Canada consistently ranks among the most-searched study-abroad destinations for international students — internationally recognized universities, a real pathway from study permit to work permit to permanent residency, and scholarships at every level from college diplomas through PhDs. The hard part isn’t finding a scholarship in Canada; it’s knowing which of the dozens of options actually fits your program, budget, and timeline. Canada Scholarships for International Students guide sorts that out, including the biggest recent change in Canadian graduate funding that most other guides haven’t caught up to yet.
Table of Contents
- Why International Students Choose Canada
- The Biggest Change: Vanier Is Gone
- Types of Scholarships Available in Canada
- Top Universities Offering Scholarships in Canada
- Scholarships in Canada Without IELTS
- What It Actually Costs
- How to Apply
- After You Arrive: Work Rules, PGWP, and the Path to PR
- Common Mistakes to Avoid
- FAQs
- Explore Scholarships in Canada by Category
Why International Students Choose Canada
Beyond the scholarships themselves, Canada draws a large South Asian, African, and Middle Eastern student population for practical reasons: multiple recognized pathways from study permit to permanent residency, tuition that runs meaningfully lower than comparable programs in the US or UK even before any scholarship is applied, and a genuinely multicultural student population in most major cities. None of that replaces doing the funding math carefully — but it’s a large part of why Canada consistently sits near the top of study-abroad search volume.
The Biggest Change: Vanier Is Gone
If you’ve read anywhere that the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship is open for applications, that information is outdated. The Fall 2024 competition, with results released in April 2025, was the final one. Vanier has been permanently discontinued and merged into a new, harmonized program.
Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral (CGRS-D) replaces Vanier, the old CGS-Doctoral program, and agency-specific doctoral awards, combining all three into a single competition run jointly by Canada’s three federal granting agencies: CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC.
- Value: $40,000/year for 3 years (non-renewable) — down from Vanier’s $50,000/year, but now genuinely accessible to more applicants
- International Students: Explicitly eligible for the first time — a real, meaningful expansion of access
- Deadline: Agency-level deadline of October 17 annually, though your specific institution may set an earlier internal nomination deadline
- How to Apply: Institution-mediated if you’re already enrolled at a Canadian institution; direct application possible if applying to enroll from abroad
A companion Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Master’s (CGRS-M) pays $27,000 for 12 months, with a December 1 deadline.
Types of Canada Scholarships for International Students
University entrance and merit scholarships. Most Canadian universities and colleges award scholarships automatically at the point of admission based on academic record — no separate application in many cases. Amounts and criteria vary significantly by institution, from a few thousand dollars off tuition to full-ride packages at the strongest schools.
Government-funded scholarships. Programs like CGRS-D (above) and Quebec’s PBEEE merit scholarship are funded directly by federal or provincial government, typically the most competitive and highest-value awards available.
Named international programs. Organizations and companies — from KPMG’s internship-linked funding to Deloitte’s One Young World sponsorship — run their own scholarship or fully-funded programs tied to specific fields or career tracks, separate from anything a university offers directly.
Scholarships and study routes without IELTS. A genuine pathway exists for students who don’t have an IELTS score, using a Medium of Instruction certificate or an alternative test instead — this isn’t universal, so check case by case.
Top Universities Offering Scholarships in Canada
University of Waterloo — Automatic $10,000 entrance scholarship for eligible international undergraduates, with top awards reaching $80,000; strong in engineering, mathematics, and computer science: University of Waterloo Scholarships
University of Toronto — Home to the Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship, one of Canada’s most prestigious full-ride undergraduate awards (37 scholars/year), alongside broader entrance scholarships: University of Toronto Scholarships | Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship
University of British Columbia (UBC) — A structured undergraduate entrance scholarship process with clear, published criteria, making it one of the more transparent options to plan around.
McGill University — Merit-based undergraduate Entrance Scholarships (worth up to $7M+ disbursed annually), graduate funding (60 full/20 partial scholarships), and the McCall MacBain Scholarship — genuinely open to international students, not restricted to North American applicants: McGill University Scholarships
University of Alberta — Runs dedicated international scholarship tracks, including options that don’t require IELTS for eligible applicants. Alberta University Scholarships
University of Manitoba — Its work-study program is worth a specific look if you want part-time, on-campus income alongside your studies rather than a tuition-only award. Manitoba University Scholarships
Concordia University and Université de Montréal — Both offer international entrance scholarships and sit in Quebec’s more affordable tuition bracket, worth comparing directly against McGill if Montreal is your target city.
Humber Polytechnic — For diploma and advanced diploma applicants, Humber’s International Entrance Scholarships are automatic for most eligible students, no separate application required.
University Canada West — A private, for-profit business school in Vancouver; International Student Leaders Award and Academic Excellence scholarships available, though award values are modest ($5,000-$12,000 range) compared to the public universities above: University Canada West Scholarships
Scholarships in Canada Without IELTS
If you don’t have an IELTS score, you’re not automatically excluded from studying in Canada. Several universities accept a Medium of Instruction (MOI) certificate — confirming your previous education was conducted in English — or an alternative test like PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, or Duolingo instead. Acceptance varies significantly by institution and program, so this needs checking case by case. See our full breakdown of which Canadian universities accept which alternative, and a related guide on universities accepting a lower IELTS band (5.5) if your score is below the usual 6.5-7.0 threshold.
What It Actually Costs
Tuition varies more than people expect. Per Statistics Canada, average international undergraduate tuition for 2025-26 sits at roughly CAD $41,746, with graduate tuition averaging around CAD $24,028 — both continuing a multi-year upward trend running faster than domestic tuition increases. Location matters enormously: Newfoundland and Labrador remains Canada’s most affordable province for international students, while Ontario runs the highest — engineering at the University of Toronto runs close to CAD $69,000/year, and at Waterloo closer to CAD $77,000, compared to arts and science programs at McGill, which run CAD $31,000-$46,000.
On top of tuition, IRCC requires proof of funds for your study permit — a minimum of roughly CAD $23,000/year for living costs in most provinces (higher in Ontario), on top of your first year’s tuition. A scholarship that covers tuition alone still leaves this living-cost requirement to plan around from the start.
How to Apply
- Shortlist your program and confirm English-proficiency requirements directly — don’t assume IELTS is mandatory or that an alternative is accepted without checking.
- Gather your academic documents — transcripts, diplomas, and (for graduate applicants) a statement of purpose and recommendation letters: Recommendation Letter for Scholarship
- Apply through the university’s official portal. Entrance scholarships are usually evaluated automatically alongside admission; government and named programs typically require a separate application.
- Secure your Letter of Acceptance (LOA) — required before you can apply for your study permit, so timing matters more in Canada than in many other destinations.
- Apply for your study permit, with proof of funds covering both tuition and living costs.
- Plan your travel and arrival once your permit is approved, factoring in processing times that vary by country of application.
After You Arrive: Work Rules, PGWP, and the Path to PR
Most study permit holders can work part-time during the academic year and full-time during scheduled breaks, though exact hour limits have changed more than once recently — confirm the current rule before relying on it. After graduation, many programs qualify for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), which is realistically the reason most applicants choose Canada over comparable destinations, since it opens a route toward permanent residency through Express Entry and provincial nomination programs. Not every program qualifies — since November 2024, diploma and certificate programs specifically need to be on an approved Field of Study list to lead to a PGWP, while degree programs are exempt from this rule. Confirm PGWP eligibility before you enroll, not after: Canada Diploma Scholarships
Worth knowing the bigger picture too: Canada’s 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan cut international student permits nearly in half compared to 2025 — more competition for fewer spots than in previous years: Canada Immigration Levels Plan
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Assuming a scholarship covers everything. Most cover tuition only, or a percentage of it — build your living-cost budget separately from day one.
- Applying to only one university. Entrance scholarship criteria vary enough between schools that applying to several genuinely changes your odds.
- Leaving the study permit application until after acceptance season is over. Processing times vary by country, and a late start can cost you an entire intake.
- Ignoring PGWP eligibility until after enrolling. Confirm your specific program qualifies before you commit.
- Assuming Vanier is still active. It closed after Fall 2024 — look for CGRS-D instead.
FAQs
Is the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship still available? No. The Fall 2024 competition was the final one. It’s been replaced by CGRS-D, now open to international students.
Do I need IELTS to study in Canada? Not always. Several universities accept a Medium of Instruction certificate or an alternative English test instead, depending on the specific institution and program.
How much does it cost to study in Canada as an international student? Roughly CAD $41,746/year for undergraduate tuition and CAD $24,028/year for graduate tuition on average, plus a minimum of about CAD $23,000/year in required living-cost funds for your study permit.
Can I work while studying in Canada? Yes, most study permit holders can work part-time during the semester and full-time during scheduled breaks, though hour limits are subject to change.
Does studying in Canada lead to permanent residency? It can, primarily through the Post-Graduation Work Permit as a first step toward Express Entry — but PGWP eligibility depends on your specific program, especially for diplomas and certificates.
Which province is cheapest for international students? Newfoundland and Labrador consistently has the lowest average international tuition; Ontario runs the highest.
Explore Scholarships in Canada by Category
University-specific scholarships: University of Waterloo · Lester B. Pearson Scholarship · UBC Undergraduate Scholarships · McGill University Scholarships · University of Toronto · University Canada West · University of Manitoba Work-Study Program · Humber International Entrance Scholarships
Without IELTS: Universities in Canada Without IELTS · Canadian Universities With a 5.5 IELTS Band
Government and named programs: Quebec Merit Scholarship (PBEEE) · KPMG Canada Internship · Deloitte One Young World Canada
Diploma pathway: Diploma Scholarships in Canada
Visa, work, and life in Canada: How to Get a Canada Study Visa · Student Life in Canada · Canadian Immigration and Permanent Residence · How to Apply for a Work Permit After Studying in Canada · Grants for International Students in Canada · Top Part-Time Jobs for Students in Canada
Visa, work, and life in Canada: How to Get a Canada Study Visa · Student Life in Canada · Canadian Immigration and Permanent Residence · How to Apply for a Work Permit After Studying in Canada · Grants for International Students in Canada · Top Part-Time Jobs for Students in Canada