Lester B. Pearson International Scholarships

The award covers tuition, books, incidental fees and full residence support for four years. It can be held only at the University of Toronto and only for first-entry undergraduate programmes. If awarded, it is tied to the student's top-choice programme at the time scholarship decisions are made, even though applicants may apply to up to three areas.

Scholars also receive support throughout their degree from the Pearson Program Office at the Centre for International Experience. Each September the office welcomes new scholars with an orientation, a team-building activity and a reception with senior university leaders. Every scholar has a Pearson adviser on their campus for four years, who meets them one to one each semester. First-year scholars are paired with upper-year Pearson Scholars as peer mentors, and in their second year each is matched with a faculty mentor. The office also runs enrichment activities on leadership, careers, alumni networking, graduate school applications and entrepreneurship, and a voluntary professional development plan.

Candidates must be international students, meaning non-Canadians who need a study permit; international students at Canadian high schools are included. For 2027 entry they must be in the final year of secondary school in 2026-27, or have graduated no earlier than June 2026, and must begin at the University of Toronto in September 2027.

Students already in post-secondary education, or starting post-secondary study in January 2027 at the University of Toronto or anywhere else, are not eligible. The scholarship is only for applicants to undergraduate degrees.

Everything starts with the school. Only secondary schools verified by the university can nominate, and each can put forward one student a year, so part of the selection happens inside the school. The university encourages schools to choose the student who best shows the qualities of a Pearson Scholar.

Schools that have taken part before receive a personalised, secure nomination form by email each July. Schools that have not can apply to join the programme; for 2027 entry, their application to participate is due by noon Eastern time on 9 October 2026, the same day as the nomination deadline. A school can nominate a student who has not yet applied to the university, but the student must apply for admission before completing the scholarship application.