McCall MacBain Scholarship 2027: Eligibility, Deadlines & How to Apply

By Olami, AbroadPilot · Reviewed September 2026

The McCall MacBain Scholarship is one of Canada’s most prestigious graduate awards and the country’s first comprehensive, leadership-driven scholarship for full-time master’s and professional degree studies at McGill University in Montreal. It is built for people who want to lead with purpose — those who have shown leadership potential and a real drive to make a positive impact in other people’s lives.

Each year up to 30 full scholarships are awarded (around 20 Canadians and 10 international students), alongside a larger group of finalist awards. This guide covers what it includes, who can apply, the deadlines, and exactly how to apply.

What the McCall MacBain Scholarship covers

• Full tuition and fees for your master’s or professional program
• A living stipend
• A leadership programme, mentorship, and a global community of scholars
• Covered travel for participation in final interviews in Montreal

The award applies across 150+ eligible full-time master’s and professional programs at McGill.

Who is eligible?

Eligibility is based on your graduation timeline and your intent to start an eligible McGill program. In general you qualify if you are a current student on track to finish your first bachelor’s degree before your intended start, you graduated recently (within roughly the last five years), or you finished more than five years ago but are within the program’s age guideline. You must also intend to start a full-time master’s or second-entry professional program at McGill, and meet that program’s own admission and language requirements.

Selection looks for exceptional character, community engagement, leadership potential, entrepreneurial spirit, academic strength and intellectual curiosity — not grades alone.

McCall MacBain deadlines (2027 cohort)

Applications open June 1, 2026 for entry in Summer/Fall 2027. Your deadline depends on where you study or come from — not only your nationality:

• Canada & USA applicants — September 23, 2026: for students and graduates of Canadian and U.S. universities, and Canadians studying abroad.
• International applicants — August 19, 2026: for all other applicants, including students and graduates from Nigeria, Ghana, India and the rest of the world.

Note that the scholarship deadline comes before McGill’s program admission deadlines. You apply for the scholarship first, then apply to your chosen McGill program(s) separately. Always confirm the live dates on the official site.

How to apply for the McCall MacBain Scholarship: step by step

The application is leadership-driven and reflective — it is not a standard admissions form. Follow these steps in order.

1. Check your eligibility. Confirm you meet the graduation-timeline rules and intend to start a full-time master’s or professional program at McGill.
2. Attend an info session. Join an official information session to understand what the committee is looking for.
3. Choose your McGill programs. Select up to five eligible programs of interest to list on your application, and check each one’s requirements early.
4. Prepare your materials. Put together a one-page resume, transcripts, and the short-answer / reflective essays on leadership, character and community impact.
5. Secure your references. Arrange your two required reference forms (typically one academic and one community-focused). A missing reference is a common reason strong applicants get disqualified.
6. Submit before your deadline. Complete the online application through the McCall MacBain Scholars portal by your applicable deadline (Aug 19 or Sep 23, 2026).
7. Interview if shortlisted. Shortlisted candidates attend regional interviews, then about 85 finalists attend final interviews in Montreal (travel covered).
8. Apply to McGill. After submitting the scholarship application, apply to at least one McGill program by its deadline — or by December if you are selected as a finalist.

Frequently asked questions

Is the McCall MacBain Scholarship fully funded?

Yes — it covers full tuition and fees plus a living stipend, along with a leadership programme and mentorship.

Do I need to apply to McGill first?

No. You apply for the scholarship first; the scholarship deadline comes before McGill’s program deadlines. Finalists must apply to McGill by December.

Do I need standardized test scores to apply?

Test scores are not required to submit the scholarship application, though you may need them later for your McGill program admission.

Apply or verify details on the official site: mccallmacbainscholars.org/apply. Deadlines and cohort numbers can change, so always confirm the current dates before applying.

Explore more fully funded options on our Scholarships hub, including the Chevening Scholarship (UK), DAAD Scholarship (Germany) and Fulbright Foreign Student Program (USA).

Olami

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.