International Students

Queen’s and Kingston are happy to welcome graduate students from around the world. International graduate students come from over 70 countries, bringing a wealth of diverse experiences and cultures to the community. While most of your application requirements will be the same as domestic students, international students have different considerations. Visit the How to Apply page to get started, and be sure to check the Academic Calendar to keep up-to-date on funding deadlines and other dates of interest.

Funding and Scholarships

International students are welcome at Queen's and enrich our program. However, the number of international students that we accept is limited and varies from year to year. Tuition for non-Canadians (i.e., neither citizens nor landed immigrants) is more than double that for domestic students, and the university provides our Department with a limited amount of funding and awards for international students. Before applying, please contact your potential supervisor to check if they are able to take in and fund international students for next year’s admission. Admitted international students are guaranteed a minimum funding package of $23,000 per year.

We consider international students that are funded by external funding, including government funding. Please reach out to the Psychology Graduate Office if this is the case.

Language Requirements

If the first language is not English, students are required to submit scores on a test of English proficiency. Our department accepts the TOEFL or the IELTS as English Language tests.

Any applicant whose first language is not English but who, within the 12-month period prior to the month of application, has studied for at least one complete year at a post-secondary institution where English is the official language of instruction, may submit with their application a request to be exempted from the English Language Proficiency test requirement.

More details, including the minimum accepted English test scores, can be found on the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs website.

Course Equivalencies

Comparability of courses and programs also can be an issue for international students. There is no set answer to whether the program you have taken is adequate other than you need an undergraduate honours degree in psychology. If the standards for obtaining such a degree differ where you are or come from, this certainly may influence the likelihood that a potential supervisor will be willing to work with you. On the other hand, if a faculty member wants to supervise you, such differences may only matter if you do not meet minimum university standards (check with the School of Graduate Studies).

Website: Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship

Queen’s deadline: October

Eligibility: Canadian citizens, permanent residents of Canada, and foreign citizens

Award amount: $50K per year for 3 years during PhD

Considerations: Three equally weighted selection criteria:

Academic Excellence
Research Potential
Leadership (potential and demonstrated ability)

Apply: Vanier CGS Application/Nomination Instructions

Website: Trudeau Foundation

Queen's deadline: December

Eligibility: Be a Canadian citizen studying at a Canadian or foreign institution, or a non-Canadian (permanent resident of Canada or foreign national) enrolled in a doctoral program at a Canadian institution.

Considerations: Applicants must be

already accepted into or in PhD1/2 and complete your doctoral studies in 2026 or later.
in a field of study that is related to the humanities or human sciences
engaging in research related to at least 1 of 4 themes: Human Rights and Dignity; Responsible Citizenship; Canada and the World; and/or People and their Natural Environment

Award amount: Up to $40K per year for 3 years

Apply: Trudeau Foundation Application Instructions

Website: Queen's University

Queen's Department of Psychology deadline: February 1

Eligibility: Applicants must be

Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada*
Enrolled in an eligible post-secondary institution in Ontario in 2022-23
Enrolled full-time an eligible graduate program in 2022-23
*Visa Students - Foreign students who are studying in Ontario under a temporary resident visa - student study permit, under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada) are eligible for the allotted visa student awards. There will be a separate competition for visa students.

Award: $15,000 for one academic year

Apply: Queen's University website for Ontario Graduate Scholarship for International Students

Website: Delta Kappa Gamma World Fellowship

Eligibility:

Be a registered full-time Master's or Doctoral student at Queen's University
Be a female student with a valid study permit and cannot be a citizen, landed immigrant, or permanent resident of Canada or the United States
Have TOEFL score or equivalent documentation, unless English is the applicant's mother tongue

Award amount: $4 K for one year

Apply: Delta Kappa Gamma World Fellowship (Note: this website requires membership to reach the application section)

Website: Queen's University Institutional Collaborators & Opportunities

Queen's deadline: March and May

Eligibility: Applicants must be

a citizen of China, studying in China or abroad
a student in either 4th year undergraduates, or in their 1st year of their PhD or current graduate students in a Master program. Note: There are no Master scholarships. However, a letter of offer to a 4th year undergrad from a foreign university can indicate that the offer will lead to a PhD degree.

Apply: Queen's University Institutional Collaborators & Opportunities

Website: Organization of American States (OAS) Academic Scholarship Program

Queen's deadline: May (forms available starting February)

Eligibility:

Students from any OAS member states
Candidates must return to reside in the sponsoring country for a period of no less than twenty-four (24) months after completing the program of study covered by the OAS scholarship.

Considerations: Applications must include