McGill Entrance Bursary Program

What you will need

• ✓ Complete and submit the Entrance Bursary application via the Minerva portal
• ✓ Submit a CSS Financial Aid Profile (required for U.S. students, international students, and Canadian citizens or permanent residents living outside of Canada)
• ✓ Enrolment in a full-time degree program at McGill University
• ✓ Supporting documentation where required (McGill may verify the information on your application)
• ✓ Intention to apply for government student aid and/or Indigenous Band Support Funding

About this award

No fixed dollar amount is posted because these bursaries range in value. The amount you receive depends on your family's level of financial need compared to other applicants and the tuition rate for your specific program and residency (whether you are from Quebec, the rest of Canada, the US, or are an international student). As a bursary, this money is yours to keep — there is nothing to repay. This is for you if you are a first-year undergraduate student from a low to modest-income family who needs financial help to afford university. It targets newly accepted, first-year, first-degree undergraduates, as well as newly accepted, first-year undergraduate direct entrants to professional programs in Medicine and Law who already hold a prior degree. The application officially closes on June 30th. However, you should apply within 30 days of your formal acceptance because funding is limited and offered on a rolling basis until resources are exhausted. You will hear back via a notification on the Minerva (the university's internal student portal) Financial Aid/Awards tab, followed by a formal letter, usually 2-3 weeks after you submit your application and documents. Selection is based on your demonstrated financial need relative to other applicants. Selection criteria aren't published in detail — ask McGill University how they rank need and roughly how many applicants they typically receive so you can judge your odds. The money is credited directly to your student fee account. You receive the funds in two equal instalments at the start of the fall and winter terms. If your first e-bill does not show the award, you should deduct the amount yourself and pay the remaining balance. Most of these awards are not automatically renewed after your first year, though you can apply for the In-Course Financial Aid Program later. A limited number of entrance bursaries are renewable and tenable until you complete your undergraduate degree (up to a maximum of four years), provided you maintain your academic standing and continue to show financial need. Confirm with McGill University during your application if your specific award is one of the renewable ones.

Who qualifies

To qualify, you must enrol in a full-time degree program at McGill University. You must demonstrate financial need, which includes your intention to apply for government student aid and/or Indigenous Band Support Funding (money provided by a First Nation's governing body to support education). This is open to all students, including international students who may not be eligible for government aid. If you are registered with the Student Accessibility & Achievement office, you may be eligible for this aid even if you are pursuing a reduced course load.

This is what the award's official page said when we last checked. Rules change, so confirm on the award's official page before you apply.

• ✓ Canadian citizen, permanent resident or international student
• ✓ Open to high school or undergraduate students

How to apply

1. 1

   Read the award's official page

   Check you meet every requirement, and note each document they ask for.

2. 2

   Check this year's deadline

   We don't have a confirmed date for this round. The award's official page will have it.

Tips for applying

• Financial NeedAvoid simply stating you need money. Instead, provide clear evidence of your family's income level and your intention to apply for government or band funding. Gather your tax documents and government aid applications before you start.
• SupportAvoid waiting until the deadline to submit your documents. Instead, if you must submit a CSS Financial Aid Profile (U.S. students, international students, and Canadian students living outside Canada), send it soon after your acceptance. Check your McGill Applicant Portal daily for your official letter so you can start the process.
• StrategyAvoid delaying your application. Instead, submit everything within 30 days of being accepted to the university. Because funds are given out on a rolling basis, applying early significantly increases your chance of getting money before the resources are exhausted.
• RealismAvoid assuming this will cover all your costs for four years. Instead, treat this as a starting supplement to other aid. Since most of these awards are not renewable, look into the In-Course Financial Aid Program for your second year and beyond.

Questions students ask

Similar awards

• McGill UniversityTomlinson Doctoral Fellowship$35,000
• McGill UniversityCommunity Leadership Entrance Award$5,000
• McGill UniversityMcGill Entrance Scholarships (One-year and Major)$48,000
• McGill UniversityMcGill Engineering Prestige Scholarship$10,000
• McGill UniversityMcGill Undergraduate Research Awards Program$9,650
• McGill UniversityMoyse Travelling Scholarship$10,000
• McGill UniversityGreville Smith Scholarship$12,000
• McGill UniversityEnriched Educational Opportunities (EEO) Bursary