Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship
The Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship is the University of Toronto's most prestigious undergraduate award for international students — covering full tuition, books, incidental fees, and on-campus residence for four years. Total package value is approximately CAD 360,000 (LKR 85M+). The university selects approximately 37 Pearson Scholars from a global applicant pool of 2,500+ nominated students. Sri Lankan applicants must be nominated by their high school (deadline late November); self-applications are not accepted. The programme rewards leadership and creativity alongside academic excellence — it is explicitly modelled to identify future global leaders rather than purely top academic scorers.
Fall 2027 entry: school nominations close 27 November 2026; full Pearson application by mid-January 2027
University of Toronto
University-funded
emoji_events Award Overview
Value
Full Cost of Attendance (~CAD 90k/yr)
Duration
4 Years (renewable)
Awards
~37 per Year Globally
info How this award actually works
Who awards it
University of Toronto — not Lanka Scholar. We are not the awarding body and cannot grant, reserve or guarantee this award.
How you are considered
Through your admission application. Awards like this are usually assessed automatically from the application you already submit — there is typically no separate scholarship form to fill in.
What it covers
Full Tuition + Books + Incidentals + Residence (4 yrs). This is a reduction in tuition, not a full ride. You still fund the remainder, plus living costs and the balance your visa requires you to show.
Where we come in
We make the admission application strong enough to be competitive — course choice, documents, references and deadlines. The funder makes the decision.
fact_check Eligibility Criteria
Final Year of Secondary School
You must be in your final year of secondary school (A/Ls, IB, etc.) and graduating in 2026/2027. Students already enrolled at any post-secondary institution (including a Sri Lankan undergraduate) are not eligible.
School Nomination Required
Your high school must nominate you. The school submits your Pearson nomination via the UofT portal by 27 November. Each school globally is allocated a nomination quota based on UofT's past intake from that school. Approach your school counsellor in September-October.
Exceptional Academic + Leadership Profile
Pearson Scholars are top of their cohort academically (3 As at A/L, 42+/45 IB, equivalent strong SAT/ACT). UofT explicitly says it is looking for 'creativity, exceptional leadership, and impact' — pure straight-A applicants without leadership achievements rarely win.
Non-Canadian Resident
Open to students requiring a study permit to study in Canada. Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and protected persons are NOT eligible. Sri Lankan citizens applying from Sri Lanka are exactly the target profile.
account_tree Application Process
Get nominated by 27 November
Approach your high school's counsellor/principal in September-October 2026. They register on the UofT portal and submit your nomination by 27 November. Each school's nomination quota is limited — be ready to compete internally for it.
Submit Pearson application by mid-January
Nominated students submit the Pearson Scholarship Application (separate from UofT's standard admissions application). The Pearson app includes essays on personal impact, leadership, and intellectual passions, plus references.
Apply to UofT undergraduate programme
Independently apply to UofT for your undergraduate programme via the OUAC 105 international application by mid-January. UofT admission is a prerequisite — Pearson Scholars must be admitted to a UofT undergraduate programme.
Selection + offer
Approximately 200-300 candidates are shortlisted for further review. Final Pearson Scholars are notified by late May, alongside their UofT admission letter. Successful applicants accept and arrange Canadian Study Permit at the High Commission in Colombo.
Why University of Toronto?
UofT is consistently Canada's top-ranked university and one of the world's leading research universities (top 25 globally). With ~80,000 students across three campuses in Greater Toronto, it offers virtually every undergraduate field. Pearson Scholars form a cohort across all years (currently ~150 active Pearsons) with mentoring, leadership programming, and lifelong alumni connection.
#22
QS World Ranking 2026
#1
in Canada (Times Higher Ed)
~37
Pearson Scholars / Year
Looking for a scholarship because of the cost?
Then start here instead. Scholarships are competitive, usually partial, and decided by someone else — they are the least reliable way to make studying abroad affordable. Your destination and course choice move the number far more, and both are entirely within your control.
Work out your real number
Tuition, living costs, visa funds and flights for your destination — so you know the gap you are actually trying to close.
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The full catalogue, cheapest tuition first. Changing course or country saves far more than most awards are worth.
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Tuition, living costs and the total first-year figure for Canada, in LKR as well as local currency.
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Every student visa requires you to show funds. Find out what you need before you commit to an application.
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