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By Olami, AbroadPilot · Reviewed September 2026
The Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship is the University of Toronto’s most prestigious award for international students — a fully funded, four-year undergraduate scholarship named after Canada’s Nobel Peace Prize–winning former Prime Minister. Each year, around 37 Pearson Scholars are selected from across the world.
What the Pearson Scholarship covers
- Full tuition for four years
- Books and incidental fees
- Full on-campus residence (accommodation) support for the duration of the degree
It is one of the most generous undergraduate awards anywhere, covering essentially the full cost of attendance.
Who is eligible?
- Be an international student (a non-Canadian who will need a study permit), including international students at Canadian high schools.
- Be in your final year of secondary school, or have graduated recently (e.g. no earlier than the previous June).
- Be beginning your first undergraduate degree at U of T in the upcoming September intake.
- Not already be in, or starting, post-secondary studies elsewhere.
- Be nominated by your school through U of T’s official process.
Documents you’ll need
- A school nomination (the essential first step)
- A University of Toronto undergraduate admission application (via OUAC)
- Personal statements / essays
- Academic records / transcripts
- Evidence of leadership, creativity and community impact
Note: U of T prohibits the use of generative AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT) to create any part of your application — doing so leads to disqualification.
How to apply: step by step
- Get nominated by your school. Ask your principal, head or counsellor whether your school participates; if not, they can apply to join. Nominations typically close around mid-October.
- Apply for U of T admission to at least one undergraduate program by the admission deadline (around 17 October) to begin studies the following September. Scholarship consideration is tied to your first-choice program.
- Complete the Pearson scholarship application. Once nominated and admitted, you receive a private link; submit the form and all documents by the deadline (around early November).
- Selection & notification: recipients are notified from late January, and all nominees hear by April.
How competitive is it?
Extremely competitive — it’s U of T’s flagship international award, with only about 37 scholarships for nominees from around the globe, and each school may put forward just one student. Selection is holistic: academic excellence plus demonstrated creativity, leadership and real community impact. A strong school nomination and authentic evidence of leadership matter as much as grades.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for the Pearson Scholarship directly?
No. You must be nominated by your secondary school through U of T’s official process; only nominated students receive the scholarship application link.
Does the Pearson Scholarship cover master’s or PhD study?
No. It is strictly for first-entry undergraduate programs at the University of Toronto.
How many Pearson Scholarships are awarded each year?
Approximately 37 international students are named Pearson Scholars annually.
Apply / verify on the official site: University of Toronto – Pearson Scholarships. Dates change each cycle — always confirm on the official page and via your school.
Free tools for this
- Scholarship Odds Estimator — real award-to-applicant ratios where funders publish them
- Scholarship Eligibility Checker — which of our tracked scholarships you can actually apply for
- Scholarship Deadlines Calendar — never shows a deadline that already passed
- How to Verify a Scholarship Is Real — the red flags that separate real funders from scams
Explore more on our Scholarships hub, including other undergraduate options like Reach Oxford.
Olami is the founder and lead writer at AbroadPilot. He started the site after going through the visa process himself — a German student visa in 2019 and a Canadian work permit in 2023 — and learning first-hand how confusing official immigration language can be, how often rules change, and how easy it is to lose money to bad advice. He spent three years as an international education and travel consultant, helping people source and verify the information that landed their visas and planned their trips. Every guide on AbroadPilot is built from official sources — embassy pages, government immigration portals, and .gov fee schedules — and reviewed as requirements change. AbroadPilot does not sell visas or applications; it is a free resource to help readers apply with confidence.
