CanadaPhD, Master, PostdocNext cycle not announced yetLiving Stipend OnlyQuébec PBEEE Merit Scholarships for Foreign Students 2028–2029
ForsaEduforsaedu.comOpportunity Overview
Through PBEEE, the Québec government gives foreign students CAD 20,000 a year for a research master's, CAD 25,000 for a PhD and CAD 35,000 for a postdoc. The Merit Scholarship Program for Foreign Students is funded by Québec's Ministry of Higher Education and run by the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Nature et technologies (FRQNT). It is open in all fields to anyone who is not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. It has four components: a thesis-based research master's at CAD 20,000 a year for up to two years, a doctorate at CAD 25,000 a year (up to CAD 87,000 under the 2026–2027 rules), a postdoctoral fellowship of CAD 35,000 for one non-renewable year, and short-term research or professional development stays at CAD 3,000 a month for up to four months. Special components exist under agreements with Brazil, China, India, Israel and Wallonia. There is no direct application: a Québec university must nominate the candidate through an internal preselection, usually held between June and September, with a professor who agrees to supervise the research, and each university may nominate up to 16 candidates. Nominees then submit their file on the FRQnet portal, which was due on 2 December 2025 in the 2026–2027 cycle. The 2027–2028 cycle closed to new candidates when nominations ended on 27 October 2026, and the 2028–2029 call is expected to open in May 2027. Scholars must be enrolled full time and physically present in Québec for the whole award, and professional master's programmes are not eligible.
Funding Benefits & Coverage
4 BenefitsResearch master's: CAD 20,000 a year
For up to two years.
PhD: CAD 25,000 a year
Up to CAD 87,000 in total under the 2026–2027 rules.
Postdoc: CAD 35,000
For one non-renewable year.
Short research stay: CAD 3,000 a month
For up to four months (CAD 12,000).
Eligibility & Acceptance Criteria
5 CriteriaAll except: Canada
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Key questions and answers regarding eligibility, documents, and application steps.
Funding type: Living Stipend Only. Announced benefits: Research master's: CAD 20,000 a year, PhD: CAD 25,000 a year, Postdoc: CAD 35,000, Short research stay: CAD 3,000 a month.
Eligible levels: PhD, Master, Postdoc.
Next cycle not announced yet. Follow the official website for updates.
Apply directly on the official website: https://frq.gouv.qc.ca/en/program/merit-scholarship-program-for-foreign-students-pbeee-2026-2027/. ForsaEdu does not receive applications or charge any fee.
Ready to apply?
Submit your application directly through the official provider portal.
Available Majors
Open to all fields of study
Key Details
More from Québec Ministry of Higher Education
About the scholarshipCanadaQuébec Tuition Fee Exemptions for International Students 2027–2028
Québec exempts a set number of students from about 40 partner countries, including Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria and Lebanon, from supplementary fees. Under agreements between the Québec government and 39 countries plus the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), international students can be exempted from supplementary tuition fees and pay Québec student rates, a large saving compared with international fees. Covered countries include Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Mauritania, Tunisia, Djibouti, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, Niger, Chad, Guinea, Gabon, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Rwanda, Togo, Madagascar, Mauritius, Haiti, Vietnam, China, South Korea, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Italy, Luxembourg and Israel, as well as Bavaria and the DAAD in Germany, the Flemish Community of Belgium and Catalonia in Spain. Each country has a set quota per level of study, managed by an exemption officer in the student's country who sets the selection criteria. Students from France and French-speaking students from Belgium automatically pay Québec rates at master's and doctoral level and a preferential rate at bachelor's level. Applicants must be enrolled full time and continuously in the fall and winter terms in a university degree programme, with a study permit and a Québec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ). Students first apply to a Québec university, then send their admission letter and the signed Annex II form to the exemption officer in their country, who forwards approved files to the Ministry; applications sent directly to the Ministry are not processed. The exemption covers two years for a master's, three for a doctorate and three or four for a bachelor's depending on credits, and deadlines vary by country.
Related Opportunities You Might Like
Back to all opportunities
ChinaChinese Government Scholarship (CSC) 2027–2028
A fully funded scholarship from the Chinese government, administered by the China Scholarship Council (CSC), for bachelor's, master's and PhD study at Chinese universities. It covers tuition, campus accommodation, a monthly stipend and comprehensive medical insurance. There are two routes: the bilateral route (Type A) through the Chinese embassy or the designated agency in your country (often the Ministry of Higher Education), or directly through designated Chinese universities (Type B). Bachelor's applicants now need a CSCA test score. The portal usually opens in November–December 2026; deadlines are set by each embassy or university and typically fall between late November 2026 and April 2027 (bilateral or embassy routes are often earliest). Bachelor's applicants must sit the CSCA test (December or January sessions) before applying. International airfare is not covered.
AustriaAustrian Government Ernst Mach Worldwide Research Grant
The Ernst Mach Grant worldwide is funded by the Austrian science ministry and administered by OeAD, Austria's agency for education and internationalisation. It allows postgraduates, doctoral candidates and postdocs studying or working outside Austria to carry out a short research project at an Austrian university. Eligible fields include natural and technical sciences, medicine and health sciences, agricultural sciences, social sciences, humanities and arts. The grant lasts one to nine months and pays EUR 1,300 a month, with a tuition fee waiver at the host university, and some grantees may receive a travel subsidy. OeAD helps arrange accommodation and health insurance, but grantees pay for both out of the grant. Applicants must be 35 or younger, have very good English or German, obtain written confirmation from an academic supervisor at an Austrian university and must not have studied or worked academically in Austria in the previous six months. Applications are submitted online via scholarships.at once a year.
AustraliaUniversity of Newcastle International Excellence Scholarship 2027
The University of Newcastle (Australia) awards the International Excellence Scholarship automatically to international full-fee-paying students admitted to an eligible undergraduate or postgraduate coursework programme in 2027. It provides AUD 6,000 a year as a tuition fee reduction (up to AUD 24,000 over a 4-year degree), with about 100 awards (indicative). Applicants must meet the published entry requirements and study on campus in Australia (standalone graduate certificates/diplomas, research degrees, online or offshore study, quota-limited programmes and students sponsored by an external body or Australia Awards are excluded). The amount is stated in the offer letter; no separate application is needed.