UBC International Leader of Tomorrow Award
Officially called the Karen McKellin International Leader of Tomorrow Award, this is UBC's flagship needs-based scholarship for international undergraduates. The value is calibrated to your demonstrated financial need — typical awards range from CAD 14,000 to CAD 34,000 per year, structured to cover the gap between tuition plus living costs and what your family can reasonably contribute. The award is renewable for up to four years of an undergraduate degree, subject to maintaining strong academic standing at UBC. For Sri Lankan A/L students with top grades who couldn't otherwise afford UBC's CAD 50,000+ international tuition, this is the single most important UBC award to apply for.
University of British Columbia
University-funded
emoji_events Award Overview
Value
CAD 14k–34k / yr
Duration
Up to 4 Years (renewable)
Deadline
15 November (annual)
fact_check Eligibility Criteria
First Undergraduate Degree
Applying for your first Bachelor's degree at UBC. Students already holding a Bachelor's are not eligible.
International Student Status
Must be an international student requiring a Canadian study permit — Sri Lankan A/L students applying from Sri Lanka qualify.
A-Average Academic Record
Excellent academic record — at least an A-average (or equivalent — typically 3 A grades at A/Ls, or top GPA in school-leaving exams) plus IELTS 6.5 (6.0 per band) or equivalent.
Demonstrated Financial Need
Your family's documented income must not cover UBC's tuition plus living costs. You'll submit a detailed financial statement as part of the application — this is the central differentiator versus UBC's merit-only awards.
account_tree Application Process
Apply for UBC admission first
Submit the UBC undergraduate application by the early-December UBC admission deadline. You must list yourself as an International Scholarship applicant.
Submit the ILOT online application
Open the International Leader of Tomorrow online form (mid-September) and complete it by the 15 November deadline. The form asks for essays on leadership, financial need, and program fit.
Financial documentation
- Family income statements (parents/guardians)
- Bank statements showing available family savings
- Statement of any external scholarships you have applied for
- Cost-of-living breakdown for your home situation
Decision in spring
Award offers go out in spring along with UBC admission decisions. Awards are renewed annually based on academic performance — typically maintaining a 75% average at UBC.
About UBC
The University of British Columbia is a global top-40 research university with campuses in Vancouver and Kelowna. UBC is consistently the second-ranked university in Canada and is a frequent destination for Sri Lankan undergraduates in engineering, computer science, life sciences and business.
Top 40
Global (QS / THE)
70,000+
Students
160+
Countries Represented
Similar Scholarships
Other curated opportunities for Sri Lankan students.
Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship
University of Toronto
Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Doctoral Scholarship
Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation
Canada Graduate Scholarships – Doctoral (CGS-D)
Government of Canada (Tri-Agency)