Canada’s reputation as a top education destination is on the rise, drawing talented students worldwide. Fully funded scholarships from prestigious Canadian universities and organizations are a major attraction, offering financial support and valuable academic opportunities.
These scholarships cover tuition, living expenses, and other costs, enabling recipients to focus on their studies. Programs like the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships and Trudeau Scholarships are highly competitive, attracting top students in various fields. Canada’s multicultural society, high quality of life, and student-friendly policies make it a welcoming place for international students. With renowned institutions and a commitment to nurturing global talent, Canada provides an ideal environment for personal and professional development.
Consider exploring popular courses and programs in Canada that are in high demand among international students. This could enhance your chances of securing a scholarship.
Securing a fully funded scholarship in Canada opens doors to a transformative educational experience, setting students up for future success in a diverse and inclusive nation.
Scholarships are only one of several reasons to study in Canada; here are a few more. Without further ado, here are the top full-ride scholarships in Canada.
1. Ontario Graduate Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: CA$10,000 for two years of consecutive study.
Eligibility Requirements: You must have scored at least 80% in each of the previous two full-time academic years.
Deadline for applying: March 15, 2024 at 5 p.m. (Note: You can target the 2025 application for this particular scholarship)
The Ontario Graduate Scholarship was created in 1975 to promote excellence in graduate study at Ontario universities. OGS grants about 3,000 scholarships each year to students from different fields. The Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) is for students pursuing graduate courses at the master’s and doctorate degrees, and the financial coverage ranges, with CA$10,000 per scholarship, making it one of the fully funded scholarships in Canada.
2. The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship
Amount: CA$50,000 per year for three years of PhD studies.
Eligibility criteria: You can only be nominated by one Canadian university that has earned a Vanier CGS quota. You must also be pursuing your first doctorate.
Deadline to Apply: It would be about November 2024.
The Government of Canada created the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Vanier CGS) in 2008. The initiative aims to attract and maintain world-class doctoral students at Canadian universities. This completely supported PhD in Canada is intended particularly for doctoral students studying in Canada. This government-sponsored full-ride scholarship provides up to CA$50,000 each year. This fully financed fellowship is an excellent choice for individuals wishing to achieve his/her doctoral studies in Canada.
3. The Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation
Scholarship Amount: CA$40,000 stipend plus up to CA$20,000 in research and travel expenses per year for three years.
Eligibility Criteria: International students pursuing doctorates in Canada are eligible.
The application deadline is likely to be December 2024.
The Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Scholarship was created in 2001, one year following the death of Pierre Elliott Trudeau, Canada’s 15th Prime Minister. The grant is awarded to excellent PhD candidates in the humanities and social sciences who are interested in public policy and social justice. It is for MPhil/Ph.D. students pursuing doctorate studies and offers a stipend of up to CA$40,000. They even grant $20,000 for travel and research, making it one of the top fully supported scholarships for overseas students in Canada.
4. Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships
Scholarship amount: CA$70,000 per year.
Eligibility criteria: You must be an international citizen and hold a PhD in environmental or health profession.
Deadline for applications: September 30, 2024.
This completely financed scholarship in Canada is available to PhD applicants, including Canadians and non-Canadians. It was established to attract the most gifted for research-based growth and leadership potential in exchange for contributing to and accelerating the country’s economic progress. International applicants can only hold the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship at Canadian institutes, but Canadian citizens and permanent residents can hold the scholarships both within and outside of Canada, making it one of the greatest fully supported scholarships for international students in Canada.
5. UdeM Exemption Scholarships
Scholarship amount varies from subject to subject.
Eligibility criteria: Compulsory study permission; Applicants enrolled full-time in a study program.
Deadline for applications: February 1, 2024. ( You can target 2025 application)
International students may benefit from the UdeM Exemption Scholarship. The University of Montreal offers a fully financed scholarship in Canada to bright students to attend the country’s leading francophone research universities. It is one of the top, most sought-after, completely financed scholarships in the country; candidates who have received an offer letter and are enrolled full-time in an undergraduate or postgraduate program are eligible for this award, making it one of the best full ride scholarships in Canada. The financial coverage may vary depending on the program selected. This is another fully paid scholarship.
6. Lester B. Pearson International Scholarships
Scholarship Amount: This scholarship covers tuition, books, incidentals, and full residence assistance.
Eligibility criteria: You must display leadership, innovation, and ingenuity. You will also need to explain why you wish to study at the University of Toronto.
Deadline for applications: January 15, 2024. (You can target 2025 application)
The Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship is one of the top fully funded scholarships in Canada for international students! The University of Toronto offers this scholarship, which covers many of the costs associated with studying in a distant nation, such as tuition, residential support, and more! It is important to note that this scholarship is exclusively available to Bachelor students attending the University of Toronto, making it one of the greatest full-ride scholarships in Canada.
7. Google PhD Fellowship Program
Scholarship Amount: The entire cost of tuition
Qualifications: Before applying to the PhD program, you must be enrolled in it, continue to attend, and have completed all of your graduate-level coursework.
Application deadline: May 8, 2024
The next fully funded scholarship in Canada that we list is for PhD students, and it’s from Google! Students who wish to pursue a PhD in computer sciences in Canada have the opportunity to do so through the Google PhD Fellowship Program. Google offers one of the best full ride scholarships in Canada, covering the whole cost of your course tuition at any Canadian university.
8.Lakey Foundation Research Grants
Scholarship Amount: CA$40,299
Eligibility: The Leakey Foundation Research Grants are available to established scientists and advanced doctoral students. Another requirement is that prospective applicants speak fluent English.
The deadline for applying is July 15, 2024.
Leakey Foundation Research Grants, designed for scientists and advanced doctoral students, are one of the best full-ride scholarships in Canada! This scholarship is specifically designed for PhD and postdoctoral students, who will receive CA$40,299 to help cover their entire tuition, making it one of the best fully funded scholarships in Canada.
9. President’s International Scholarship for Excellence
Scholarship Amount: CA$45,000 for tuition costs.
Eligibility criteria: You must score at least 88 on the TOEFL, 6.5 on the IELTS, or 60 on the PTE. In addition, you must apply to York University within two years of graduating from high school.
Deadline for applications: February 1, 2024.
The President’s International grant of Excellence, offered by York University, is the next full-ride grant on our list for Canada! This grant is exclusively available to students planning to study a Bachelor’s degree in Canada for four years. This merit-based award provides CA$ 45,000 to 20 international students to pay their tuition fees, making it one of the greatest fully funded scholarships for international students in Canada.
10. UBC International Leader of Tomorrow Award
Scholarship worth CA$35,000
Eligibility criteria: You must demonstrate financial need and unable to continue your studies at UBC. You will also need to have a high academic record and demonstrate leadership skills.
Deadline for applications: January 15, 2024.
Last but not least, the University of British Columbia offers the International Leader of Tomorrow Award (ILOT), a need-based stipend to students interested in pursuing an undergraduate degree at UBC. This award covers tuition, living expenses, and other study-related expenditures in Canada, making it one of the greatest full-ride scholarships available.