Canada International student guide on how to apply for scholarships

Getting a scholarship in Canada is always a hassle.

I have won 5 scholarships in total since I came to Canada.

I came to Canada in 2021; before I came, I researched on scholarships to apply for, but it seemed like the more I applied, the more the chances kept getting slimmer.

Why? Because I am an international student.

There are more scholarship opportunities for Canadian Citizens and permanent residents (PR).

Apart from the scholarship opportunities available for Canadian citizens and permanent residents (PR), their fees are cheaper than those of international students.

Some people advise on working on becoming a permanent resident first before choosing to study in Canada because that is a cheaper option with more opportunities.

However, if you are like me, who came to Canada as an international student without a PR status, this article will guide you on how to locate and apply for scholarships.

Scholarship Essay Admission Template


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University Essay Admission Template

How to apply for free scholarships in Canada

I would start by sharing the websites I surfed for scholarships before I explain how to apply.

One thing I should note is that this guide is for international master’s students that are not focused on a research master’s.

What I have realised is that most schools have full funding or scholarships for any form of research; this can either be a master’s research degree or a PHD.

So if you are looking for full funding, this is an option worth considering.

The sites I sourced for free scholarships:

1. Scholarshipscanada.com
2. StudyinCanada.com
3. Studentlifenetwork
4. Yconic student awardsRoyal Roads University Scholarships

Scholarship applications tips

The 5 scholarships I got were from different sources, 3 were from my University (Royal Roads), and 2 were external scholarships.

1. Let the eligibility criteria guide you:Like many universities, my university has internal scholarship and grants.This is made available every semester.In my first two semesters, I applied for them, and I got none.I wondered what I was doing wrong, and I placed an appointment with my school’s financial aid team to guide me on what I needed to do better.Side Tip:
   “Your school fees covers a lot of services, and an example is this appointment I booked with the financial aid team to give me advice.Use all the services your school offers that you think will benefit your success as a student, I spoke more about it HERE.”The feedback I received from the financial aid team is summarised in this post.The first tip I got was to look at the eligibility criteria for all scholarships and apply only for the ones that fit my criteria.
   
2. Your essay should answer all the eligibility questions:Most scholarships are judged by a 1-page essay.And this essay is supposed to reflect why you fit into the criteria of the scholarship.You are expected to pitch yourself forward as the best candidate for the criteria mentioned,  and you support this with examples.If a criteria says “black female student“, in your essay, when writing your introduction, you can write:“As a black female student in Canada, I have been able to …”This sentence above shows the scholarship committee that the applicant writing this essay is black and she is female, which means she fits into the eligibility criteria for the scholarship.After writing my essay, I go back to bolden all criteria for the scholarship in my essay so that whoever sees my essay can easily see the keywords in bold fonts without having to be overwhelmed with the task of looking for where it shows that I am a fit for the scholarship.Put in mind that the scholarship board might be going though an endless list of over 1000 applicants, so try to make the job as easy for them as possible.This will increase your chances of being chosen.
   
3. Dot your Is, cross your Ts.Go through your essay over and over again to make sure it does not have grammatical errors.You can use softwares like Grammarly to help you will your sentence structures and grammatical errors. This is what I use.Also, confirm that your essay properly states that you fit into the criteria.
   
4. Pray:I ALWAYS pray for favour and direction before I start an application and after I submit it.When you pray, believe that God will make a way for you and distinguish you amongst your peers, just like He did Daniel in the Bible.

Do you want me to review your scholarship essay? If so, click here to book a review session.

Other websites with scholarship opportunities for international students in Canada:

I have been aware of so many other scholarship websites, which I sometimes keep tabs on.

You might find these sites useful as well.

1. EduCanada
2. Ibabc
3. TD Bank
4. Canada Scholarship Portal
5. Queen Elizabeth Scholar
6. Scotia Bank also does a yearly scholarship raffle draw, this is not based on an essay. If you apply, the winner’s name will be picked at random.

If you found this article helpful, share it with a scholar like you.

Do you want me to review your scholarship essay?

I have made it easier for you, I turned my essay into the template and added other templates and writing guides that would help; click here to DOWNLOAD YOUR TEMPLATE.

Do you want me to review your scholarship essay? If so, click here to book a review session.

Scholarship Essay Admission Template


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