Mackenzie King Memorial Scholarship
The Mackenzie King Memorial Scholarships are funded by a bequest from former Canadian Prime Minister W.L. Mackenzie King and supported by participating Canadian universities including McGill, Toronto, UBC, and Queen's. Two awards exist: the Open (any graduate field, study anywhere in Canada or abroad) at CAD 11,000 and the Travelling (international affairs at a US or UK university) at CAD 12,500. To be eligible you must have completed a Bachelor's at a participating Canadian university — so Sri Lankan students who did their undergrad in Canada can apply at the Master's stage.
Mackenzie King Scholarships Trust (tenable at McGill / Canadian universities)
External Organization-funded
emoji_events Award Overview
Open Award
CAD 11,000
Travelling Award
CAD 12,500
Level
Graduate (Master's / PhD)
Awards
~2 per year (very competitive)
fact_check Eligibility Criteria
Bachelor's from Participating Canadian University
You must hold (or be about to receive) a Bachelor's degree from one of the participating Canadian universities — McGill, Toronto, UBC, Queen's, Western, McMaster, Ottawa, Dalhousie, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and a handful of others.
Outstanding Academic Profile
Top-decile academic record at the undergraduate institution. The two awards combined typically go to two outstanding graduating students each year out of the entire Canadian university system.
Heading to Graduate Study
You must be entering or already in full-time graduate study (Master's or PhD). The Travelling award explicitly requires the destination programme to focus on international or industrial relations and be at a US or UK university.
Canadian Citizen or Eligible Graduate
Open primarily to Canadian citizens, but international graduates of participating Canadian universities are typically eligible. Confirm your status before applying — the Trust's eligibility rules are interpreted strictly.
account_tree Application Process
Confirm your Bachelor's institution is eligible
Check the Mackenzie King Trust's list of participating Canadian universities. If your undergrad isn't on the list, you cannot apply — there is no exception route.
Apply via your undergraduate university
Each participating Canadian university handles its own internal nomination process. Apply through your graduate-studies office (not directly to the Trust) by 1 February 2026.
University nomination
Your home Canadian university shortlists one or two nominees and forwards them to the Mackenzie King Trust selection committee for the national competition.
Trust selection + award
The Trust's selection committee reviews all nominees and selects the Open and Travelling winners. Awards are announced in May and held during the academic year of graduate study.
About Mackenzie King Scholarships
Established in 1950 from the estate of Canada's longest-serving prime minister, this is one of Canada's most prestigious graduate awards. Past recipients include eminent academics, civil servants, and public-policy leaders.
Since 1950
Programme Running
11+
Participating Canadian Universities
~2
Awards / Year (national pool)
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Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Doctoral Scholarship
Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation