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Scholarships & Bursaries

Every student has the potential to achieve greatness – and you can help make it happen.

For many students, the journey to success is shaped by opportunities they can only access because of donor-funded scholarships and bursaries. Financial challenges can limit their ability to focus fully on their studies or participate in life-changing experiences like conferences, competitions, clubs, or volunteer work. These opportunities aren’t just extras – they’re essential for building skills, confidence, and a pathway to a brighter future. Your support can turn obstacles into steppingstones, empowering hard-working McMaster students to reach their full potential. By contributing to scholarships or bursaries, you’re not just easing financial burdens – you’re opening doors to transformative experiences. A brighter world starts with unlocking the potential of today’s students.

Give to Scholarships and Bursaries

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Ampreet

“Thank you for your generosity in supporting students like me. I am an engineering student and the UP of logistics for the first year integration conference! I had the opportunity to organize an impactful conference to help 1st year engineering students transition to university. Because of you, I was able to give back to the 1st year students and make a positive impact in their lives.”

Dimitra

“Your support has not only eased my financial burden, but has allowed me to focus on my school and personal growth. This year, I dedicated time volunteering… Because you made a difference in my life, I am able to make a difference in our community.”

Yiqing

“Receiving a scholarship has been more than a financial boost, it has been a symbol of recognition and belief in my potential… Your kindness has not only lightened my financial burden but also inspired a renewed sense of purpose and determination within me.”

Establish a student award

Your gift can help ensure that qualified students have access to a McMaster education regardless of their economic situations. McMaster offers a variety of undergraduate and graduate awards including academic grants, athletic financial awards, bursaries, exchange awards, Ontario graduate scholarships, travel awards and undergraduate scholarships.

You can support undergraduate students by establishing a scholarship, bursary, academic grant, travel award, exchange award (for study abroad), or athletic financial award.

You can support graduate students by establishing a scholarship, bursary, academic grant, travel award, or Ontario Graduate Scholarship.

Academic Grant: Based on a combination of academic merit and financial need.

Athletic Financial Award: For outstanding student-athletes.

Bursary: Based primarily on financial need.

Exchange Award*: For students who participate in a formal exchange program to study abroad in the fall/winter semester. This is an award by application.

Ontario Graduate Scholarship: A merit-based scholarship at the Master’s or PhD level, based on province-wide competition.

Scholarship*: Based primarily on academic merit.

Travel Award*: For students who participate in summer travel and return in the fall semester.

An endowed award will exist in perpetuity, as the capital remains untouched. Only a portion of the investment income is awarded each year. The minimum annual value required for a new endowed award is $1000, which requires a commitment of $25,000 at the current expenditure policy rate of four percent.

An expendable award exists only for the period of time that funding is provided and is expended in its entirety for this duration, annually. It does not earn investment income. The minimum value of a new annual award is $1,000, which requires a commitment of that amount annually for a minimum of five years.

*Awards that require an application (such as exchange awards, travel awards and some scholarships) require a minimum annual value of $3,000. This requires a commitment of $75,000 for an endowed award or a commitment of $3,000 annually for at least five years for an expendable award.

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Why McMaster donors give: Sayma Hai Learn More

Sayma Hai celebrates the 10th anniversary of a bursary she established to honour her parents. The bursary supports McMaster medical students with an interest in cardiology or internal medicine.

Why McMaster donors give: Breaking down barriers for students with disabilities Learn More

Nicholas Cocco’s positive experiences with Student Accessibility Services inspired his father, Dom, seen here, to create a bursary to support students who require assistance with disability-related costs.

Why McMaster donors give: DAvid Daly Learn More

McMaster graduate David Daly established an academic grant to help students who demonstrate financial need while pursuing graduate studies in Economics.