🇨🇦 Ontario Graduate Scholarship 2026–2027: OGS & QEII-GSST Funding Up to $15,000 for Master’s and PhD Students 

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Overview

The Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) and the Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology (QEII-GSST) are prestigious, government-funded graduate scholarships that support academic excellence at publicly funded universities in Ontario, Canada. At the University of Waterloo, students use one application to be considered for both awards, depending on eligibility.

These scholarships are jointly funded:

• 2/3 by the Ontario Government

• 1/3 by the host university

Scholarship Value

• $5,000 per term

• Up to $15,000 total (maximum of 3 terms / 1 year)

• Non-renewable (students must reapply each year)

• Successful recipients also receive a President’s Graduate Scholarship (PGS)

Who Can Apply?

• OGS:

  • Open to domestic and international students

  • Available for all graduate disciplines (research-based and course-based)

• QEII-GSST:

  • Open to domestic students only

  • Restricted to research-based STEM programs (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics)

Applicants are assessed based on citizenship status at the application deadline.

Eligibility Requirements (Key Points)

• Minimum first-class average (A– / 80%) in the last two years of study
  (Successful applicants often have 85%+ plus strong research output)

• Must be:

  • Currently registered in a Waterloo graduate program or

  • Applying for full-time admission (domestic applicants only)

• Must hold:

  • Canadian citizenship / PR / Protected status (domestic), or

  • A valid Canadian study permit (international)

• Must study full-time while holding the award

• QEII-GSST applicants must be in a research-based STEM program

Important Dates (2026–2027 Competition)

• 14 January 2026 (4:00pm ET):
  OGS/QEII-GSST Intent to Apply form deadline (mandatory)

• 1 February 2026:

  • Application form submission

  • Official transcripts submitted to department

  • Reference letters due

• (Deadline extended to 2 February 2026 due to weekend)

Selection Criteria

Applications are evaluated based on:

1. Academic Excellence (40–50%)

2. Research Ability & Potential (30–40%)

3. Communication & Leadership (10–20%)

Weightings vary by faculty.

Award Duration & Limits

• Maximum support:

  • Master’s: up to 2 years

  • PhD: up to 4 years

• Lifetime limit: 6 years of government-funded graduate scholarships

• Cannot be held concurrently with Tri-Agency scholarships (CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC)

For more information and application: 

Visit the official website of the Ontario Graduate Scholarship 2026–2027: OGS & QEII-GSST Funding Up to $15,000 for Master’s and PhD Students