Entrance scholarships

Scholarships allow us to celebrate and recognize your achievements! Entrance scholarships are available if you're starting full-time first-year degree studies and are beginning university or college for the first time.

Most scholarships do not require an application, but there are some exceptions.

  • Scholarships are awarded in mid-May once we receive updated grades from Ontario high schools. Details will be listed in your Waterloo Quest account starting in mid-May. Look for the Entrance Awards tab beside the name of your program.
  • Scholarships are awarded primarily on academic and personal achievement. Bursaries, another type of assistance, are awarded based on financial need.

You can also visit our awards website to search the full list of entrance scholarships, awards, and bursaries. Once you're a Waterloo student, there are scholarships and bursaries you can apply to throughout your degree.

Available to students in any program (no application required)

Once you’ve applied for admission, we’ll automatically consider you for these awards.

If you’re admitted to the Faculty of Arts and choose Renison University College or St. Jerome’s University as your academic home (by co-registering), any scholarships will be awarded by Renison or St. Jerome’s.

  Value Criteria
President’s Scholarship of Distinction

$2,000 Entrance Scholarship

$1,500 International Experience Award* and/or $1,500 Research Award*
  • Early May admission average of 95%+
  • Available to students admitted to full-time first-year degree studies at Waterloo and who are beginning post-secondary studies for the first time in September.

Visit the President's Scholarship web page for full details. Note: The International Experience Award and/or Research Award are available after first year if you choose to claim them and if you complete your first year with at least an 80% average.
President’s Scholarship $2,000 Entrance Scholarship
  • Early May admission average of 90% to 94.9%
  • Available to students admitted to full-time first-year degree studies at Waterloo and who are beginning post-secondary studies for the first time in September.

Visit the President's Scholarship web page for full details.
Merit Scholarship $1,000 Entrance Scholarship
  • Early May admission average of 85% to 89.9%
  • Available to students admitted to full-time first-year degree studies at Waterloo and who are beginning post-secondary studies for the first time in September.

Visit the President's Scholarship web page for full details.
Entrance scholarships sponsored by alumni and donors Several at $1,000 - $5,000 Academic performance
International Student Entrance Scholarships Several at $10,000 each Available to international students admitted to first year of a full-time undergraduate degree program

Mathematics and Computer Science applicants only: Results of Euclid Mathematics Contest and/or Canadian Senior Mathematics Contest may be used to award scholarships.

Accounting and Financial Management applicants only: Results of the Accounting and Financial Management Admissions Assignment are used to award scholarships.

Scholarships which require an application

  Value Criteria
Schulich Leader Scholarship

Up to 100 scholarships awarded annually across 20 partner universities in Canada. Half are valued at $100,000 for engineering scholarships and half are valued at $80,000 for science and math scholarships.
  • For students admitted to programs in science, technology, engineering, and math who intend to pursue a career in technology, engineering, entrepreneurship/business enterprise, and/or applied scientific research.
  • Recipients must be a Canadian citizen or Permanent Resident of Canada.
  • Based on academic excellence, STEM innovation, and entrepreneurial leadership. Financial need may also be considered.
  • To be considered, students must be nominated by their high school or CÉGEP by January 27, 2021.

Visit the Schulich Leader Scholarship website for additional details.
Entrance scholarships sponsored by alumni or other donors Several at $1,000 – $20,000

The application deadlines for these scholarships is April 15.
Canadian veterans education benefit Funding of up to $80,000 is available for veterans of Canada's armed forces. Details available on the Veterans Affairs Canada website.

Did you know? If you're in a co-op program, you'll earn money to help pay for your education.

Additional scholarships awarded by faculty/program

Not sure which faculty offers your program of interest? View programs listed by faculty.

If you receive an offer of admission, you'll be considered for the following scholarships along with those listed in the available to any student section above. An application is not required for most of these scholarships.

Bursaries

A bursary is awarded based on financial need rather than on academic achievement. Students who are Ontario residents with financial need and who are starting university or college for the first time may receive a Waterloo entrance bursary.

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