Sports scholarships in Canada for international students: U SPORTS awards and university schemes

Canada sits between two sporting worlds. Its universities are close to the American college system, and some even compete in it, yet scholarships work under stricter Canadian rules. For international athletes, it is worth comparing with the US.

Here is how Canadian athletic scholarships work, with the university schemes that are open to international students. We checked each one on its official page on October 31, 2026.

U SPORTS Athletic Financial Awards

Most Canadian university sport runs under U SPORTS, and athletic scholarships are called Athletic Financial Awards (AFAs).

• The cap: one AFA unit equals 100% of tuition and mandatory fees (U SPORTS). Universities explain that tuition and compulsory fees is the maximum you can receive in a year, including athletic-related bursaries.
• Entering students: since 2024-25, the old 80% entering-average rule has gone. First-year athletes qualify for an award once accepted and enrolled in degree courses.
• Continuing students need at least a 65% average (or equivalent) in the previous year, according to university pages such as StFX (StFX).
• Fairness rule: universities must give at least 45% of scholarship units to men’s teams and at least 45% to women’s teams.

International students pay higher tuition in Canada, and an AFA can cover up to that full amount, so a tuition-level award can be worth a lot.

University schemes for international athletes

University	Award (as stated)	Notes
University of Victoria	$100,000 (Canadian): $20,000 a year for up to 5 years	Entering or transferring international undergraduates on any Vikes team
University of Calgary	Tuition and fees up to $10,000, three awards a year	International students in 2nd to 4th year on a Dinos team
University of Alberta	See listing	International student-athletes
University of Waterloo	Fairfax Financial Athlete Leadership Scholarships	Also the Ho award
Thompson Rivers University	International athletic scholarships	Basketball, soccer, swimming, volleyball
Simon Fraser University	International student-athlete awards	SFU competes in NCAA Division II

The UVic award stands out: $20,000 a year for up to five years for international athletes on any varsity team, renewable while you keep U SPORTS eligibility and a 3.0 sessional GPA.

Colleges

Canadian colleges also run sport programmes. Two examples with awards for international athletes:

• Olds College offers a tuition waiver for international student-athletes, including in rodeo.
• Red Deer Polytechnic offers international student-athlete awards each fall and winter.

Simon Fraser: Canada’s NCAA university

Simon Fraser University competes in NCAA Division II, so its athletes follow NCAA rules, including Eligibility Center certification. See our guide to US sports scholarships for how that works.

How to apply

1. Contact coaches directly. Awards are usually decided by coaches and athletics departments.
2. Apply to the university and meet its international admission and English requirements.
3. Ask how the award fits under the U SPORTS cap, especially if you also have an academic scholarship.
4. Plan your study permit. Canada requires proof of funds of CAN$23,448 a year for a single applicant from 1 September 2026, on top of tuition. See proof of funds by country.

Next steps

Compare with sports scholarships in the UK, and browse all sports listings under the Sports tag.