Quick Information
| Country | Canada |
|---|---|
| Degree Level | Bachelor's/Master's |
| Funding Type | Mixed |
| Scholarship Value | Varies by award — Lester B. Pearson full ride, CGRS-D CAD 40,000/year, Ontario Graduate Scholarship CAD 15,000/year, UBC International Scholars up to full costs, Calgary CAD 20,000, Waterloo CAD 10,000, Ontario Trillium CAD 40,000/year |
| Last Verified Date | November 11, 2026 |
| Official Source | https://www.educanada.ca/ |
Overview
Canadian universities offer a set of well-known scholarships for international students applying for the 2027 intake. The roundup covers university awards — not the separate federal CGRS-D programme — but this page also explains the new Canada Graduate Research Scholarship — Doctoral (CGRS-D) programme, which replaced the Vanier awards and is open to international students for the first time. The main awards are the Lester B. Pearson Scholarship at the University of Toronto, UBC International Scholars, Calgary Entrance awards, Waterloo International Entrance awards, and Ontario Graduate and Trillium awards.
Eligibility Criteria
Each award sets its own rules. In general a strong academic record is expected, and some awards add work-experience or application requirements. The CGS-Master’s programme is (mostly) for Canadian citizens and permanent residents, so international applicants are more likely to get funding through the Ontario Graduate Scholarship, the Ontario Trillium Scholarship, or an institution’s own entrance and international awards.
Available Fields
The awards cover undergraduate, master’s and doctoral programmes across Canadian universities. Applicants should check each award’s field and degree-level rules before applying.
Scholarship Benefits
Lester B. Pearson (University of Toronto, undergraduate) is a full ride covering tuition, books, residence and living costs for four years. Canada Graduate Research Scholarship — Doctoral (CGRS-D) pays CAD 40,000 a year for up to three years. It replaced the discontinued Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships in 2025 and is open to international students through a Canadian university’s internal nomination process. Ontario Graduate Scholarship (master’s/doctoral, Ontario) pays CAD 15,000 a year. UBC International Scholars (undergraduate) can cover up to full tuition and living costs on a need basis. University of Calgary Entrance (undergraduate) pays CAD 20,000 and is renewable (confirm on the university’s awards page). Waterloo International Entrance (undergraduate) pays CAD 10,000 (confirm on the university’s awards page). Ontario Trillium (doctoral, Ontario) pays CAD 40,000 a year for up to four years. Institutions may instead offer the CGRS-D or a successor award — check the institution’s own scholarships page before relying on this entry.
Required Documents
The usual set for a Canadian application is academic transcripts, references, a statement of purpose and any required test results (IELTS, TOEFL or GRE where applicable). Each scholarship may ask for more.
Application Process
Choose the programme and university, check the eligibility rules, take the required tests, collect the documents, apply for admission within the university’s deadline and pay the application fee after receiving an offer. Scholarship deadlines are set per award and are not the same as admission deadlines, so check each award’s page.
Important Dates
Varies by award — see the deadline table below.
| Award | Closing date shown |
|---|---|
| Lester B. Pearson | School nomination closed 9 Oct 2026; University of Toronto application closed 16 Oct 2026; scholarship application closed 6 Nov 2026 (nominated students only). |
| Canada Graduate Research Scholarship — Doctoral (CGRS-D) | Apply through your Canadian university; internal deadlines mostly Aug–Oct 2026. Agency deadlines: NSERC 17 Oct 2026, SSHRC 19 Oct 2026, CIHR 23 Nov 2026. |
| UBC International Scholars | 15 Nov 2026. |
| University of Calgary Entrance | Varies — check university’s awards page. |
| Waterloo International Entrance | Varies — check university’s awards page. |
| Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) | Varies by university. |
| Ontario Trillium | Varies by university — confirm current competition is open. |
FAQs
Are these scholarships fully funded? Some are — Lester B. Pearson, CGRS-D and UBC International Scholars can cover full costs — while others are partial entrance awards.
Do I apply for the scholarship separately? It depends on the award; some need a separate application and others are considered automatically with admission.
When should I apply? Within each university’s admission window, and before the scholarship’s own deadline where one applies.
