual-citizenship, and permanent residents do not fit for these awards)
• primarily starting the 1st year of post-secondary education for the very first time (graduates from a 2-year CEGEP program shifting into their second year of a Queen’s program remain eligible for Admission Scholarships and Awards)

Recipients of the following admission scholarships are selected automatically also by applying to Queen’s University all eligible applicants are considered automatically for the following scholarships:

1. Principal’s Scholarship- Total Value: $4,000
2. Excellence Scholarship-Total Value: $1,500
3. Queen’s University International Admission Scholarship- Total Value = $9,000
4. Principal’s International Scholarship – India- Total Value = $20,000
5. Mehran Bibi Sheikh Memorial Entrance Scholarship- Total Value = $1,500
6. Killam American Scholarship- Total Value = $9,000

Other Financial Assistance Options at Queen’s-

• US Student Loans
• International Student Loans
•  Prince Takamado Visiting Student Scholarship
• Section 529 Savings Plans 
• US Veteran Affairs

11. University of Alberta

General Undergraduate Scholarships- To invite prime students, the University of Alberta extends to offer more than CAD$28 million in undergraduate scholarships and financial support every year.

Various types of scholarships offered here include-

• International Entrance Leadership Scholarship- Value: $5,000
• University of Alberta Centenary Scholarship- Value: Variable from $20,000; payable over four years
• University of Alberta Global Citizenship Scholarship for IB Diploma International Students-Value: Tuition and $16,000 to a maximum of $40,000 per year for four years
• Campus Saint-Jean International Scholarship
• International Student Scholarship- Value: Up to $9,000; payable over four years
• University of Alberta Gold Standard Scholarship- Value: Up to $6,000
• University of Alberta International Country Scholarship- Value: Up to $5,000

Application to these scholarships varies from school to school. Each of these schools has laid different application requirements, i.e., some demand a set of essay questions, others seek a Statement of Purpose from their applicants.

Canada hosts approximately half a million international students and is known over the years to offer a high-quality educational experience to students coming from different nationalities. Thus, many schools tend to offer scholarships to aid international students’ funding and facilitate student exchange every year.  It’s also believed that scholarships for international students applying to a Canadian university are limited and highly competitive.

Hence the aforementioned University scholarships will help you fund your study program in Canada.