Global Affairs Canada | Waterloo International

Global Affairs Canada (GAC) offers international scholarships to Canadian and international students, postdocs, researchers, faculty, staff and academic institutions to conduct short-term study, research or professional development.

Interested candidates are encouraged to read through all of the information available on the GAC website and submit their application to the appropriate Waterloo administering office on campus (listed below) with all supporting documents. These offices will review and submit the application for each candidate.

The University of Waterloo will rank all incoming applications for the SEED program, as well as all programs falling under the Student Exchange Program, including ELAP, Study in Canada Scholarships, Canada-CARICOM Faculty Leadership Program, and more. However, Global Affairs Canada will determine the final ranking of all applications and will make the final selections.

Please note that the information provided on this webpage from the Government of Canada may be subject to change without notice or be updated in the future. It is recommended to regularly check the GAC international scholarships website for the most current information.

All applicants are required to fill out the Information Form along with the specified application materials outlined in the program details. All submissions should be emailed to the designated office listed below.

Open opportunities

The deadlines for all Global Affairs Canada applications have officially closed.

Contact Waterloo International for more information.

Administering offices

Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program (ELAP)

Applicant group	UW Office	Contact info
Undergraduate study applicants	Student Success Office - Study Abroad	sso-sab@uwaterloo.ca
Graduate applicants	Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs	Heidi Mussar Associate Director, Graduate Financial Aid & Awards

Study in Canada (SiC)

Applicant group	UW Office	Contact name and/or email
Undergraduate applicants	Student Success Office - Study Abroad	sso-sab@uwaterloo.ca
Graduate applicants	Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs	Heidi Mussar Associate Director, Graduate Financial Aid & Awards

Canada-ASEAN Scholarships and Educational Exchanges for Development (SEED) program

Applicant group	UW Office	Contact name and/or email
Undergraduate applicants	Student Success Office - Study Abroad	sso-sab@uwaterloo.ca
Graduate applicants	Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs	Heidi Mussar Associate Director, Graduate Financial Aid & Awards

If you have any questions, please contact Waterloo International.

Testimonials

“My experience at the University of Waterloo was a turning point in my life. I usually say that there are two versions of me, the one before this opportunity and the one after. This experience inspired me to have the courage to continue fulfilling my dreams… My advisor welcomed me long before my arrival. I had all the support that anyone going through this experience could hope to receive…I learned a lot not only about my research topic but also created bonds that I will carry with me forever… The academic exchange gave me hope and confidence.”

Carolina Polotto Christovan
Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil
Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program(ELAP) - 2021-2022

“It was always a dream of mine to be a part of an exchange program, but coming from a low-income family in a third-world country, I never thought I'd have the opportunity to study at a prestigious university in Canada. This experience has shown me...that my background does not define or limit what I can achieve. With the experience of developing research for four months in the mobility program, I now feel more capable to follow an academic career. This opportunity made me believe more in myself, in my work, and in my future.”

Juliana da Silva Oliveira
Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil
Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program(ELAP) - 2021-2022

“I would certainly love to come back to the University of Waterloo. I’ve had an amazing experience in these months and I’m sure spending more time would make me a better professional and provide more incredible opportunities and experiences. I am already recommending the University and the ELAP program for my friends, and I hope it works out for them… Overall I had an incredible opportunity and I am very grateful for the time I spent in Waterloo.”

Júlia De Lázari
University of Campinas, Brazil
Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program(ELAP) - 2021-2022

FAQs

I am interested in applying for an international scholarship. Where do I send the required documents?

If you are an undergraduate student looking to attend Waterloo on an exchange, please contact your home school exchange coordinator who will liaise with the Global Learning team in Waterloo's Student Success Office.

If you are a graduate student, please contact the Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs office.

Can you provide information on housing services at UW?

Please contact your host department to assist you with your housing inquiries. You may also wish to review the following websites for housing-related matters:

On-campus resident student housing

Off-campus housing
For undergraduate students, please see the Student Success Office who have a number of resources on their website for housing inquiries.
For graduate-specific housing inquiries, please see the Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs website.

When will I receive my scholarship?

You will be receiving your scholarship when you arrive in Canada. Please contact your host department who will guide you through this step.

How do I obtain my LMIA documentation (official letter of invitation from the University of Waterloo) to complete my visa application.

Please contact your host supervisor and your immigration consultant if you have any visa-related inquiries.

The scholarship requires an MOU, however, an MOU does not exist between our institutions. What do I do?

If you are a graduate student looking to conduct research at Waterloo, an MOU is not required. If there is no existing exchange agreement, graduate applications that include a new or established collaboration between professors from a Canadian institution and the candidate's home institution will be accepted.

Depending on the GAC scholarship, if you are an undergraduate student looking to conduct research at UW, the Waterloo International office will develop a letter of support outlining our institution’s proposed collaborations. However, if you are an undergraduate student wishing to attend UW for study, an MOU is required.

I am a graduate student interested in applying for an international scholarship through GAC. Does UW need an exchange agreement with my institution?

Depending on the GAC scholarship you are applying to, an exchange agreement is typically not required for graduate students. Some GAC scholarships may require a letter of agreement from your home institution and UW supervisor.

If applying for a scholarship, please contact Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA) and ensure you are registered for the IVGS program.

For scholarship eligibility, please visit the GAC website.

I am a graduate student. My home university requires a Letter of Acceptance from the host university. Is it the same as IVGS approval?

For all IVGS program questions, please contact Stephanie Forsyth, Manager, Graduate Admissions.

As a faculty member, where can I get a letter of invitation from the host institution for my Faculty Mobility for Partnership Building Program (FMPBP) application?

Faculty members should contact the host institution to request a letter of invitation that explains the project's potential to create or advance institutional partnership between the host institution and the University of Waterloo.

If a letter of support from the home institution is needed, contact Waterloo International.

I need help finding an institution to collaborate with for the FMPBP for teaching or for research. Can you assist?

If the visit is for teaching purposes, the International Relations team at Waterloo International can provide assistance. If the visit is for research purposes, the Office of Research can assist in facilitating a match.