McGill University Scholarships for International Students 2026

For a degree program, there is very limited scholarships, if at all, for online degrees at McGill University.

McGill offers scholarships across a wide range of subjects, STEM, engineering, business, humanities, and more, because funding exists at the university level (e.g., entrance scholarships) and also within faculties/programs. From scholarship-recipient stories, you can see this breadth: Yeganeh Habibi pursued a Ph.D. in Chemistry (STEM), and Gul Saeed said she “completed my undergraduate degree at McGill University, majoring in Psychology” (humanities/social sciences, with health-related coursework via Social Studies of Medicine). On the professional side, major scholarship programs connected to McGill can cover graduate and professional pathways (including business programs like an MBA, plus many other master’s/professional options).

Medicine note (international eligibility): McGill does have an admissions category for international residents for medicine, but requirements are specific and competition is high; always confirm the exact rules for the year and program you’re applying to.

Many McGill funding opportunities are open broadly to international students “from any geographic region,” but eligibility can vary by award. Some programs are explicitly targeted: for example, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at McGill is limited to applicants who are citizens of, and living in, an African country. Other high-profile awards (like McCall MacBain) include both Canadian and international applicants, with distinct international timelines and cohort composition.

Often, yes, especially if you don’t meet McGill’s exemption conditions. McGill explains that because English is the primary language of instruction/communication, applicants may need to prove English proficiency via tests such as IELTS/TOEFL (score requirements can differ by level and program). This matches what scholarship recipients actually did: Yeganeh Habibi wrote that she “achieved competitive TOEFL, GRE, and GRE Chemistry scores” to strengthen her application.

There isn’t one universal minimum GPA for every program—requirements depend on your level (undergraduate/graduate), your academic system, and the specific faculty/program. That said, some programs publish concrete competitiveness guidance: for example, McGill’s medicine admissions information for international residents indicates that applicants with a degree GPA around 3.5+ are considered competitive (with lower GPAs considered only in exceptional cases). From recipient stories, you can also see the level of academic strength that successful applicants often bring: Yeganeh Habibi reported a 3.9/4 GPA in her prior Chemistry degree.

It depends on the scholarship type. For undergraduate entrance scholarships, McGill notes that first-time university students entering a full-time undergraduate degree are automatically considered for certain entrance awards if they meet minimum academic requirements, while major entrance scholarships involve an additional scholarship application with references. For research-heavy graduate awards, strong academics plus research output and leadership matter a lot. Yeganeh Habibi emphasized academic excellence and leadership, and her story notes that major awards like Vanier/FRQNT require institutional nomination. Leadership and fit can matter beyond GPA too; one major scholarship program tied to McGill explicitly says academic strength is “not limited to a narrow focus on GPA.”

Document requirements vary by program and scholarship, but commonly include academic records (transcripts/grade reports), proof of English proficiency (when required), and supporting materials like a CV and letters of recommendation. For major entrance scholarships, McGill specifically requires two letters of reference (one academic, one activity-related), submitted by referees through the Applicant Portal, and may request a signed statement from your school (if available). For graduate-style applications, Yeganeh Habibi described focusing on “crafting a compelling statement of purpose,” “updating my CV,” and “securing strong recommendation letters.”

Yes, McGill charges application fees, and the amount depends on what you apply for. For most undergraduate programs (excluding Medicine and Dentistry), the fee is listed as 136.08 CAD; Medicine and Dentistry have a higher undergraduate application fee, and graduate applications have a separate fee amount. If you’re applying for a scholarship program, the scholarship itself may be free to apply to, but you can still be responsible for McGill’s program application fee (for example, McCall MacBain notes there is no fee to apply for the scholarship, but McGill program fees are separate and not covered by that scholarship’s application process).