University of Ottawa Scholarships & Awards 2025–2026 – Funding Your Canadian Education

The University of Ottawa, a bilingual public research university in Canada, offers a diverse range of scholarships, bursaries, and awards for both domestic and international students. These financial supports are designed to recognize academic excellence, community leadership, and field-specific achievements.

Key Funding Opportunities

• Entrance Scholarships – Automatic consideration based on admission averages, awarded to incoming undergraduates.
• Upper-Year Scholarships – For students maintaining strong academic performance while progressing through their programs.
• International Entrance Awards – Offered to top-performing non-Canadian students entering undergraduate studies.
• Graduate Scholarships & Fellowships – Includes scholarships for master’s and doctoral research students, such as SSHRC, CGS-M, and University of Ottawa fellowships.
• Bursaries & Needs-Based Awards – Financial support for students demonstrating significant financial need.

Eligibility Criteria

• Undergraduate Awards – Typically based on admission averages (e.g., ≥ 85%) and, in some cases, additional criteria like extracurricular involvement or leadership experience.
• Graduate Funding – Fitness varies across faculties and disciplines, with requirements such as research proposals, supervisor endorsements, and academic excellence.
• International Students – Many awards are open to international students under the International Entrance Awards and certain graduate fellowships.

Application Timeline

• Undergraduate Entrance Scholarships – Automatic based on admission; no additional application required.
• Graduate Scholarships – Application required, often aligned with program application deadlines. Submit via individual faculties or centralized scholarship platforms.
• Bursary Applications – Typically submitted in September for the fall term or January for winter term, as per posted deadlines.

 Tips to Maximize Your Funding

• Excel academically to meet minimum scholarship thresholds.
• Engage in extracurriculars and leadership roles to strengthen your profile.
• Apply early to graduate programs and identify funding opportunities in advance.
• Align your research proposal with University priorities and funding criteria.

Official Link