A Queen’s University Scholarship can reduce the cost of undergraduate study in Kingston, Ontario. Two important routes are the one-year Principal’s Scholarship and the faculty-based Dean’s International Award program.
These awards have different eligibility and renewal rules. Students should compare the named award in their offer with its official terms before including the funding in a university budget.
Key Facts
- Host institution: Queen’s University at Kingston.
- Country: Canada.
- Main schemes covered: Principal’s Scholarship and Dean’s International Awards.
- Study stage: first-entry undergraduate education.
- Principal’s Scholarship value: CAD 7,000.
- Principal’s Scholarship duration: one year.
- Principal’s selection: top 3% of competitive admission averages within each programme.
- Dean’s International Awards: faculty-specific annual amounts.
- Dean’s award duration: potentially four years, subject to conditions.
- Consideration: automatic for eligible admission applicants.
University Overview
Queen’s University was established by Royal Charter in 1841. It is based in Kingston, Ontario, and combines undergraduate education with research and professional study.
Its academic structure includes Arts and Science, Smith Engineering, Smith School of Business and Health Sciences. Admission requirements depend on the applicant’s education system and chosen degree, so the appropriate programme requirements matter more than a general university entry average.
International Arts and Science students can use academic advising, student services, instructors, peer advisers and library support. These are university resources; they should not be presented as special benefits reserved for scholarship recipients.
Scholarship Overview
- Principal’s awards recognise academic excellence across first-entry undergraduate programmes.
- An award average is calculated using the university’s admission assessment approach.
- Available senior-school results inform the assessment; earlier results may be used when appropriate.
- Dean’s awards support students assessed international fees in specified faculties.
- International students paying domestic fees are excluded from the Dean’s scheme.
- Some donor-funded grade-based awards replace an original automatic award with an equal or higher-value named award.
- Major Admission Awards follow a separate application process.
- Published values may be revised or awards withdrawn by the university.
Eligible Majors
The Principal’s Scholarship is open across first-entry undergraduate programmes. The Dean’s International Award program covers Arts and Science, Engineering and Applied Science, Commerce, and the Bachelor of Health Sciences.
The Health Sciences International Admission Award specifically excludes Nursing. Applicants should check their faculty and actual degree title rather than infer eligibility from the broad label “health sciences.”
Target Groups
Domestic and international applicants should use the award category matching their status. For most international admission awards, Canadian citizens, including dual citizens, and permanent residents do not qualify.
International candidates normally enter post-secondary education for the first time. Graduates of a two-year CEGEP programme entering the second year of a Queen’s programme retain eligibility under the published exception.
Benefits
- CAD 7,000 in first-year support through the Principal’s Scholarship if selected.
- Dean’s International Award support at faculty-specific annual levels, ranging overall from CAD 5,000 to CAD 25,000.
These are alternative award amounts within their respective schemes, not benefits automatically added together. The official international award terms do not establish a universal package covering all tuition, residence, meals, insurance and travel.
Duration and Renewal by Degree
Undergraduate Principal’s Scholarship: one year only, with no renewal for subsequent academic years.
Undergraduate Dean’s International Award: renewable for three further years while the student remains registered full-time within the original faculty of admission. A change of faculty should be discussed with Financial Aid and Awards before assuming the award will continue.
Master’s and doctoral study: these undergraduate schemes do not fund graduate degrees. Graduate applicants need programme-specific admission and funding information.
Scholarship Requirements
A strong admission file is essential for academic awards, but a single percentage does not guarantee selection. Principal’s thresholds vary by programme and year; Queen’s assesses other education systems consistently with its admission criteria.
Students should inspect the terms attached to each award rather than apply a generic scholarship GPA or leadership requirement to every scheme. Queen’s also distinguishes merit-based funding from need-based assistance.
Admission Requirements by Degree
First-entry undergraduate degrees
Use Queen’s admission requirements tool to select your qualification and degree. Some programmes require supplementary assessment: Commerce, Nursing and Health Sciences require a Supplementary Application, while designated music programmes require auditions.
If English evidence is required, accepted minimums include IELTS Academic 6.5 with no band below 6.0, Duolingo 120, or TOEFL 4.5 overall with no skill below 4.0 on the current scale. The listed pre-January-2026 TOEFL standard is 88 overall with at least 20 in every skill.
English results are valid for a maximum of two years before studies begin and must arrive through the testing organisation. Waiver requests and QBridge pathways are addressed in the official English proficiency guidance.
Master’s and doctoral degrees
Graduate admission is separate from first-entry undergraduate admission. Consult the intended department for the qualifying degree, research preparation, language conditions and any supervisor arrangements; the awards covered here do not determine those requirements.
Application Steps
1. Match your degree and qualification
Check prerequisites and programme-specific assessments using Queen’s admission requirements tool.
2. Choose the correct admission route
Use OUAC, Common App or Queen’s International Application according to the applicant categories in the official application guidance.
3. Access your applicant checklist
OUAC and Common App applicants receive NetID activation instructions and use SOLUS. Queen’s International Application applicants monitor the checklist in their applicant portal.
4. Complete admission evidence
Provide the academic records, English results and supplementary items requested for your degree.
5. Review automatic award consideration
The schemes covered here do not require a separate scholarship application. Treat any optional application-based awards as separate submissions.
6. Read the offer and monitor payment
Follow admission acceptance instructions and inspect the named award conditions. In SOLUS, the Financial Aid tile provides award summaries and terms.
Required Documents
- Secondary-school transcript
- Senior-school examination results, where applicable
- Current and projected course-enrolment record, where requested
- English proficiency test report, where required
- Programme-specific supplementary application, where required
- Programme-specific audition materials, where required
- English proficiency waiver evidence, where applicable
Practical Tips
The following suggestions are application advice, not additional scholarship rules.
- Choose a degree for its curriculum and your academic interests.
- Keep the exact programme name beside your application number.
- Ask your school which office sends official records.
- Use consistent personal details on applications and test registrations.
- Keep clear copies of every document you submit.
- Check the applicant portal regularly for missing items.
- Prepare programme-specific assessments using the university’s instructions.
- Budget for accommodation, food and other costs beyond an award.
- Save the written scholarship offer for future reference.
- Seek written advice before changing faculty or course load.
Conclusion
A Queen’s University Scholarship is most useful when its value and conditions fit a realistic study plan. Complete the admission file carefully, identify the exact award offered, and plan separately for any remaining costs.
FAQ
Is every Queen’s scholarship renewable?
No. Principal’s funding is limited to one year, while the Dean’s International Award follows a multi-year structure with conditions.
Does an automatic award require a separate essay?
The schemes covered here do not require a separate scholarship application. A degree programme may still require supplementary admission information.
How are funds paid?
Undergraduate aid granted at the start of the academic year is normally paid to the SOLUS student account in two equal disbursements. Check the award record and university account for the applicable details.
Can a student use an uploaded transcript as an official record?
Queen’s regards transcripts received directly from students as unofficial. Follow the individual checklist and official-document instructions.
Does this funding guarantee all living costs?
No. The university describes its financial aid as supplementary support; calculate the balance of educational and living expenses yourself.