The University of Toronto has launched a new scholarship programme worth $100 million (approximately Rs 955.97 crore) to attract PhD talent from around the world, including students leaving the United States, to Canada. The university describes the initiative as the largest of its kind in Canada and says it is comparable to scholarship funding offered by other leading research universities in the United States and the United Kingdom.
Announcing the scholarship programme, the university president said, "I am thrilled to launch the Presidents' Impact Scholarships. These awards will enhance the University of Toronto's capacity to attract the best and brightest PhD students from across Canada and the globe whose research is addressing some of the most complex issues of our time.
"In addition to a best-in-class funding package, doctoral students in the Presidents' Impact Scholarship Programme will work with two faculty supervisors, ensuring that they develop the deep interdisciplinary expertise needed to catalyze advances in fields spanning multiple domains of knowledge. I am grateful for the extraordinary generosity that has made these awards possible. The University of Toronto is meeting the moment by galvanizing a new generation of thought leaders who will serve as key contributors to the prosperity of our country," the president added.
According to the university, the Presidents' Impact Scholarship Programme will provide $80,000, or approximately Rs 76,97,996, to each scholar annually. Each recipient will receive a total of $320,000, or approximately Rs 3.08 crore, over four years.
CBS News, quoting the university, reported that a Canadian family foundation with a long history of supporting the University of Toronto and higher education in Canada provided a $50 million endowed gift for the programme. The university matched the annual payout from the gift, bringing the total value of the scholarship programme to $100 million.
According to the report, 12 or 13 new scholars will receive four years of funding each year, beginning in September 2027.
The programme will have a total of 50 scholars by the start of its fourth year. The university said the number of recipients will then be maintained in perpetuity.
The University of Toronto is one of the top public universities in Canada. It is located in Toronto and was ranked 32nd in the QS World University Rankings 2027.
The university was ranked first in Canada and among the top 17 universities globally in all five broad subject fields covered by the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026.
