What Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship Program at the University of Toronto actually covers.
The Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship is the University of Toronto's flagship award for outstanding international undergraduate students, and it is one of the very few full-ride bachelor's scholarships in Canada open without geographic restriction, meaning students from every African country can compete. The scholarship covers tuition, books, incidental fees and full residence support for the entire four years of an undergraduate degree, effectively removing the cost of studying at one of the world's leading research universities. Each year approximately 37 students are named Pearson Scholars, chosen for exceptional academic performance combined with creativity and a track record of leadership and impact in their school and community. To be considered, a student must be nominated by their secondary school, so the process begins at the school level rather than through direct application; the school submits the nomination and the student separately applies for undergraduate admission to the University of Toronto. Eligible applicants are international students who require a study permit, who are in their final year of senior secondary school during 2026/2027 or graduated no earlier than June 2026, and who will begin their first year of study at Toronto in September 2027. For high-achieving African secondary school students with strong leadership records, this is a rare opportunity to earn a fully funded place at a globally ranked institution. The timeline is tight and involves two steps: the school nomination deadline falls in mid-October 2026 and the student admission application is due in early November 2026, so candidates should engage their school early to secure a nomination.
Who can apply.
Open to undergraduate applicants seeking to study in Canada.
Open to applicants from across the African continent. Confirm specific nationality eligibility on the official application page.
Every academic discipline is accepted.
This programme does not restrict by field. Research proposals across humanities, sciences, engineering, agriculture, and medicine are all accepted.
From here to submitted.
Scholar Africa helps you discover, shortlist, and track. The application itself is submitted on the provider's site.
-
Save itAdd this to your shortlist so we can recommend similar scholarships and remind you of the deadline.
-
Prepare your documentsMost providers ask for the same set — transcripts, references, a personal statement, ID. Use the checklist below to track progress across all your applications.
-
Apply on the provider's siteSubmit on the provider's site before November 6, 2026 · 113 days left.
-
Track the outcomeAdd to your tracker so you can update the status as the provider responds (shortlisted, interview, decision).
Document checklist
Checks are local to this device — they're not stored. Always confirm exact requirements on the provider's official application page.
What we checked, when we checked it.
Scholar Africa runs a link-liveness check on every listing before it goes live and an admin manually reviews every scholarship submitted by providers. Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship Program at the University of Toronto has been reviewed and verified by our team. Five deeper checks (contact, organisation, winners, third-party, formal audit) are on the roadmap.
Report an issue
Other scholarships worth a parallel application.
Same eligibility window or destination. Many strong applicants apply to three or four programmes per cycle.