Entrance Bursary Program in Canada: McGill University is committed to supporting the academic pursuits of qualified undergraduate students who require financial assistance. The University’s Entrance Bursary Program offers entrance bursaries to students from low to modest income families who demonstrate financial need. Those eligible to apply include all:

• newly accepted, first-year, first-degree undergraduates, and
• newly accepted, first-year undergraduates entering professional programs in Medicine and Law

The goal of the program is to make the University more accessible to those who face financial challenges by supplementing other funding resources such as government aid, Indigenous Band Support Funding, part-time work, parental support, and other sources of funding.

Perk! Any student receiving this form of aid will be automatically approved to seek employment through the University’s Work Study Program upon application via Minerva.

Entrance bursaries range in value and award amounts are determined by:

• the level of need demonstrated by the student and their family, relative to other applicants
• the tuition fee rate charged based on the program of study and student residency (Quebec, rest of Canada, US, International)

While these awards are not automatically renewed in the second and subsequent years of study, students may continue to receive assistance through our In-Course Financial Aid Program.

We offer a limited number of entrance bursaries which are renewable and tenable until completion of an undergraduate degree (up to a maximum of four years) provided the criteria for renewal are met (financial need and academic standing). Students will automatically be considered for this type of an entrance award when they submit the Entrance Bursary application on Minerva i.e. no separate application is required.

The Entrance Bursary Program in Canada and Student Aid Office also offers these aid-related services and programs:

• Tuition Payment Deferrals: defer your tuition fee payment without interest or penalty—useful for government aid recipients and International students (non-U.S.) experiencing delays in transferring funds
• Government student aid programs: information and administration
• Work Study Program: on-campus job opportunities for full-time degree students in financial need
• Emergency loans: for unforeseen circumstances
• Frugal Scholar Money Management Program: financial planning and debt management

Entrance Bursary Program in Canada

To be considered for the Entrance Bursary Program in Canada, applicants must:

• enrol in a full-time degree program at the University
• demonstrate financial need, including the intention to apply for government student aid and/or Indigenous Band Support Funding 

Students registered with the Office for Students with Disabilities may be eligible for financial aid while pursuing a reduced course load.

How to apply:

Upon notification of acceptance to the University (either by formal letter or via the Admissions Status page on Minerva), the application becomes available on Minerva: select the Financial Aid/Awards tab > Financial Aid Menu > Apply for a McGill Entrance Bursary > Apply to Entrance Bursary Program > Complete then submit your application.

• Canadian (citizen or permanent residents) students living outside of Canada must submit a CSS Financial Aid Profile to the Scholarships and Student Aid Office in addition to the McGill Minerva aid application.
• U.S. students who wish to apply to the Entrance Bursary Program from the University must submit a CSS Profile in addition to the McGill Minerva aid application.
• International (non-US) students who wish to apply to the Entrance Bursary Program from the University must submit a CSS Profile in addition to the McGill Minerva aid application.