6 Best Fully Funded Canadian Government Scholarships

The Lester B. Pearson Scholarship is one of the fully funded Canadian government scholarships for international and domestic students studying in Canada but there are even more. Keep reading to find them!

Are you a Canadian or international student who wants to study in Canada through a scholarship? This article could be what you need to get started with a fully-funded scholarship. I have curated a list of fully funded Canadian government scholarships and you could be eligible for some.

Canada has been known to be one of the most academically friendly countries in the world, offers more scholarships than lots of equally developed countries plus it is safe for both citizens and foreigners who study there. Also, the presence of diverse cultures and lifestyles makes the country interesting and a place you’d love to go to study.

About Fully Funded Canadian Government Scholarships

The Government of Canada offers fully-funded scholarships as a way of attracting the best and brightest minds to the institutions in the country to pursue their academic ambitions and achieve their goals at one of the best places in the world to study. These government scholarships are just one among the many sources of scholarships in Canada, there are also other fully-funded scholarships in Canada provided by corporations, universities and colleges, and other organizations.

Studying abroad in Canada as an international student will surely promote your academic and professional life as well as take your career to greater heights but it is very expensive which is why you need to look for scholarships and apply for them. Canadian scholarships like the fully funded Canadian government scholarships will go a long way to offset the cost of tuition for you and make your studies in Canada cheaper.

Some of the scholarships listed here are also featured on our list of full-tuition scholarships in Canada.

You should know that we’ve also compiled a list of the best postgraduate scholarships in Canada and also another separate list of the best undergraduate scholarships in Canada.

Before I begin to list these fully-funded scholarships provided by the Canadian government cum other bodies, I’ll love to ask;

Do you know the necessary documents you need to apply for Canadian scholarships?
Do you know how to apply for a Canadian government scholarship or any other fully-funded scholarship in Canada?

Well, I’ll be happy to provide answers to these questions for you in case you don’t know.

Requirements for Canadian Government Scholarships Application

1. Student visa (for only international students)
2. A completed scholarship application form
3. International or National Passport or any other original means of identification
4. Statement of purpose
5. Curriculum vitae or Resume
6. Standardized test scores (IELTS/TOEFL) – You can find free IELTS courses here.
7. A letter of recommendation
8. Copies of transcripts or Diplomas

These are the common documents that should be in your possession before you start applying for a scholarship and remember to directly contact your school of choice for more details concerning other documents they may need.

How To Apply For The Canadian Government Scholarship

1. Make all necessary research including direct contact with the proper officials concerning the scholarship programs
2. Understand and prepare all necessary requirements and documentation
3. Choose your course and institution
4. Take the language proficiency test (IELTS/TOEFL)
5. Begin scholarship application
6. Apply to universities
7. Meet up with the scholarship application deadline.

Fully Funded Canadian Government Scholarships

( Sponsored by the government, private bodies, and collaboration between government and private organizations )

• Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program – University of British Colombia
• Lester B. Pearson Scholarships
• Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships
• Pierre Elliot Trudeau Foundation Doctoral Scholarships
• Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) Program
• Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships

1. Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program – University of British Columbia

Would you love to study at UBC? Achieve your dream of studying at UBC with the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program which has been in existence since 2013 and has become one of the biggest scholarship programs in the world. Through this program, scholarships are offered to academically talented, yet economically marginalized young people from Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is not specifically a scholarship from the Government of Canada but partners with the Canadian government and other universities in the country to provide scholarships to deserving students. UBC is one of its partner schools.

Scholarship Link

2. Lester B. Pearson International Student Scholarship

If you are looking to study abroad in Canada then you must have heard about the Lester B. Pearson International Student Scholarship. It is one of the most popular and continuous scholarships offered every year to international students who want to study at the University of Toronto. The scholarship is tenable only at the U of T.

The Lester B. Pearson International Student Scholarship is awarded annually to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional academic achievement and creativity and who are recognized as leaders within their school.

While the Lester B scholarship is mostly for international students, Canadian students can obtain free student loans and grants through the Canadian government at the university

Scholarship Link

3. Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships

Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships also known as Vanier CGS, is one of the fully-funded Canadian government scholarships awarded every year to Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and international students who meet the requirements. However, Vanier CGS is only for those pursuing Ph.D. research programs in health research, natural sciences and/or engineering, and social sciences and humanities.

The scholarship offer is $50,000 per year for 3 years of doctoral studies. Applicants are considered based on academic excellence, research potential, and leadership ability.

Scholarship Link

4. Pierre Elliot Trudeau Foundation Scholars Program

Pierre Elliot Trudeau Foundation Scholars Program is more than a scholarship. It is a program that offers students the opportunity to undertake a fully-sponsored 3-year leadership program at partner universities in Canada. The program is for doctoral candidates within and outside Canada but they will have to study in Canada.

The program will provide you with a total of $60,000 per year for 3 years to cover tuition, living expenses, travel, and accommodation.

Scholarship Link

5. Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) Program

The Ontario Graduate Scholarship is another fully funded Canadian government scholarship awarded to graduate students in master’s and doctoral degree programs at partner institutions in Ontario. It is for all academic disciplines. OGS is a merit-based scholarship therefore your application will be assessed and ranked using criteria determined by the school you’re planning to attend.

The scholarship award depends on the number of terms of your consecutive studies within an academic year. $10,000 for two consecutive study terms or $15,000 for three consecutive study terms. The maximum is two academic years for masters and four academic years for doctoral students.

Scholarship Link

6. Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships

The Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship is similar to the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship. It is also for Canadian citizens, permanent residents of Canada, and international students who want to pursue doctoral research in health, natural sciences and/or engineering, and social sciences and/or humanities.

The major difference between the Vanier CGS and the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship is the scholarship value of $70,000 per year for 2 years.

Scholarship Link

Conclusion

Canada has been known to offer several scholarship opportunities to citizens and international students, this list I have compiled will help you get what you are looking for which is a convenient place to study for free so get started on the scholarship applications as I wish you good luck.

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