5 best scholarships for international students in Canada

One compelling attraction is the availability of Canada scholarships for international students, enhancing access to quality education.

These scholarships, tailored for global learners, contribute to the country’s reputation for good placements, high success rates, and various benefits, fostering an enriching academic experience.

List of the Top 5 Canada Scholarships for International Students
If you have ever searched on the web, there are thousands of scholarships that used to claim to be the best. But only a few of them are capable of covering your educational and living expenses in Canada.

1. Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship Program at the University of Toronto
Every year, the University of Toronto provides a scholarship for students from anywhere in the world. The scholarships are also offered to those attending Canadian secondary schools. The scholarship is called the Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship Program.

The main motive of the program is to acknowledge outstanding international students who are not only great academically but also show

creativity and leadership in their schools. The University of Toronto selects 37 students for this scholarship during their undergraduate program.

The selected students are named Lester B. Pearson Scholars. If you receive this scholarship, it will cover your tuition, books, fees, and living expenses for the entire four years. However, to get the scholarship some eligibility criteria need to be satisfied by the students. If you’re from another country and need a study permit, here are the eligibility requirements.

• You should be finishing high school or have graduated by June of the academic year.
• You must start your studies at the University of Toronto in September of the next year.
• If you are already in another post-secondary program or starting in January at a different school. The applications of the candidate are not considered. 

2. Karen McKellin International Leader of Tomorrow Award at the University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia has a special award called the Karen McKellin International Leader of Tomorrow Award for international students. This award recognizes students who have done well in their studies, shown leadership skills, are involved in student activities, and served the community services as well. Keep in mind that the scholarship is only available for students at the undergraduate level.

The Canada Scholarships For International Students is an ideal choice for those seeking financial support to cover their educational and living expenses in Canada. The value of the Karen McKellin International Leader of Tomorrow Award depends on your financial situation.

The scholarship provider will look at your family’s financial background and subtract it from the total tuition, fees, and living costs to figure out your financial need.

If you meet the eligibility requirements then you can get this award for up to three more years of your undergraduate studies. The scholarship can be granted until you finish your degree.

To get the Karen McKellin International Leader of Tomorrow Award, some eligibility criteria need to be accomplished. These requirements are:

• The applicant must be an international student with a Canadian study permit for studying in Canada.
• The applicant must be transferred from a recognized high school or your first year at another college or university to UBC.
• The applicants must meet all of UBC’s admission standards including English language requirements and specific requirements for your degree.
• Have a good academic record in the past academic year.
• The candidates must show that they have a financial need that would otherwise stop them from studying at UBC.
• The applicants must have graduated from high school no earlier than June two years before the academic year you are applying for the scholarship.

3. York University International Student Scholarship
International students who are looking to pursue a full-time undergraduate degree at York University have the opportunity to apply for the Global Leader of Tomorrow Scholarships and the International Entrance Scholarships of Distinction.

York University in Ontario usually awards two Global Leader of Tomorrow Awards and two International Entrance Scholarships of Distinction to international students. These Canadian scholarships for international students are renewable for three years during full-time undergraduate study.

Specifically, the Global Leader of Tomorrow Award offers $80,000 (for four years). On the other hand, the International Entrance Scholarship of Distinction offers $140,000 (for four years) to international students who consistently achieve high academic performance each year in their studies.

However, the applicant undergraduate students must belong to one of the following faculties to get the rewards under scholarships.

To be eligible for the major international scholarship the students need to meet some eligibility requirements. These specified requirements are mentioned below, let’s have a look:

• The students who are applying must be an international student with a Canadian Study Permit.
• The applicants who are Applying to one of York University’s undergraduate degree programs are eligible.
• The applicants will be accepted to York University right after high school within two years of graduation with no prior university or college courses.
• Maintaining a strong academic record with a minimum grade point average of “A” or equivalent is also necessary for eligibility.
• The applicants need to Demonstrate leadership through volunteerism or achievements in arts, sports, or other personal areas.
• The candidate must be nominated by your high school. Usually, only one student can be nominated at a time.
• Each applicant needs to provide a letter of recommendation while applying for the scholarship.
• There is a need to ensure all necessary documents in the York application are marked as Received from the university.

4. Ontario Graduate Scholarship
Almost every academic year the Province of Ontario and the University of Toronto offer the Ontario Graduate Scholarship to international students. The scholarship is offered to students who want to pursue Master’s or Doctoral degree programs at the University of Toronto.

The best part of the scholarship is that it is open to all students from around the world including Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and protected persons, providing support based on academic merit.

The Ontario Graduate Scholarship offers financial funding of around $5,000 annually to the students which allows the recipients to receive $10,000 or $15,000 over two or three consecutive sessions to cover their educational expenses and living expenses as well.

The graduate unit of the university that is offering the scholarship contributes a major portion of the rewards given to international students.

Keep in mind that OGS criteria impose a lifetime limit of a maximum of 6 years for government-funded prizes. It will also prohibit students from holding an OGS and another government-funded award to cover their educational expenses. To her the scholarships some eligible criteria need to be satisfied.

To get the Ontario Graduate Scholarship the students must meet the requirements as mentioned below, let’s have a look:

• The International students who are studying or want to study at the University of Toronto must be Canadian citizens.
• The applicants must attain an A- (or equivalent) in each of the last two years of full-time study programs. Good academic excellence is also a major eligibility for the scholarship.
• In case two years of graduate studies are completed at the time of application then the student needs to demonstrate an overall average of at least A- (or equivalent) on all graduate courses which are completed by them.
• Before applying make sure that you are a full-time student at the University of Toronto in any eligible program at the graduate level.
• It is important to keep in mind that the students who are holding a full-time job or an OGS award in the same session or award year as a scholarship from SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR, QEII-GSST, or another OGS are not eligible for the scholarship. 

5. University of Calgary International Entrance Scholarship
The University of Calgary offers International Entrance Scholarships to students who want to pursue their higher education in Canada. The financial funds are given to students from all over the world who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents.

The main motive of the scholarship is to support the students in starting their university journey. To qualify for financial aid the students need to show excellence in academics and accomplishments other than their regular studies.

The scholarship offers funds of around $15,000 to the winners and can be renewed for the second, third, and fourth years as well. This will allow the winners to maintain a GPA of 2.60 or above with at least 24.00 units in the preceding autumn and winter terms.

The total cost of the undergraduate program is around $60,000 over four years. All International students have the option to choose any subject from the University of Calgary’s Bachelor’s degree program.

Similar to the best Canada Scholarships For International Students the International Entrance Scholarship comes with several eligibility criteria. The international students need to meet all these requirements. These are mentioned below let’s have a look:

• The students must be enrolled in a full-time undergraduate degree program which should start in the Fall semester of the academic year.
• Make sure that you are a new student at the university.
• Keep in mind to Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.20 to be considered for the scholarship.
• Also, the applicants need to Fulfill the university’s English Language Proficiency requirement as specified on the official website of the university.