Scholarships and awards

The MGA program offers entrance scholarships to selected students, varying in range from $5,000 – $20,000. Scholarship funding is also available for Indigenous students.

Applicants are not required to submit a separate application for this scholarship, rather, the entrance scholarship is awarded by the MGA admissions committee based on the strength of individual files.

Entrance scholarships are valid for the year an applicant is admitted only and do not carry over should an applicant decide to defer their admittance for one year. Entrance scholarships are credited to the student's account in late September/early October.

MGA students in year two of the program are considered for named scholarships (see below) based on their academic performance in year one of the program. Named scholarships are awarded to the top students based on GPA. The awarding of named scholarships is dependent on funding available in individual donor awards in a given year.

Students in the combined JD/MGA and MGA/MBA programs may only receive MGA scholarships in the year they are paying tuition to the MGA program. They should consult either the Faculty of Law or Rotman for funding opportunities for their respective programs. Students in dual degree programs are not eligible for MGA scholarship funding.

If you are an international student, you may be eligible for an entrance scholarship based on merit (which is awarded by the MGA program upon offer of admission).

You can also search for awards and scholarships through U of T's School of Graduate Studies.

This scholarship is to be awarded based on academic merit to one new Canadian or permanent resident of Canada entering their first year of study in the Master of Global Affairs (MGA) program. In addition to a new recipient being selected, students who have already received the award may be eligible for a 2nd year of funding.

• Approx. value: $25,000 CAD

• Awarded to an international MGA student (or MPP student in alternate years), either from a country in Africa or from the Black diaspora entering into the MGA (or MPP) program.
• Awarded based on academic merit upon admission to the program. No separate application is required.
• Awarded by the Admissions Committee in March/April.
• Approx. value: $2,000
• 2021-2022 Recipient: Marie Reine Mukazayire (MGA1)

• Established by the Power Corporation of Canada.
• To be awarded to Master of Global Affairs (MGA) students on the basis of academic
  merit, with preference given to underrepresented groups, including Black and/or
  Indigenous students.
• As part of the application to the MGA program, students can submit an optional diversity statement. The MGA program will use that statement to identify students in
  underrepresented groups.
• Recipients selected by the MGA Admissions Committee. 
• Approx. Value of Award: $5,000-$10,000 per award.

• Established by Munk School Distinguished Fellow Paul Cadario.
• Awarded to one or more Master of Global Affairs (MGA) year two students based on academic meirt
• No application required.
• Recipients selected by the MGA Awards Committee in May/June.
• Approx. Value of Award: $6,000-$8,000 CAD

2021-2022 Recipients: Hebat Al-Junaidi (MGA2) & Stewart Cowan (MGA2)

• Established by Gary and Martin Goldberg in memory of their father, David Goldberg.
• Awarded to one or two Master of Global Affairs (MGA) year two students per year.
• No application required.
• Recipients selected by the MGA Awards Committee in May/June.
• Approx. Value of Award: $2,000 CAD

2021-2022 Recipient: Yazen Abed (MGA2)

• Established by Peter O’Hagan.
• Awarded to a Master of Global Affairs (MGA) year two student on the basis of academic merit
• No application required.
• Recipients selected by the MGA Awards Committee in May/June.
• Approx. Value of Award: $2,000 CAD

2021-2022 Recipient: Anton Meier (MGA2)

• Established by the Faculty of Arts and Science, Department of Political Science, School of Graduate Studies and Provost Office.
• Awarded to a year two student in the Master of Global Affairs (MGA) program on the basis of academic merit. 
• No application required.
• Recipients selected by the MGA Awards Committee in May/June.
• Approx. Value of Award: $3,000 CAD

2021-2022 Recipient: Alexandrea Johnston (MGA2)

• Established by Jonathan Hausman and Stacey Rosen
• Awarded to one or more  Master of Global Affairs (MGA) year two students who has a B.Com or Law degree (JD or LLB) or is pursing the combined JD/MGA or MGA/MBA program.
• May also be awarded to a qualified incoming student.
• Based on academic merit.
• No application required.
• Recipients selected by the MGA Awards Committee in May/June.
• Approx. Value of Award: $4,000-$8,000 CAD

• To be awarded to one or more Master of Global Affairs students in year two from one of the CARICOM countries, on the basis of academic excellence.
• No application required.
• May also be awarded to a qualified incoming MGA student.
• Recipients selected by the MGA Awards Committee in May/June.
• Approx. Award Value: $5,000-$10,000 CAD

2021-2022 Recipient: Sohailia Saywack (MGA2)

• Awarded to a Master of Global Affairs (MGA) student entering the MBA/MGA joint program in year two, and awarded based on academic merit.
• No application required.
• Recipient chosen by the Rotman School of Management and the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy in July.
• Award Value: $15,000 CAD

2021-2022 Recipient: Connor Fraser (MGA/MBA Combined Degree)

• To be awarded annually to one year two MGA student in either the MGA or MPP programs who excels in both global affairs and public policy.
• Awarded to an MGA student in even years only (odd years MPP). A selection committee comprised of faculty and a representative of the Gotlieb Family will convene to select a recipient. No application is necessary.
• Awarded by the selection committee in May/June. Awarded to an MGA student in even years only.
• Approx. Award Value: $5,000 CAD

• To be awarded annually to one year two MGA student in either the MGA or MPP programs to advance their studies in global affairs or public policy through travel outside of Canada.
• Awarded to an MGA student in even years only (odd years MPP). A selection committee comprised of faculty and a representative of the Gotlieb Family will convene to select a recipient. No application is necessary.
• Awarded by the selection committee in May/June. Awarded to an MGA student in even years only.
• Approx. Award Value: $1,500 CAD

• To be awarded to one or more year two  MGA or MPP students (MGA2 student odd years) on the basis of academic merit.
• No application is required. Decisions are made based by the Awards Committee based on academic performance in year one of the program.
• Awarded by the selection committee in May/June. Awarded to an MGA student in even years only.
• Approx. Award Value: $3,000 CAD

• Established by the Lupina Foundation.
• To be awarded to MGA students who applied for OGS and indicated innovation as their focus of study.
• Applicants selected by the IPL selection committee who have not been awarded OGS may still receive the $5,000.

• To apply, interested MGA2 students needs to:
  • Identify an IPL Faculty member who agrees to support them in their application.
  • Submit a one-page proposal approved by their faculty mentor in which they describe their fit with the goals of the IPL. The proposal should explain their proposed and current course to study toward a specialization in the innovation emphasis as part of their MGA studies, and a project on which they would like to write a policy brief under the supervision of the IPL member.
  • Send your one-page proposal, a short bio and an academic CV to IPL Co-Director codirector@utoronto.ca& Prof. David Wolfe (david.wolfe@utoronto.ca) with the subject – Lupina-IPL MGA award in innovation studies CC’ing mga@utoronto.ca by April 1, 2023.
• Successful applicants are expected to participate in the IPL activities (lunches, brown bag seminars, webinar and speaker series) as well as work with a faculty member toward the writing of their proposed policy brief in the year in which they are fellows. Failure to participate in these activities will result in the revoking of the fellowship. Pease schedule your courses accordingly.
• Awarded by an  IPL committee in June/July.
• Approximately six fellowships will be awarded annually.
• Award Value: $5,000 CAD ($15,000 if receiving OGS)

• SLI Fellowships are awarded to MGA students who take on leadership roles in student groups such as: Global Conversations (GC), Spectrum, Munk School Black Student Association (MSBSA), Consulting Careers Initiative (CCI), Indigenous Policy Initiative (IPI), among others.
• No application is required. Students must be in a leadership role within a student club to be eligible for the fellowship.
• Fellowships are awarded by the MGA Director at the end of the fall term.
• Approx. Award Value: $2,000

The Janice Stein Student Leadership award is awarded to a graduating MGA student who has exhibited exemplary leadership in the MGA program. A call for nominations will go out in April with nominations due mid-May. Student may nominate themselves. The recipient is announced at the MGA convocation reception in June.

The Janice Stein Alumni Leadership Award is awarded to an MGA alumni who has exhibited exemplary innovative leadership on a global issue since graduating from the MGA program. The recipient is announced at the fall alumni reunion. 

The Peter Mansbridge Gold Medal is awarded to the student with the highest academic standing in the MGA program upon graduation. The recipient is announced at the MGA convocation reception in June.   

The George B. Kepes MGA Leadership Award is awarded to an outstanding graduating MGA student who has made a meaningful contribution to student life and extra-curricular activities at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy. A call for nominations will go out in April with nominations due mid-May. Student may nominate themselves. The recipient is announced at the MGA convocation reception in June.

OGS (Ontario Graduate Scholarship)/Lupina-IPL OGS Fellowship

Value of Award: $15,000 ($5,000 per term)

Eligibility: Students who are Ontario residents, including visa students may apply for OGS

Students must have a GPA 0f 3.7 or A- in their last 20 courses to be eligible for this award.

Deadline to submit application to MGA program: March 1, 2024 (International Students) and April 1, 2024 (Domestic Students)  (please submit your application online as directed below)

The Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) is now administered and distributed at a departmental level. The MGA program accepts OGS application directly and is responsible for distributing the award. Current Year One and potential MGA students may apply for OGS using the on-line application form now available for students to access via the SGS website or by clicking here.

Applicants must apply through the SGS OGS portal. Applicants who want to be considered for the Master of Global Affairs (MGA) Lupina-IPL Fellowship in Innovation must also submit a separate application (see The Master in Global Affairs (MGA) Lupina-IPL Fellowships in Innovation).

The University of Toronto OGS application requires that students provide the same supporting materials as has been included in previous OGS applications:

• Two Academic Assessment reports (referees will be required to submit on-line)
• Plan of study (approx. 500 words)
• Transcripts from all post-secondary institutions (unofficial or student issued copies are permitted)
• List of previous awards/publications/conferences/research experience

Important note for students: This application will only be assessed at the University of Toronto. Students must submit an OGS application to each institution for which they are seeking admission. OGS awards are no longer transferrable by a student from one university to another.

SSHRC (Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council)

Value of Award: $17, 500 (CAD)

Eligibility: Students who are citizens or permanent residents of Canada may apply for SSHRC.

Students must hold an 80% (A- or 3.7) average in their last two years of undergraduate study to be eligible for this award.

Deadline to submit your application to the MGA program: December 1, 2023.

MGA students are eligible to apply for the Joseph-Armand Bombardier CGS Master’s Award. Students can apply for this award starting in the fall of each year for use in the next academic year. Both current Year One MGA students and students applying to the MGA program may apply for this award.

Although the MGA program does not have a formal thesis component, MGA students who receive SSHRC must enroll in either the MGA Reading Course (GLA2095H) or the MGA Research Paper (GLA2888H) to meet the research requirement of the award.

Application Process:

When completing a CGS M application, students may select up to 5 separate universities (one graduate department per university) where they intend to pursue graduate studies and hold the award. Once completed and submitted online, the entire application will be available to all the proposed universities the student has listed. Students applying for an award at U of T will not be required to submit a paper application.

Applicants must complete and submit the online application using the Research Portal. Students should refer to the CGS M application instructions currently housed on the NSERC’s website for details on how to complete their application. Additionally the Canadian Common CV (CCV) must be completed and uploaded to the CGS M application.

A completed CGS M application will include the following:

• Completed 3 part online application
• Identification
• Summary of Proposal
• Activity Details
• Outline of proposed research (as PDF attachment)
• Canadian Common CV (as PDF attachment)
• All official academic transcripts, undergraduate and graduate (as PDF attachment)**
• Completed Reference Assessments (x2) – invitation initiated and form completed electronically

** registered students must provide official transcripts showing fall 2021 registration.

***SSHRC cannot be transferred to other schools. Students must use the award at university that awarded it to them.

Resources and Contact Information:

• Canada Graduate Scholarships-Master’s Program Instructions for Completing an Application: http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ResearchPortal-PortailDeRecherche/Instructions-Instructions/CGS_M-BESC_M_eng.asp.
• Canadian Common CV – How to Complete the Canada Graduate Scholarships-Master’s Version: http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ResearchPortal-PortailDeRecherche/Instructions-Instructions/index_eng.asp

Students are encouraged to visit Awards Explorer for other scholarship and award opportunities. Students should be proactive when applying for external and internal funding.

The Centre for International Experience offers various funding opportunities for students who are planning to study abroad in their second year of the MGA program. Please visit the CIE website for more information.

Click here to review the scholarship opportunity to study in Canada and/or the UK!