Top schools in Canada and the USA that offer fully funded scholarships in 2025.

As an international student, fully funded scholarships can help make your dream of studying abroad more financially achievable. This article explores some of the top universities in Canada and the United States that offer highly competitive, fully funded scholarships for the 2025 academic year.

Canada

Canada is renowned for offering world-class education with significantly lower tuition costs than the U.S. Several Canadian universities also provide attractive scholarship packages to recruit talented international students. Here are some top options in Canada for 2025:

University of Toronto: Consistently ranked as one of the top public universities in the world, the University of Toronto is internationally renowned for its academic excellence. It offers highly competitive graduate scholarships through various department and affiliated college programs that waive tuition and provide a living stipend. Some notable fully funded scholarships include the Ontario Graduate Scholarship and Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship.

McGill University: Based in Montreal, McGill is one of Canada’s most elite universities known for producing many Nobel Prize winners. Its generous fellowship programs provide funding covering tuition, fees, and a living allowance. Programs like the Schulich Scholarships and CIHR Fellowships are fully funded for master’s and PhD students across various departments.

University of British Columbia: With campuses in Vancouver and Kelowna, UBC is renowned for opportunities in science, liberal arts, and emerging technologies. It offers fully funded awards like the Four Year Fellowship for international PhD students through the UBC Graduate Endowment Fund. The Don and Sally Wall Graduate Scholarship also provides $30,000 CAD per year.

University of Alberta: Consistently ranked among the top 150 universities globally, the University of Alberta in Edmonton has a vibrant campus community. It provides annual funding of $18,000-$22,000 CAD through scholarships like the Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarships in Science and Engineering. International opportunities are also available.

These top Canadian schools present excellent education at much lower costs compared to the U.S. while also providing substantial financial support through merit and needs-based scholarships.

United States

For ambitious international students seeking world-class education from top American universities, here are some competitive fully funded scholarship options for 2025:

Harvard University: Consistently ranked as the best university globally, Harvard offers generous funding through programs like the Harvard-India Fellowship. It provides up to 4 years of financial aid covering tuition, living expenses, health insurance, and research support. Top candidates from India and other developing countries can earn a fully funded master’s, PhD, or joint degree.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology: MIT is renowned globally for STEM programs in engineering, computer science, and management. Its international graduate student fellowships cover full tuition along with a monthly stipend. Programs under the East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes also provide all-expenses-paid scholarships.

Stanford University: With a beautiful campus in Silicon Valley, Stanford is known for its culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. It provides multi-year fully funded graduate fellowships through programs like the National Science Foundation Fellowships and Stanford Graduate Fellowships. Competitive fellowships cover tuition plus a stipend of $30,000-$35,000.

Princeton University: Ranked among the top research universities, Princeton participates in U.S. government scholarship programs like Fulbright. It also offers named graduate fellowships providing a $30,000 stipend and full tuition coverage. Areas of strength are in social sciences, humanities, and public policy.

University of California, Berkeley: Publicly funded but with private university resources, UC Berkeley is a top public university known for excellence in STEM. It provides all-expenses-paid fellowships through programs such as the Chancellor’s Fellowship, covering up to 4 years of PhD study and living expenses.

These elite U.S. universities offer world-class education and amenities like state-of-the-art labs and libraries and multi-year-funded scholarships. This helps attract top international graduate talent from across the globe.

Applying Strategically

To boost their chances of earning a competitive fully funded scholarship, students must apply strategically to these top programs. Focus on demonstrating academic excellence through top GRE/GMAT scores, outstanding recommendations, relevant research experience, and compelling personal statements highlighting your qualifications and fit with the university’s research themes. Reach out to potential advisors before applying and have them express willingness to work with you if accepted. For India-focused opportunities, also showcase community service and leadership experience. With careful preparation and the right application strategy, ambitious students can position themselves to win admission and full funding from these elite Canadian and American universities in 2025.

All the best!