Financial Assistance for International Opportunities

The Laurier GSO Travel Grant - Inclusion Award supporting students who are Indigenous, disabled, and or low income to participate in global engagement experiences 

The Laurier Global Skills Opportunities (GSO) Travel Grants will support the participation of Laurier students underrepresented in global mobility programming such as international exchange, faculty-led courses and international internships. The Laurier GSO travel grant specifically supports:

1. Indigenous Students (For the purpose of the Laurier GSO Travel Grant, an Indigenous person is defined as First Nations (Status or non-status), Inuit, or Métis individual from North America);
2. Students with disabilities, and/or
3. Students who have demonstrated financial need. 

The application form is now available by request, please email globalengagement@wlu.ca and ask for access to the GSO application form.

Award value: range from $2000 - $10,000

• are registered and in good academic standing,
• are Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents,
• are participating in a Laurier Sanctioned activity that will be completed before February 28, 2025,
• belong to at least one of the target student categories: 
  • Indigenous Students, required to complete Laurier's Indigenous identity verification process. This process will help mitigate Indigenous identity fraud and ensure opportunities designated for Indigenous peoples are awarded to the people for whom they are intended. This verification process is not about a candidate’s claim to Indigeneity but about which Indigenous community claims the candidate, as well as the candidate’s lived experiences of Indigeneity,
  • Students with disabilities, and/or
  • Students who have demonstrated financial need,
• agree to complete a pre-departure form as well as a post-experience report and to participate in program evaluations which may include surveys, interviews, case studies, among other activities as required by the funder.

   

The Laurier GSO Travel Grant – Non-Traditional Countries will financially support students who participate in a Laurier-sanctioned mobility program to any location other than the United Kingdom, United States of America, France or Australia

The application form is now available by request, please email globalengagement@wlu.ca and ask for access to the GSO application form.

Award value: range from $2000

• are registered and in good academic standing,
• are Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents,
• are participating in a Laurier Sanctioned activity that will be completed before February 28, 2025,
• agree to complete a pre-departure form as well as a post-experience report and to participate in program evaluations which may include surveys, interviews, case studies, among other activities as required by the funder.

This endowed award was established by Al and Linda Hecht to assist students who wish to study at a foreign institution as part of an exchange program

Eligibility

• Full-time graduate or undergraduate students in the Faculty of Arts; minimum cumulative GPA of 8.0 (B); registered to study abroad through Laurier International.
• Canadian citizen, permanent resident (landed immigrant) or protected person; long-term resident of Ontario; proven financial need.

Award Value: up to $1,000.

To apply: Students accepted into the Laurier exchange program can apply through Student Awards on LORIS. The application is usually open in late summer. Student Awards will email all students participating in the exchange program when the application is open.

This endowed award was created by Beverly Harris, former Chair of the Board of Governors, and alumnus Tim Seegmiller ('82) to help deserving students study overseas.

Recipients are selected by the Student Awards Office and Laurier International, based on which applicants will most likely benefit from and contribute to the exchange experience.

Eligibility

• Full time undergraduate students who have been accepted to study at one of Laurier's international exchange partner universities (not including schools in the United States), acceptable academic achievement (minimum cumulative GPA of 6.0).
• Preference will go to a student with demonstrated leadership skills.
• Canadian citizen, permanent resident (landed immigrant) or protected person; long-term resident of Ontario; proven financial need.

Estimated Award Value: $750

To apply: Students accepted into the Laurier exchange program can apply through Student Awards on LORIS. The application is usually open in late summer. Student Awards will email all students participating in the exchange program when the application is open.

The German-Canadian Education Fund (Waterloo Region) (GCEF) is a division of the German-Canadian Business and Professional Association in Waterloo Region. The GCEF is a charity established with the purpose of encouraging language studies in general and the study of the German language in particular.

Each year high school and university students of Waterloo Region will receive awards and prizes at a public ceremony for their outstanding achievements in the study of German. Occasionally, and funds permitting, certain German-Canadian cultural activities conducted in the schools and universities may also receive financial support at that ceremony.

The Bitzer Travel Awards, valued from $500 to $1,500 per student, are awarded annually to full time undergraduate students who have registered for a study abroad program (one semester or one academic year). Interested students must complete an application by Sept. 1. Awards will be presented at the Bitzer Awards ceremony. Successful applicants will receive 50% of the award before their study abroad period and 50% after.

Eligibility criteria

Students must be within the first four years of their program (any undergraduate program) at the University of Waterloo or Laurier and have or will have completed at least one German-language course before beginning their study abroad.

Students who have registered for a study-abroad program of at least one term at a university in Germany, Austria, or the German-speaking parts of Switzerland are eligible to apply for the Bitzer Travel Grants. Their home department/program must give approval for the study abroad program.

Application Process

Students submit a two-part application to the German-Canadian Education Fund as an email attachment (PDF only) to Mat Schulze, president of the German-Canadian Education Fund (Waterloo Region), at mschulze@uwaterloo.ca.

The application letter must not be longer than one page. In the application, students should detail their experience and background in studying the German language, culture, and history and their motivation and plans for their study period abroad.

Applicants need to provide a letter of acceptance or proof of registration for a study program at a university in a German-speaking country. The program of study is normally for a minimum of one semester and a maximum of one academic year. Students are encouraged to apply, if their study-abroad program will commence within the next nine months.

Global Affairs Canada and the Chinese Ministry of Education are offering short-term scholarships to Canadians wishing to study abroad in China. Scholarships are awarded for studies, research, language studies or a combination of studies and language studies at participating Chinese institutions.

Applications are due January 23, 2020.

Scholarships are available for:

• Canadian students at the undergraduate and graduate level
• Canadian faculty members or research staff at a post-secondary institution in Canada
• Canadian mid-career professionals who have a Master's or PhD degree and have managerial, policy development or decision-making responsibilities

Scholarships are available for studies and research, for a combination of studies and language studies, or for language studies only. Scholarships are not to be used towards a degree in China.

Students can study for a period of no less than four months and no more than 12 months.

Faculty members and professionals can study or do research for no less than eight weeks and no more than 12 months.

The scholarships are for studies and research between September 2020 and August 2021.

Included in the scholarship:

• airfare
• tuition fees
• monthly living stipend
• on-campus accommodations
• medical insurance

If you have questions about the scholarships or the program, please contact scholarships-bourses@cbie.ca.

This special fund (endowed) was established by friends and colleagues of Rowland Smith to honour the time he spent at Laurier as vice-president.

Eligibility

• Full-time undergraduate students who have been accepted to study at one of the Laurier's international exchange partner universities; minimum cumulative GPA of 8.0 (B).
• Canadian citizen, permanent resident (landed immigrant) or protected person; long-term resident of Ontario; proven financial need.

Estimated Award Value: $1,200

To apply: Students accepted into the Laurier exchange program can apply through Student Awards on LORIS. The application is usually open in late summer. Student Awards will email all students participating in the exchange program when the application is open.

Award Value: approximately $1,100.

To apply: Students accepted into the Laurier exchange program can apply through Student Awards on LORIS. The application is usually open in June. Student Awards will email all students participating in the exchange program when the application is open.

The Government of Mexico is offering scholarships to Canadians for study or research at participating Mexican post-secondary institutions.

• Program name: Foreign Government Awards - Mexico
• Funding organization: Government of Mexico
• Target audiences: Canadian students and researchers at the undergraduate, Master’s, doctoral or postdoctoral level
• Number of scholarships: 27
• Duration: Varies based on level of study
• Inclusions: Airfare, domestic transportation, tuition fees, accommodation and tuition fees for a language course, living allowance, health insurance

Full program details and the application are available online.

This special fund (endowed) was established to assist Laurier students who want to study at an institution abroad as part of an exchange program or as an independent study and is intended to assist students wanting to study in Germany at Laurier's partner universities, but other destinations in continental Europe will be considered if funds are available.

Selection is done by committee, consisting of the director of Student Awards, director of Laurier International and one faculty member involved with a German exchange program.

Eligibility: Graduate and undergraduate students; good academic standing; admitted to a foreign academic institution; proven financial need.

Award Value: up to $1,000

To apply: Students accepted into the Laurier exchange program can apply through Student Awards on LORIS. The application is usually open in late summer. Student Awards will email all students participating in the exchange program when the application is open.

Eligibility

• Full time undergraduate students registered in any faculty in Years 2, 3, or 4 who has been accepted to undertake an academic term at one of Laurier's international exchange partner universities (not in the USA).
• Eligible students will have a minimum cumulative GPA of 8.0 (B).
• Applicants must demonstrate financial need, be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident (landed immigrant) or protected person, and be a long term resident of Ontario.
• The applicant will be judged most likely to benefit from, and contribute to, the exchange experience.
• It should also be the intention of the recipient to return to Laurier for one academic term following their Laurier International exchange opportunity.

Award Value: up to $1,000.

To apply: Students accepted into the Laurier exchange program can apply through Student Awards on LORIS. The application is usually open in late summer. Student Awards will email all students participating in the exchange program when the application is open.

Eligibility

• Full time undergraduate students who have been accepted to study at one of Laurier's international exchange partner universities; minimum cumulative GPA of 8.0 (B).
• Preference will be granted to applicants who will be studying in Latin America.
• Canadian citizen, permanent resident (landed immigrant) or protected person; long-term resident of Ontario; proven financial need.

Award Value: Up to $1,100

To apply: Students accepted into the Laurier exchange program can apply through Student Awards on LORIS. The application is usually open in late summer. Student Awards will email all students participating in the exchange program when the application is open.

This annual award has been established to support Indigenous students who wish to take advantage of experiential learning opportunities offered by the university.

Eligibility:

• Full-time undergraduate students who self-identify as Indigenous.
• Demonstrated financial need.
• Students have been accepted to undertake an international co-op work term or academic exchange.
• Provide proof of involvement in the co-op work term or academic exchange before funds will be released.

To apply: Search for the award on LORIS.

In close cooperation with the Department of International Affairs of the European University Viadrina, the Viadrina Center for Graduate Studies (VCGS) offers the Viadrina International Program for Graduates (VIP), promoted by the German Academic Exchange Service and funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

The program aims to support the international networking of doctoral candidates and their stronger involvement in international research contexts and discourses. The program runs till Oct. 2017 at the European University Viadrina and offers doctoral candidates a long-term perspective to create an international research and career profile.

International doctoral candidates may apply for research and acquaintance stays at the European University Viadrina to get familiar with the research environment at Viadrina. These fellowships allow international doctoral candidates to get in touch with Viadrina professors for research co-operations or potential doctoral opportunities (e.g. joint degrees and cotutelle agreements). International doctoral candidates may apply for a one month or maximum three month funding.

Eligibility

• Undergraduate and graduate students on exchange in Marburg, Germany, for a one-year period.
• Selection is based on academic excellence and personal engagement as determined by the Laurier faculty exchange selection committee; scholarship is paid to the student on arrival in Germany.

Award Value: Paid directly to the student in Euros.

To apply: Students accepted into the Laurier exchange program can apply through Student Awards on LORIS. The application is usually open in late summer. Student Awards will email all students participating in the exchange program when the application is open.