Well, the answer to this question is obvious, you have to search and then apply!

But how do I search?

First, you should do a good and thorough research. As always, the best place for research is Google. Search the name of your field and degree and check the Google results one by one.

For example, to search for scholarship funds for the master’s degree in mechanics, search this phrase on Google:

” Scholarship for Master of Mechanical Engineering in Canada “

With this method, see all the universities that provide your result on Google, and now it’s time to check the hairiness of each one of them.

You should enter the website of the university and the department of mechanical engineering and see what options are available to you. Check if you have to apply for the scholarship separately or if your case will be checked automatically. (automatic stock exchange or gear stock exchange)

In addition to searching on Google, we introduce other resources for searching Canadian scholarships.

Authentic websites to search for Canadian scholarships

• EduCanada.ca
• ScholarshipsCanada.com
• Yconic.com
• Provincial and Territorial Grants and Bursaries
• Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC)

 

How do I apply?

Applying for automatic and non-automatic scholarships is somewhat different. In the following, we explain how to apply for each category of these scholarships.

 

Apply for the Canadian automatic scholarship

As we mentioned before,  in automatic scholarships, there is no need to apply separately and simultaneously with the application for the desired field of study, the application for the scholarship is automatically checked.  But note that there are differences in their applications depending on the level of study and the type of open field:

• If you are applying for a course-based bachelor’s or master’s degree (without the need for a thesis and appointing a supervisor),  from the very beginning, after determining the university, major and preparing the necessary documents, create an account in the Apply section of the university and submit your information and documents to Submit online to the university. Then, if you have academic qualifications, your application for receiving a Canadian scholarship will be reviewed simultaneously and automatically.

  There is detailed and complete information on how to apply on the Canada application page.

• If you are applying for research-oriented master’s programs (needing to appoint a supervisor before applying) and PhD, the  application process is different compared to the first case. Because the desired scholarships in these courses are offered mostly from the position of the supervisor and in the form of Teaching Assistant (TA) and Research Assistant (RA), it is necessary to first apply for the desired field and course. find for your future thesis and after getting approval from the professor, apply to that university.

 

Follow the steps below for this type of application

1. Make a list of Canadian universities in your field and level of study.

Prepare a list of Canadian universities and select from among them the universities that have your field of study in research-oriented master’s degree or doctorate. When preparing your list, pay attention to the requirements for admission. Select universities that match your conditions in terms of GPA, language score, research experience, etc. with the conditions of that university and that field. 

2. Prepare a list of university professors with relevant research areas.

After preparing the list of universities, now it is time to choose professors for correspondence. Look at the profiles of all the professors in the faculty member section of the website of the department of your desired field and choose among them the professors whose research field and research interests are compatible with yours.

Even if there are professors whose research field is not exactly like yours and they have worked in an interdisciplinary way, add them to your list.

3. Start contact with Canadian university professors.

Now that the list of university professors is determined, you should start correspondence with them and send emails. In the first email, you should try to impress the professor.

But how? Think of all the details. Do not repeat your resume information in this email. Write a summary of your academic and research background and research interests and focus on the positive and specific aspects of your resume. Write short and concise. Do not have grammatical problems.

Attach to your email your resume, and translation of bachelor’s and master’s degree transcripts (if applicable).

4. After finding a professor and his/her approval, apply to the university. 

You may email dozens of professors but not receive a response or the responses received are negative. This is normal and nothing to worry about. Email as many professors as you can. Finally, if a professor answers and invites you to an interview for more explanations, be sure to prepare for the interview in advance and practice possible questions and how to answer them. 

In the interview session, if the professor talks about the conditions for receiving your scholarship, try to speak convincingly and show yourself worthy of receiving that scholarship. 

If the interview is successful, the professor will ask you to apply to the university. Therefore, prepare all the documents required to apply for your desired field and send the online application to the university. 

In the online application, wherever you are asked for the name of the supervisor, enter the name of the Canadian professor and wherever you are asked a question about your desire to receive a Canadian scholarship, be sure to answer those questions in the affirmative and check the desired option. . 

5. Receive the university acceptance letter along with the scholarship letter. 

After one to several months, you will receive your acceptance letter. Usually, your personal information, field and university information and the name of your supervisor are written in the acceptance letters. If you have received a scholarship, its detailed information such as the amount of the scholarship, the number of years of receiving the scholarship, and the type of scholarship are mentioned in the letter. 

Scholarship information is either written in the same acceptance letter or a separate letter is sent for it. Be sure to inform your supervisor after receiving your acceptance.

6. Confirm your acceptance for the desired academic term at that university. 

After receiving admission, in most universities it is necessary to declare your approval for admission (Admit Offer).

For this purpose, enter your online portal and click Confirm Offer or Yes in the relevant section. 

7. Send your academic documents to the university. 

After receiving admission and scholarship in Canada, all universities will ask you to send them a paper file of translation of your degree and university transcripts. The translations must be official (Official Transcript), i.e. have a court seal and put them inside the university’s sealed envelope and ask your university to mail them to the Canadian university.

 

Apply for a non-automatic Canadian scholarship

In the non-automatic (geared) scholarship, you must apply separately for scholarship opportunities from government institutions, non-governmental organizations, or some universities.  In other words, if you are applying for a specific course and stage at a Canadian university, you must also send a separate application for the desired scholarship opportunity at that university or other governmental or non-governmental institutions.

Of course, in most cases, the condition of accepting a Canadian scholarship in non-automatic scholarships is that you have been accepted or are studying in one of the Canadian universities. Therefore, if you have not yet been accepted by a university and have not registered, it is usually not possible to apply for these types of scholarships. 

Another difference between applying for non-automatic scholarships and automatic scholarships is that you don’t need to correspond with a professor in advance and get an application approval from him. Rather, after identifying the desired scholarship opportunity, enter its website and collect the necessary documents according to the instructions. Then create an account and submit your online application by entering the necessary information and uploading documents. 

Some Canadian scholarship opportunities do not require an application fee and are free of charge. 

Important tips for getting a Canadian scholarship

• Try to check all the opportunities available in universities and governmental and non-governmental institutions by searching carefully.
• Take deadlines seriously and send the best possible file before the deadline.
• Try to differentiate yourself from others.
• Read and follow the application instructions step by step.
• Write a very strong cover letter.
• Be realistic.

 

What is meant by Canada Full Fund Scholarship?

Full Fund means a financial aid provided by Canadian universities, government or non-government centers to native students and foreign students and   covers  all their education and living expenses .

It is more possible to get Canadian full funding in the doctoral level than in other educational levels. 

 

How much is the amount of funding for Canadian universities?

The answer to this question is very relative. Colleges and universities may only offer a few hundred dollars or a few thousand dollars in tuition discounts. Or they may give you a partial fund that covers the tuition and part of the living expenses. Lucky people with a strong academic resume may get full funding that covers all tuition and living expenses in Canada.

 

What fields does Canada offer scholarships?

Canadian universities usually provide scholarships for most fields of study, which include:

• Science fields including biology and all its sub-fields, chemistry, physics, computer science and related fields.
• Health sciences fields
• Engineering fields such as mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer engineering, chemical engineering, environmental engineering and other engineering fields
• Humanities fields such as geography, social sciences, language education and other fields in this field.
• Management, finance and economics fields
• Art and architecture fields

Among the above fields, science and engineering fields usually have more scholarship opportunities than other fields. In the following, we refer to the types of scholarships in a number of Canadian universities:

 

University name	Fields under scholarship			Types of scholarships
McGill University	Bachelor’s Degree : Music, Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, Law			Entrance Scholarships Entrance Bursary Program
	Master’s degree : all fields			Dissertation Awards Weston Fellowship
	Doctoral level : all disciplines			Dissertation & Convocation Awards Tomlinson Doctoral Fellowships Weston Fellowships
University of British Columbia	Bachelor’s degree:  all fields			International Major Entrance Scholarship Outstanding International Student Award International Community Achievement Awards
	Master’s degree and PhD: all fields			Affiliated Fellowships Master’s Program Affiliated Fellowships Doctoral Program British Columbia Graduate Scholarship International Tuition Award
McMaster University	Bachelor’s degree :	The fields available in the faculties of science and art, business, engineering, health sciences, humanities, sciences, social sciences		MacMaster University Award of Excellence Faculty-specific Achievement Awards Faculty Administered Award
		All disciplines		International Renewable Entrance Awards Provost Entrance Scholarship for International Students
	Master’s degree and doctorate :		Courses available in the Faculty of Science	Richard Fuller Memorial Scholarships for Science Molson C. Cain Graduate Award
			The courses available in the faculties of science and health sciences	The Lorne F. Lambier, QC, Scholarship
University of Ottawa	Bachelor’s degree : All courses available in the Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Science			Faculty of Arts Dean’s Merit Scholarship Faculty of Engineering Dean’s Merit Scholarship Faculty of Science undergraduate research scholarship
	Master’s degree and PhD: all fields			Special Merit Scholarship International Doctoral Scholarship

 

What are the best universities in Canada for scholarships?

Canada’s public and top-tier universities usually receive more funding to support meritorious students because of their importance. In contrast, private universities, small universities, or universities with lower rankings receive less funding from the Canadian government and private organizations and offer fewer scholarships.

In the following, we introduce the best universities in Canada for scholarships:

University name	National rank	Global ranking
University of Toronto	1	26
McGill University	2	27
University of British Columbia	3	46
University of Montreal	4	111
University of Alberta	5	126
McMaster University	6	140
University of Waterloo	7	149
Western University	8	170
University of Ottawa	9	230
University of Calgary	10	235

 

What are the chances of getting a Canadian scholarship?

Well, the fact is that the chances of getting a scholarship in Canada are high on paper. Pay attention to this screenshot taken from the website of the University of British Columbia:

This university offers more than thirty million dollars in scholarships per year. More than 105 nationalities take these scholarships. But the fact is that these scholarships are competitive and you must have very good academic conditions to get these scholarships.

What are the chances of getting a Canadian scholarship without an essay?

If you are applying for postgraduate studies such as a research-based master’s degree or doctorate in Canada, the fact is that having an article and a research record is one of the main factors for getting a Canadian scholarship. Therefore, if you don’t have any published articles in domestic or foreign prestigious journals, it should be said that your chances of getting a scholarship are reduced. 

Of course, it is not impossible to get a scholarship without an essay, and according to our experience at Visa Mondial, we were able to get a Canadian scholarship for some applicants who did not have an essay. But this is possible if your case is strong in other aspects, such as having a language score higher than the minimum required by the university, a high grade point average in previous studies, a good work history related to education, having professional skills related to the field of study and Any other factor that makes your position stronger than other competitors.

What is the language qualification required to obtain a Canadian scholarship?

In non-engineering fields, all Canadian universities require an English language certificate with a score above 6.5 in the IELTS exam and a score above 90 in the TOEFL exam to grant scholarships. But in engineering fields, some universities will check your file with a lower IELTS score. 

If you do not have a language score, you can correspond with the professors, but we do not recommend doing this. Because anyway, you’re kind of wounding the available options without getting the job done. Of course, in special cases where your file is at a very high level from a scientific point of view and you believe that the supervisor will pay special attention to you, apply and inform the professor that you will prepare the language certificate soon. 

At Visa Mondial, we have experienced countless cases and in some cases we have seen that when the professors are very receptive to your resume, they do not pay much attention to your language qualification. Of course, do not forget that after getting the professor’s approval, he must also get the department’s approval. So, in these cases, ask the professor to recommend you to the department so that they will give you enough time to present your proof. 

The best time to apply for a Canadian scholarship

The sooner you start the better. Of course, you should move according to the university website and the information available there. To start studying in the September semester, most universities accept scholarship applications between September and December of the previous year. Some continue until February and March.

Also, to start studying in the January semester, universities accept scholarship applications between April and July of the previous year.

If you are outside of Canada and have not yet been accepted by a university, you should generally apply for a Canadian scholarship 8 to 12 months before the start of the academic semester. 

How much does it cost to apply for a Canadian scholarship?

In most cases, you do not need to pay a fee to receive a Canadian scholarship. In most universities, when you apply, depending on your academic requirements and resume, you are automatically considered for a scholarship.

Therefore, you only pay one fee, the application per university, and there is no need for a separate fee for the scholarship application. The application fee for most Canadian universities is between $100 and $150.

But in some other universities or non-governmental centers and research institutes that offer scholarships to students every year, you have to make a separate application for each type of scholarship. In this case, you fill out the application separately. Even in this case, universities and other centers providing scholarships operate in two ways: you can send your application to the desired center with the Fee application or without paying the Fee application.

Canadian scholarship for Iranians

Usually, all Canadian university scholarships that are considered for international students include Iranian students. Unless the name of a specific country is mentioned in the conditions of receiving funds and Iran is not included in the list.

Canadian government scholarships mostly include Canadian domestic students, and some of these scholarships, such as the government scholarship, also include international students. But unfortunately, Iran is not among the list of countries receiving this type of scholarship.

How does getting a Canadian scholarship affect the cost of living as a student?

Getting a Canadian scholarship will greatly reduce the cost of living as a student. Of course, some Canadian scholarships cover only the cost of studying in Canada, but in other scholarships, such as the Canadian Full Fund Scholarship, all expenses are covered, including the cost of living. 

Therefore, you do not need to spend money on student life expenses by receiving a full scholarship in Canada. In addition to tuition fees, this scholarship covers housing, food, transportation, and other incidental expenses such as health insurance. 

Reasons for Canadian scholarship rejection

Applications for Canadian scholarships in universities may be rejected for several reasons:

• Not having a high grade point average:  Students who apply for a Canadian scholarship usually have the minimum grade point average required for admission to the desired university, but since the competition for receiving a Canadian scholarship is high, having the minimum required grade point average is not enough, and usually students who succeed in receiving Those who have a higher grade point average than the minimum required for admission to the university will receive a Canadian scholarship.
  
  For example, most Canadian universities require a GPA of at least 15 for admission to master’s and doctoral programs, but it is better to have a GPA of 17 or higher to receive a Canadian scholarship. 

Academic Gap:  If your education was not continuous in university courses and for example, you did not start the postgraduate course immediately after finishing the bachelor’s degree and there is a gap between these two stages or if there is a gap in the academic gap, in this case there is a possibility that your application for the scholarship will be rejected. There is. Unless you have convincingly justified this academic talk. 

Research field different from the research field of Canadian university professors:  When you apply for a university scholarship, it is very important that your interests and research field are in line with the research field of the professors of that university. Therefore, if you have already done research in a field that is not related to the research field of the professors of that university, there is a possibility that your application for the Canadian scholarship will be rejected.

Applying late to receive a scholarship:  If you want to receive a Canadian scholarship, you need to send your application to the desired university or organization a few months before the application deadline. Due to high requests and financial limitations, scholarships are usually distributed to qualified students who apply early. Scholarship applications that are postponed to the last days of the deadline may be rejected.