Merit Scholarship Programs
Merit Scholarship Program for Foreign Students
Québec’s Ministère de l’Enseignement supérieur (MES) offers scholarships for doctoral studies, a postdoctoral fellowship, or short-term research or professional development.
The scholarship program, designed to foster international research activities in Québec universities by attracting top foreign students and researchers, is administered by Fonds québécois de la recherche sur la nature et les technologies (FQRNT). There are four scholarship categories:
VM – Master’s Research Scholarships
$20,000 per year for up to two years
V1 – Doctoral Research Scholarships
$25,000 per year for up to three years, with the possibility to extend for up to 12 months ($1,000 per month)
V2 – Postdoctoral Fellowships
$35,000 per year, nonrenewable
V3 – Short-term Research or Professional Development
$3,000 per month for a maximum period of four months, for students or researchers
For more information on eligibility requirements refer to the rules of the program or visit the FRQNT website.
2025-2026 preselection
Only candidates preselected by a Québec university will be invited by FQRNT to submit for the final round of selection.
Files submitted for preselection require the support of a professor who has agreed to work with the student and supervise his or her research.
Université Laval’s deadline to submit for preselection is June 17, 2024.
FAQ
All components
1. Can I apply if I don’t have a research supervisor at Université Laval?
No. To be eligible for the Merit Scholarship Program for Foreign Students (PBEEE), you must first find a Université Laval supervisor who will agree to supervise your work. Visit the Université Laval website to begin your search.
2. How do I create a Canadian Common CV and save it as a PDF?
See the document here for more information. (French only)
3. Can I add a bibliography to my research project?
A bibliography is not required. However, you may add a short bibliography of up to half a page to the one page allowed for the description of the research project. The bibliography must include three to five publications related to your research project.
4. If I receive a scholarship, when will the payments start?
For the 2025–2026 competition, payments will start in May 2025 at the earliest and January 2026 at the latest.
5. I would like to apply for permanent residency soon. Can I still apply for the scholarship?
To be eligible for this program you must not have submitted an application for permanent residency under Canadian immigration law as of the closing date of FRQNT’s final selection, November 1, 2024.
6. What fields of research are eligible for the Merit Scholarship Program for Foreign Students?
Even though the program is administered by Fonds de recherche Nature et technologies (FRQNT), all fields are eligible.
VM
1. Est-ce que les maîtrises professionnelles sont admissibles à cette bourse?
Non, seules les maîtrises avec recherche le sont.
2. Doit-on avoir des publications pour appliquer?
Non, pour le concours de maîtrise, il n’est pas nécessaire d’avoir des publications.
3. Dois-je avoir reçu offre d’admission pour appliquer au concours?
Non, il n’est pas nécessaire d’avoir eu une offre d’admission. Vous devez cependant avoir déposé une demande d’admission complète à l’Université Laval.
4. J’ai déjà soumis une demande d’admission et je n’ai toujours pas accès au système. Que puis-je faire pour déposer une demande de bourse?
Il est normal qu’il y ait un délai d’environ 48 à 72 heures avant que vous ne puissiez accéder au formulaire. Il est de votre responsabilité de soumettre votre demande d’admission suffisamment à l’avance pour avoir le temps de participer au concours.
5. Ma moyenne est en dessous de 4/4,33, puis-je appliquer?
Étant donné le grand nombre de candidatures reçues et le quota disponible, aucun dossier en dessous de la moyenne minimale ne sera considéré.
6. Est-ce nécessaire d’avoir un directeur de recherche au moment d’appliquer?
Oui, vous devez déjà avoir trouvé votre directeur de recherche au moment d’appliquer. Vous trouverez des conseils en consultant ce lien.
7. Suis-je admissible si j’ai fait l’équivalent d’une maîtrise à l’extérieur du Canada?
Pour être admissible, vous devez cumuler au maximum trois sessions dans un programme de maîtrise, toutes maîtrises et pays confondus, en date du 1er mai 2025.
V1
1. I come from another university and I have never studied at Université Laval. Can I apply?
To be eligible you must have accepted an offer of admission in a doctoral program at Université Laval or already be registered at Université Laval.
2. What is the minimum GPA?
You must have had a minimum GPA of 4/4.33 in your last master’s program (completed or not) to be eligible. See here for equivalencies. (French only)
3. I have already started my PhD program at Université Laval. Am I eligible?
You do not have to be newly admitted to your program to be eligible for V1 (PhD). However, the eligibility period covers the first nine semesters of doctoral studies. All semesters you completed in your program before the scholarship’s effective date are subtracted from the eligibility period, whether you received funding for them or not. For more information, read the FRQNT rules (Section 3).
4. I have already completed one PhD. Do the semesters completed as part of my first doctorate count toward the nine-semester eligibility period?
Yes. All doctoral studies count, even if you are doing a second PhD.
5. I am doing my program in cotutelle. Am I eligible?
No. Cotutelle students are not eligible.
6. Should I be first author for the two (2) scientific articles?
It is not mandatory to be first author. Articles as co-author are accepted.
V2 and V3
1. How soon after receiving my PhD am I eligible for V2?
V2 scholarships are intended for researchers in training who received their doctorate two years ago or less as of the competition closing date, or who will have submitted their dissertation no later than January 15, 2026.
2. How soon after receiving my PhD am I eligible for V3?
You must have received your PhD within five years of the final closing date of the FRQNT competition, November 1, 2024.
3. Should I use the FRQNT PDF form for my letters of recommendation and my supervisor’s letter of acceptance?
No. For the Université Laval preselection competition, standard letters on letterhead signed by your referee are fine. The FRQNT form will be required only if your application is preselected by Université Laval.
4. Should my letters of recommendation be sent by my referees in a sealed envelope?
No. Your letters may be included with the rest of your application. If your referee wishes the contents of their letter to remain confidential, it may be sent by email to the following address: pbeee@bbaf.ulaval.ca.