Scholarships in Canada for international students are an essential part of how to study in Canada as an international student. International students who are not citizens or permanent residents but who want to study in Canada are often not eligible for public funds that Canadian students use. To fill that gap, many public and private organizations have created different funding opportunities for anyone thinking about how to apply to study in Canada as an international student. This article will detail some of the scholarships in Canada for international students, their eligibility requirements and how to apply.
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1. BeMo Diversity Advocacy Scholarship
The BeMo Diversity Advocacy Scholarship is for pre-med and pre-residency graduates who want to prepare rigorously for their application to medical school or a residency program with the help of BeMo. The scholarship asks eligible applicants to record a short video of themselves explaining how they would contribute to making their school or community more diverse and then upload it to social media.
Eligibility Requirements
The BeMo scholarships is open only to pre-med students and medical graduates who are about to enter their residency. The scholarship has no specific citizenship or residency requirements, so international students can apply as well. Students and graduates must also be within 12 months of applying to their respective program. If they must wait longer to apply, they are not eligible for this scholarship.
Check out a past winner of our scholarship:
How to Apply
Interested students must record and then upload a short video (between 1 and 5 minutes) of themselves, describing how they will work to create a more diverse environment wherever they are accepted, during and after their medical training. They must also add a small call-to-action at the end of the video telling viewers to like, share or comment on the video. Applicants must follow BeMo on all its social channels and use the hashtags “#BeMoDiversityScholarship” and “#BeMore” and a link to the BeMo scholarships page in the video description.
Prize/Award Amount
The BeMo Diversity scholarship awards $10,000 worth of BeMo consulting services to a single winner, who can take advantage of expert-advice and guidance on their way to applying to medical school or a residency program.
2. The Lester B. Pearson International Scholarships
This scholarship is exclusively for international students who have been accepted into an undergraduate program at the University of Toronto. Students cannot apply themselves, but must be nominated by their home high schools. Only schools from an approved list made by U of T Enrolment Services can apply, but new schools are added to the list every year. There are close to 40 scholarships given out every year and the scholarship includes other benefits and advantages.
Eligibility Requirements
There are only three eligibility requirements to be nominated for the Lester B. Pearson scholarship, which are:
- Being an international student without Canadian citizenship or permanent residency
- Completed or in the process of completing high school
- Be accepted and enrolled into an undergraduate program at the U of T
Nominees are often nominated by guidance counselors or headmasters, but only one student can be nominated from each school. International students attending high school in Canada are also eligible. After they have been nominated by their home institution, nominees are sent a link to complete the rest of the application online. The scholarships are typically awarded to students who have distinguished themselves in several areas (academics, arts, leadership) and have a demonstrated record of contributing positively to their school and community.
How to Apply
All potential recipients of the Lester B. Pearson Scholarships must be nominated by their home high school. After they have been nominated, students must then apply to an undergraduate program at U of T. The school then sends nominees the link to the online application, which they complete and submit. If nominees are accepted into program and win the scholarship, they will be notified by the school.
Prize/Award Amount
The Lester B. Pearson Scholarship covers all students' expenses including tuition, books, living expenses and housing for all four years of their undergraduate.
3. The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program
This privately funded scholarship is also offered through the University of Toronto, which according to university acceptance rates in Canada has a 40% acceptance rate, so it is one of the easiest universities in Ontario to get into, including for international students. As such, the school has partnered with the Mastercard Foundation to provide full scholarships to graduate students in Africa who have graduated from any one of the eight partner African universities in the program.
Eligibility Requirements
There are only four specific requirements that applicants must meet to be eligible for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars program, which include:
- Be African citizens
- Come from disadvantaged backgrounds
- Demonstrate financial need
- Participation in an ongoing service commitment (volunteer work, fundraising)
- Being in good academic standing
How to Apply
Applicants can nominate themselves but must first be accepted into one of the following master’s programs at U of T:
- Master of Health Informatics
- Master of Health Administration
- Master of Occupational and Environmental Health
- Master of Social and Behavioural Health Sciences
- Master of Health Administration
- Master of Financial Insurance
- Master of Engineering
- Master of Biotechnology
After they have won acceptance, students can then contact the school directly to begin the application process. Students will be sent the online application form, which they will submit to both the school and the Mastercard Foundation.
Prize/Award Amount
The total amount awarded to the over 60 winners in the previous year amounted to $22.6 million, as all expenses related to the student’s studies (airfare, housing, visa application and fees, tuition, books, laptops) are covered. Mastercard scholars can also take advantage of the many mentorship and professional development opportunities that come along with the scholarship.
4. The Karta Catalyst Scholarship Program
This scholarship, which is not specific to U of T as it is offered by other universities in Canada such as Queens University, is less a financial award and more a life-long project aimed at giving students from rural India the opportunity to pursue studies internationally. The Karta Initiative recruits high-school age based on their academic success and potential. These selected students are then given more opportunities such as English lessons and participation in summer educational programs.
Once they have reached university age, Karta scholars can apply to various partner institutions in Canada, the UK and India who will provide additional support, such as resettlement and monetary support, if they are accepted into the programs they apply to. Students applying to the U of T or any other partner Canadian university must be accepted into the program to be eligible for the scholarship.
Eligibility Requirements
There are no specific eligibility requirements to be a Karta Scholar other than:
- Being a citizen of India
- Being from a disadvantaged, rural region in India
- Be accepted into undergraduate program at their preferred school
As the Karta Initiative identifies potential scholars when they are still young, they make that determination based on several factors including academic performance, extracurriculars for college and other personal characteristics.
How to Apply
Karta Scholars do not have to apply through any specific program. But they should still consult with their international student advisor on what exactly they must do. They must first apply to any of the schools who have signed agreements with the Karta Initiative to receive the full financial backing of both the Karta Initiative and the participating school.
Prize/Award Amount
The scholarship is comprehensive and covers all costs associated with a scholar’s studies from tuition and housing to books and living expenses.
5. U of T International Scholar Award
This program offered by the Rotman School of Business at U of T is for any incoming international students who have been accepted into a degree program at Rotman. There is no separate application process and students are awarded the scholarship based on their application to Rotman.
Eligibility Requirements
As the scholarship is awarded to any incoming student based on merit, and there is no separate application process, there are no specific eligibility requirements outside of:
- Being an international student
- Being a high school graduate
- Be accepted into the Rotman Commerce program
However, there are several conditions that an international scholar must abide by to ensure the scholarship is renewed every year. First-year students must be enrolled full-time and complete 4 full credits by the end of their first semester in good academic standing. Students in their second, third and fourth year must follow the same requirements.
How to Apply
The award is given to any incoming, international Rotman student who has demonstrated merit. There is no separate application and students will be notified that they have won the award by the school.
Prize/Award Amount
The amount awarded to each scholar is $100,000 for the full four years of their studies. The amount is distributed over the four years with an annual award of $40,000 in the first year and $20,000 in each following year.
Government-Funded Scholarships in Canada for International Students
1. Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program
This scholarship program (and all of the subsequent scholarships listed here) are funded by Global Affairs Canada and given exclusively to international students from specific regions around the world such as the Caribbean, Asia, Africa and Central America for various purposes. This particular scholarship is aimed at students from the Americas (North, Central and South) who wish to enroll in an exchange program with a partner university in Canada.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants can be either undergraduates or graduates and can apply to any Canadian school on the Designated Institutions list on the Global Affairs website, which contain several different types of institutions from public and private universities to trade schools and professional colleges. Other eligibility requirements include:
- Being a citizen of any nation within North or South America
- Being enrolled full-time at their home institution
- Paying full-tuition to their home institution
Applicants who are in the process of acquiring Canadian citizenship or permanent residency are not eligible for this scholarship. Neither are those who have already received a government-funded scholarship or those are who currently attending at Canadian school full-time.
How to Apply
As this scholarship only applies to short-term exchanges between the student’s home university and their Canadian school, the latter must apply on behalf of the student. If the student has been admitted to the exchange, the host school must provide Global Affairs Canada, aka Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development with all the required documentation, which is provided by the student and their home institution.
Prize/Award Amount
Amounts are determined by the type of student (undergraduate and graduate) and the duration of their stay in Canada. Undergraduate and graduate students who stay for four months are awarded $8,200. Graduates who stay for six months are awarded $11,100. However, there are a few usage requirements and scholars can use the money only for expenses related to their studies, such as tuition, books, transportation and living costs.
2. Study in Canada Scholarships
This scholarship is another short-term exchange program offered to international students from outside North and South America. This program covers other parts of the world, such as Asia, Europe, and North and Sub-Saharan Africa. The eligibility requirements are similar to the Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program, in that accepted students must be nominated by their host Canadian institution.
Eligibility Requirements
The requirements for these scholarships are similar to those for the ELAP program, which are:
- Being a citizen of select countries in Africa, Asia and Europe (the full list is on the website)
- Being enrolled full-time at their home institution
- Paying full-tuition to their home institution
Applicants who have previously received a Canadian government scholarship, have Canadian citizenship or permanent residency or are in the process of receiving them, and any applicants who are currently enrolled in a Canadian school are ineligible.
How to Apply
The application process for this scholarship, and most government-sponsored scholarships, follows the same path, especially for these exchange programs. Other, longer-term, government-sponsored scholarships for international students have more eligibility requirements and drawn-out application processes and may require applicants seeking college admissions counseling for international students.
Prize/Award Amount
This program is also based on the candidate type (undergraduate or graduate) and the duration of the exchange. Undergraduates and graduates who are enrolled for a six-month period are eligible for $10,200, but graduate students who stay in Canada for up to five or six months may receive $12,700.
3. Canada-CARICOM Skills Training for the Green Economy Scholarships Program
This is another short-term scholarship aimed at citizens from Caribbean nations who want to attend a trade or vocational school or program in Canada for between four and eight months. However, any students who wish to apply for this program must be registered in a course or program with a focus on “sustainability, combating environmental degradation, and/or regenerative practices”. These courses and programs have a wide variety of options so students involved in a variety of disciplines can apply.
Eligibility Requirements
Similar to the other scholarships in Canada for international students sponsored by the Canadian government, the Canada-CARICOM scholarships program has several eligibility requirements, including:
- Being a citizen of select countries in the Caribbean (the full list is on the website)
- Being enrolled full-time at their home institution
- Paying full-tuition to their home institution
Any applicant who does not meet the preceding requirements will not be considered, including those who are already enrolled full-time at a Canadian institution or have applied or are about to receive Canadian citizenship or permanent residency. But student’s applications are judged according to several factors, including the relevance of the research proposed in the college interest statement, but students will not have to answer any international student interview questions as there is no interview component.
How to Apply
Students are nominated for this scholarship by their host institution in Canada, but they need to ask their international student scholarship consultant for more details or to start the process. Their host institution must submit the relevant paperwork, which the international student must provide from their home school and nation. Interested students may also ask their Canadian university admission consultants, if they can start their application.
Prize/Award Amount
There are two awards available to students depending on the length of stay and study in Canada. Students enrolled for up to four months can receive up to $8,200. Students who will stay for up to eight months can receive up to $14,700.
4. Canada-ASEAN Scholarships and Educational Exchanges for Development
This scholarship program is for citizens from Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) nations for short-term exchange programs in Canadian institutions. These scholarships have no specific program or degree requirements, but are designed to help students from these nations learn and study sustainability practices that contribute to ASEAN nations reaching Sustainable Development goals.
Eligibility Requirements
These scholarships are intended only for short-term exchange programs between institutions in Southeast Asia and Canada so students who are already enrolled full-time at a Canadian institution or are in the process of receiving Canadian citizenship or permanent resident status are ineligible. Eligible students must:
- Being a citizen of select countries in the Southeast Asia (the full list is on the website)
- Being enrolled full-time at their home institution
- Paying full-tuition to their home institution
How to Apply
Students from partner nations within ASEAN must tell their home and host institutions to apply on their behalf for these scholarships. They must also provide their host institution in Canada with the requisite documentation, as the host institution will nominate the student for the scholarship.
Prize/Award Amount
The amounts are broken down between type of study (undergraduate; graduate) and duration of study (four to eight months). Undergraduates who study for four to six months can receive $10,200. Undergraduates who stay for eight months can receive $15,900, while graduates who stay for the same period can receive $12,700.
FAQs
1. What are scholarships in Canada for international students?
Scholarships in Canada for international students are for the over 800,000 international students currently studying and living in Canada who are not eligible for financial assistance available to Canadian students, such as with unique Canadian scholarships.
2. How can I apply for scholarships in Canada for international students?
Scholarships in Canada for international students have various application processes and requirements, and eligible students should follow the guidelines set forth by each scholarship program to apply.
3. How do I know if I am eligible for scholarships in Canada for international students?
If you are an international student who wishes to study in Canada, you may be eligible for a scholarship in Canada for international students. However, every scholarship in Canada for international students has particular requirements, including residency and program requirements, so you should read over the requirements carefully.
4. How are scholarships in Canada for international students different from other scholarships?
Scholarships in Canada for international students are different from others because they are exclusively for international students who are not eligible for other easy scholarships in Canada or unclaimed scholarships in Canada, which often require applicants to be Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
5. What can I use scholarships in Canada for international students for?
Scholarships in Canada for international students are to help foreign students cover the costs of studying and living in Canada. Some of the private scholarships listed here do not have any scholarship requirements and give students the money directly. Others, such as the government-sponsored scholarships, are paid out to the school rather than the student.
6. Do I need a scholarship in Canada for international students?
Whether you need a scholarship as a foreign student depends on the resources you have and your course of study. International students are typically not allowed to apply for public assistance to pay for school so they depend more on scholarships, awards and bursaries to cover their costs.
7. What are the amounts for scholarships in Canada for international students?
As these scholarships are for international students who have limited funding options to finance their studies, many of the scholarships listed here are full scholarships, meaning they cover everything from tuition, books, and learning materials, to living, transportation and personal expenses.
8. What do I need to get a scholarship in Canada for international students?
If you wish to apply for a scholarship in Canada for international students, you must meet the specific requirements for each program, which are usually being a non-citizen or permanent resident of Canada, and being accepted or enrolled into an undergraduate or graduate program in Canada.
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