University of Waterloo scholarships are one of the key attractions for international students to pursue higher studies at the institution. The Student Awards and Financial Office (SAFA) administers all the scholarships, and bursaries at University of Waterloo, available to support students with financial needs and academic merit. The university has awarded 11.7 million CAD in internal funding for the last academic year. Over 50% of this funding was dedicated to student scholarship programs.

University of Waterloo scholarships and bursaries are awarded in early May after the office receives updated grades. Most scholarships require no separate application as students will be evaluated for scholarships at the time of admission to the University of Waterloo. Details of various University of Waterloo scholarships for bachelor's, master's, and doctoral students vary.

University of Waterloo Bachelors Scholarships

The scholarships for students pursuing bachelor’s programs at University of Waterloo are based on academic and personal achievements. The university’s offers 100+ scholarships for international students in the bachelor program. Some of the popular University of Waterloo scholarships for bachelor’s program students are provided in the following table:

Scholarship Name Eligibility Benefits
President’s Scholarship of Distinction Early May admission average of 95%+; Beginning program in September 2,000 CAD Entrance scholarships | 1,500 CAD International Experience Award and/or 1,500 CAD Research Award
President’s Scholarship Early May admission average of 90-94.9% | Full-time first-year degree students and postsecondary students beginning studies in September 2,000 CAD Entrance scholarships
International Student Entrance Scholarships Admission average of 90% or higher | Completed Admission Information Form | International students admitted to first year of a full-time undergraduate degree program | Course-specific requirements 10,000 CAD
Merit Scholarship Full-time first-year degree students and postsecondary students beginning studies in September | Early May admission average of 85% to 89.9% 1,000 CAD
School of Accounting and Finance Fellowships Academic performance | Interview | Trait Assessment 9,000 CAD
Arthur F. Church Mechanical Engineering Scholarships Academic performance | Online video interview | Admission Information Form (AIF) 2 scholarships of 5,000 each
University of Waterloo Alumni Scholarships (Entrance Scholarships) Academic performance | Admission Information Form (AIF) may also be considered 1-2 awards of up to 8,000 CAD over 4 years
Jim Colvin Scholarship in Computing and Financial Management Academic performance | Cumulative average of 80% or above | Demonstrated leadership abilities 3,000 - 4,000 CAD

The University of Waterloo scholarships for in-course students ranges from 500 to 10,000 CAD, depending on the number of scholarships and undergraduate programs and faculty. Some of the in-course scholarships at University of Waterloo are listed below:

Scholarship Name Eligibility Criteria Benefits
Accenture Award 75% overall average | Leadership | Extracurricular involvement | Interest in pursuing a career in Consulting | Strong communication skills 2 awards up to 2,000 CAD each
Brian Le Lievre Scholarship Academic excellence (Separate application not required) | 80% and above overall 2 awards of 2,500 CAD each
A.B. McKie Memorial Scholarship 4th year students pursuing Accounting and Financial Management 2 awards of 1,000 CAD each
Cecil and Edna Cotton Scholarship Computer Science students in year 2, 3, and 4 1 award of 1,500 CAD

None of the Waterloo in-course scholarships have any restrictions in terms of nationality. Domestic and international students are eligible for all the scholarship programs. Furthermore, 90% of in-course scholarships are offered on the basis of academic merit in the previous year(s) of studies at the University of Waterloo.

University of Waterloo Masters and Doctoral Scholarships

There is a huge range of University of Waterloo scholarships available to international students beginning their masters or doctoral programs. Majority of the internal scholarships and fellowships do not require an additional application as the eligible students are nominated by their department.

Some of the University of Waterloo Scholarships offered to masters and doctoral students have been tabulated below. The table includes both scholarships for new students and continuing students.

Scholarship Name Eligibility Benefits
International Master’s Student Award Enrolled in MA, MASC, MES, MFA, MMATH, or MSc | Full-time research-based program 2,465 CAD per term 
Alan Plumtree Graduate Scholarship Academic merit (Minimum 80%) 5,000 CAD
International Doctoral Student Awards Registered in full-time doctoral program 4,930 CAD per term
Women in Mathematics Graduate Scholarship Female students | Enrolled in Faculty of Mathematics 3,000 CAD
Robbert Hartog Graduate Scholarship  Masters or doctoral program in Faculty of Engineering 5,000 CAD
Hira and Renu Ahuja International Graduate Scholarship Enrolled in Faculty of Engineering 20,000 CAD
QNX Graduate Scholarship Enrolled in department of Mathematics, Science, Engineering 15,000 CAD
Anish Chopra Masters of Accounting  Student of Masters of Accounting 5,000 CAD

In addition to the University of Waterloo scholarships, graduate international students are also entitled to other funding options like bursaries and emergency loans. In addition to that, you have the opportunity to fund your education with part-time employment through the university, in the form of

  • Teaching Assistantships (TA)
  • Research Assistantships (RA)
  • Graduate Research Studentships (GRS)

For more information on this, contact the Department Graduate Co-ordinator.

University of Waterloo External Scholarships

Even though the University of Waterloo scholarships are sufficient for the masters and doctoral students, there are a few external scholarships available to them. The university encourages international students to apply for these external scholarships as this would make it easier for them to study in Canada. Some of the popular external scholarships available for international students at University of Waterloo are as follows:

Scholarship Eligibility Benefits
Ontario Graduate Scholarship Meritorious students pursuing Masters or Doctoral programs | Enrolled to a full time program for 2 or more terms 10,000 CAD for 2 terms | 15,000 CAD for 3 terms
Ontario Trillium Scholarship Meritorious doctoral students in any discipline 40,000 CAD
Ontario Graduate Fellowship Merit-based fellowships for students nominated by respective departments 12,000 CAD
Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships Academic excellence, Research potential, demonstrated Leadership experience and potential 50,000 CAD per year for 3 years

As an international student, it is highly important that you choose the best scholarship program to fund your studies. Therefore, it is recommended that you not only explore the University of Waterloo Scholarships but all external scholarship programs. Students should remember that many of the University of Waterloo graduate scholarships are not compatible with external funds. For example, the recipient of the Ontario Trillium Scholarship may not be eligible for some of the university’s internal scholarships.

Overall, the University of Waterloo offers a wide array of scholarships for international students pursuing bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral programs. To explore all the scholarships, students can check the university’s Awards database. Students can check all the scholarships with distinct eligibility criteria and award amout available at University of Waterloo.

FAQs

Ques. Does University of Waterloo give scholarships to international students?

Ans. Yes. University of Waterloo scholarships are available to both domestic and international students. The university offers a range of merit-based scholarships for bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral students. These scholarships provide up to 50,000 CAD (30.42 lakhs INR) per year to students, depending on their academic achievements, personal skills and leadership potential.

Ques. What grades are required to avail University of Waterloo scholarships?

Ans. The eligibility criteria for each scholarship at University of Waterloo are distinct. However, student generally need 75% to 95% or above in previous academic years to avail the University of Waterloo scholarships.

Ques. Does University of Waterloo offer full scholarships?

Ans. No. University of Waterloo scholarship amounts are fixed with variations in the number of recipients. However, the university scholarships range between 500 to 50,000 CAD (30,000 to 30 lakhs INR) depending on the level of study, academic merit, and other necessary requirements. Some of these scholarships are renewable for up to 4 years.

Ques. How to avail the President's Scholarship at University of Waterloo?

Ans. To avail the President's Scholarship at University of Waterloo, students must satisfy the following eligibility criteria:

  • The applicant must be enrolled in a full-time first-year degree at University of Waterloo
  • Postsecondary students beginning studies in September are also eligible
  • Early May admission average of 90% or above is required.

Ques. What to do if I cannot avail University of Waterloo scholarships?

Ans. In case you are unable to avail the university-provided scholarships at University of Waterloo, you can look for the external scholarships available. The university encourages students to evaluate their academic scores and apply to the respective external scholarships available in order to fund their studies. Some of the popular external scholarships available for University of Waterloo students include Ontario Graduate Scholarship, Ontario Trillium Scholarship, Ontario Graduate Fellowship, and Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships among others.