University of Manitoba Scholarships for International Students

Deadline: Varies by award (March 1 for undergraduate entrance scholarships; graduate deadlines are set by your department)

Host country: Canada (Winnipeg, Manitoba)

Starting date: Varies by program (most students start in the fall term)

Monthly stipend: About $1,667/month (UMGF Master’s) to about $2,083/month (UMGF PhD)

Let’s start with the honest part. The University of Manitoba doesn’t have one big “fully funded scholarship” for international students. If you’ve seen a page promising that, it’s oversimplifying things.

What UM does have is a mix of fellowships, entrance awards, and tuition-based scholarships. Some of them are automatic. Some need a professor or department to recommend you. A few are open to international students but are really competitive. If you stack them the right way (especially at the graduate level), you can get close to fully funded. You just have to know which ones actually apply to you.

Everything below comes from UM’s own pages, checked in October 2026. Amounts and deadlines change, so double-check the official links before you apply.

Quick overview: which UM scholarships can international students get?

Here’s the short version, then we’ll go through each one.

Here’s something the table doesn’t show, so I’ll say it straight: none of these awards list an airfare allowance, a book allowance, or health insurance as part of the scholarship. If you’ve seen a site claim otherwise, ask where it got that from. You’ll need to budget for those yourself.

Graduate students: where the real money is

If you’re applying for a Master’s or a PhD, this is the section that matters.

University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowship (UMGF)

The UMGF is the closest thing UM has to a core funding package. It pays $20,000 a year for Master’s students and $25,000 a year for PhD students. Master’s students can get it for up to 24 months, and PhD students for up to 48.

A few things to know:

• You don’t apply for it directly. Your department recommends you to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. So the process starts with the department or professor you want to work with.
• All nationalities can be considered. Citizenship isn’t a barrier here.
• You need at least a 3.0 admission GPA. Some departments ask for more.
• Your program has to be eligible for Tri-Agency funding. That rules out some programs.
• It isn’t a tuition waiver. It’s a cash fellowship, and you still pay tuition. International tuition is higher than domestic tuition, so check the current fees for your program.

If you do the math on the UMGF, that’s roughly $1,667 a month for a Master’s student and $2,083 a month for a PhD student, before tuition and other costs.

International Graduate Student Entrance Scholarship (IGSES)

This one is for new international students starting a Master’s or a Graduate Diploma. It’s worth up to the international tuition differential, which is the extra amount international students pay compared to domestic students.

You don’t send a separate application. When your complete application reaches the Faculty by the admission deadline, staff calculate your GPA and check if you qualify. You can hold it together with the UMGF, which is where the stacking comes in. You also can’t have external funding that already pays your tuition.

International Graduate Student Scholarship (IGSS)

This is for students who are already at UM, not new applicants. It applies to continuing international students (for example, second-year Master’s students) and it only covers the tuition differential. It also can’t be held together with the IGSES.

It’s not a reason to choose UM, but it’s good to know it exists once you’re there.

Tri-Agency and Vanier awards (PhD students)

If you’re aiming for a PhD, there are two big ones that are open to international students. The CGRS-D pays $40,000 a year for three years. The Vanier pays $50,000 a year for up to three years. We’ve got a full breakdown of the first one in our CGRS-D guide.

Be realistic though. These are very competitive and they usually go to students with strong research records and a clear fit with a supervisor. Treat them as a bonus, not a plan.

What international students usually can’t apply for

UM’s own awards list has several scholarships that look great but are limited to Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or protected persons. The Canada Graduate Research Scholarship for Master’s (CGRS-M) and the CIHR Strategic Master’s Award are two examples. Don’t waste time on them if you’re on a study permit.

Many of the smaller named awards (the ones worth $1,000 to $17,000) are tied to a specific research topic, like nutraceuticals, peace studies, or Manitoba wildlife. They’re worth checking in the UM awards database if your research fits, but they’re niche.

What “fully funded” realistically looks like at UM

For a thesis-based Master’s or PhD, the usual path is a research assistantship or funding from your supervisor, plus the UMGF, plus the IGSES if you qualify. That can get you close to fully funded, but it depends on your supervisor’s grants and your department. It’s not guaranteed, and course-based programs usually have far less funding.

So before you apply, email potential supervisors and ask them directly about funding. It’s the single most useful thing you can do.

Undergraduate students: what’s available

Undergrad funding for international students is smaller than graduate funding, but there are some good entrance awards.

International Excellence Entrance Scholarship

This one rewards strong academics plus community involvement and leadership. First place gets $25,000, and second and third place get $10,000 each.

For the $25,000 award, you need a minimum of 90% in five approved senior-level high school courses. The two $10,000 awards need you to meet the admission requirements for direct entry and enroll full-time. You apply through the UM application portal, which is linked in the table above.

International General Entrance Scholarship

You apply for UM admission by March 1 and you’re considered automatically. You need an 85% high school average (based on your best five approved courses), and you have to enroll in at least 24 credit hours across fall and winter.

The 2024-25 award values were $3,000 for 95% and above, $2,000 for 90% and above, and $1,000 for 85% and above. Those numbers are from the previous cycle, so check the UM page for the current values.

International Undergraduate Student Scholarship

Once you’ve finished 24 credit hours at UM, you can be considered for this one if you keep a sessional GPA of at least 3.5. Recipients are ranked by GPA, and the money runs out at a certain point, so a higher GPA helps.

Bursaries

Bursaries are need-based, and international students in their first year of post-secondary study in Canada aren’t eligible. If you’re later in your studies, the general bursary application opens in early August and closes October 1.

IELTS and English requirements

For undergraduate admission, UM asks for IELTS Academic 6.5 overall. For graduate admission, the Faculty’s academic guide also lists 6.5, and the TOEFL iBT minimum is 86. Other accepted tests include Pearson PTE Academic (61 for graduate programs) and Duolingo (120, with a minimum of 100 in each category). If you’re weighing your options, our guide to Duolingo accepted universities in Canada explains how that test compares.

You can skip the test if you hold a degree from Canada or from a country on UM’s exemption list. Check that list before paying for an exam, because it can save you a lot of money and time.

How to apply: a simple step-by-step

1. Pick your level and program. Graduate and undergraduate paths are totally different.
2. Check the admission requirements and your English test options on UM’s official pages.
3. For graduate programs, contact potential supervisors first. The UMGF depends on your department recommending you.
4. Apply for admission before the deadline. This is how you get considered for entrance scholarships like IGSES and the General Entrance Scholarship.
5. Apply separately for awards that need it, like the International Excellence Entrance Scholarship.
6. Keep your documents clean. Transcripts, translations, and certified copies. Missing or unofficial documents can make an application ineligible.

Apply here: UM graduate admissions or UM undergraduate application.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Assuming every award is open to you. Check the citizenship line on every scholarship.
• Applying for the UMGF directly. Your department makes the recommendation.
• Missing the March 1 undergrad deadline. It’s the cutoff for the General Entrance Scholarship.
• Counting on scholarship money covering everything. Airfare, insurance, and books aren’t listed as covered.
• Relying on old numbers. Scholarship values change. Always check the official page before you plan your budget.

FAQs

Is the University of Manitoba fully funded for international students?
No single award covers everything. But at the graduate level, you can combine the UMGF, the IGSES, and supervisor funding to get close.

Can I get a scholarship at UM without IELTS?
You still have to meet the English requirement, but you may be exempt if your degree is from Canada or an exempt country, and other tests like TOEFL are accepted.

What GPA do I need for the UMGF?
A minimum admission GPA of 3.0, though some departments set a higher bar.

Do I need to apply for the IGSES separately?
No. It’s assessed when your complete application arrives by the admission deadline.

Want help putting your application together?

If you’re not sure where to start with documents or how to structure your application, the FundedDegree Scholarship Toolkit walks you through it. And for new deadlines and scholarship updates, join our WhatsApp channel.

Looking for more options in Canada? Explore All Fully Funded Scholarships in Canada 2026, and if you hold an HND, see Master’s in Canada with an HND.