What University of Waterloo International Master's Award of Excellence (IMAE) actually covers.
The International Master's Award of Excellence (IMAE) is the University of Waterloo's flagship entrance award for international graduate students enrolling in research-based master's programs. Valued at CAD 2,500 per term for up to five full-time terms, the IMAE provides meaningful financial support over the full duration of a master's degree, helping international students — including those from Africa — focus on their research rather than financial stress. Waterloo is consistently ranked among Canada's most innovative universities and is globally recognised for its engineering, computer science, mathematics, and science programs, making this award especially valuable for African students in STEM fields. The award is administered through the faculties and departments, which assess candidates automatically through the graduate admissions process. Students do not need to submit a separate application; instead, departmental graduate coordinators identify and recommend outstanding international applicants when making admission offers. This streamlined approach means that well-prepared applicants who apply to eligible research-based programs are considered without additional paperwork. African students are strongly encouraged to apply well before program-specific admission deadlines — typically in early February for September intake — to maximise their chances of receiving the IMAE alongside an admission offer. The award reflects Waterloo's commitment to recruiting and retaining exceptional international talent and creating a diverse graduate community that enriches the research environment for all.
Who can apply.
Open to masters applicants seeking to study in Canada. Eligible nationalities are listed below.
46 more eligible countries — full list available 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.
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Save itAdd this to your shortlist so we can recommend similar scholarships and remind you of the deadline.
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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.
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Apply on the provider's siteSubmit on the provider's site before February 1, 2027 · 204 days left.
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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. University of Waterloo International Master's Award of Excellence (IMAE) has been reviewed and verified by our team. Five deeper checks (contact, organisation, winners, third-party, formal audit) are on the roadmap.
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Other scholarships worth a parallel application.
Same eligibility window or destination. Many strong applicants apply to three or four programmes per cycle.