Ontario Graduate Scholarships 2027 Offers $15,000 At Carleton University Available
Can an international student living outside Canada apply directly for the Ontario Graduate Scholarship at Carleton University?
Usually, no. International applicants must already be studying in Ontario with a valid Canadian study permit when the scholarship application closes. This condition makes the 2027–2028 Ontario Graduate Scholarship, commonly called OGS, valuable but far narrower than many international scholarship advertisements suggest.
Applications at Carleton University will open on August 24, 2026, for graduate funding worth up to CAD $15,000.
How Much Funding Does the OGS Provide?
The Ontario Graduate Scholarship is a merit-based award for academically strong master’s and doctoral students in all disciplines.
Each successful recipient receives:
- CAD $5,000 per academic term
- CAD $10,000 for two consecutive terms; or
- CAD $15,000 for three consecutive terms
The award must be held for at least two consecutive terms. It is jointly funded by the Government of Ontario and Carleton University, with the provincial government providing two-thirds of the award and the university contributing the remaining one-third.
OGS should not be described as a complete fully funded scholarship. It does not automatically cover full tuition, housing, food, health insurance, flights or study-permit expenses. It is better understood as a substantial contribution toward the cost of graduate study.
Can Applicants From Any Country Apply?
International students of any nationality may potentially compete for Carleton’s limited international OGS awards, but they must be studying in Ontario under a valid study permit at the application deadline.
An applicant residing in Nigeria, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh or another country cannot normally submit an OGS application from abroad and expect the scholarship to finance their initial move to Canada.
Canadian citizens, permanent residents and protected persons may also apply, subject to the remaining eligibility rules.
The A– GPA Requirement Is Strict
Applicants must hold at least a 10.0 GPA on Carleton University’s grading scale—equivalent to an A–—in each of their final two years of full-time study.
This is not merely an overall degree average. The wording indicates that applicants must demonstrate the required academic standard separately across both relevant years.
International transcripts will be assessed according to Carleton’s academic equivalencies. Applicants should not attempt to convert their CGPA themselves and claim that it equals an A–.
Because OGS is awarded for academic excellence, meeting the minimum GPA establishes eligibility but does not guarantee selection. Strong grades, research preparation, academic references, publications and the quality of the research or programme statement may determine which eligible candidates are ultimately funded.
Which Programmes Are Eligible?
The scholarship supports full-time graduate study at Carleton University during the 2027–2028 academic year.
Students in master’s and doctoral programmes across all academic disciplines may apply, including engineering, computer science, business-related research, public policy, social sciences, humanities, science and interdisciplinary fields.
Students with disabilities may be permitted to study part-time. Applicants entering an extension term in the programme for which funding is requested cannot hold the award.
Master’s students may receive OGS support for no more than two academic years, while doctoral students may receive it for up to four academic years. A six-year lifetime limit applies across specified government-funded Canadian graduate awards.
Application Documents That Can Decide the Competition
Applicants will need more than grades. The application package includes:
- OGS application form
- Application checklist
- Research or programme statement
- Academic transcripts
- Two academic assessments
- Study-permit copy for eligible international students
- Optional awards and publications pages
The research or programme statement is particularly important because it allows the selection committee to judge the applicant’s academic direction, preparation and potential.
Two referees are required. Applicants should contact them well before submitting because referees complete their assessments separately. A strong application can still become incomplete if one referee misses the later assessment deadline.
Official, up-to-date transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate studies are required. Documents not issued in English or French must be accompanied by certified translations. Transfer courses without grades must be supported by transcripts from the original institution.
Dates Applicants Must Not Miss!
Applications for the Carleton University Ontario Graduate Scholarship 2027–2028 will open on August 24, 2026.
The last date to apply for the Ontario Graduate Scholarship at Carleton University is November 16, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
Referee assessments are due separately in early December 2026. Carleton’s main deadline notice states December 2, while the detailed reference instructions mention December 1. Applicants should therefore instruct referees to submit by December 1 rather than risk relying on the later date. Scholarship results are expected in April 2027.
The strongest candidates will be high-achieving Carleton applicants or students who meet the A– requirement, have persuasive academic references and can present a clearly developed graduate study or research plan. International students outside Ontario should not treat OGS as an entry scholarship available before obtaining Canadian student status.