University of Ottawa scholarships for international undergraduates depend mainly on the language you study in. In an English-taught programme, an 80% admission average brings an automatic International English Admission Scholarship of CAD 7,500 per term, or CAD 60,000 over a four-year degree. Students with the highest averages can add a one-time CAD 10,000 excellence award. In a French or French immersion programme, the Differential Tuition Fee Exemption Scholarship cuts your fees toward the domestic level.
Many lists call these awards “fully funded,” and they are not. They reduce the international tuition bill but leave you to pay for housing, food and part of tuition. The good news is the timing: uOttawa started taking applications for September 2027 on 17 September 2026 and recommends applying before 15 January 2027. Both English scholarships are automatic, so your admission application is your scholarship application.
University of Ottawa scholarships open to international students
uOttawa’s general scholarship rules require Canadian citizenship, permanent residence or protected person status unless an award says otherwise. So most of the awards you see on long lists are closed to international applicants. These are the undergraduate ones that are open to you for 2027-2028.
| Award | Value (CAD) | Who qualifies | Application |
|---|---|---|---|
| International English Admission Scholarship | 7,500 per term (60,000 over 4 years) | International students with an 80% admission average in an English programme | Automatic |
| International English Academic Excellence Scholarship | 10,000 (5,000 per term), not renewable | 100 awards for the highest averages (see the note on the cut-off below) | Automatic, according to the overview page |
| Differential Tuition Fee Exemption Scholarship | Varies by programme; example CAD 12,500 per fall term in Arts | International students in French or French immersion programmes | Automatic on enrolment |
| Faculty of Social Sciences Dean’s Excellence Award for International Students | 1,500 | Full-time first-year students with at least 92% | Not stated |
| Education Bursary for International Students with Disabilities | Variable | Students whose disability limits them to 12 units or fewer a term | Apply each term: 2 November 2026 (fall), 1 March 2027 (winter) |
The two English scholarships stack, so a student who wins both can receive up to CAD 70,000. The excellence award’s cut-off is unclear: the scholarship page says a 95% admission average, while uOttawa’s overview page says 90%. I would treat 95% as the safer figure.
The International English Admission Scholarship in detail
- It applies to new international students admitted from the winter 2026 term onward to an English-language undergraduate programme.
- You need an admission average of at least 80% and a valid study permit. Domestic fee payers and Canadians with dual citizenship are excluded.
- It renews each term, up to 12 instalments, while you stay full time in Arts, Engineering, Health Sciences, Science, Social Sciences or the Telfer School of Management.
- Eight terms at CAD 7,500 gives the CAD 60,000 that uOttawa quotes for a four-year degree. Longer programmes can draw more instalments.
Studying in French: the tuition fee exemption
uOttawa is bilingual, and it offers the Differential Tuition Fee Exemption Scholarship to international Francophone and Francophile students. For undergraduates, you must accept an offer to a French programme, or to an English programme with a French Immersion Stream, and take at least three French-taught courses (9 units) every term. It pays per term for up to 12 terms while you meet those conditions.
Master’s students can get it in programmes offered only in French, or in compulsory bilingual programmes if they have at least two years of study in French. Most faculties pay CAD 5,500 per eligible term at master’s level, for up to six terms. Co-op work terms are excluded.
Awards on other lists that international students cannot get
- The University of Ottawa Admission Scholarship (CAD 1,000 to 3,000) follows the general rules for Canadians, permanent residents and protected persons.
- The President’s and Chancellor’s scholarships quoted by older articles do not appear on uOttawa’s 2027-2028 list. The CAD 26,000 (CAD 6,500 a year) award on that list is the Indigenous Leadership Scholarship.
- The Schulich Leader and Loran awards are for Canadian citizens (Loran also takes permanent residents).
- Faculty awards such as the Jean Chrétien Scholarship and the Science Undergraduate Research Scholarship follow the general rules unless the award text says otherwise.
uOttawa’s Nigeria page still mentions “our international scholarship for African students studying in English.” The current scholarship page for students starting in winter 2026 or later lists only the two English scholarships above, which are open to every nationality, so African applicants should expect those.
Graduate scholarships at the University of Ottawa
| Award | Value (CAD) | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Master’s Admission Scholarship (thesis) | 7,500, paid as 2,500 a term for three terms | Admission average of 8.0/10 or higher, full time |
| Doctoral Admission Scholarship | At least 72,000 over four years | Admission average of 8.0/10 or higher; half from the university, half from your academic unit |
| International Doctoral Scholarship | 45,000 over five years (up to 3,000 a term for 15 terms) | International fee payers admitted from May 2023; cannot be combined with the fee exemption |
| Differential Tuition Fee Exemption (master’s) | Most faculties 5,500 a term | French-only or qualifying bilingual programmes |
Values above are from the Faculty of Engineering’s summary of the university-wide graduate awards. Some faculties add their own top-ups. The Ontario Graduate Scholarship is a separate competition: uOttawa says its 2026 round has closed and the 2027 round opens this fall. Some lists claim it is only for women or that it pays CAD 25,000; neither appears on uOttawa’s pages.
If you are still an undergraduate at home and want research experience in Canada first, read our guide to the Mitacs Globalink Research Internship. Its 2027 call has closed, but it runs every year.
Admission deadlines for 2027
| Step | Fall 2027 (September) | Winter 2027 (January) |
|---|---|---|
| Applications open | 17 September 2026 | Already open |
| Deadline | Recommended before 15 January 2027; most programmes close in May | 17 October 2026 for Arts, Social Sciences and Telfer (passed). Next January intake (winter 2028): 17 October 2027 |
| Documents and test results | By 15 February 2027, or 30 days after you apply | Most programmes by 1 November 2026 |
Winter 2028 deadline for Arts, Social Sciences and Telfer: 17 October 2027 (based on this year’s date; confirm on the official page when the call opens).
Apply early
Programmes can close before May once they are full, and a study permit takes time. Applying by 15 January 2027 keeps your place in the queue and gives your scholarship offer time to reach you before the permit application.
How to get a uOttawa international scholarship, step by step
- Choose the language of study: English for the CAD 7,500 per term award, or French or French immersion for the fee exemption.
- Check the admission average for your system: for example, uOttawa asks WAEC/WASSCE applicants for at least a 75% average and accepts NECO too, but you need 80% for the scholarship.
- Apply online: through uOttawa’s application portal, ideally before 15 January 2027.
- Upload documents in uoZone: transcripts for your last three years, results or proof of diploma, and English proof, by 15 February 2027.
- Read your offer: automatic scholarships are announced with admission.
- Apply for the study permit: with your offer, scholarship letter, proof of funds and Ontario attestation letter.
English requirements for English-taught programmes
| Test | Overall | Writing or literacy |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| TOEFL (tests from 21 January 2026) | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| TOEFL iBT and Home Edition (older scale) | 86 | 22 |
| Duolingo English Test | 120 | Literacy 120 |
| PTE Academic | 60 | 60 |
| Cambridge B2 First, C1 Advanced, C2 Proficiency | 176 | Not set |
| CAEL | 60 | 60, plus 60 in reading, speaking and listening |
You may not need a test if you completed at least three years of full-time study in English in a country where English is an official language. The rule follows your country of study, not your passport. Scores must be less than two years old at the start of your term. Lower scores can lead to a conditional offer with the English Intensive Program.
Tuition and the money you must show
uOttawa says international undergraduate, master’s and doctoral tuition for 2026-2027 is unchanged from 2025-2026. The exact amounts sit in its online fee tables by programme, so check yours before you plan. For the study permit, IRCC asks a single student outside Quebec to show CAD 23,448 for living costs (for applications from 1 September 2026) plus first-year tuition and travel. Undergraduates also need an Ontario provincial attestation letter; master’s and doctoral students at public institutions have not needed one since 1 January 2026.
If you want a fully funded undergraduate place in Canada, the University of Toronto’s Lester B. Pearson Scholarship is the one to look at, although it needs a school nomination and the 2027 nominations have closed.
FAQs about University of Ottawa scholarships
Do I need to apply separately for a University of Ottawa scholarship?
No for the main international awards. The International English Admission Scholarship and the tuition fee exemption are automatic once you are admitted and meet the conditions.
What average do I need for a uOttawa international scholarship?
An 80% admission average for the CAD 7,500 per term award. The CAD 10,000 excellence award goes to 100 students with the highest averages, at 95% according to the scholarship page.
Is the University of Ottawa scholarship fully funded?
No. The largest undergraduate package is CAD 70,000 over a degree, which covers part of international tuition and none of your living costs.
Can international PhD students get funding at uOttawa?
Yes. Doctoral students with an 8.0/10 admission average get an admission scholarship of at least CAD 72,000 over four years, and international fee payers can also receive the CAD 45,000 International Doctoral Scholarship.
Sources and updates
Scholarship values and rules come from the University of Ottawa’s scholarships and awards overview (updated 24 September 2026), its page on scholarships for international students studying in English (updated 27 August 2026) and its Differential Tuition Fee Exemption page, all read on 24 October 2026. Graduate award values are from the Faculty of Engineering’s graduate scholarships page and the OGS status from the Graduate Studies Ontario scholarships page. Admission dates, English scores and the WAEC average come from uOttawa’s international deadlines, language requirements and Nigeria pages. The CAD 23,448 funds figure is IRCC’s 1 September 2026 requirement as reported by CIC News. This page will be updated if uOttawa changes its 2027 values.
I am Jude Chinecherem, a final-year MBBS student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I know what it feels like to want an education your family cannot afford. When my parents could not pay for my schooling, I had to learn how to find scholarships and work the system out on my own, with nobody to guide me. I came out the other side, and now I share everything I learned so the next student does not have to figure it out alone. This is the advice I wish someone had given me back then.
