Studying abroad in Canada? 🇨🇦 Apply for international student scholarships 🎓

Are you an international student hoping to study in Canada?

Canada is a very welcoming country with diverse culture — the perfect place for studying abroad! At the same time, it's getting increasingly more expensive to study abroad, too.

But fear not! Scholarships can make studying in Canada far more affordable — if you know where to look!

First, you'll need to go over different kinds of financial support for students.

Scholarships

They're "typically based on academic merit, financial need, or a combination of both, and are usually provided by schools, organizations, or private individuals."

What's really nice about scholarships is that they don't need to be paid back!

Bursaries

They're "typically based on financial need, and are often provided by schools, government agencies, or private organizations."

Just like scholarships, they also don't need to be repaid.

Loans

They're often offered by provincial/federal governments or banks. They need to be paid back, often after you leave school, and each loan has its own terms, such as interest rate and repayment schedule.

There are several reliable places to find scholarships for international students.

University/College Official Website

If you already have some schools in mind, it's a good idea to start your search from the official websites of universities or colleges that you're interested in. You can find the most accurate, up-to-date information on the official websites directly.

If you have some questions, it might also be a good idea to consult the academic advisors at the university/college!

Scholarship Database

If you haven't decided which school to look into or you want to know what kind of scholarships are generally available, you can use scholarship databases like ScholarshipsCanada.

You can browse scholarships at different schools or filter search them based on specific categories. It might be a good idea to start here if you don't yet know which school you want to attend.

Provincial/Federal Government Websites

Each provincial and/or federal government also offers some helpful information on scholarships for international students! Here are some examples:

• Scholarships: Government of Canada

• Scholarships, Grants, Bursaries and Awards: Government of British Columbia

• Awards, Bursaries, and Scholarships: Ontario Colleges

Once you have done your research and identified some scholarships for international students you'd like to apply for, it's time to start preparing your application!

To make your application stand out, there's one important mindset:

Treat it like a job application!

It's not an actual job application, but there are some similarities between scholarship applications and job applications. For example...

• Before you start the application, make sure you're eligible.

• There's a strict deadline you have to follow.

• Attention to detail, such as avoiding typos or grammar mistakes, is important.

• You must submit a complete application of all required documents.

• Your application should highlight your achievements.

By treating the scholarship application like a job application, it will help you submit a high level application that will be very appealing!

She's trying to apply for a scholarship offered by a college she's interested in. But it's her first time applying and she doesn't know where to start! This is what she's done so far:

• Reviewed the college website. She thinks she meets all the requirements.

• Started writing the application form. English is not her first language, but she's used an online tool to help with the grammar.

• Had a self‑reflection on all her achievements from high school.

You've now mastered the basics of applying for scholarships for international students! It's time for you to start applying.