Entrance scholarships for future undergraduates

Centrally-administered entrance scholarships

Overview of centrally-administered entrance scholarships

McGill's Scholarships and Student Aid offers merit-based entrance scholarships to first-time university students entering a full-time undergraduate degree program.

Transfer, Mature, Diploma, Exchange, Special, Part-time and Visiting students are not eligible for entrance scholarships.

There are two types of centrally-administered entrance scholarships:

  • One-year Scholarships, valued at $3,000 (non-renewable)
  • Major Scholarships, valued between $3,000 and $12,000 (renewable annually up to 3 or 4 years provided criteria for renewal are met)

Recipients of McGill scholarships must acquaint themselves with all regulations pertaining to both one-year and major entrance scholarships.

One-year entrance scholarships (value: $3,000)

All applicants to McGill undergraduate degree programs are automatically considered for a one-year entrance scholarship provided they meet the minimum academic requirements.

Please note: even if you meet the minimum requirements, you are not guaranteed an offer of entrance scholarship.

Applying

These scholarships are awarded solely on the basis of academic achievement, so no separate application is required.

However, you must include the following supporting documents in your application for admission to McGill:

  • All grades and interim grades granted up to the admissions application deadline date
  • Subsequent grades (interim or final) forwarded to the admissions office as soon as they are issued

Recipients of McGill scholarships must acquaint themselves with all regulations pertaining to both one-year and major entrance scholarships.

Major entrance scholarships (value: $3,000, $5,000, $10,000 or $12,000 renewable)

$12,000 scholarships are only available to Canadian citizens or legal permanent residents of Canada.

Major entrance scholarships are determined by selection committees and awarded on the basis of academic achievement and outstanding leadership in school or community activities. Emphasis is placed on academic excellence as the first priority, followed by demonstrated leadership. Please note that "leadership" constitutes more than simple participation in extracurricular activities.

Applying

A separate application is required soon after submission of your application for admission. Please consult the deadline dates.

To determine if you may qualify, please review the minimum academic requirements.

Students who apply for, but do not receive a major scholarship will automatically be considered for a one-year entrance scholarship.

If you applied only to Undergraduate Law, Medicine or Dentistry, you won’t receive a PIN to log on to Minerva. Please contact their admission office to apply for Major Entrance Scholarships

  • Law Admissions office: bcljd.admissions [at] mcgill.ca
  • Medicine Admissions office: med.admissions [at] mcgill.ca
  • Dentistry Admissions office: dent.admissions [at] mcgill.ca

Major entrance scholarships are renewable up to 3 or 4 years provided criteria for renewal are met.

Please note: even if you meet the minimum requirements, you are not guaranteed an offer of entrance scholarship. 

Eligibility

Our office offers merit-based entrance scholarships to first-time university students entering a full-time undergraduate degree program.

Transfer, Mature, Diploma, Exchange, Special, Part-time and Visiting students are not eligible for entrance scholarships.

Maximum one entrance scholarship

Recipients of McGill centrally-administered entrance scholarships can receive only one scholarship. If you receive more than one offer, the final entrance scholarship will be that of the highest eligible value. This will not impact Faculty-specific Entrance Scholarships–please see below.

Deadlines

The deadline to submit your Major Entrance Scholarship application does not change even if you have been granted permission to submit a late admission application. Please acquaint yourself with all deadline dates.

Recipients of McGill scholarships must acquaint themselves with all regulations pertaining to both one-year and major entrance scholarships.

Deferring your award

First-time entrance scholarships are tenable only for the session for which they are awarded and cannot be deferred unless the newly-admitted student has been granted deferred admission.

You can only be considered for deferred admission upon written request to the admissions office—contact the Deferral Coordinator in the Admissions Office at deferral [at] mcgill.ca.

If deferred admission is granted, it is likely that the scholarship will also be deferred. Deferrals are tenable for up to one year. The entrance scholarship offer of the highest value that you received will be deferred to the following year. No new applications for major scholarships will be entertained in the second year.

Recipients of McGill scholarships must acquaint themselves with all regulations pertaining to both one-year and major entrance scholarships.

Benefits of entrance scholarships

Residences

All Entrance Scholarship awardees entering university in September are guaranteed their first or second choice of residence building, provided they apply by the residence application deadline. Should one of the smaller residence buildings fill up before all scholarship winners are placed in their first choice, scholarship awardees will be guaranteed their second choice of residence.

See Student Housing's application process for more information.

Priority registration

All Entrance Scholarship awardees entering in September are eligible for priority registration.

See When to register on the Enrolment Services website for more information.

Recipients of McGill scholarships must acquaint themselves with all regulations pertaining to both one-year and major entrance scholarships.

Complete list of current entrance scholarships

For a comprehensive list of all entrance scholarships, with detailed descriptions and eligibility requirements, please consult the Undergraduate Scholarships and Awards Calendar

Please note: there are no individual applications for specific entrance scholarships.

Recipients of McGill scholarships must acquaint themselves with all regulations pertaining to both one-year and major entrance scholarships.


Faculty-specific Entrance Scholarships

Certain faculties at McGill offer their own faculty-specific entrance scholarships. These faculties include Music, Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences, Law and Medicine. You should consult individual faculty websites and admissions offices for more information. These scholarships are not transferable should you change faculties.

Please note: Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences, Law and Medicine applicants already holding a university degree must inquire about awards at their respective faculties. 


Supplemental funding

If you are awarded an entrance scholarship and still require funding for your studies at McGill, you should consider the entrance scholarship as one part of a potentially larger financial assistance package that may include:

Numerous external awards are also available every year from a host of associations, corporations, organisations, and foundations. New scholarship programs are being established constantly. You are strongly encouraged to apply for all awards for which you may be eligible and to consult the Scholarships and Student Aid website regularly for updated information on new award opportunities.

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