Scholarships for Medical Programs in Canada

Canada is one of the countries where medical education is gaining popularity, especially among international candidates due to the high employment opportunities and the quality of education the place offers. A medical degree here can be completed within a time frame of 3 to 5 years after which candidates will be able to specialize in their chosen field without having to separately complete an internship. All of these factors along with the relative affordability of medical education here makes it an ideal location for pursuing higher education in this field.

While medical education here is affordable here when compared to countries like the US, it can still be expensive for candidates from other parts of the world. This is why the country offers a lot of scholarships that are partially or fully funded through the government or the different public universities here. Apart from these popular scholarships that are sought after by everyone, students will be able to get scholarships and financial aid provided by non-profit organizations based on their ethnicity, nationality, etc. as long as they apply early enough.

Steps to Apply for Scholarships in Canada

The scholarships offered to medical students in Canada are mostly provided by the universities they have enrolled in. This can either be based on merit or the nationality of the candidate and the collaborations done by the university with other universities around the world. In any case, the steps to applying for these universities can be different from each other and will have to be personally confirmed by the candidate by contacting the scholarship provided. A few of the steps one has to complete while considering applying for scholarships include-

• Step 1: Collect Necessary Documents- The first step to applying for a scholarship is collecting all the necessary documents for both the college application and the scholarship application. When most of the documents will overlap, scholarship applications will require financial statements and other personal details of the candidate which can take time to process. Candidates need to have these documents at hand even before they have started processing their college applications to reduce further delay.
• Step 2: Choose Medical Program and University- While medical schools often provide scholarships of their own, scholarships for international students are based on different programs that one has chosen. Candidates will have to choose a school and a program based on which they will be able to find scholarships that suit them.
• Step 3: Make List of Eligible External Scholarships- Even though there are scholarships that universities provide, these scholarships are highly esteemed and candidates have to be extremely competitive for receiving these. Non-profit organizations outside academic systems also provide scholarships based on ethnicity, gender, nationality, etc. Students will be able to apply for these scholarships after doing their research.
• Step 4: Make a List of Eligible University Scholarships- There are university scholarships that are offered to students within the same university and those outside of the university. Candidates will have to make a list of the scholarships they are eligible for along with their deadlines.
• Step 5: Apply Within Deadline for Higher Chances- Once the lists have been made, candidates will be able to apply to their chosen universities. Scholarship applications for non-profit organizations can be made after the admission has been confirmed. But at the same time, scholarship applications for universities will have to be made along with the college application.

Documents Required for Scholarships in Canada

Most scholarships that students can receive for medical education are based on the academic merit of the candidate. This will include the experience they have within the field along with their undergraduate academic results. Almost every university that offers medical education provides scholarships to domestic and international students. This is especially true for international students who come from developing nations. The general documents that one will have to submit irrespective of the scholarship they apply to include-

• Educational Transcripts
• Recommendation Letters
• Statement of Purpose
• GRE/ GMAT score report
• IELTS/TOEFL score report
• Resume

International students will also have to provide details relating to their study permit and their passport as part of the scholarship application.

Scholarships for Medical Education

A few of the scholarships offered through universities and other organizations include-

Scholarship	Provided by	Award Amount	Additional Benefits
MasterCard Scholarship	McGill University	Fully-Funded	Travel Health Insurance Miscellaneous Expenses 2 Unpaid Internships
Graduate Fellowship	University of Manitoba	$14,000 per year for Master’s $18,000 per year for Research	-
International Entrance Scholarships	York University	$120,000 to $180,000	-
Dr F. Lloyd Roberts Scholarship	University of Alberta	$8,000 per year	-
AB Wiswell Scholarship	Dalhousie University	Varies
Albert A. Butler Award in Orthopedics	McGill University	$6,650	Fund to attend conferences Fund for research equipment
AE Bowie Scholarship in Medicine	University of Alberta	$10,000 per year	-
Prestige Scholarship Program	University of Carleton	$20,000 to $30,000	-

MasterCard Scholarship-University of Toronto

This scholarship is provided by the MasterCard Foundation in collaboration with different public universities in the country. They offer full scholarships to students who are from sub-Saharan African countries and if they have applied for educational programs at the University of Toronto. The programs that are covered by the scholarship change from academic year to year. The scholarship will cover full financial assistance including tuition and travel expenses along with the visa application fee. Candidates will also be provided with health insurance, course materials, laptop, food, and other miscellaneous educational expenses during the duration of their study.

Candidates who are availing themselves of this scholarship will be able to take up 2 unpaid internships with the former set in Toronto and the latter in Africa.

Graduate Fellowships-University of Manitoba

This scholarship is provided to both domestic and international candidates who have been admitted to this institution based on their academic merit. It is provided mainly for research programs but students who have been enrolled in master’s programs will also be eligible for the same. The GPA requirement for the scholarship is dependent on the department one is studying in, but the basic score should be above 3.00.

Candidates who are doing their master’s will be provided with $14,000 per year for 1 or 2 years depending on the duration of their program. Those who have enrolled in doctoral programs will be provided with around $18,000 per year for 4 years. This can be extended for one more year but the decision will solely rely on the department. One student will be eligible to receive the award for only 5 years even if they have been admitted for both the master’s program and the doctoral program one after the other.

York University International Entrance Scholarships

This scholarship is awarded by York University to medical students in Canada. Candidates from all nationalities are free to apply for this scholarship but it is valid only for undergraduate programs. It is referred to as an entrance scholarship since it is provided only once when the student gets admission to the university. Candidates are not required to apply separately for entrance scholarships as it is provided based on their merit. The Tentanda Via Award and the President’s International Scholarship of Excellence are all entrance scholarships through which one will get $120,000 and $180,000 respectively based on their eligibility for either of these. Both of these scholarships are awarded on an annual basis for all 4 years of study.

Dr F. Lloyd Roberts Scholarship

This scholarship is provided in association with the University of Alberta on an annual basis to students who are academically exemplary within the disciplines of either medicine or dentistry. It is provided for candidates who are doing an MD program at the university. The amount offered annually is around $8,000 and candidates are required to apply separately for the scholarship. They will not be automatically considered upon applying for admission to the medical school.

A. B. Wiswell Scholarship

This is a third-party scholarship provided by Wiswell in association with Dalhousie University. It is provided only to students who have applied under the faculty of medicine at this university and is a merit-based scholarship. The program that the candidate is applying to can be either an MD degree or it can be a program provided within the faculty of medicine.

Albert A. Butler Award in Orthopedics

This scholarship is sponsored by a third party in association with McGill University. It is provided only to candidates who have taken up research in orthopedics within the faculty of medicine at this university. Special preference is offered to those who are doing extensive research within this specified field of study. Candidates who receive this scholarship will be provided with funds for attending conferences and for the purchase of research equipment. They will be provided with an amount of $6,550 as part of the scholarship.

AE Bowie Scholarship in Medicine

This scholarship is provided by AE Bowie in association with the University of Alberta. It is provided by the faculty of medicine and dentistry which is part of the department of medicine at the university. The scholarship is provided based on merit and special preference is provided to those who wish to specialize in diseases relating to the ear. It is provided on an annual basis and the amount is estimated to be around $10,000 per year. It will be given to the candidate for all four years of their study at the university.

Prestige Scholarship Program

This scholarship program is provided in association with the University of Carleton. It is a purely medical scholarship program that offers awards based on the merit of the candidate. It is provided only for undergraduate programs and is offered to both domestic and international candidates. This program includes Chancellor’s scholarships worth $30,000, Richard Lewar Entrance scholarships worth $21,500, Carleton University Scholarships of Excellence worth $20,000, etc.