If you’re looking into the University of Alberta, you’ve probably already seen the number floating around: up to $120,000. That’s real, and it’s one of the bigger entrance scholarships you’ll find at a Canadian public university. But before you get too excited, there’s a line on U of A’s own admissions page that most other articles about this school conveniently skip: “The University of Alberta does not offer full scholarships for either domestic or international students.” That’s straight from the university itself. So let’s go through what U of A actually offers, what it really covers, and where the one genuine exception is.
Quick Facts
| Deadline | January 10, 2027 for entrance scholarship consideration (Fall 2027 intake). General program applications close March 1, 2027. |
|---|---|
| Host Country | Canada (Edmonton, Alberta) |
| Starting Date | Fall 2027 (September intake) |
| Monthly Stipend | None for most entrance scholarships. One exception exists — see the Aga Khan section below. |
What U of A Actually Offers
U of A runs several scholarship tiers for incoming international undergrads, and honestly, the naming gets a little confusing across their own pages — you’ll see “International Entrance Leadership Scholarship” and “President’s International Distinction Scholarship” both attached to the same $120,000 figure, so treat that as the university’s top tier rather than two separate prizes. Here’s the real breakdown, checked directly against ualberta.ca:
| Scholarship | Deadline | Official Application Link | English Requirement | Financial Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| International Entrance Leadership Scholarship / President’s International Distinction Scholarship | Jan 10, 2027 (automatic consideration upon admission — no separate scholarship application) | ualberta.ca — International Entrance Scholarships | IELTS 6.5, no band below 6.0, or Duolingo 120 (no subscore below 100) | Up to CAD $120,000, payable over 4 years. This is U of A’s most competitive award — admission average and demonstrated leadership both matter. Tuition contribution only, no stipend. |
| International Leader Scholarship | Same as above | Same page | Same as above | Up to CAD $15,000, one-time, based on strong academics and leadership. |
| International Excellence Scholarship | Same as above | Same page | Same as above | Up to CAD $5,000, based on admission average. |
| Global Citizenship Scholarship (Aga Khan Academies IB grads) | Same as above; contact welcome@ualberta.ca for details | Same page | Same as above, plus IB Diploma completion | Full tuition and non-instructional fees for 4 years, plus up to CAD $28,000/year for living expenses. This is the one U of A award that’s genuinely fully funded — but it’s only open to graduates of Aga Khan Academies. |
The Honest Version of “Fully Funded”
Most of what U of A calls a scholarship is really a tuition discount, not full funding. Even the flagship $120,000 award, spread over four years, works out to roughly $30,000 a year — which covers a meaningful chunk of international tuition (typically CAD $30,000–$45,000+ depending on program) but usually doesn’t stretch to cover living costs, housing, or flights on top of that. None of these come with a monthly stipend.
The one real exception is the Global Citizenship Scholarship for Aga Khan Academy IB graduates. That one actually does what people mean when they say “fully funded”: full tuition, full fees, and a real living allowance for four years. If you don’t come from an Aga Khan Academy, though, it doesn’t apply to you — and that’s worth knowing upfront rather than after you’ve built your whole plan around a number that isn’t realistic for your situation.
At the graduate level, things work a little differently. U of A’s Graduate Entrance Scholarship gives international students an extra $10,000 toward fees, on top of whatever funding your department offers — but it’s nomination-based through your admitting department, not something you apply for directly. If you’re eyeing a Master’s or PhD, the real funding conversation usually happens with your prospective supervisor, not through a scholarship application form.
Eligibility Criteria
- Entering the first year of an undergraduate degree on a study permit (these are entrance awards — transfer and continuing students have separate, smaller scholarship pools)
- A strong admission average — U of A doesn’t publish one universal cutoff, but competitive applicants for the top tier are well above the general admission minimum
- Demonstrated leadership: school involvement, community work, volunteering, or workplace leadership all count toward the top-tier awards
- English Language Proficiency: IELTS Academic 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0), Duolingo English Test 120 overall (no subscore below 100), or TOEFL iBT 90+ — this school actually gives you real options here, more on that below
- For the Aga Khan-specific award: graduation from an Aga Khan Academy under the Aga Khan Development Network, plus completion of the full IB Diploma
Required Documents Checklist
- Completed application through apply.ualberta.ca (U of A uses the province-wide ApplyAlberta system as its entry point)
- Official high school transcripts, sent directly from your school to transcripts@ualberta.ca
- English Language Proficiency test result — IELTS, Duolingo, or TOEFL score report, uploaded through UAlberta Launchpad after you apply
- Non-refundable application fee: CAD $150 for new applicants, CAD $100 if you’ve applied to U of A before
- Course descriptions for any post-secondary coursework completed outside Canada, if applicable
Step-by-Step Application Process
- Applications for Fall 2027 open October 1, 2026. Mark that date — some scholarship-eligible spots and residence guarantees depend on applying early, not just before the final deadline.
- Apply to your undergraduate program through apply.ualberta.ca before January 10, 2027 if you want to be considered for entrance scholarships. If you’re not chasing a scholarship, the general deadline for most programs is March 1, 2027 — but honestly, if there’s money on the table, why would you wait?
- Pay the CAD $150 application fee to submit.
- Upload your English proficiency test result through Launchpad. Final transcripts and language scores are due by August 1.
- Scholarship consideration for the entrance awards is automatic — you don’t fill out a separate scholarship form for most of these. Just get your application and documents in on time.
- Watch your Launchpad account for your admission decision and, if you’re awarded one, your scholarship offer details.
- Once your offer and any scholarship are confirmed, that’s your cue to start the Canadian study permit application — not before.
IELTS or Duolingo — Which Should You Take?
Here’s something worth knowing: U of A is one of the more flexible Canadian universities on this front. It accepts IELTS, TOEFL, and Duolingo on genuinely equal footing for both undergrad and grad admission — no fine print about Duolingo only working for certain programs. If cost or test-center access is an issue for you, Duolingo’s $59-ish fee and at-home format is a real option here, not just a workaround. We’ve written a full breakdown of which Canadian universities accept Duolingo instead of IELTS, including the one thing about the Canadian work permit process that catches people off guard later — worth a read if you’re deciding between the two tests.
How U of A Stacks Up Against Other Canadian Schools
If you’ve been comparing options, U of A’s top award is larger on paper than what we found at the University of Calgary (up to $80,000 over four years) or the University of Saskatchewan (up to roughly $30,000–$50,000 across its tiers) — we broke both of those down in our Calgary vs Saskatchewan scholarship comparison. But bigger isn’t automatically better for your situation — Alberta’s is also more competitive to actually win, since it’s explicitly framed as the university’s top, most selective tier. If your profile is strong on leadership and extracurriculars specifically, U of A might be your best shot. If your academics are strong but you don’t have a long leadership résumé, Saskatchewan’s broader, lower-bar tiers might realistically get you more money in hand.
For the bigger picture on what “fully funded” really means across Canadian schools — and where it’s genuinely available versus where it’s marketing language — see our Fully Funded Scholarship in Canada – 2026 Guide. If you want the full side-by-side numbers for Calgary, Saskatchewan, and Alberta in one place, check our Best Canadian Universities Compared: 2027 Scholarship Breakdown.
Bottom Line
U of A’s scholarships are real and, at the top tier, genuinely competitive with anything else in Canada. Just don’t walk in expecting the $120,000 number to mean your degree is free — it isn’t, by the university’s own admission. Budget for the gap between the award and your actual tuition plus living costs, and if you’re not an Aga Khan Academy graduate, don’t plan your finances around “fully funded” language you might see elsewhere. Plan around the real number instead, and you won’t get any surprises in year two.
Sources verified directly from ualberta.ca, including the International Entrance Scholarships page, the Undergraduate Program Admission Deadlines tool, and the official Language Requirements page. Scholarship values, deadlines, and eligibility rules are set by the university and can change — always confirm current details on the official pages linked above before applying.
