McGill University
McGill University Entrance Scholarships (international students)
McGill in Montreal runs two kinds of entrance scholarship for first-time university students. One-year scholarships (C$3,000) are automatic for applicants who meet the academic minimums. Major scholarships (C$3,000 to C$12,000 a year, renewable for up to four years) need a separate application judged on academic achievement first and leadership second; the C$12,000 tier is reserved for Canadians, so international students compete for the lower tiers. Winners also get a residence guarantee and priority registration.
Application round
The major scholarship application opens on 1 October on the Undergraduate Admissions Applicant Portal and must be submitted by midnight Montreal time on the deadline (midday the next day in Thailand). For Fall 2026 the deadline for applicants from schools outside Canada was 21 January 2026, with the admission application due 15 January 2026. The deadline does not move if you get permission to apply late for admission.
Next round
For Fall 2027 entry, expect the same pattern: the application opens 1 October 2026 and applicants from outside Canada must apply for admission by mid-January 2027 and for the scholarship about a week later. Check the McGill page for the confirmed dates.
The IELTS requirement
The scholarships set no English score of their own; you need to meet McGill's English requirement for admission, and the result goes in with your admission application, which has to be in before the scholarship deadline. English-taught bachelor's degrees at Canadian universities commonly ask for around IELTS 6.5, so check your programme's requirement and sit the test well before January.
Where is your IELTS score now?
Your university sets the IELTS score for this scholarship. Take the free level test to get an estimated band for each skill before you apply.
What it covers
- One-year entrance scholarship: C$3,000, non-renewable, awarded automatically
- Major entrance scholarships: C$3,000 to C$10,000 a year for international students, renewable for up to three or four years if you meet the renewal criteria (the C$12,000 Greville Smith tier is for Canadian citizens and permanent residents only)
- Recipients entering in September get one of their top three residence choices and priority registration in first year
- Prestige (C$10,000) winners join the Prestige Scholars mentorship programme
Who can apply
- First-time university student entering a full-time undergraduate degree; transfer, mature, exchange and part-time students are not eligible
- One-year award: meet the minimum academic requirements for your school system (meeting them does not guarantee an award)
- Major award: academic achievement first, then leadership that goes beyond simple participation; two reference letters, an activities list, an essay and a one-page third-person letter are required
- You can hold only one centrally administered scholarship; students admitted only to Law, Medicine or Dentistry are not eligible
- Applicants from schools outside Canada follow the "outside Canada" deadline
Key facts
- Provider
- McGill University
- Where you study
- Canada
- Study level
- Bachelor's
- Funding
- Partly funded
- Application round
- Dates for the next round aren't published yet
Already know your score?
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What band do you need?
Your overall IELTS target.
We checked these details against the provider's official page on November 1, 2026. Rules and dates change every round, so confirm them there before you apply.
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