Ontario Trillium Scholarship (OTS)
A Government of Ontario provincial scholarship providing CAD $40,000 per year for up to four years to outstanding international students pursuing a full-time PhD at a participating Ontario university.
Quick Facts
Status
Applications OpenFunding
Fully FundedDeadline
Set by each participating university's graduate admissions/nomination office - typically within the general PhD application cycle
Country
CanadaAbout the Ontario Trillium Scholarship
The Ontario Trillium Scholarship (OTS) is a provincial government initiative launched by the Government of Ontario to attract top international doctoral talent to the province's universities. It is funded jointly by the Ontario government and participating universities under a 2:1 cost-sharing model, with the province contributing roughly two-thirds (around CAD $26,666) and the host university contributing the remaining third (around CAD $13,334) to reach a total annual award of CAD $40,000.
The scholarship is specifically reserved for international PhD students - applicants must not be Canadian citizens or permanent residents, and by the start of their doctoral program they must hold, or be in the process of obtaining, a temporary resident status (typically a study permit/visa) as a member of the student class under Canadian immigration law. Academic strength is central to selection: successful candidates typically hold the Ontario-equivalent of an 80% average (roughly an 8.0/10 GPA) across their prior full-time study, along with strong English-language proficiency.
Unlike scholarships with a single centralized government application, OTS nominations run through each participating Ontario university's own graduate school. Students first apply for admission to an eligible doctoral program, and the university's internal committee then nominates its strongest incoming international PhD candidates for the limited number of Trillium awards allocated to that institution each year - so success depends as much on a competitive admission file as on a separate scholarship essay.
OTS awards are renewable for up to four years, provided the student maintains full-time registration and satisfactory academic progress, making it one of the most financially significant and longest-duration provincial scholarships available to international doctoral students in Canada.
Eligible Levels
Eligible Fields
Why Choose This Scholarship?
One of the largest annual scholarship amounts available to international PhD students in Canada
Multi-year renewability (up to four years) provides funding security across most of a typical doctoral timeline
Ontario is home to several of Canada's top-ranked research universities across a wide range of fields
Joint government-university funding model reflects strong institutional commitment to the award's continuity
A high-profile scholarship that can strengthen future academic or research career prospects
What the Scholarship Covers
Studying in Canada
Ontario is Canada's most populous province and home to a large share of the country's top research universities; provincial scholarships like OTS operate alongside federal Canadian awards such as Vanier, but are specific to study at Ontario institutions.
Eligibility Requirements
5 requirements
Documents Checklist
5 documents required
How to Apply - Step by Step
Step 1: Identify a participating Ontario university and PhD program aligned with your research interests
Step 2: Submit a strong application for admission to that doctoral program by its standard deadline
Step 3: Confirm with the graduate school whether a separate OTS nomination form or statement is required, since some universities ask for this alongside the admission file
Step 4: The university's internal committee reviews admitted international applicants and nominates its strongest candidates for OTS
Step 5: Await the university's notification of the OTS award alongside (or shortly after) the admission decision
Application Timeline
Autumn
PhD application opens
Varies by university
Varies by university, commonly December-February
Application/nomination deadline
Following admission review
University OTS nomination and review
Alongside or shortly after admission decision
Award notification
September (Fall intake, most common)
Program start
Insider Tips & Pro Tips
Focus primarily on building the strongest possible PhD admission application - nomination for OTS almost always follows from being a top admitted candidate, not a separate weaker application
Reach out to your prospective supervisor and department early to ask specifically about that university's OTS nomination process and internal quota
Because each university nominates only a limited number of candidates, consider applying to more than one eligible Ontario university to increase your chances
Prepare a strong, well-defined research proposal, since committees weigh research potential heavily in doctoral nominations
Confirm your immigration/study permit pathway early, since OTS eligibility requires the correct temporary resident status by program start
Ask whether the OTS award can be combined with a teaching or research assistantship for additional funding security
Important Links & Contacts
Frequently Asked Questions
4 questions - click any to expand
It is jointly funded by the Government of Ontario (about two-thirds) and the host university (about one-third), for a combined CAD $40,000 per year.
No. Students apply for admission to an eligible Ontario PhD program, and the university's graduate school nominates its top international candidates for OTS internally.
It is renewable for up to four years of full-time doctoral study, provided the student maintains satisfactory academic progress.
Successful candidates generally have around an 80% average or 8.0/10 GPA in their prior full-time studies, though exact expectations vary by program.
Ready to Apply?
Head to the official portal and start your application today.
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Deadline: Set by each participating university's graduate admissions/nomination office - typically within the general PhD application cycle
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