The Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program, usually shortened to ELAP, is a Government of Canada scholarship for students from Latin America and the Caribbean who want to spend a short period studying or doing research at a Canadian college or university. Global Affairs Canada runs it, and it sits on the official EduCanada platform.
Before anything else, Pakistani readers need a straight answer. ELAP is not open to students from Pakistan. Its eligibility is limited to students from Latin America and the Caribbean, so a student applying from Lahore, Karachi or Peshawar cannot be put forward for it. We are covering it anyway because Pakistani students keep finding it on lists of "fully funded Canadian scholarships" and spending time on it, and because the way it works (the Canadian institution applies, not you) is the same model used by other Global Affairs Canada awards. You can read the full scholarship details on our listing as well.
If you are a student from an eligible country in Latin America or the Caribbean, or you are simply trying to understand how Canada's government scholarships are structured, this guide is for you.
ELAP in one table
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Provider | Global Affairs Canada |
| Host country | Canada |
| Funding | Listed as fully funded; exact amounts are not published in our source, so confirm on the official portal |
| Level | Short-term studies or research |
| Fields | Varies, confirm on the official site |
| Who is eligible | Students from eligible countries in Latin America and the Caribbean |
| Who applies | The Canadian host postsecondary institution, through My EduCanada |
| Call opens | Typically January |
| Institutional deadline | Around March 31 |
| Official site | EduCanada scholarships portal |
Why Pakistani students cannot use this one
ELAP was designed to build educational links between Canada and Latin America and the Caribbean. That regional focus is the whole point of the program, so there is no back door for applicants from South Asia. The eligibility rules say the student must be from Latin America or the Caribbean, and even within that region the guidance tells applicants to check that their specific home country is on the eligible list.
What this means in practice: if you hold Pakistani nationality and live in Pakistan, do not contact Canadian universities asking them to nominate you for ELAP. They will not be able to. Your time is better spent on programs that clearly include Pakistan. Our all Canada scholarships guide collects the Canadian options we cover, and the scholarships guide for Pakistani students covers other countries.
If your situation is unusual (for example, you hold citizenship of a Latin American or Caribbean country as well), check the eligibility for your nationality directly on the EduCanada scholarships portal rather than assuming either way.
What the funding is meant to support
ELAP is listed as fully funded, but the published description of what it covers is short. In plain terms, the scholarship provides:
- funding to support a short-term study or research period in Canada
- a placement at a Canadian postsecondary institution
- an opportunity aimed specifically at students from Latin America and the Caribbean
There are no figures for monthly allowances, travel or tuition in the information we have. If you are eligible and want to budget properly, read the current program guidelines on EduCanada and ask your host institution what the award will and will not pay for. Do not plan around a number you have seen on a third-party website.
The levels listed are short-term studies and research. This is not a scholarship for a full degree. It funds a period at a Canadian institution, which suits a student or researcher who is already enrolled at home and wants Canadian academic or research experience for a defined stretch of time.
The detail most applicants miss: you cannot apply yourself
This is the single biggest source of confusion with ELAP. International students, researchers and faculty cannot apply directly for scholarships offered by Global Affairs Canada. A Canadian host postsecondary institution has to apply on behalf of the candidate, using an institution account on the My EduCanada portal.
So the application is really a partnership. Your job is to find a Canadian institution willing to host you and to convince the right person there (often a supervisor, international office or research office) to submit your file. Their job is to create the institution account and submit the online application before the deadline.
One practical warning: do not create an individual student account on My EduCanada for ELAP. Student accounts exist only for specific programs that accept direct applications, and this is not one of them. Making one will not get you anywhere and can waste weeks while you wait for a response that never comes.
Eligibility in plain words
To be considered, a candidate must meet three conditions:
- Be a student from Latin America or the Caribbean, from a country that is eligible under the current guidelines.
- Be nominated, with the application submitted, by a Canadian host postsecondary institution.
- Be pursuing short-term studies or research in Canada.
Eligible fields of study are not fixed in our source and may vary, so confirm them on the official site. The same goes for any academic standing, enrolment or language conditions. If the guidelines for your cycle add requirements, those are what count.
Paperwork: expect your host to set the list
The document list for ELAP varies and should be confirmed on the official site. Because the institution submits the application, it will usually tell you exactly what it needs from you and in what format. Ask early, and ask in writing.
Even without an official list, it makes sense to have the usual academic records ready and organised before you approach a host, so you can respond quickly when they ask. Our documents checklist for international scholarships is a general starting point, but treat the host institution's request as the final word.
How an ELAP application actually moves
- Identify a Canadian postsecondary institution willing to host your study or research period.
- Coordinate with that institution so it agrees to submit your application.
- The host institution creates an institution account on the My EduCanada portal.
- The host institution submits the online scholarship application on your behalf.
Notice that two of the four steps are entirely out of your hands. That is why starting early matters so much. A host that agrees in March has very little time to prepare a strong submission.
January to March 31: a tight window
The call for applications typically opens in January, when Canadian institutions can begin submitting through My EduCanada. The institutional deadline usually falls around March 31. Applications are submitted for a specific academic year, for example the 2026-2027 academic year.
Two things follow from this. First, March 31 is the deadline for the institution, not for you, and the institution will almost certainly want your material well before then so it can review and submit. Second, these dates are typical rather than guaranteed, so confirm the current cycle and exact deadline on the EduCanada scholarships portal each year.
Realistically, an eligible student should be talking to potential hosts in the months before January, so that when the call opens the host is ready to submit rather than just starting to think about it.
Advice for eligible applicants, and where people go wrong
Contact potential host institutions well in advance. Because they must apply for you, the quality and timing of your application depend on them. A professor or office that knows you and your project is far more likely to put in the effort.
Keep the March 31 institutional deadline in view and check in with your host as it approaches. Do not assume the paperwork has gone in until they confirm it.
Read the program guidelines on EduCanada to confirm that your home country is eligible. The program is open to eligible countries in the region, so check yours rather than assuming.
The common mistakes are predictable: trying to apply directly, opening a student account on My EduCanada, approaching hosts too late, and relying on funding amounts from unofficial sites. Avoid those and you are already ahead of many applicants.
For Pakistani students, the most common mistake is simpler: applying at all. Seeing "fully funded" and "Canada" in the same line is tempting, but the regional restriction is real.
Related EduCanada programs
ELAP is one of several international scholarship initiatives managed through EduCanada, alongside the Study in Canada Scholarships and the Scholarships and Educational Exchanges for Development Phase 2. Each has its own eligible countries and rules. If you are from Pakistan, check the eligible country list for each program on the official portal before you invest time, rather than assuming any of them include Pakistan.
Frequently asked questions
Can Pakistani students apply for ELAP?
No. ELAP is for students from eligible countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Pakistan is not in that region, so Pakistani nationals should look at other Canadian or international scholarships.
Can I apply directly for the Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program?
No. International students cannot apply directly. A Canadian host postsecondary institution must submit the application on your behalf.
Which portal do Canadian institutions use?
They use the My EduCanada portal with an institution account. Students should not create their own account for this program.
Does ELAP fund a full degree in Canada?
No. It supports short-term studies or research at a Canadian postsecondary institution, not a full degree program.
When is the deadline?
The institutional deadline typically falls around March 31, with the call opening in January. Confirm the exact dates for the current cycle on the official portal.
For current eligibility, country lists and deadlines, go to the EduCanada scholarships portal, and see the full ELAP scholarship page for a quick summary.