Canada offers a mix of full, need-based, merit-based and partial scholarships for international students. Not every award in this guide is fully funded. Always check the current university or Government of Canada page because award values, deadlines and application routes can change.
International students can find scholarship funding in Canada through universities, provincial programmes and Government of Canada initiatives. The important distinction is that these awards do not all work the same way: some are substantial need-based packages, some are entrance awards, some support graduate research, and some government programmes are short-term exchanges rather than full degrees.
This guide is designed as a starting point for finding legitimate Canadian scholarships and understanding who actually submits each application.
Compare Canada Scholarships for International Students
Start with your study level, then check the funding and application route. The comparison below was checked on 4 October 2026. It includes awards with different intake years and coverage periods; eligibility does not guarantee selection.
| Award and study level | Funding coverage | Eligibility for Nigerian applicants | Deadline or current status | Application route |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UBC International Scholars First undergraduate degree | Financial-need assessment determines support; read the award terms. | Nigerians may qualify as international students entering from secondary school, with outstanding academics, leadership and significant financial need. | Opens 5 October 2026 for September 2027 entry. UBC admission and award applications due 15 November 2026, 23:59 PST. | Apply to UBC first; complete the separate award application with a school nominator and teacher referee. |
| UBC IMES Undergraduate | Partial merit funding. CAD $10,000–$25,000 annually for 2026/27; renewal conditions apply. Verify the amount for 2027 entry. | Eligible international applicants, including Nigerians, entering directly from secondary school. Cannot also be nominated for International Scholars. | For September 2027 entry, apply to UBC by 15 January 2027, 23:59 PST. See UBC deadlines. | Automatic scholarship consideration after admission; no separate IMES application. |
| Ontario Graduate Scholarship Master’s or PhD | Partial funding: CAD $10,000 for two terms or $15,000 for three. | International awards and study-permit rules depend on the university. Waterloo requires current graduate registration by its deadline. | University-specific. Waterloo 2027/28: intent form 14 January 2027; application and references 1 February 2027, 16:00 ET. | Apply through the participating university. Check Waterloo’s example; its rules do not apply to every institution. |
| CGRS — Doctoral Research PhD | CAD $40,000 annually for 36 months; compare with your full study costs. | International applicants must already be registered in an eligible Canadian doctoral programme by the application deadline; study-duration limits apply. | Institution deadlines may be earlier. Eligible direct SSHRC applications: 19 October 2026, 20:00 ET; verify your agency and channel. | Use the appropriate agency and university route. SSHRC’s 2026 call gives the direct deadline. |
| University graduate funding packages Research Master’s or PhD | Scholarships, assistantships and supervisor funding vary; tuition may be included in the quoted package. | Nigerians may qualify where the department admits international students. Research and professional/course-based degrees can have different funding. | Programme and intake-specific; confirm the offer letter, funding duration and department deadline. | Apply to the exact programme and follow any supervisor or separate funding-application requirements. |
| Study in Canada Scholarships Short-term study/research exchange | CAD $10,200 for four months; $14,000 for five to six graduate months. Canadian host tuition is waived. | Nigeria is listed. Students must remain enrolled full-time and pay tuition at an eligible home institution; other exclusions apply. | The 2026/27 Canadian-institution call closed 31 March 2026. Check for a new official call. | Canadian institutions select students and submit applications. Individual students cannot apply directly; this funds exchanges, not a full degree. |
Choose the guide that fits your situation: this page compares general funding routes for international students. For substantial funding and its exclusions, read Canada scholarships for African students. For a weaker academic record, use the Canada low-CGPA admission and funding guide. For MPH, MSc or PhD study in public health, compare the public health funding packages for Nigerians.
Master’s funding caution: the federal CGRS — Master’s requires Canadian citizenship, permanent residence or protected-person status. A Nigerian citizen holding only an international study permit does not meet that citizenship/status requirement. Check university-level funding separately.
Canada Scholarships: What International Students Should Know
According to EduCanada, scholarship funding for international students is available through the Government of Canada, provinces and territories, and individual educational institutions. International students should also budget carefully because scholarships do not automatically cover the full cost of studying and living in Canada.
Use the official EduCanada scholarships for international applicants page and its scholarship search tool to identify programmes matching your citizenship and study profile.
1. UBC International Scholars Program
The University of British Columbia’s International Scholars Program is intended for international undergraduate applicants with strong academic achievement, leadership and significant financial need. It is different from UBC’s merit-only entrance awards and has its own nomination/application process.
For September 2027 entry, International Scholars applications open on 5 October 2026. Complete your UBC admission application before starting the award application; both must be submitted by 15 November 2026 at 11:59 p.m. PST. You need a school nominator and a separate teacher referee. Support is based on assessed financial need; check the programme requirements and UBC deadlines.
Official source: UBC scholarships and awards for international students.
2. UBC International Major Entrance Scholarship (IMES)
UBC’s International Major Entrance Scholarship is a merit-based award for outstanding international students entering undergraduate study. Eligible students are considered through the admissions process; it should not be confused with the need-based International Scholars Program.
For the 2026/27 award year, UBC listed IMES values of CAD $10,000–$25,000 per year, renewable for up to three additional years subject to the programme’s conditions. Because values can change, check UBC for the year you apply.
3. University-Specific Entrance Scholarships
Many Canadian universities offer entrance scholarships or awards to international students. Examples include institutions such as York University, the University of Calgary, McGill University and Simon Fraser University. Award names, values, automatic-consideration rules and deadlines can change, so use each university’s official financial-aid or awards page rather than relying on an old fixed amount.
Entrance awards are often partial funding. Receiving one does not necessarily mean your tuition and living costs are fully covered.
4. Study in Canada Scholarships (SICS)
The Government of Canada’s Study in Canada Scholarships support eligible international students undertaking short-term study or research exchanges in Canada. Nigeria is among the eligible Sub-Saharan African countries for the 2026/27 programme.
This is not a direct individual application. Canadian post-secondary institutions apply and select eligible participants in collaboration with partner institutions. For 2026/27, the Canadian-institution application deadline was 31 March 2026 and the application period is now closed.
Official source: Study in Canada Scholarships.
5. Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS)
The Ontario Graduate Scholarship programme supports eligible master’s and doctoral students at participating Ontario institutions. Application procedures and deadlines are administered through participating universities, and international-student eligibility should be checked with the institution where you intend to study.
OGS provides partial funding: CAD $10,000 for two terms or $15,000 for three. International-student rules vary by university. For example, Waterloo’s 2027/28 competition requires international applicants to hold a valid study permit and already be registered in a Waterloo graduate programme by 1 February 2027. Prospective international graduate applicants cannot use that Waterloo round as an entrance award. Check your own institution’s eligibility, deadlines and funding limits.
6. Canada Graduate Research Scholarship — Doctoral and Other Research Funding
Graduate-research funding in Canada has changed. The former Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships programme is no longer accepting applications and directs prospective applicants to the newer harmonized Canada Graduate Research Scholarship — Doctoral programme.
The current CGRS — Doctoral programme offers CAD $40,000 per year for 36 months. International applicants must already be registered in an eligible Canadian doctoral programme by the application deadline, and doctoral-study duration limits apply. Your registration and institutional quota determine whether you submit through your university or directly to an agency. Institutional deadlines can be earlier; SSHRC’s direct 2026 deadline is 19 October 2026 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern for applicants eligible to use that channel. Select the agency appropriate to your research field.
7. University Graduate Funding Packages
Canadian universities may provide graduate students with combinations of scholarships, fellowships, research assistantships, teaching assistantships and supervisor funding. Universities such as Dalhousie and the University of Saskatchewan have their own graduate-funding processes, but the amount and eligibility can depend on programme, department and admission cycle.
For research degrees, review the funding information for your exact department instead of assuming a university-wide scholarship automatically applies to every international graduate student.
Scholarships for Nigerian Students in Canada
Nigerian students can compete for many university awards open to international applicants and are currently included among the eligible nationalities for the Government of Canada’s Study in Canada Scholarships short-term exchange programme. Eligibility still depends on the individual scholarship.
For more targeted options, see our guides to Canada scholarships for African students, Canada scholarships and pathways for Nigerian students with lower CGPA, and Canada public-health scholarships for Nigerian students.
How to Find Legitimate Canada Scholarships
- Start with EduCanada’s official scholarship search.
- Check the official awards page of the Canadian university you plan to attend.
- Confirm whether the student applies directly or whether a Canadian institution must submit the application.
- Check whether the award is full funding, partial funding, an entrance award or a short-term exchange scholarship.
- Verify the current deadline and award value before preparing your application.
- For graduate research, check both the university and the relevant Canadian research-funding agency.
How Much Does Studying in Canada Cost?
As a historical budgeting reference, Statistics Canada’s 2025/26 tuition release reports international undergraduate tuition averaging CAD $41,746 per year and graduate tuition averaging CAD $24,028, expressed in June 2025 constant dollars. These national averages are not a quote for your current intake. Obtain your university’s current tuition and fees, add living and other expenses, and check the study-permit financial requirements.
This is why a CAD $5,000, $10,000 or even $20,000 entrance scholarship should not automatically be described as “fully funded.” Compare the award value with your complete cost of attendance.
Application Tips
- Start with eligibility: Do not spend weeks preparing an application until you have confirmed citizenship, study-level and programme requirements.
- Use official sources: Scholarship aggregator pages are useful for discovery, but verify every deadline and amount on the institution’s website.
- Understand nomination rules: Some awards require a school, university or Canadian host institution to nominate or apply for the student.
- Prepare strong application materials: Use our guides to scholarship essays and recommendation letters.
- Plan the study permit separately: A scholarship offer does not remove the need to satisfy Canada’s immigration requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are all Canada scholarships for international students fully funded?
No. Canadian funding includes full or substantial need-based awards, partial entrance scholarships, research funding and short-term exchange scholarships. Always check the exact coverage.
Can international students apply directly for Government of Canada scholarships?
Not always. For Global Affairs Canada programmes such as Study in Canada Scholarships, international students do not submit the application directly; Canadian institutions apply or administer the selection process.
Is the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship still open?
No. The official Vanier website says the programme is no longer accepting applications and directs prospective applicants to the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship — Doctoral programme.
Can Nigerian students apply for Study in Canada Scholarships?
Nigeria is an eligible country for the 2026/27 Study in Canada Scholarships programme, but students must meet the programme conditions and the Canadian institution handles the application/selection process. The 2026/27 institutional application period is closed.
Related AfricanBase Guides
- Fully Funded Scholarships in Canada for African Students
- Canada Scholarships for Nigerian Students With Lower CGPA
- Canada Public Health Scholarships for Nigerian Students
- Fully Funded vs Partial Scholarships
- Student Visa Guide for Nigerians
Final Note
Canada has meaningful scholarship opportunities for international students, but there is no single list that remains accurate indefinitely. Treat this page as a discovery hub, then verify the current award, application route and deadline with EduCanada or the Canadian institution before applying.
