Canada, Scholarships

🎓 Fully Funded: Université Laval Merit Scholarship 2026 for International Students — Up to $35,000

Gradualin

May 8, 2026
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Canada just became even more accessible for talented researchers around the world. Université Laval — one of Canada’s oldest and most prestigious French-speaking universities — is offering the Merit Scholarship Program for Foreign Students (PBEEE) 2026, backed by Québec’s Ministry of Higher Education. This government-funded program awards up to $35,000 CAD per year to outstanding international students pursuing master’s degrees, doctoral studies, postdoctoral fellowships, or short-term research in Québec. If you dream of studying in Canada with full financial backing, this complete guide covers everything you need to know — from eligibility and benefits to the exact steps to apply.

📋 Quick Info Box

University	Université Laval
Location	Québec City, Québec, Canada
Scholarship Name	Merit Scholarship Program for Foreign Students (PBEEE)
Degree Level	Master’s, PhD, Postdoctoral, Short-term Research
Funding Type	Government-Funded (Merit-Based)
Open To	International Students (Non-Canadian)
Award Amount	Up to $35,000 CAD/year
ULaval Preselection Deadline	June 17, 2026
Official Website	https://www.bbaf.ulaval.ca/en/scholarships-bursaries/international-students/merit-scholarship-programs/

🎓 Scholarship Overview: What Is the Université Laval Merit Scholarship?

Université Laval, founded in 1663 in Québec City, is the oldest French-language university in North America. Ranked among the top research universities in Canada, it hosts over 45,000 students and conducts ground-breaking research across dozens of disciplines.

The Merit Scholarship Program for Foreign Students — known in French as PBEEE (Programme de bourses d’excellence pour étudiants étrangers) — is funded by Québec’s Ministère de l’Enseignement supérieur (MES) and administered by the Fonds québécois de la recherche sur la nature et les technologies (FRQNT). It was specifically designed to attract top international researchers and graduate students to Québec universities.

What makes this program stand out is its breadth. Unlike many scholarships that target a single discipline, the PBEEE is open to ALL fields of research — from engineering and health sciences to humanities and social sciences.

The PBEEE is one of only a handful of Canadian government-funded merit scholarships that welcomes researchers from every academic field. That alone makes it exceptional.

🎓 Benefits & Funding: How Much Will You Receive?

Here’s the best part — the PBEEE comes in four distinct categories, each with its own generous funding level:

VM – Master’s Research Scholarships

$20,000 CAD per year for up to 2 years
Open to research-based master’s students only
Total value: up to $40,000 CAD

V1 – Doctoral Research Scholarships

$25,000 CAD per year for up to 4 years
Open to PhD students at Université Laval
Total value: up to $100,000 CAD

V2 – Postdoctoral Fellowships

$35,000 CAD per year, non-renewable
Intended for early-career researchers who recently completed their PhD

V3 – Short-term Research or Professional Development

$3,000 CAD per month for a maximum of 4 months
For visiting students or researchers on short research stays
Maximum value: $12,000 CAD

To put this into perspective, $25,000 CAD per year covers the vast majority of living expenses in Québec City, one of Canada’s most affordable major cities — making this scholarship a truly life-changing opportunity.

🎓 Eligibility Criteria

Before you get excited about applying, make sure you meet these requirements:

Nationality: You must be a foreign national — Canadian citizens and permanent residents are NOT eligible
No Permanent Residency Application: You must NOT have submitted an application for Canadian permanent residency as of the final FRQNT closing date (November 1, 2025)
Research Supervisor Required: You must have a confirmed Université Laval professor who has agreed to supervise your research
Admission: For VM (Master’s): you must have submitted a complete application for admission. For V1 (PhD): you must have an accepted offer of admission or already be registered at Université Laval
GPA: A minimum GPA of 4/4.33 in your last master’s program is required for the V1 (PhD) category
Degree Progress: For VM: maximum of three semesters completed in any master’s program (in any country) as of May 1, 2026
All Fields Eligible: Even though the program is administered by FRQNT (science and technology), ALL academic disciplines qualify

⭐ No English Test Requirement Specified — verify language requirements directly with your supervisor and Université Laval admissions

🎓 Who Should Apply — And Who Should Not

✅ Apply if you…

Are a non-Canadian international student or researcher
Have or can find a research supervisor at Université Laval willing to support your work
Are pursuing a research-based master’s, PhD, postdoctoral fellowship, or short-term research visit
Have an excellent academic record (minimum 4/4.33 GPA for PhD)
Have NOT applied for Canadian permanent residency

❌ Don’t apply if you…

Are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
Are enrolled in a course-based (non-research) master’s degree
Have already completed more than 3 semesters of your current master’s program (for VM)
Are a cotutelle (joint supervision between two universities) student — these are explicitly ineligible for V1
Have not secured a Université Laval research supervisor

🎓 Available Programs and Fields

One of the most exciting aspects of the PBEEE is that it truly covers every field. Whether you are in engineering, law, social sciences, arts, health, or natural sciences — you are eligible.

At Université Laval, research-based graduate programs span:

Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences
Faculty of Architecture, Planning and Visual Arts
Faculty of Arts and Humanities
Faculty of Business Administration
Faculty of Education
Faculty of Forestry, Geography and Geomatics
Faculty of Law
Faculty of Medicine
Faculty of Music
Faculty of Nursing
Faculty of Pharmacy
Faculty of Sciences and Engineering
Faculty of Social Sciences
Faculty of Theology and Religious Sciences

For the complete list of available research programs, visit the Université Laval graduate studies page.

🎓 Required Documents

Gathering your documents early is the key to a strong application. You will typically need:

Completed preselection application form (via Université Laval’s BBAF portal)
Canadian Common CV (CCV) — saved as PDF
Official academic transcripts from all institutions attended
Research project description (maximum 1 page, with optional half-page bibliography of 3–5 relevant publications)
Confirmation of research supervisor’s support (letter from your Université Laval professor on institutional letterhead)
Letters of recommendation (2–3, on institutional letterhead, signed by referees)
Proof of application or admission to Université Laval (for VM applicants: proof of submitted admission application)

Note: The FRQNT-specific PDF forms for letters of recommendation are NOT required for the Université Laval preselection stage — standard signed letters on letterhead are acceptable. FRQNT forms are required only if your application advances to the national selection round.

🎓 Step-by-Step Application Process

Find a Research Supervisor: This is your most critical first step. No supervisor = no application. Use this Université Laval tool to search for faculty members in your field.
Apply for Admission: Submit a complete application for admission to a research-based program at Université Laval through their official admissions portal.
Prepare Your Documents: Create your Canadian Common CV, write your research project description, and request letters of recommendation from your referees.
Submit to Université Laval Preselection: Apply through the BBAF scholarship directory at repertoire.bbaf.ulaval.ca before June 17, 2026.
Await Preselection Results: Université Laval will announce internal preselection results in late September. Only preselected candidates are invited to submit to the FRQNT national competition.
FRQNT Final Submission: Preselected candidates complete the full FRQNT application and submit by the national closing date (verify on official website).
Await Final Results: Scholarship payments for 2026–2027 begin as early as May 2026 and no later than January 2027.

Pro Tip: Contact potential supervisors well before the June 17 internal deadline. Professors receive many requests, so an early, well-crafted email significantly improves your chances of securing supervision.

🎓 Important Dates and Deadlines

Event	Date
Université Laval Preselection Deadline	June 17, 2026
Internal Preselection Results Announced	Late September 2026
FRQNT National Competition Closing Date	November 1, 2025 (verify on official website)
Scholarship Payments Begin	May 2026 (earliest) — January 2027 (latest)
Next Scholarship Contest	May 2026 (per official announcement)

📌 Bookmark this page and check back for updates — deadlines may change as the next contest cycle opens.

🎓 Why Apply — Why Université Laval and Québec?

Québec City is one of the safest, most culturally rich cities in North America. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with stunning architecture, a vibrant arts scene, and an exceptionally high quality of life — at a cost far lower than Toronto, Vancouver, or Montreal.

Université Laval is consistently ranked among the top universities in Canada for research output. Its campus spans 1.7 million square metres, housing over 500 research units and 16 faculties. Graduates from Université Laval go on to lead in government, business, academia, and health sectors worldwide.

Here’s what makes Québec especially attractive for international researchers:

Québec has one of the most welcoming immigration pathways for international graduates in Canada
Québec City has a very low cost of living compared to other major Canadian cities
The PBEEE scholarship covers living expenses generously — especially the PhD and postdoc awards
Université Laval professors are internationally connected, offering networking opportunities that extend well beyond Canada
Studying in a French-speaking environment gives you an extra career edge in global markets

Completing your graduate studies or research at Université Laval with a government-backed scholarship is not just an academic achievement — it is a major life investment.

🎓 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Can I apply for the PBEEE without a research supervisor at Université Laval?

A: No. A confirmed research supervisor at Université Laval is mandatory. You must secure a professor’s agreement to supervise your work before submitting your preselection application. Use Université Laval’s official supervisor search tool to find faculty in your field.

Q: Is this scholarship available for course-based master’s degrees?

A: No. Only research-based master’s degrees (VM category) are eligible. If you are enrolled in or planning to pursue a course-based master’s program, you cannot apply for the PBEEE.

Q: What fields of study are eligible for the Merit Scholarship Program?

A: All fields are eligible — even though the program is administered by FRQNT (the natural sciences and technology research fund), the PBEEE officially accepts applications from every academic discipline, including humanities, social sciences, law, and health sciences.

Q: Can I apply if I have already started my PhD at Université Laval?

A: Yes — you do not need to be newly admitted. However, you must be within your first nine semesters of doctoral studies. Any semesters already completed before the scholarship’s effective date will be subtracted from your eligibility window.

Q: When will I receive my scholarship payments if selected?

A: For the 2026–2027 competition, payments are expected to begin as early as May 2026 and no later than January 2027.

Q: Can I apply if I am considering applying for Canadian permanent residency?

A: You are ineligible if you have already submitted a permanent residency application under Canadian immigration law as of the FRQNT final competition closing date. If you have not yet submitted such an application, you remain eligible.

🎓 Official Source and Application Links

Official BBAF Scholarship Page: https://www.bbaf.ulaval.ca/en/scholarships-bursaries/international-students/merit-scholarship-programs/
FRQNT Official Program Rules: https://frq.gouv.qc.ca/en/program/merit-scholarship-program-for-foreign-students-pbeee-2026-2027-2/
Scholarship Directory & Application Portal: https://repertoire.bbaf.ulaval.ca/
Find a Research Supervisor: https://www.ulaval.ca/en/future-students/graduate-studies/find-research-topic-and-supervisor
Contact: pbeee@bbaf.ulaval.ca
Phone: +1 418-656-3332

🎓 Complete Summary Table

University	Université Laval
Location	Québec City, Québec, Canada
Scholarship Name	Merit Scholarship Program for Foreign Students (PBEEE)
Funding Body	Québec Ministry of Higher Education (MES) / FRQNT
Degree Level	Master’s Research (VM), PhD (V1), Postdoc (V2), Short-Term Research (V3)
Award — VM Master’s	$20,000 CAD/year \| Up to 2 years
Award — V1 PhD	$25,000 CAD/year \| Up to 4 years
Award — V2 Postdoc	$35,000 CAD/year \| Non-renewable
Award — V3 Short-Term	$3,000 CAD/month \| Up to 4 months
Fields	ALL fields eligible (science, arts, law, health, engineering, and more)
ULaval Preselection Deadline	June 17, 2026
Open To	Non-Canadian international students and researchers
Supervisor Required	Yes — mandatory before applying
Official Link	https://www.bbaf.ulaval.ca/en/scholarships-bursaries/international-students/merit-scholarship-programs/