UBC Four Year Doctoral Fellowship (4YF)
The Four Year Doctoral Fellowship (4YF) is the University of British Columbia's flagship funding package for top PhD students — and crucially it is open to international applicants, not just Canadians. It guarantees four years of support combining a living stipend (at least CAD 18,200, with most programmes topping this up well past CAD 24,000) plus full tuition coverage, for both incoming and continuing doctoral students. There is no separate application: PhD programmes nominate their strongest candidates, so the practical route for a Sri Lankan applicant is to secure admission to a strong UBC doctoral programme and a supportive supervisor, then be put forward for the 4YF. UBC is consistently ranked among the world's top 40 universities.
Annual — awarded through PhD admission/nomination cycles; align with your programme's main admission deadline (often December/January)
University of British Columbia (UBC)
University-funded
emoji_events Award Overview
Stipend
≥CAD 18,200/yr (often CAD 24k+ with top-up)
Tuition
Full doctoral tuition covered
Duration
4 years guaranteed
Eligibility
Domestic & international PhD students
info How this award actually works
Who awards it
University of British Columbia (UBC) — 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
~CAD 24,000+/yr Stipend + Full Tuition (4 years). 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
Outstanding Academic Record
A first-class academic profile and strong research potential. Sri Lankan applicants with a research Master's, a solid thesis, and publications are well-positioned for nomination.
Admission to a UBC PhD
You must be admitted (or be applying) to a doctoral programme at UBC. The 4YF supports both newly admitted and continuing PhD students within their first years.
Programme Nomination
There is no direct application — departments nominate their best candidates. Securing a committed supervisor and a strong admission file is how you get put forward.
English Proficiency
Standard UBC graduate English requirements apply unless waived. Many Sri Lankan English-medium degrees qualify for a TOEFL/IELTS waiver.
Open to Internationals
Unlike Canada's tri-council awards (which favour citizens/PRs), the 4YF is explicitly available to international doctoral students, making it a key route for Sri Lankans.
account_tree Application Process
Identify a programme and supervisor
Find a UBC doctoral programme and a potential supervisor whose research matches yours. Email them early with your CV and research interests — supervisor support drives nomination.
Apply for PhD admission
Submit a strong doctoral admission application by the programme's deadline (often December/January) with transcripts, references, a research statement, and English proof.
Be nominated for the 4YF
Departments review their admitted/continuing students and nominate the strongest for the 4YF. There is no separate form — your admission file is your application.
Award and start
Nominated students receive the multi-year funding offer alongside or after their admission offer. UBC's international office supports study-permit processing.
About UBC
The University of British Columbia, with campuses in Vancouver and Kelowna, is consistently ranked among the world's top 40 universities and Canada's top research institutions. The 4YF is one of the few major Canadian doctoral packages explicitly open to international students, and Canada's post-graduation work permit lets PhD graduates stay and work for up to three years.
Top 40
World University Ranking
4 yrs
Guaranteed Funding
International
Applicants Eligible
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 CA, 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.
Check the requirement arrow_forwardSimilar Scholarships
Other curated opportunities for Sri Lankan students.
Merit Scholarship Programme for Foreign Students (PBEEE)
Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ)
Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Doctoral Scholarship
Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation
Canada Graduate Scholarships – Doctoral (CGS-D)
Government of Canada (Tri-Agency)