McGill University gives two kinds of merit entrance scholarships to students starting their first undergraduate degree: a $3,000 one-year scholarship that every eligible applicant is considered for automatically, and Major Entrance Scholarships worth $12,000 to $48,000 that need a separate application. Indian students apply for September 2027 entry on the same terms as other international applicants.
The last date for applicants from schools outside Canada is 21 January 2027 for the Major Entrance Scholarship application and its documents, and 15 January 2027 for the application for admission. Both dates are Montreal time, as published on McGill’s official Scholarships and Student Aid pages.
McGill entrance scholarships 2027: quick facts
Quick facts2026-27
| Scholarship from | McGill University, Montreal, Canada – Scholarships and Student Aid Office |
| Study level | First undergraduate degree, full-time, September 2027 entry |
| Award value | CAD 3,000 one-year scholarship (automatic) or a Major Entrance Scholarship of CAD 12,000 to 48,000 |
| Who can apply | First-time university students entering a full-time undergraduate degree; international students, including Indians, are eligible |
| Last date to apply | 21 January 2027 for the Major Entrance Scholarship and its documents (admission application by 15 January 2027) |
| Official website | mcgill.ca – entrance scholarships |
What the McGill entrance scholarships are worth
McGill runs two centrally administered entrance scholarship programmes. Both are decided on merit, and neither needs a nomination from your school.
- One-year entrance scholarship – CAD 3,000, non-renewable. Every applicant to a McGill undergraduate degree is considered automatically if they meet the minimum academic requirements. There is no separate form for this one.
- Major Entrance Scholarship – CAD 12,000 to CAD 48,000. This is paid as CAD 3,000 to CAD 12,000 per year and is renewable for up to four years, provided the renewal criteria are met.
- The top CAD 12,000-per-year tier is only for Canadian citizens or permanent residents. International students are considered for the CAD 3,000, CAD 5,000 and CAD 10,000 per year levels.
- A separate need-based Entrance Bursary Programme also exists for students from low and modest income families. It is not a merit award and has its own application on Minerva.
McGill’s own figures: in the last admission cycle the Scholarships Office offered over $6.2 million in one-year and renewable entrance scholarships to more than 2,000 students, including US and international students.
Who is eligible for McGill entrance scholarships
- You must be a first-time university student entering a full-time undergraduate degree programme at McGill.
- Transfer, mature, diploma, exchange, special, part-time and visiting students are not eligible for entrance scholarships.
- International students studying on a Quebec Acceptance Certificate and study permit are considered on the same merit basis as Canadian applicants; McGill does not run a separate international entrance scholarship quota.
- You must meet McGill’s minimum academic requirements for your programme. Meeting them does not guarantee an award.
Last dates for Indian and other international applicants
McGill sets one deadline table for all applicants, and the dates differ by where you study. For applicants from schools outside Canada, including Indian CBSE, CISCE and state board students:
- 15 January 2027 – application for admission to McGill.
- 21 January 2027, midnight Montreal time – Major Entrance Scholarship application plus both letters of reference (and the school statement, if your school ranks students).
- Applicants from schools in Ontario and the rest of Canada: 1 February (admission) and 7 February (scholarship). Quebec CEGEP applicants: 1 March and 7 March.
- The Major Entrance Scholarship application opened on 1 October 2026 on the Undergraduate Admissions Applicant Portal. Late admission permission does not extend the scholarship deadline.
The one-year $3,000 scholarship has no separate deadline of its own: it depends on your admission application, so the grades and interim grades you submit with that application are what the Scholarships Office sees.
Documents you need for a Major Entrance Scholarship
- Two letters of reference – one academic and one activity-related letter. They must be typed on letterhead, signed, converted to PDF, and submitted by the referees themselves on the Undergraduate Admissions Applicant Portal. McGill does not accept letters by post, email or courier.
- A signed statement from your school giving the size of your class and your class rank, if your school provides that information. If your school does not rank students, or the rank is already on your transcript, no statement is needed.
- All grades and interim grades granted up to the admission application deadline, plus any later interim or final grades sent to the admissions office as they are issued.
How to apply for a McGill entrance scholarship
- Apply for admission to a McGill undergraduate programme on the Undergraduate Admissions Applicant Portal before 15 January 2027 (outside-Canada deadline).
- Watch for the Major Entrance Scholarship form on the same portal. It opens on 1 October and is separate from the admission application.
- Ask your two referees early – one academic, one activity-related – and give them the PDF-on-letterhead instructions so they can upload before 21 January 2027.
- Submit the scholarship application and all documents before midnight Montreal time on 21 January 2027.
- If you are not selected for a Major Entrance Scholarship, McGill automatically considers you for the one-year $3,000 entrance scholarship instead – you do not need to apply again.
- Check Minerva and your email for the decision; offers for the one-year scholarship follow the admission offer.
How McGill selects entrance scholarship recipients
Selection committees judge academic excellence first, and then demonstrated leadership in school or community activities. McGill states clearly that leadership means more than simple participation in extracurricular activities, so a list of club memberships without outcomes adds little. The one-year $3,000 award is decided on academic achievement alone.
Awards are not guaranteed even when you clear the minimum requirements, and the number and value of awards vary each year with available funding.
Need-based help: the McGill Entrance Bursary
If merit awards are not enough, McGill’s need-based Entrance Bursary Programme supports students from low and modest income families, and you do not need to have accepted your offer to apply. In the last cycle the Student Aid Office gave $6.3 million in entrance bursaries to 550 newly accepted undergraduates, with average offers proportionate to tuition: about CAD 19,000 for US and international students, CAD 9,000 for out-of-province Canadian students and CAD 3,000 for Quebec students.
The bursary application sits under the My Financial Aid and Awards menu on Minerva, and McGill advises applying within 30 days of your formal acceptance. Check the official bursary page for the current window before you plan – the dates change every cycle.
Official links
- McGill entrance scholarships for future undergraduates (values, eligibility)
- Application instructions and deadline table
- McGill Entrance Bursary Programme (need-based)
- Undergraduate Scholarships and Awards Calendar
- Funding pages for international students
Related reading: Study abroad scholarships
International scholarships
Class 12 scholarships
Related scholarship posts
- McCall MacBain Scholarships at McGill – how to apply
- UBC International Major Entrance Scholarship 2027
- UBC Outstanding International Student Award
Frequently asked questions
For applicants from schools outside Canada, the Major Entrance Scholarship application and its documents are due by midnight Montreal time on 21 January 2027. The application for admission is due on 15 January 2027.
No. Every applicant to a McGill undergraduate degree is considered automatically for the one-year $3,000 entrance scholarship if they meet the minimum academic requirements. Only the Major Entrance Scholarships need a separate form.
The CAD 12,000 per year tier, which totals CAD 48,000 over four years, is only for Canadian citizens and permanent residents. International students are considered for the CAD 3,000, CAD 5,000 and CAD 10,000 per year major scholarship levels.
Two: one academic and one activity-related letter. They must be on letterhead, signed and converted to PDF, and uploaded by the referees on the Undergraduate Admissions Applicant Portal.
The scholarship pages do not set an English test score. English language proficiency is an admission requirement, so check McGill’s English language rules for your programme; scholarship selection itself is based on academic merit and leadership.
You are automatically considered for the one-year $3,000 entrance scholarship. McGill states that applicants who apply for a major scholarship but do not receive one are considered for the one-year award without a new application.