Canada has quietly become one of the smartest places on earth to do a master’s degree. Tuition is lower than in the US or UK, the post-graduation work permit lets you stay and work for up to three years after you finish, and a handful of provinces and universities have built genuinely generous funding programs specifically to attract international talent.
The catch is that “scholarships in Canada” is a messy search term. Type it into Google and you’ll get lists mixing undergraduate awards, PhD-only fellowships, and programs that quietly exclude international applicants in the fine print. This guide skips the noise.
How Master’s Funding Actually Works in Canada
Before jumping into the list, it helps to understand one thing that trips up a lot of applicants: not all scholarships are created for the same kind of master’s degree.
Canadian master’s programs generally fall into two categories:
- Thesis-based (research) master’s — you work with a supervisor, write a thesis, and are usually treated like a mini-PhD student. These programs come with the most funding, because departments budget for research assistantships and internal fellowships.
- Course-based (professional) master’s — think MBAs, MEng, or applied master’s in fields like data science or public policy. Funding here is thinner and comes mostly from entrance scholarships, not research grants.
Keep that distinction in mind as you read — it explains why some of the awards below are practically guaranteed if you’re doing research, and why others (like McCall MacBain) are rare exceptions that fund course-based degrees too.
The List: 15 Scholarships Worth Your Time
Below are 15 real, currently active funding opportunities that a master’s applicant from outside Canada can actually apply for — government programs, university-wide awards, and department-level funding packages — with honest notes on who qualifies and how competitive each one is.
1. McCall MacBain Scholarship (McGill University)
If there’s one award on this list that changes an applicant’s life trajectory, it’s this one. Often described as Canada’s answer to the Rhodes Scholarship, the McCall MacBain Scholarship funds a full master’s or eligible professional degree at McGill University in Montreal — any field, over 150 programs qualify.
Scholars receive full tuition and fees, a monthly living stipend of CAD 2,300, a relocation grant, and a spot in an interdisciplinary leadership program with dedicated mentors and coaches. About 30 full scholarships are awarded each year, with roughly a third reserved for international candidates, plus close to 100 finalist and regional awards for runners-up.
- Who it’s for: Recent graduates (within five years of their first bachelor’s degree) applying to a master’s or second-entry professional program at McGill.
- Deadline: Applications open in June for the following year’s intake; international applicants typically face an earlier deadline (mid-August) than Canadian/US applicants (late September).
- Why it stands out: You apply for the scholarship before your McGill program application, and the process includes interviews, mentorship, and a genuine leadership community — not just a cheque.
2. Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS)
The OGS is a joint government-and-university award available at every participating Ontario institution — University of Toronto, Waterloo, Western, Queen’s, York, and dozens more. It’s worth CAD 5,000 per academic term, up to CAD 15,000 for a full year, and while the bulk of awards go to Canadian citizens and permanent residents, each university sets aside a limited international quota specifically for students studying in Ontario on a valid study permit.
- Who it’s for: Master’s and PhD students at Ontario universities with roughly an A- average (80%+) over their last two years of study.
- Duration: Up to two years for master’s students, within a six-year lifetime cap across all government-funded awards.
- The catch: International spots are genuinely limited (often single digits per department), so you’re competing against a small, high-achieving pool. Apply through your graduate department, not the province directly.
3. University of Alberta Graduate Entrance Scholarship
The University of Alberta backs new master’s admits with a Graduate Entrance Scholarship worth a CAD 17,500 stipend, plus an additional CAD 10,000 specifically for international students to offset tuition and fees. It’s administered through the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies and awarded to students whose department ranks their admission file highly — no separate application needed in most cases.
- Who it’s for: Newly admitted master’s students across most departments (PhD students receive a higher CAD 21,000 stipend).
- How to get it: Talk to your prospective supervisor and department early — nominations happen internally during the admissions review.
- Bonus: Alberta also runs Department Specific Awards, teaching/research assistantships, and country-specific partnerships (including a well-funded agreement with the China Scholarship Council), so it’s worth browsing the Faculty of Graduate Studies award database once you’re admitted.
4. University of Waterloo International Master’s Award of Excellence (IMAE)
Waterloo built this award specifically for international students entering a research-based master’s program (thesis or major research paper track). It pays CAD 2,500 per term for up to five terms — CAD 12,500 in total — and, importantly, you don’t submit a separate application. Faculties nominate eligible incoming students automatically based on their admission file.
- Who it’s for: International students starting a research-based master’s at Waterloo, entering in their first term.
- Why it’s useful: No extra paperwork, no essay, no interview — your regular admission application does the work. It also stacks with other internal or external awards like OGS.
5. University of Toronto Graduate Awards (via School of Graduate Studies)
U of T doesn’t have a single flagship international master’s scholarship the way some peer schools do — instead, its School of Graduate Studies (SGS) runs a searchable database of hundreds of department-level and donor-funded awards, many open to international students at the master’s level. You filter by citizenship, degree level, and field of study to find what actually applies to you.
- Who it’s for: Admitted or current graduate students at any of U of T’s three campuses.
- Also check: U of T’s OGS international allocation (see #2) runs through the same SGS portal, and many divisions (Engineering, Rotman, Munk School) layer their own entrance scholarships on top.
- Tip: Because U of T’s awards are scattered across departments rather than centralized, the SGS awards search tool is genuinely the fastest way to find what you qualify for — don’t rely on general scholarship-listing sites for this one.
6. McGill Graduate Excellence Fellowships and Departmental Top-Ups
Outside of McCall MacBain, McGill funds many of its research-based master’s students through department-level Graduate Excellence Fellowships and “top-up” awards. Engineering, for instance, offers a McGill Engineering International Tuition Award (MEITA) alongside master’s top-up funding, and several departments automatically add CAD 5,000 or more to students who arrive with any external scholarship.
- Who it’s for: International master’s students in research-track programs, particularly in engineering and the sciences.
- How to get it: Funding is largely need-and-merit based and decided during the admissions review — strong applicants are simply included by their department, often without a separate form.
7. University of British Columbia Graduate Funding Packages
UBC’s flashy International Scholars Program is undergraduate-only, but graduate applicants shouldn’t skip UBC — its Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies coordinates fellowships, research and teaching assistantships, and merit-based awards for master’s students across departments, plus prestigious options like Affiliated Fellowships that specifically welcome students who aren’t eligible for the domestic-only Canada Graduate Scholarships.
- Who it’s for: Admitted international master’s students, especially in research-based programs where supervisors have grant funding to offer assistantships.
- Tip: Because most UBC graduate funding is decided at the department level, message your prospective supervisor before you apply and ask directly what funding is typically offered to incoming international master’s students in their lab or program.
8. Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (context for master’s-to-PhD planners)
Vanier is technically a doctoral award — CAD 50,000 a year for three years — and open to international students nominated by a Canadian institution. It doesn’t fund a master’s degree directly, but it’s worth knowing about if your plan is to complete a Canadian master’s and continue into a PhD, since many students transition straight from a funded master’s into a Vanier-backed doctorate. Note that the classic Vanier competition has been folded into a new harmonized Canada Graduate Research Scholarship–Doctoral program, so check current program rules before applying.
- Who it’s for: Prospective or current doctoral students with strong research potential and demonstrated leadership.
- Why it’s on this list anyway: Planning your master’s supervisor and research direction with an eye toward Vanier/CGRS-D eligibility later can meaningfully strengthen your longer-term funding picture in Canada.
9. IDRC Doctoral Research Awards and Partnership Funding (for development-focused fields)
Canada’s International Development Research Centre funds graduate research connected to development challenges in low- and middle-income countries. While its flagship award targets doctoral research, IDRC-linked partnerships and country-specific programs occasionally extend to master’s-level applied researchers working with Canadian university partners — worth a direct check if your field is international development, public health, or environmental policy.
- Who it’s for: Students from IDRC-eligible countries pursuing development-relevant research, often co-supervised with a Canadian institution.
- Note: Eligibility and available funding shift year to year, so confirm current terms on IDRC’s official site before building an application around it.
10. University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowship (UMGF)
The University of Manitoba funds strong incoming and current graduate students through the UMGF, which is open to both domestic and international master’s and PhD students. Awards are distributed by department and typically range from a few thousand dollars up to a full stipend package when combined with a research or teaching assistantship.
- Who it’s for: Master’s students admitted to a UM graduate program with a strong academic record.
- How to get it: Like most Canadian department-level awards, admission and funding decisions are linked — ask your program directly what percentage of international master’s students receive a UMGF in a typical year.
11. Dalhousie University Graduate Scholarships
Dalhousie, based in Halifax, offers a mix of Dalhousie Graduate Scholarships and faculty-specific awards open to international master’s students, particularly in ocean sciences, health, and engineering — fields where the university has strong research funding. Amounts vary by department but commonly supplement a research or teaching assistantship rather than replacing it.
- Who it’s for: International students in research-based master’s programs, especially where Dalhousie has a recognized research strength (marine science is a standout).
- Tip: Atlantic Canada schools are generally less competitive for funding than the “big five” (Toronto, UBC, McGill, Alberta, Waterloo), which can work in your favor if your research fit is strong.
12. University of Calgary Graduate Awards and CGRS-M (where eligible)
Calgary funds incoming graduate students through department scholarships and, for domestic students, the tri-agency Canada Graduate Research Scholarships–Master’s (CGRS-M) program. International students aren’t eligible for CGRS-M itself, but Calgary’s graduate faculties run parallel internal awards aimed at closing that gap for strong international applicants, particularly in engineering, kinesiology, and energy-related research.
- Who it’s for: International master’s students, especially in STEM fields tied to Calgary’s energy and health research strengths.
- Reminder: Always check whether an award you find is restricted to Canadian citizens/permanent residents before investing time in the application — Calgary, like most Canadian schools, runs domestic-only and international-eligible awards side by side under similar-sounding names.
13. York University Graduate Funding and Entrance Scholarships
York offers a mix of graduate entrance scholarships and departmental funding packages for incoming master’s students, along with access to the OGS international allocation. Its Schulich School of Business and Osgoode Hall Law School also run separate, well-funded entrance awards for professional graduate programs.
- Who it’s for: International master’s applicants across York’s faculties, particularly business, law, and social sciences.
- Why it’s worth a look: York’s professional graduate programs (Schulich MBA in particular) tend to offer larger merit-based entrance scholarships than typical research master’s funding, if a course-based degree is what you’re after.
14. Trudeau Foundation Scholarship (for advanced/interdisciplinary applicants)
The Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation funds outstanding doctoral researchers in the humanities and social sciences, and while it’s primarily a PhD program, it’s a name every ambitious Canada-bound graduate student should know — some Trudeau-affiliated networks and mentorship opportunities intersect with master’s-to-PhD pipelines at partner universities. If your five-year plan includes a Canadian PhD, understanding Trudeau eligibility while you’re still doing your master’s is smart groundwork.
- Who it’s for: Doctoral-track researchers in the humanities and social sciences with strong public-engagement records.
- Why it’s here: Like Vanier, it’s a marker worth planning toward rather than something you apply for during a standalone master’s.
15. Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program (Africa-focused, select universities)
At partner universities — UBC among them — the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program funds comprehensive undergraduate and graduate education for talented students from Sub-Saharan Africa, covering tuition, accommodation, travel, and a living stipend, plus mentorship and leadership development. It’s one of the most generous Africa-focused scholarship programs operating in Canada today.
- Who it’s for: Academically strong students from Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly those who show leadership potential and a commitment to giving back to their home communities.
- How to apply: Through the specific partner university’s program page (application processes and available spots vary by institution and year).
Quick Comparison
| Scholarship | Level | Value (approx.) | International Eligible? |
|---|---|---|---|
| McCall MacBain (McGill) | Master’s/professional | Full tuition + $2,300/month | Yes (dedicated international spots) |
| Ontario Graduate Scholarship | Master’s/PhD | $5,000/term, up to $15,000/yr | Yes (limited quota) |
| U of Alberta Entrance Scholarship | Master’s/PhD | $17,500 + $10,000 (intl top-up) | Yes |
| Waterloo IMAE | Master’s (research) | $2,500/term, up to $12,500 | Yes (international-only award) |
| U of T SGS Awards | Master’s/PhD | Varies by award | Yes (many awards) |
| McGill Departmental Top-Ups | Master’s (research) | Varies, often $5,000+ | Yes |
| UBC Graduate Funding | Master’s/PhD | Varies by department | Yes |
| Vanier CGS | PhD (context for planning) | $50,000/year x 3 | Yes |
| Mastercard Foundation | Undergrad/Master’s | Full cost of study | Sub-Saharan Africa only |
How to Actually Win One of These
A few patterns show up again and again once you look closely at how Canadian graduate funding works:
- Apply to programs, not just scholarships.
- Contact supervisors before you apply, not after.
- Separate “government/provincial” awards from “university” awards early.
- Watch deadlines, they’re brutally firm.
- Don’t count on one award to cover everything.
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