Scholarships and Student Aid at McGill University
Future Undergraduate Students
McGill University offers financial aid, entrance scholarships, and other forms of assistance to postdoctorals, graduate students, and current and future undergraduate students. Future undergrads are offered entrance bursaries and scholarships to help pay college-related expenses. The list of entrance scholarships and awards includes the George Herrick Duggan Memorial Scholarships, Atlantic Provinces Entrance Scholarship, and others. Students from modest- and low-income families are eligible to apply under the Entrance Bursary Program. Major, faculty-specific, and one-year scholarships are also available and so are external awards. Faculty-specific scholarships are offered to students in different faculties, including Medicine, Law, Dentistry, and Music. Full-time students are eligible to apply for merit-based scholarships. However, visiting, part-time, special, exchange, diploma, mature, and transfer students do not qualify. (see here)
Financial Aid for Current Undergraduate Students
Current undergraduate students are eligible to apply for in-course financial aid and scholarships as well as for work-for-pay situations, research assistantships, stipends. Funding opportunities are also available to youth in care, children of war veterans, students with disabilities, indigenous, athletes, and other categories. (see here)
Graduate Students, Awards, Fellowships, and Assistantships
McGill University offers financial assistance to graduate students mainly in the form of assistantships and fellowships. External financing is also available, including fellowships and grants offered by federal and provincial agencies and governments. Current graduate students are eligible to apply for loans and bursaries provided that they demonstrate financial need and are enrolled full-time. Again, certificate, diploma, and continuing education students do not qualify for financial aid. The same applies to qualifying, visiting, and special students.
Dissertation awards are also available to students in different disciplines, including Social Sciences, Fine Arts, Natural Sciences, Medical Sciences, Engineering, and others. Students are asked to submit documents such as a Resume, abstract, pre-defense report by the external examiner, and nomination letter by the program director or supervisor.
Other Forms of Assistance for Graduate Students
There are other forms of financial assistance to explore, including the Frugal Scholar Money Management Program, emergency loans, the Work Study Program, and government aid. Graduate students are welcome to apply for on-campus jobs under the Work Study Program, including library, technical, research, and clerical jobs. Positions include office assistant, administrative support, annual fund assistant, communications assistant, opera event assistant, and more. The Frugal Scholar Money Management Program is offered to students who are eager to learn how to manage debt, build and stick to a budget, prepare taxes, and more. Different workshops are offered under the program, including workshops on different types of financial assistance, budgeting and financial planning, Canada Student Loans, repayment options, credit and so on. In addition, the university offers emergency loans to students who face financial problems due to unforeseen circumstances such as lost wallet, pay check delays, and lack of funds for food or essential medications. (see here)
Postdoctoral Students
Postdoctorals are not eligible to apply for need-based aid as funding is available through the university’s departments. Other forms of financial assistance include debt advice, finance-related workshops, and the Frugal Scholar Money Management Program. International postdoctoral students are eligible to apply for the Quebec Merit Scholarship for Foreign Students which is available to doctoral, short-term research, and postdoctoral students.
International Students
McGill University offers international students financial assistance in the form of in-course awards and scholarships, emergency loans, tuition payment deferrals, and more. There are funding options for graduate students as well, including scholarships by the Fondation Universitaire Pierre Arbour and the MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program. Country-specific scholarships are offered by different foundations, councils, and organizations, including the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation for Education, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Court, and others.