The University of Alberta (U of A) is one of the best research universities in Canada and gets more than $52 million CAD a year in funding. For African students, the funding plan for 2026 has two parts: admission-based awards, which are given automatically, and leadership awards, which require an application.
1. The President’s International Distinction Scholarship
This is the university’s top award for international undergraduate students who have a high admission average and a strong leadership profile.
- Value: Up to $120,000 CAD, which can be paid in four yearly payments of $30,000.
- Selection: Each year, only 25 students from around the world get this award.
- Status of the 2026 Intake: The last day to apply for the September 2026 intake was January 10, 2026.
- 2027 Strategy: If you want to get into college in 2027, the application portal usually opens in October 2026. You have to apply to the university before you can get to the scholarship application.
2. Scholarship for International Leaders
This award goes to well-rounded students who have done a great job leading in their schools, community groups, or workplaces.
- Value: up to $15,000 CAD.
- Rule for applications: You need to fill out a separate application. This scholarship is based on an application, just like the President’s Award.
- 2026 Deadline: January 10, 2026, was the last day to apply for the Fall 2026 cycle.
3. Regional Excellence Scholarship (for Africa only)
The University of Alberta gives special entrance awards to students from certain areas, like Africa, who have a lot of academic potential.
- Worth up to $5,000 CAD.
- Rule for Applications: Automatic Consideration. There is no separate application. When you apply for admission, your high school transcripts automatically put you in the running for this award.
- The main factor is your average score on the admission test.
4. Scholarship for International Students
This is a standard merit-based scholarship for first-year undergraduate students from other countries who are at the top of their class.
- Worth up to $5,000 CAD.
- Rule for Applications: Automatic Consideration. No extra paperwork is needed. The students with the best admission averages from their national curriculums (like WAEC, KCSE, or NSC) are given first priority.
5. Scholarships for Graduate School Entrance and Hiring
For African students who want to get a master’s (thesis-based) or PhD, the way they get money changes to department-level nominations.
- The Graduate Entrance Scholarship is worth $17,500 CAD for a master’s degree and $21,000 CAD for a PhD. It also comes with an extra $10,000 for international students to help cover the difference in tuition.
- Minimum Guaranteed PhD Funding: The University of Alberta promises PhD students at least $25,000 CAD per year, which they usually get through a mix of scholarships and research or teaching assistantships.
- Deadlines for 2026: The deadlines for nominations for the September 2026 intake are usually in July 2026, but your department must have accepted you much earlier.
6. Scholarships for Study in Canada (SICS)
The University of Alberta is part of this Global Affairs Canada programme, which is only open to people from a few African countries, such as Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Rwanda.
- Value: A fully funded research exchange for four to six months.
- You must be a student at a university in your home country that has an exchange agreement with the University of Alberta.
A list of things to remember for African applicants
- The U of A may not require English tests for students from some African countries where English is the main language of instruction (for example, Nigeria, Ghana, and Zimbabwe). You can find out if you qualify by looking at the “English Language Proficiency” list on the U of A website.
- To be eligible for the automatic $5,000 awards, you need to have an admission average of at least 85% (or the equivalent in your local grading system).
- Early Admission: To be eligible for the $120,000 scholarship, which is worth a lot of money, you should try to send in your application by December of the year before you want to start.
