McGill International Distinction Award
The McGill International Distinction Award is the headline entrance scholarship for high-achieving international undergraduate applicants. Awards range from CAD 3,000 (One-Year Distinction) to CAD 12,000 (Major Distinction) across the standard length of an undergraduate degree. Every eligible international applicant is automatically considered when they apply — there is no separate scholarship form. Selection is purely on academic merit using McGill's entrance scholarship rubric.
McGill University
University-funded
emoji_events Award Overview
Value
CAD 3,000-12,000 (one-off or renewable)
Duration
1 yr (One-Year Award) or 3-4 yrs (Major)
Eligibility
All International Freshman Applicants
fact_check Eligibility Criteria
Outstanding Pre-Tertiary Results
Equivalent to top 5% of McGill's international applicant pool. For Sri Lankan A/L applicants, that is typically 3 A grades. For IB applicants, 38+. For Cambridge International, A*AA or above.
International Fee-Paying Status
Reserved for international fee-paying students entering McGill from outside Canada. Quebec residents and Canadian citizens fall under a separate domestic scholarship scheme.
Automatic Consideration
Every eligible international applicant is automatically considered on the basis of their UG admission application. No separate scholarship application is required for the Distinction tier.
Apply by 15 January
You must submit your full McGill UG application (including all transcripts and English certificate) by 15 January 2026 to be considered for entrance scholarships. Late applications are admitted but not eligible for entrance awards.
account_tree Application Process
Apply to McGill by 15 January
Submit your undergraduate application via mcgill.ca/applying. Provide complete transcripts, predicted grades, and English proficiency results — incomplete applications are not eligible for scholarship consideration.
Automatic ranking by admissions
McGill's Admissions Office reviews your file for entrance scholarship eligibility alongside the admission decision. There is no interview and no additional application required.
Scholarship offer with admission
If selected, your scholarship offer appears in your applicant portal together with (or shortly after) the academic admission offer. Major Distinction awards are renewable annually contingent on maintaining a 3.5/4.0 CGPA.
Accept and enrol
Accept your admission and the scholarship is automatically applied to your fee schedule from your first semester onwards.
Why McGill?
McGill is consistently ranked Canada's top university by QS and one of the world's top 30 globally. Montreal's bilingual environment, lower cost of living vs Toronto/Vancouver, and large Sri Lankan diaspora make it a popular choice for SL undergrads.
#27
QS World Ranking 2026
#1
in Canada (QS)
CAD 12k
Major Distinction Top Tier
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