Canada’s leading business schools run their own merit-based MBA scholarships, often assessed automatically from the admission application, alongside a handful of broader fellowships open across multiple schools.
The ten programs below cover Canada’s major MBA destinations.
1. Schulich School of Business MBA Scholarships
York University’s Schulich School of Business awards merit-based scholarships to incoming MBA candidates, with funding levels tied to the overall strength of the application.
2. Ivey Business School MBA Scholarships
Western University’s Ivey Business School offers a number of entrance scholarships to admitted MBA students, assessed automatically alongside the standard admissions review.
3. Rotman School of Management MBA Scholarships
The University of Toronto’s Rotman School awards merit-based scholarships to incoming MBA candidates, with amounts varying by the specific named award a student is matched to.
4. Sauder School of Business MBA Scholarships
The University of British Columbia’s Sauder School offers entrance scholarships to strong incoming MBA candidates, reducing tuition for the length of the program.
5. Smith School of Business MBA Scholarships
Queen’s University’s Smith School of Business awards merit-based scholarships to admitted MBA students, applied automatically from the regular admission file.
6. Forte Foundation Fellowship (Canadian Partner Schools)
Women admitted to an MBA at one of the Forte Foundation’s Canadian partner schools can apply for this fellowship, combining funding with access to the foundation’s mentoring network.
7. HEC Montreal MBA Scholarships
HEC Montreal offers a number of merit-based scholarships to incoming international MBA students, with funding tied to academic and professional achievement.
8. Desautels Faculty of Management MBA Scholarships
McGill University’s Desautels Faculty of Management awards entrance scholarships to strong incoming MBA candidates, assessed as part of the standard application process.
9. Rotary Global Grant Scholarship
Rotary clubs occasionally sponsor MBA candidates in Canada through Global Grant Scholarships tied to one of the organization’s recognized areas of focus.
10. University Graduate Assistantships in Canadian Business Schools
Some Canadian business schools offer limited teaching or research assistantship opportunities to MBA students, providing a modest stipend alongside tuition scholarship funding.
Since most Canadian MBA scholarships are awarded from the same file used for admission, strong essays connecting past experience to future career goals tend to carry real weight in funding decisions.
Several Canadian business schools also run scholarship interviews separately from the general admissions interview, so candidates shortlisted for the largest awards should expect at least one additional conversation focused specifically on leadership potential.
International candidates should factor currency exchange rates into their funding plans as well, since a scholarship quoted in Canadian dollars can shift in real value depending on when tuition deposits are actually due.
GMAT and GRE score requirements can also vary meaningfully between a school.’s general admission bar and its top scholarship tier, so a stronger test score sometimes opens up a meaningfully larger award even after an offer has already been made.
International candidates should factor currency exchange rates into their funding plans as well, since a scholarship quoted in Canadian dollars can shift in real value depending on when tuition deposits are actually due.
Reaching out to current students or recent alumni before applying can also reveal which scholarship categories a program actually prioritizes in a given year, information that rarely appears on the official funding page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Canadian MBA scholarships require a separate application?
Most are awarded automatically from the regular admission application, though a few named awards at schools like HEC Montreal require additional documentation.
Is prior work experience required for these scholarships?
Yes, Canadian MBA programs generally expect a meaningful amount of work experience, and this factors into both admission and scholarship decisions.
Can international students receive the same scholarships as domestic Canadian students?
In most cases yes, though a small number of awards are reserved specifically for Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
How much do these scholarships typically cover?
Amounts vary by school and award tier, ranging from partial tuition discounts to more substantial reductions for the strongest candidates.
Is the GMAT required for scholarship consideration?
Yes, a strong GMAT or GRE score remains an important part of most Canadian MBA scholarship evaluations.
Are these scholarships renewable for a two-year MBA program?
Most Canadian MBA programs are one to two years depending on the school, and scholarships are generally structured to apply across that full length.
Does the Forte Foundation Fellowship cover every Canadian business school?
No, only the foundation’s designated partner schools, so applicants should confirm participation before applying.