Becoming an international student can accelerate your career, but requires an investment of time and resources. Luckily, scholarships for international students in Western Canada can reduce the financial cost. Here, we’ll explore scholarships available to a range of universities and colleges in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan.
Looking into studying abroad? Research your target schools to learn what scholarships they offer international students. Many institutions have dedicated scholarships available to students who enroll with them.
Start Strong
While every scholarship has different requirements, many will ask for similar things. As early as possible, reach out to your secondary and/or post-secondary academic institutions for course transcripts, as they take time to issue.
Other scholarships require portfolios or personal essays, so set time aside to assemble those. Another common requirement is reference letters. It can take courage to ask for letters, but whether you seek one from a past coach, work supervisor, or teacher, a positive and specific reference can help your application stand out. It’s recommended you give your references four to six weeks to write a letter.
Pro tip: Before you send in your scholarship applications, ask someone to read them over. They might catch something you’ve missed or can build on your answers.
Curious about scholarship opportunities in other Canadian provinces? Read about scholarships in Ontario.
Alberta
Alberta Innovates – Graduate Student Scholarships
- Scholarship Amount: Varies by level of study and other funding.
- Master’s students, when not holding a major (i.e., NSERC) award: stipend of C$26,000 per year.
- Doctoral students, when not holding a major award: stipend of C$31,000 per year.
- Students who receive a major award do not receive the full GSS stipend but do receive a top-up award.
- Level of Study: Postgraduate (master’s/PhD).
The Alberta Innovates – Graduate Student Scholarships are open to students studying full-time in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) or Advanced Materials and Manufacturing (AMM). Students must be in postgraduate courses at the University of Alberta, University of Calgary, or University of Lethbridge. Scholarships vary from one to four years.
The stipend may be used on:
- Tuition
- Living expenses
- Travel and relocation expenses
- Purchase of scientific journals, books, and other supplies
- Costs related to the use of libraries, computer, and animal facilities
- Computer hardware/software
- Costs related to research result publication
Alberta Graduate Excellence Scholarships
- Scholarship Amount: C$11,000 to C$15,000
- Level of Study: Postgraduate (master’s/PhD)
The Alberta Graduate Excellence Scholarships (AGES) are open to full-time students enrolled in a master’s, doctoral, or graduate level program. Graduate level programs must be able to progress directly into a master’s degree program.
AGES recognizes outstanding academic achievements of students pursuing graduate studies in Alberta. Applicants may be international students or Canadian residents.
British Columbia
While there aren’t many province-wide scholarships available to international students at this time, look into your target schools. Many will offer entry or academic scholarships.
Click here to schedule a free counselling session with an ApplyBoard study abroad expert to learn about your options in BC!
Manitoba
Manitoba Arts Council Scholarship
- Scholarship Amount: C$2,000 to C$3,000
- Level of Study: Undergraduate and postgraduate
The Manitoba Arts Council Scholarships are open to students of the arts, defined by the MAC as someone who is: “intent on a professional career as an artist, studying at a certified program of study in any arts discipline, [and] who is enrolled as a full-time student at an undergraduate or graduate level at a post-secondary institution (professional training school, university, or college).”
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan Innovation and Opportunity Scholarships
- Scholarship Amount: Varies by school
- Level of Study: Undergraduate and postgraduate
The Saskatchewan Innovation and Opportunity Scholarships are offered at academic institutions across the province. The provincial government and colleges and universities across Saskatchewan fund these scholarships jointly. Scholarships may be either merit- or needs-based. Students in programs where innovative work is being done or where the field is in high demand by industry are encouraged to apply.
Saskatchewan Nurses Foundation Bursaries
- Scholarship Amount: Varies by level of study
- C$4,000 for a nursing baccalaureate program
- C$6,000 for a master’s program
- C$8,000 for a doctorate program
- Level of Study: Undergraduate and postgraduate
The Saskatchewan Nurses Foundation Bursary Program promotes excellence in nursing and helps to drive nursing’s contribution to society. Students registered as a practising member of the Saskatchewan Registered Nurses Association may apply. They must also be registered in a post-registration baccalaureate nursing program or a postgraduate program applicable to nursing.
These are only a few of the scholarships available to international students in Western Canada. In fact, most scholarships open to international students in this region are offered by individual colleges and universities. So, check out the websites of your target schools to see what you could be eligible for.
Refer to Western Canadian school pages on the ApplyBoard Platform for up-to-date information.
