Undergraduate Scholarships · Canada · Fall 2027 Entry
The University of Waterloo automatically considers eligible first-year students for its President’s Scholarship of Distinction, President’s Scholarship and Merit Scholarship. Eligible international fee-paying students can also receive a separate CAD 10,000 International Student Entrance Scholarship.
CAD 10,000 international entrance award
95%+ Distinction threshold
Fall 2027 entry
Current position: Waterloo opened applications for September 2027 on 17 September 2026. Main President’s and Merit Scholarships are automatic for eligible admitted first-year students; higher-value faculty/program awards may have separate 2027 application or nomination deadlines.
1University of Waterloo Scholarships at a Glance
Waterloo’s main automatic entrance scholarships are based on the admission average used for the programme for which a student receives and accepts an offer. The university calculates the President’s and Merit awards using the student’s top six Grade 12 courses or equivalents, including required programme courses.
| Scholarship | Main criterion | Value | Separate application? |
|---|---|---|---|
| President’s Scholarship of Distinction | Early-May admission average of 95% or higher | CAD 2,000 at entrance, plus potential CAD 1,500 International Experience Award and/or CAD 1,500 Research Award later | No |
| President’s Scholarship | Early-May admission average of 90–94.9% | CAD 2,000 one-time entrance scholarship | No |
| Merit Scholarship | Early-May admission average of 85–89.9% | CAD 1,000 one-time entrance scholarship | No |
| International Student Entrance Scholarship | Eligible international fee-paying student admitted to full-time first-year degree studies | CAD 10,000 for first-year tuition | No |
Useful for international applicants: Waterloo states that the CAD 10,000 International Student Entrance Scholarship can be combined with other eligible scholarships, including President’s/Merit awards and faculty/programme scholarships.
2President’s and Merit Scholarships: Who Qualifies?
Students admitted to a full-time, first-year degree programme and beginning university or college for the first time in September are automatically considered. A separate President’s or Merit Scholarship application is not required.
95% or higher
President’s Scholarship of Distinction: CAD 2,000 entrance scholarship, with access to qualifying upper-year experience awards.
90–94.9%
President’s Scholarship: CAD 2,000 one-time entrance award.
85–89.9%
Merit Scholarship: CAD 1,000 one-time entrance award.
A student who receives offers for more than one Waterloo programme may have a different scholarship average for each programme because required courses can differ.
If the early-May admission average is below 85% but the final admission average received in June or July rises to at least 85%, Waterloo states that the appropriate President’s or Merit Scholarship can still be awarded.
3How the President’s Scholarship of Distinction Can Reach CAD 5,000
The President’s Scholarship of Distinction is frequently misunderstood. The amount paid at entrance is CAD 2,000, not CAD 5,000.
Eligible Distinction Scholars may later claim:
- CAD 1,500 International Experience Award for an eligible university-approved international study or work experience
- CAD 1,500 Research Award for an eligible Waterloo research experience
The potential combined value can therefore reach CAD 5,000, but the upper-year awards have separate conditions. Students must complete first year with at least an 80% average, be in second year or above, and claim the award before completing their undergraduate programme.
4CAD 10,000 International Student Entrance Scholarship
Waterloo states that eligible international fee-paying students admitted to full-time first-year degree studies receive a CAD 10,000 International Student Entrance Scholarship. No separate scholarship application is required.
First instalment
CAD 5,000 is available toward first-term tuition.
Second instalment
CAD 5,000 is available toward second-term tuition.
Can it stack?
Yes. Eligible students can also receive President’s/Merit and other faculty/programme scholarships.
Who is not eligible?
The current Waterloo international-scholarship page excludes several groups, including Medical Sciences/Doctor of Medicine students, Bachelor of Social Work, Doctor of Optometry and Doctor of Pharmacy students, transfer students admitted with transfer credits, students in 2+2 or similar programmes, and students described on that page as having deferred an offer from a previous year.
Deferral guidance is inconsistent across Waterloo’s own pages. The international-scholarship eligibility page lists students who deferred from a previous year among exclusions, while Waterloo’s current deferral page says a student who already received the International Student Entrance Scholarship can retain it for the following fall if eligibility continues. Students considering a deferral should obtain written confirmation from Waterloo Student Awards and Financial Aid.
5Fall 2027 Admission and Scholarship Deadlines
The automatic scholarships above do not have separate scholarship deadlines. The critical dates are the admission and supporting-document deadlines for the student’s programme.
| Action | Fall 2027 date |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate applications open | Mid-September 2026 |
| Engineering application deadline, excluding Architecture | 15 January 2027 |
| Engineering documents, AIF and supplementary requirements | 1 February 2027 |
| Most programmes other than Engineering | 1 February 2027 |
| Documents for most non-Engineering programmes | 15 February 2027 |
| Most entrance scholarships communicated | Mid-May 2027 |
Programme-specific deadlines matter. Architecture, Pharmacy, Optometry, Social Work and some specialised programmes can follow different schedules. Always use the deadline listed for the exact programme.
6How to Apply and Receive Automatic Scholarship Consideration
There is no separate application for the President’s Scholarship, Merit Scholarship or eligible International Student Entrance Scholarship. Students must instead complete the admission process correctly and on time.
- Choose your Waterloo undergraduate programme. Check its admission requirements and exact deadline.
- Apply through the official Ontario Universities’ Application Centre route. Waterloo states Fall 2027 applications opened on 17 September 2026.
- Submit programme-specific documents. This can include transcripts, English-language results, the Admission Information Form, online interview or other supplementary material.
- Monitor your Waterloo applicant portal. Scholarship information normally appears during the admission cycle.
- Accept the admission offer by the specified date. This is a condition for the President’s and Merit awards.
- Remain enrolled full-time. The relevant scholarship conditions continue after admission.
7Other Waterloo Scholarships Can Be Worth Much More
The President’s and Merit awards are only one layer of Waterloo funding. International applicants should also review faculty and programme awards because some are significantly larger.
Faculty of Mathematics
Waterloo lists Global Scholarships of up to CAD 12,000–40,000 and India-specific international awards of up to CAD 20,000–40,000 for eligible programmes.
Faculty of Science
International Student Scholarships for eligible Science programmes are listed at CAD 25,000–80,000 and require an application.
Programme-specific awards
Other faculty awards may be automatic or may require supplementary forms, competitions, financial-need evidence or separate applications.
The correct question is therefore not simply “Do I qualify for a CAD 2,000 President’s Scholarship?” It is: Which automatic university award, international award and faculty-specific scholarship can I legitimately combine?
8CareerAidHub Applicant Strategy
The most efficient approach is to treat Waterloo funding as three layers:
Layer 1 — Admission Average
Your programme-specific admission average determines President’s/Merit eligibility.
Layer 2 — International Status
Eligible international fee-paying students can receive the separate CAD 10,000 international entrance award.
Layer 3 — Faculty Awards
Faculty and programme scholarships can add substantially more funding, but some require separate applications.
- Check the exact deadline for your programme rather than using a general university deadline.
- Understand which Grade 12 courses Waterloo will use in your admission average.
- Review faculty-specific scholarships before assuming the automatic award is your maximum funding.
- If international, verify exclusions for the CAD 10,000 award.
- Recheck official Waterloo pages before making a tuition or deferral decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a separate application for Waterloo President’s or Merit Scholarships?
No. Eligible full-time first-year students beginning post-secondary studies for the first time in September are automatically considered.
How much is the President’s Scholarship of Distinction?
The entrance scholarship is CAD 2,000. Eligible Distinction Scholars may later claim CAD 1,500 International Experience and/or CAD 1,500 Research Awards, subject to conditions.
Is the CAD 10,000 international scholarship automatic?
Yes, for students meeting Waterloo’s current eligibility rules. No separate application is required.
Can an international student receive the CAD 10,000 award and a President’s Scholarship together?
Yes. Waterloo states that eligible students can receive multiple scholarships, including the International Student Entrance Scholarship and President’s/Merit awards.
What is the Fall 2027 Engineering application deadline?
For Engineering programmes other than Architecture, the application deadline is 15 January 2027. Supporting documents and supplementary requirements are due 1 February 2027.
What is the deadline for most other programmes?
Most non-Engineering programmes have a 1 February 2027 application deadline and a 15 February 2027 document deadline, although specialised programmes can differ.
When do Fall 2027 applications open?
Waterloo’s current timeline states that applications open in mid-September 2026. Applicants should verify the live application portal because an exact opening date is not stated on that timeline.
What happens to the international scholarship after a deferral?
Waterloo’s current public pages are not fully consistent. Its scholarship page lists students who deferred from a previous year among exclusions, while its deferral page says students who already received the award can retain it if they continue to meet eligibility rules. Obtain direct confirmation before deferring.
Official Sources & Verification
Last verified by CareerAidHub:
Verified core facts: President’s/Merit awards are automatic; Distinction is CAD 2,000 at entrance plus conditional upper-year awards; eligible international students can receive CAD 10,000; Fall 2027 applications opened on 17 September 2026; Engineering closes 15 January 2027; most other programmes close 1 February 2027.
