University of Calgary Scholarships 2027 for International Students

University of Calgary Scholarships 2027 give international students several ways to reduce the cost of studying in Canada. UCalgary offers entrance scholarships for new undergraduate students, awards for continuing students, graduate scholarships, research funding, doctoral awards and guaranteed funding packages for many thesis-based graduate students.

The funding is not the same for every student. Some awards are fixed tuition-support scholarships, while some graduate students receive funding packages made up of scholarships, assistantships, supervisor funding or other sources.

One of the best-known undergraduate awards is the University of Calgary International Entrance Scholarship, currently valued at CAD $20,000 and renewable. For thesis-based graduate students starting on or after January 1, 2026, UCalgary also lists minimum annual funding packages for eligible international MA/MSc and PhD students.

Quick Facts
🎓 Degree Levels: Undergraduate, Master’s and PhD
🇨🇦 Country: Canada
🏫 University: University of Calgary
🌍 International Students: Eligible for many awards
💰 Funding: Partial scholarships, renewable awards and graduate funding packages
📅 Main Undergraduate Prestige Award Deadline: 1 December 2026
📖 IELTS: English proficiency is required unless an accepted exemption applies; score requirements depend on the program

Students can also browse more scholarships and research opportunities in Canada on ScholarInt.

University of Calgary Scholarships 2027 – Quick Summary

What Are University of Calgary Scholarships?

The University of Calgary does not have one scholarship that covers every international student. Instead, it offers many different awards for students at different stages of study.

International students may find funding through:

• Undergraduate entrance scholarships
• Continuing undergraduate awards
• Prestige awards
• Graduate scholarships
• Graduate Award Competition funding
• Research assistantships
• Teaching assistantships
• Supervisor funding
• Doctoral research scholarships
• External and government awards

UCalgary’s Faculty of Graduate Studies says it distributes more than CAD $42 million in graduate awards each year.

The important point is that each award has its own eligibility rules, deadline and funding level. Students should check the exact award before applying.

University of Calgary International Entrance Scholarship

The University of Calgary International Entrance Scholarship is one of the university’s main scholarships for new international undergraduate students.

The current award value is:

CAD $20,000

The scholarship is also renewable in the second, third and fourth years if the student continues to meet the renewal rules.

Who Can Apply?

The scholarship is intended for international students who:

• Are entering the first year of an undergraduate degree in the upcoming fall term
• Are required to pay international tuition fees
• Are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents
• Meet the university’s English Language Proficiency requirement
• Have a strong academic record

The scholarship is open across undergraduate faculties.

Renewal Requirements

To keep the award in later years, recipients currently need to:

• Achieve a GPA of at least 2.60
• Complete at least 24 units over the previous fall and winter terms
• Continue to pay international differential tuition as an international student

The official listing currently shows two awards.

How Do You Apply?

The University of Calgary lists this scholarship under the High School Prestige Awards application in the My UCalgary Portal.

For the 2027 entry cycle, the Prestige Awards application opens on 1 October 2026 and closes on:

1 December 2026

University of Calgary International Entrance Award

The University of Calgary International Entrance Award is another major opportunity for international undergraduate students entering first year.

The current award value is:

CAD $20,000

The number of awards can vary.

The award is based on academic merit and is for international students who are required to pay international tuition fees and are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents.

The university lists the application route as High School Nominated Awards – New Students.

This award should not be confused with the renewable International Entrance Scholarship. The official Entrance Award page does not describe it as renewable.

University of Calgary International Undergraduate Award

International students who are already studying at UCalgary may be eligible for the University of Calgary International Undergraduate Award.

The current award value is:

CAD $5,000

UCalgary currently lists 20 awards.

Who Is It For?

This award is for eligible international students entering their second, third or fourth year of an undergraduate degree.

Applicants must normally:

• Be international students
• Pay international tuition fees
• Be continuing undergraduate students
• Show academic merit

Students entering the International Foundations Program are not eligible for this specific award.

The application is available through the Continuing Undergraduate Awards section of My UCalgary.

For the current awards calendar, the Continuing Undergraduate Awards application runs from 1 March to 1 May.

Other International Entrance Scholarships

UCalgary also offers several CAD $20,000 international entrance scholarships that are linked to specific school systems.

These include:

• CBE International Entrance Scholarship – for eligible graduates of Calgary Board of Education high schools
• CCSD International Entrance Scholarship – for eligible graduates of Calgary Catholic School District high schools
• IPSEA International Entrance Scholarship – for eligible graduates from IPSEA member school districts
• Golden Hills International Entrance Scholarship – for eligible graduates of the Golden Hills School District

These awards are useful for students who meet the school-district requirement, but they are not general scholarships for every international applicant.

University of Calgary Scholarships for Master’s Students

Graduate funding works differently from undergraduate scholarships.

International Master’s students may receive support through:

• Graduate scholarships
• Graduate Award Competition awards
• Departmental funding
• Research assistantships
• Teaching assistantships
• Supervisor funding
• International graduate tuition support
• External scholarships
• Guaranteed funding packages in eligible thesis-based programs

Course-based and thesis-based Master’s students do not always have access to the same funding.

Graduate Award Competition

The Graduate Award Competition (GAC) is one of UCalgary’s major graduate scholarship competitions.

The current award values range from:

CAD $700 to CAD $36,000

Citizenship is listed as unrestricted, which means international students can be considered if they meet the award rules.

Who Can Apply?

The Graduate Award Competition is open to students who are applying to or enrolled in thesis-based graduate degree programs.

Students in course-based and professional graduate programs are not eligible for this competition.

Graduate Award Competition Deadline

The competition opens on 1 November.

However, the final application deadline is set by the student’s graduate program, so there is no single university-wide GAC deadline.

Applicants should contact their graduate program and check the current competition page.

Minimum Funding for International Thesis-Based Master’s Students

One of the strongest features of UCalgary for research students is its minimum guaranteed funding for eligible thesis-based programs.

For international MA/MSc thesis-based students who begin their program on or after 1 January 2026, UCalgary lists a minimum annual funding package of:

CAD $25,455 per year

The funding is guaranteed for the first two years of eligible MA/MSc thesis-based programs, as long as the student:

• Remains registered full time
• Maintains satisfactory academic progress
• Continues to meet program funding conditions

This amount should not automatically be described as one scholarship. A graduate funding package can be built from different sources such as assistantships, awards and research funding.

University of Calgary PhD Scholarships and Funding

PhD students can access some of the university’s largest funding opportunities.

Funding may come from:

• University scholarships
• Graduate Award Competition awards
• Supervisor research grants
• Teaching assistantships
• Research assistantships
• Federal research scholarships
• External funding agencies

Minimum Funding for International PhD Students

For international PhD students starting on or after 1 January 2026, UCalgary lists a minimum annual funding package of:

CAD $33,205 per year

This minimum funding is guaranteed for the first four years of eligible PhD study, subject to full-time registration and satisfactory academic progress.

Students interested in Canadian doctoral research can also read about a funded PhD opportunity in Canada focused on epigenetic memory on ScholarInt.

Canada Graduate Research Scholarships – Doctoral

The Canada Graduate Research Scholarships – Doctoral (CGRS D) is a major federal doctoral scholarship administered through Canada’s research agencies.

The current value is:

CAD $40,000 per year for three years

UCalgary lists citizenship as unrestricted. However, international applicants have an important extra condition: they must be enrolled in a doctoral program at an eligible Canadian institution at the time of application.

The UCalgary internal deadline for the current 2026 competition was 21 September 2026, and the preliminary assessment stage is now closed. Students planning a future cycle should watch the official UCalgary and federal scholarship pages for the next competition dates.

Can International Students Apply?

Yes. International students are eligible for many University of Calgary scholarships and graduate funding opportunities.

However, eligibility depends on the individual award.

Some scholarships are specifically for international students, while others are open to students of any citizenship. A few government awards may be limited to Canadian citizens or permanent residents.

Always check:

• Citizenship rules
• Degree level
• Faculty or subject restrictions
• Year of study
• Academic requirements
• Tuition-fee status
• Research-program requirements

IELTS and English Language Requirements

International applicants must meet the University of Calgary’s English Language Proficiency requirement unless they qualify through an accepted exemption or previous education route.

Undergraduate Applicants

For many undergraduate programs, the standard IELTS Academic requirement is:

IELTS 6.5

However, some programs require higher scores. UCalgary’s undergraduate English requirements include higher bands for selected programs.

Applicants may also meet the English requirement through accepted English-medium study or other approved qualifications.

Graduate Applicants

The Faculty of Graduate Studies lists a minimum IELTS requirement of:

IELTS Academic 6.5 overall, with no section below 6.0

Some graduate programs require a higher score.

ScholarInt Tip: Do not use one IELTS score for every University of Calgary program. Check the exact degree page because professional, health and graduate programs can have higher English requirements.

General Eligibility Requirements

There is no single eligibility rule for every UCalgary scholarship.

Competitive applicants may need:

• Strong academic results
• Admission to an eligible University of Calgary program
• International student status where required
• Proof of English proficiency where required
• Research experience for research-based awards
• Good academic standing for continuing awards
• Program-specific academic qualifications

Graduate students may also be judged on research potential, publications, recommendations and the quality of their research proposal.

Documents to Prepare

Undergraduate Applicants

• Secondary-school transcripts
• Graduation certificate where available
• Passport or identification
• English-language evidence if required
• Admission application information
• Scholarship essays for relevant prestige awards
• Leadership and extracurricular information where requested

Master’s Applicants

• Bachelor’s degree certificate
• Academic transcripts
• CV or resume
• Statement of purpose
• Recommendation letters
• Research proposal where required
• English-language test results if required
• Research or professional experience documents

PhD Applicants

• Previous degree certificates
• Academic transcripts
• Academic CV
• Research proposal
• Research-interest statement
• Recommendation letters
• Publications where available
• Research experience
• Supervisor information where required
• English-language evidence

How to Apply for University of Calgary Scholarships

Step 1: Choose Your Degree Program

Select an undergraduate, Master’s or PhD program that matches your academic background and future plans.

Step 2: Apply for Admission

Complete the University of Calgary admission application.

For fall 2027 undergraduate admission, UCalgary says applications are open and the general application deadline is 1 March 2027.

Step 3: Check the Correct Scholarship Competition

Use the official awards database and awards calendar to identify the application connected with your scholarship.

For example:

• International Entrance Scholarship → High School Prestige Awards
• International Undergraduate Award → Continuing Undergraduate Awards
• Graduate awards → Graduate Awards system or program-specific competition

Step 4: Open the Award Application in My UCalgary

Undergraduate applicants can access available award applications in the Student Centre after applying for admission.

Graduate students are encouraged to apply for awards after submitting their admission application and receiving their University of Calgary student number, or UCID.

Step 5: Prepare Scholarship Documents

Complete any required essays, research statements, CVs, transcripts, references and other documents.

Step 6: Submit Before the Correct Deadline

Do not assume every UCalgary scholarship has the same closing date.

The main 2027 undergraduate Prestige Awards deadline is:

1 December 2026

High School Awards close on 1 March 2027, while graduate deadlines vary by program and competition.

Apply for University of Calgary Awards on the Official Site

Important Deadlines for 2027

1 October 2026: Prestige Awards application opens.

1 November 2026: Graduate Award Competition opens.

1 December 2026: High School Prestige Awards application closes.

15 December 2026: Prestige Award admission documents are due according to the awards calendar.

1 March 2027: High School Awards application closes and the general fall 2027 undergraduate admission deadline arrives.

1 May 2027: Continuing Undergraduate Awards application closes.

Graduate Award Competition deadlines vary by graduate program.

How to Improve Your Scholarship Application

Apply Early

Do not wait until the last day. Prestige applications may include essay questions, and graduate applications may require references and research documents.

Use Specific Examples

If an application asks about leadership, community work or academic achievement, explain what you actually did and what changed because of your work.

Choose the Correct Award Competition

Finding a scholarship in the database does not always mean there is a separate application just for that award. Check the “Application to apply for” field on the official award page.

For Graduate Students, Focus on Research Fit

A strong research-based application should clearly connect your previous experience, proposed research and the UCalgary program or supervisor.

Check Funding Details Carefully

A scholarship amount and a guaranteed graduate funding package are not the same thing. Read the official terms before calculating your study budget.

Are University of Calgary Scholarships Fully Funded?

There is no single answer for every UCalgary scholarship.

The CAD $20,000 International Entrance Scholarship is a high-value renewable award, but UCalgary does not describe it as covering all tuition and living costs.

The CAD $5,000 International Undergraduate Award is partial funding.

The Graduate Award Competition provides awards from CAD $700 to CAD $36,000, depending on the competition.

Eligible thesis-based Master’s and PhD students may receive minimum guaranteed funding packages, but these packages can combine several funding sources and should not be described as one fully funded scholarship.

The CGRS D provides CAD $40,000 per year for three years to successful doctoral scholars, but international eligibility has extra conditions.

For this reason, the safest description for this overall University of Calgary scholarship guide is:

Partial scholarships, renewable awards and graduate funding packages.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Does the University of Calgary offer scholarships for international students?

Yes. International students can apply for several undergraduate, graduate and doctoral funding opportunities at UCalgary.

2. How much is the University of Calgary International Entrance Scholarship?

The current value is CAD $20,000, and the scholarship is renewable if the recipient continues to meet the renewal conditions.

3. What is the main scholarship deadline for fall 2027 undergraduate students?

The High School Prestige Awards application closes on 1 December 2026. Other award competitions have different deadlines.

4. Is the University of Calgary International Entrance Scholarship fully funded?

No. It is a high-value renewable scholarship, but the university does not describe it as covering all tuition fees and living expenses.

5. Can Master’s students receive funding at UCalgary?

Yes. Thesis-based Master’s students can apply for graduate awards and may receive guaranteed funding packages in eligible programs.

6. How much funding do international thesis-based Master’s students receive?

For eligible students starting on or after January 1, 2026, UCalgary lists a minimum annual funding package of CAD $25,455 for international MA/MSc thesis-based students.

7. How much funding do international PhD students receive?

For eligible international PhD students starting on or after January 1, 2026, the minimum annual funding package is CAD $33,205.

8. Do international students need IELTS?

Students must meet English Language Proficiency requirements unless they qualify through an accepted exemption or previous education route. IELTS requirements vary by program.

9. Can course-based Master’s students apply for the Graduate Award Competition?

No. UCalgary states that the Graduate Award Competition is for thesis-based graduate degree students, not course-based or professional degree students.

10. Where do I apply for University of Calgary scholarships?

Most undergraduate award applications are available through the My UCalgary Student Centre. Graduate students use the graduate awards system and should also follow instructions from their graduate program.

Final Thoughts

University of Calgary Scholarships 2027 offer useful funding options for international students at undergraduate, Master’s and PhD levels.

New international undergraduates should pay particular attention to the CAD $20,000 renewable International Entrance Scholarship and the 1 December 2026 Prestige Awards deadline.

Research-based graduate students have a different funding system. Eligible international MA/MSc thesis-based students can receive minimum annual funding of CAD $25,455, while eligible international PhD students can receive at least CAD $33,205 per year under the university’s current funding standards.

Because deadlines and eligibility rules differ from one award to another, always check the official University of Calgary award listing before applying.

Scholarship Summary