The University of Waterloo in Ontario does not run one single international scholarship. It runs a stack of entrance awards for students starting a first undergraduate degree, and the amounts range from $500 at the small end to $80,000 at the top. Some of that money arrives automatically if your grades are high enough. The bigger faculty awards usually need a separate form and a separate deadline, and that is where most applicants lose out.
This guide explains how the pieces fit together for a Pakistani student applying from home. For a shorter summary, see the full scholarship details page.
One thing to settle first: these awards are for first-year undergraduates beginning university or college for the first time. If you are already in a degree programme, or you want a master's, this is the wrong set of awards.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Provider | University of Waterloo |
| Country | Canada (Ontario) |
| Level | Undergraduate, full-time first year |
| Funding | Partial in most cases, from $500 up to $80,000 depending on the award |
| Application window | Expected to open in September |
| Main deadlines | January 15, 2027 (Engineering), February 1, 2027 (other programs), April 15, 2027 (application-based faculty and demographic awards) |
| Official site | uwaterloo.ca scholarships page |
The automatic awards are tied to your early May average
Waterloo's President's and Merit Scholarships need no separate application. If you are admitted to a full-time first-year degree program, you are considered automatically. The university uses your early May admission average, calculated from your top six Grade 12 courses or equivalents, including the courses your program requires.
| Award | Average needed | Value |
|---|---|---|
| President's Scholarship of Distinction | 95 percent or higher | $2,000 entrance scholarship, plus a $1,500 International Experience Award and/or a $1,500 Research Award |
| President's Scholarship | 90 to 94.9 percent | $2,000, one time |
| Merit Scholarship | 85 to 89.9 percent | $1,000, one time |
Be realistic about what these amounts mean. A one-time $1,000 or $2,000 award is welcome, but international fee rates apply to non-Canadian students, so this will not carry your tuition. Treat the automatic awards as a bonus, not a funding plan.
The Distinction tier is more interesting than its headline number. The International Experience Award and the Research Award are upper-year components, so part of the value comes later in the degree rather than in first year. Check the exact combination you would receive on the official site, since the wording of whether you get one or both components varies.
For students on FSc, A-levels or another system, the phrase "or equivalents" matters. Waterloo decides how your qualification maps onto six Grade 12 courses. Do not assume your own calculation will match theirs, and confirm how your board is assessed before counting on a particular tier.
Where the large money sits: faculty awards
If you need serious funding, look at the faculties, not the university-wide awards. This is where Waterloo puts its big international numbers.
- The Faculty of Science offers International Student Scholarships of $25,000 to $80,000.
- The Faculty of Mathematics has National and Global Scholarships worth $10,000 to $40,000 over eight academic terms.
- The Mathematics Olympiad Scholarship is worth up to $50,000, paid as $6,250 per term for up to 8 terms.
- The Faculty of Engineering has several awards from $10,000 to $25,000 over eight terms, plus specific $20,000 awards.
- The Faculty of Arts lists three awards at $10,000, one at $5,000, and several between $1,000 and $3,000.
- Scholarships for Black and Indigenous students go up to $40,000, with amounts depending on faculty and criteria.
Notice how the Mathematics awards are spread across terms. A figure like $40,000 over eight terms is paid in pieces, and it usually comes with a condition that you stay enrolled. Read the renewal rules for any multi-term award before you decide it covers your degree.
The international Science and Mathematics awards are designed for students paying international fees. That is a plus for Pakistani applicants, since you are exactly who these tracks are aimed at.
Who qualifies, and the conditions people forget
International visa students are eligible for the international entrance scholarships, including the faculty awards in Mathematics and Science. A Pakistani student applying on a study permit falls into that group. The core conditions are:
- You are starting full-time first-year degree studies and beginning university or college for the first time in September.
- You accept your Offer of Admission by the date given on the offer.
- You are enrolled at Waterloo in full-time degree studies for the entire September to December term.
- For the international student scholarships, you pay international fee rates.
The full-term enrolment rule catches people out. If you drop to part-time or withdraw during the fall term, you can lose part of the award. Waterloo pays the full value of entrance awards only to students who stay full-time for that whole term.
The "first time" rule also matters for Pakistani students who did a year at a local university before deciding to go abroad. If you have already started a degree, check carefully whether you still count as a first-time student before you spend effort on these awards.
The programs covered span Arts, Engineering, Architecture, Software Engineering, Environment, Health Sciences, Computer Science, Mathematics and its business and accounting combinations, and Science streams such as Life Sciences, Physical Sciences and Medical Sciences. The exact list of awards differs by faculty.
Paperwork for an OUAC-based application
Waterloo applications go through the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC), and scholarship decisions build on that admission file. The documents listed are:
- Official transcripts
- English language test scores, if they apply to you
- The Admission Information Form (AIF)
- An online video interview, for Engineering programs
- Faculty-specific application forms, submitted through the Waterloo applicant portal
If your transcripts need attestation, our IBCC and MOFA attestation guide explains the process, and the international scholarship documents checklist is useful for staying organised.
A small detail with large consequences: the name, email address and date of birth on your English test score must match your OUAC application exactly. If they do not, the score may not match automatically to your file, and you will be chasing it while deadlines pass.
Applying through OUAC and the Waterloo portal
- Review the admission requirements for your chosen program on the University of Waterloo website.
- Submit your OUAC application by January 15 for Engineering or February 1 for other programs.
- Tick the co-op box if you are applying for a co-op program.
- Log in to the Waterloo applicant portal. Login details are emailed within 24 to 48 hours after Waterloo receives your OUAC application.
- Complete the supplementary forms, such as the Admission Information Form and any faculty scholarship applications, by April 15.
- Check your scholarship decision in the applicant portal from mid-May.
Use a personal email address on OUAC, not a school one. A school account can be closed after you finish, and then the portal login and every scholarship message goes nowhere.
The 2027 dates you should put in your calendar
| Date | What is due |
|---|---|
| January 15, 2027 | Application submission for Engineering |
| February 1, 2027 | Application submission for non-Engineering programs; document deadline for Engineering |
| February 15, 2027 | Document deadline for non-Engineering programs |
| March 5, 2027 | Olympiad and Global Scholarship deadline |
| April 15, 2027 | Black and Indigenous award deadline, and other application-based faculty awards |
| Mid-May 2027 | Scholarship notification in the portal |
The March 5 date is the one people miss. Mathematics students aiming for the Olympiad or Global Scholarship should treat it as their real deadline, not April 15. Deadlines for individual faculty awards can differ, so confirm the exact date for each award on the official portal.
Who should go for this, and what to get right
Waterloo suits strong students in Mathematics, Computer Science, Science and Engineering who can target the faculty awards. It also suits anyone who wants a co-op program, since co-op lets students earn income while studying, which matters when your scholarship is partial. If you are expecting a fully funded package that covers tuition and living costs from day one, most of these awards will not do that, and you should plan your finances with that in mind. Our guide to proof of funds for study abroad is a sensible next read.
Some practical points from the official guidance and the way the process is built:
- Several Faculty of Mathematics scholarships require results from contests such as the Euclid or the Canadian Senior Mathematics Contest. The contests are optional, but those specific awards require them, so register early.
- Do not wait for the automatic awards to tell you whether you are competitive. Submit the application-based faculty and demographic forms by April 15 through the portal.
- Check the Scholarships and financial aid tab in the applicant portal regularly from mid-May. That is where personalised updates appear.
- Accept your offer by the date on it. Missing that date can cost you the entrance award even if you qualified.
The single most common mistake is treating Waterloo as one scholarship with one deadline. It is several separate pots of money, and each one has its own route in.
If you are comparing options, see all Canada scholarships in one place.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a separate application for the President's and Merit Scholarships?
No. If you are admitted to a full-time first-year degree program, you are considered automatically based on your early May admission average.
Can Pakistani students receive these scholarships?
Yes. International visa students are eligible for the international entrance scholarships, including faculty awards in Mathematics and Science worth up to $80,000. You must pay international fee rates for those awards.
What average do I need for the President's Scholarship of Distinction?
Your early May admission average, including required courses, must be 95 percent or higher for the program you were accepted into.
Will a Waterloo scholarship cover my full tuition?
Most awards will not. The automatic awards are $1,000 to $2,000 plus extras for Distinction scholars. Only the larger faculty awards, such as the Science international scholarships, reach into the tens of thousands, and those are competitive.
When will I find out whether I received an award?
If you qualify, your scholarship information appears from mid-May under the Scholarships and financial aid tab in the Waterloo applicant portal.
Do I lose the award if I go part-time?
You need to stay enrolled in full-time degree studies for the entire September to December term to receive the full value of an entrance award.
Confirm every amount and date on the official University of Waterloo scholarships page before you apply, and keep the full scholarship page handy for a quick summary.