Lester B. Pearson International Scholarships

About the Lester B. Pearson International Scholarships

The Lester B. Pearson International Scholarships is offered by University of Toronto. Full four-year funding — tuition, books, incidental fees and full residence — for exceptional international secondary-school students beginning undergraduate study at the University of Toronto. Scholarships like this are competitive and rule-bound: meeting every published eligibility criterion is what gets your application read, and missing even one usually means an automatic rejection regardless of how strong the rest of your profile is.

Use the eligibility checker on this page for a quick, personalised read of whether you qualify before you invest hours in the application — then confirm the fine print on the official source, since awarding bodies revise criteria and amounts between cycles.

What the scholarship covers

This award typically covers: Full tuition for four years; Books, incidental fees and full residence support; ~37 awards per year across all U of T programmes. Read the value carefully — "full" funding can still leave gaps (visa fees, travel, or a partner/family), while a partial award may need topping up from savings or part-time work to satisfy a visa's proof-of-funds rule.

Who is eligible

The main requirements are strict gates rather than guidelines: The Pearson is for international students on a study permit; You must be applying directly from secondary school to first-year undergraduate study; A school nomination is required before you complete the scholarship application. Check each against your own situation honestly before applying — the checker on this page does exactly this and flags where you may fall short.

Deadlines and how to apply well

Key dates: Autumn 2027 entry — school nomination by Nov 2026, application by Jan 2027 — 2027-01-15. Always confirm the exact deadline on the official source, as cycles shift year to year and some awards close early once funds are committed.

Strong applications are specific and evidenced: tie your goals to what the scholarship is actually for, supply every requested document in the right format, and give referees plenty of notice. A late or incomplete submission is the most avoidable reason good candidates miss out.