University of Toronto St George campus quad in autumn with stone academic buildings.

Canada Fall 2027 entry: applications close 1 February 2027 (OUAC 105); awards confirmed by mid-April

McMaster International Excellence Award

The McMaster International Excellence Award is McMaster University's entrance scholarship for high-achieving international undergraduates — a one-time entrance award of up to CAD 7,500 (approximately LKR 1.8M) credited toward first-year tuition. Awards are tiered by admission average: typically CAD 2,500 for 85-89%, CAD 5,000 for 90-94%, and CAD 7,500 for 95%+. All admitted international students with a 85%+ admission average are automatically considered — no separate application. McMaster is one of Canada's leading research universities, particularly strong in health sciences, engineering, business, and the arts. Sri Lankan applicants with strong A/L results in three relevant subjects are the typical profile.

McMaster University

University-funded

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Value

CAD 2,500 - CAD 7,500 (One-Time)

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Duration

First Year Only

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Application

Automatic at Admission

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First-Year Undergraduate

Open to first-year undergraduate applicants entering McMaster in Fall 2027. Transfer students from other universities are not eligible (they apply through separate transfer awards).

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90%+ Admission Average

Top award tier (CAD 7,500) requires a 90%+ admission average. For Sri Lankan A/L students, this typically means 3 As (which McMaster converts to ~93-95% on its international scale). Lower tiers from 85-89%.

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International Fee Status

Open only to international students requiring a Canadian Study Permit. Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and protected persons apply via separate McMaster domestic awards.

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Apply by 1 February

To be considered, your full McMaster application must be submitted via the OUAC 105 (Ontario Universities Application Centre) by 1 February 2027. Applications after this date are still considered for admission but may miss scholarship eligibility.

account_tree Application Process

Apply via OUAC 105 by 1 February

Submit your application to McMaster via the OUAC 105 (the centralised application for Ontario universities). The application fee is CAD 156. There is no separate scholarship application required.

Forward transcripts directly

Have your school send official A/L statement of results, predicted grades (if final results aren't out), and IELTS/TOEFL scores directly to McMaster's International Admissions office by 1 March.

Automatic award consideration

McMaster's admissions team automatically reviews applications for the International Excellence Award based on admission average. There is no interview or additional documentation required.

Offer letter includes award

Successful applicants receive their McMaster admission letter, which specifies the entrance award amount if applicable. Awards are credited to first-year tuition. Accept the offer and arrange your Canadian Study Permit at the High Commission Colombo.

Why McMaster?

McMaster is a U15 research-intensive Canadian university located in Hamilton, Ontario — approximately 1 hour from Toronto. It is consistently ranked top 5 in Canada and top 100 globally, with particularly strong reputations in health sciences (the medical school is world-renowned), engineering, and the DeGroote School of Business. McMaster has a sizable Sri Lankan international student community.