Studying abroad can be very costly and often international students cannot afford to pay tuition. However, Canadian universities offer international students, regardless of country or origin - financial aid packages to help them obtain a world-class education.
The benefits of studying in Canada as an international student:
Canada is a bilingual country and teaches French and English both as a first or second language. Therefore, studying in Canada as an international student will improve your fluency and capacity for either language, if not both.
3. Exciting Campus Lifestyle
Canada’s tertiary campuses are wired with the newest technology and have Olympic-quality sports facilities, public concert halls, and art galleries. Almost one in ten students are international students, which adds to the energy and vibrant campus cultures.
Top 9 Canadian University Financial aid packages for international students:
1. University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowships
The University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowships (UMGF) are merit-based awards that are open to students of any nationality who will be registered as full-time graduate students (Masters or Ph.D.) at the University of Manitoba. The fellowships are valued at $18,000 for Ph.D. students or $14,000 for Master’s students for a 12-month period.
2. York University International Student Scholarship Program
International students who have an excellent academic record are eligible for scholarships worth $60,000 – $100,000 for a four-year degree program.
3. University of Calgary Graduate Awards
The University of Calgary offers a wide range of full and partial scholarships for international students. Scholarship values range from $1,000 to $40,000 and cover different fields of study.
4. Pierre Elliot Trudeau Foundation Doctoral Scholarships
The scholarships are open to foreign nations, especially candidates from the developing world. These are applicants who are applying for a doctoral program in social sciences and humanities or have registered full-time in the first or second year of such a program at a Canadian university. Its annual value is up to $60,000 per scholar for a maximum of three years.
5. Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships
The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Vanier CGS) was created to attract and retain world-class doctoral students, establishing Canada as a global center of excellence in research and higher learning. The scholarships are towards a doctoral degree (or combined MA/Ph.D. or MD/Ph.D.) at participating Canadian Universities. The scholarship is worth $50,000 per year for three years.
6. Humber College International Entrance Scholarships
Humber offers renewable full and partial tuition scholarships to new international students beginning classes in September and January of each year.
7. University of Waterloo International Master’s and Doctoral Student Awards
Eligible full-time international students who are starting a research-based master’s program or Ph.D. program will receive an International Student Award valued at $1,800 per term for 2 years (Master’s) and $3,600 per term for 3 years (Ph.D.). There are other funding opportunities that may be available to international students at Waterloo, especially for doctoral studies.
8. Carleton University Entrance Scholarships for International Students
Carleton offers partial scholarships worth $4,000 – $16,000 to exemplary students who meet the admission average criteria of 80% and above.
9. University of British Columbia Scholarships for International Students
UBC recognizes the academic achievement of outstanding international graduate students from around the world by devoting more than $8 million Canadian Dollars annually to awards, scholarships and other forms of financial assistance.
Organizations and Foundations that offer financial aid:
If you cannot get Financial aid, do not stress, there are other ways you can receive financial assistance.
1. African Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarships Fund
This fund is available to Africans seeking to study in Canada. It is in memory of Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first black democratic president. On December 11, 2013, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced the introduction of the African Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarships Fund, stating it is worth $5 million. The fund is being rolled out until 2019. The MasterCard Foundation, which supports activities in Africa’s education sector, has partnered with the Government of Canada and will match its contribution.
Newly admitted undergraduate students can apply to McGill’s Entrance Scholarship Program. In-course award programs for undergraduate students currently studying at McGill fall under individual faculty jurisdiction as do those for graduate students.