Canada offers a number of financial aid options to International Students wanting to study in Canada. This financial assistance greatly helps a student in covering the costs of studying in Canada.

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Scholarships

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Scholarships or grants are financial aid provided for academic or extracuricular achievement or voluntary/work experience. The money received through a scholarship or grant does not have to be paid back by the student.  Most educational institutes offer a number of scholarships for international students but there are also other organizations as well like the government which offers these scholarships every year.  However, it is important to note that the process is highly competitive as the number of scholarships available are limited.

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To avail of a scholarship, a student has to go through an application process. The scholarships are open to all academic disciplines.  Students can start by researching the scholarships available in the University or College that you are applying to and understand the eligibility criteria and application process.

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Types of Scholarships

• University Scholarships

• Government Funded Scholarships

• Financial Scholarships

• Privately Funded Scholarships

• Merit Scholarships

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Some of the top Canadian Universities offer the following scholarships:

1. International Major Entrance Scholarship (IMES) by University of British Columbia is offered to international students entering undergraduate programs.

2. The University of Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship is a prestigious and competitive scholarship offered to international students.  It is a four year scholarship covering tuition, books, incidental fees and full residence support.

3. Scholastic Distinction Scholarship by University of Alberta for high achieving students with an average of 95% and outstanding character.

4. The UCalgary International Entrance Scholarship by University of Calgary recognizes outstanding accomplishments of an international student starting their undergraduate studies.

5. The York University Continuing Student Scholarship is given out every year in August to students who have achieved outstanding academic results in the previous Fall/Winter and Summer sessions.

6. BTech Entrance Scholarship by McMaster University for International Bachelor of Technology students coming from high school automatically receive this scholarship based on fulfilling a criterion. 

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Bursaries

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A Bursary is a financial aid given on the basis of economic need.  This aid does not have to be paid back by the student. A student applying for a bursary may need to undergo a needs assessment as well as provide information about their income or parent's income. Generally, a committee reviews such applications.

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Loans

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International students can also access student loans just like Canadian students can.  However, international students may not be eligible for loans provided by provincial or federal governments.

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Most international students with a valid study permit may also be able to work part-time off-campus for upto 20 hours a week while classes are on and full time during vacations. Find out more about the Study Visa Process to know the criteria for working off-campus.

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