OpenFieldWaterloo President's Graduate Scholarship & International Doctoral Student Award (IDSA)
Waterloo's flagship doctoral awards package providing guaranteed financial assistance and international fee remissions for outstanding students pursuing doctoral research across all faculties.
Application checklist & requirements
These requirements reflect published university guidelines available at the last review. Review official department guidelines before submission.
- Academic degree / Prerequisites
- First-class academic standing (minimum 80% / A- average or equivalent) across prior degree coursework.
- English language proficiency
- Academic IELTS 7.5 overall with minimum 7.0 in writing and speaking or TOEFL iBT 100.
- Standardized testing (GRE/GMAT)
- Recommended for quantitative programs outside North America.
- Thesis / Research statement
- Demonstrated research potential through publications, conferences, or Bachelor/Master thesis.
- Recommendation letters
- Three academic reference letters submitted electronically through the Waterloo portal.
How much will it cost? How much funding is available?
- Financial support / stipend
- Fully funded: Annual living stipend of CAD $20,000 to $28,500/year plus full international tuition fee differential offset for up to four years of doctoral study
- Application fee
- CAD $125 graduate application fee
- Tuition / joining costs
- Full tuition differential covered for award recipients.
Dates and verification
- Application deadline
- February 1, 2027 (Departmental graduate awards nomination deadline for Fall entry)
- Last source review
- 2026-10-14
Important verification note
Facts reflect official University of Waterloo documentation reviewed 2026-10-14. Admissions, funding allocations, and eligibility thresholds are evaluated by the university.
Reviewed 2026-10-14 · Editorial standards · Report an issue