Last Updated on November 15, 2023 by Jerome Donovan
Here, in Canada, we have many Canadian government scholarships for international students for undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and post-doctoral. Government-funded scholarships are scholarships sponsored by the government. Canada’s government also sponsors several scholarships, which are made available for international undergraduate and graduate students. So, these scholarships are not only available to Canadian citizens and permanent residents.
If you are planning to move to Canada to study and work, you can grab any of the Canadian government scholarships for international students mentioned below. All you have to do is apply, and hopefully, you will be selected. The recommendation is for you to apply to as many scholarships as possible, for a chance that one of them will consider your application and get back to you.
Canadian Government Scholarships for International Students
The advantage of Canadian government scholarships for international students is that they never run out of funding. Take private sponsorships, for example, the sponsor may run out of funds and cancel the scholarship, but the government won’t do that.
Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships
One of the Canadian government scholarships for international students is the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Vanier CGS) program. This government-fiunded scholarship was named after Major-General Georges P. Vanier.
The purpose of this scholarship is to attract highly qualified doctoral students to Canadian institutions, including foreign students. The scholarship is valued at $50,000 per year for 3 years and considers three equally weighted selection criteria:
- Academic excellence
- Research potential and
- Leadership
Candidates can be foreign or international citizens. The areas of research include health research, natural sciences and/or engineering, and social sciences and humanities. More about Vanier CGS.
Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships
After applying for the one above, consider the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships, which offers you $70,000 per year for 2 years as long as you are a postdoctoral researcher. This program was designed to attract and retain top-tier postdoctoral talent, both nationally and internationally.
Eligible candidates include Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and foreign citizens. The fellowship supports research in health research, natural sciences and/or engineering, and social sciences and/or humanities.
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
NSERC offers various postdoctoral programs for those who have recently obtained or are about to obtain their doctorate. These include the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Postdoctoral Fellowships, NSERC Indigenous Student Ambassadors, and the Postdoctoral Fellowships (PDF) program. The PDF program provides support to promising researchers, with additional supplements like the Alice Wilson Award and Canadian Space Agency postdoctoral supplement.
NSERC’s programs cover a wide range of research areas and aim to foster scientific and research skills for Canadian industry, government, and academic institutions. More about NSERC Postdoctoral programs.
Government of Canada International Scholarships (ELAP | SEED)
The Government of Canada offers several scholarship programs for international students wishing to study or conduct research in Canada on a short-term basis. These include:
- Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program (ELAP)
- Caribbean, Central America, North America (Mexico), South America are eligible.
- Level of Study: Undergraduate and graduate.
- The scholarship value is $11,100 CAD for 5-6 months (graduate); $8,200 CAD for 4 months (undergraduate and graduate).
- Canada-ASEAN Scholarships and Educational Exchanges for Development (SEED)
- ASEAN member states are eligible.
- Undergraduate and graduate.
- Scholarship value: $15,900 CAD for 8 months (undergraduate); $12,700 CAD for 5-6 months (graduate); $10,200 CAD for 4 months (undergraduate and graduate).
- Study in Canada Scholarships
- Asia, Europe, The Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa international students are eligible to apply for these Canadian government scholarships for international students.
- The levels of study accepted are Undergraduate and graduate.
- Scholarship Value: Varies depending on the duration and level of study.
Postdoctoral Research Program by Natural Resources Canada
The Postdoctoral Research Program, offered by Natural Resources Canada in collaboration with various Canadian federal organizations, is designed for recent graduates in the field of natural sciences. This program provides an opportunity for scientists who have recently obtained a doctoral degree to work with research groups or leaders in Canadian government laboratories and research institutions.
To be eligible, you must be a recent graduate (within the last three years) with a doctoral degree in natural sciences. Special consideration is given to those with career interruptions. Successful candidates are hired as term Scientific Research (SE-RES) employees.
Candidates are included in an inventory accessible to hiring managers from participating federal organizations. Hiring managers contact and assess candidates for vacancies. Federal research scientists contribute to strategic decisions, policies, regulations, and programs by providing a sound scientific knowledge base. You can also refer to the Postdoctoral Research Program page.
Canadian Francophonie Scholarship Program (CFSP)
We also have to include the Canadian Francophonie Scholarship Program (CFSP) as one of the Canadian government scholarships for international students. This government-funded scholarship aims to build institutional capacities by training nationals from developing countries of La Francophonie. This program is fully funded by the Government of Canada and managed by the Canadian Bureau for International Education / World University Service of Canada.
The program focuses on training trainers in technical and vocational education, improving skills in education and research, and strengthening public and private sector specialists and managers.
An eligible candidate must hold a key position in their institutions and be selected through internal recruitment campaigns. Candidates are selected using a quota system for each recipient country, focusing on gender equality and fluency in French. University studies leading to master’s and doctoral degrees, technical and vocational training, and short-term internships (excluding clinical training in pharmacy, medicine, and dentistry).
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