McCall MacBain Scholarship 2027: Eligibility, Benefits & Application Guide

McCall MacBain Scholarship 2027 at a Glance

The McCall MacBain Scholarships at McGill fund master's and select professional degrees for emerging leaders from Canada and around the world. Here are the essentials for the Summer/Fall 2027 intake before we go into detail.

Note - These dates pertain to the current intake, but a similar time frame is expected for the 2027/28 intake as well. Therefore, be sure to verify the exact dates on the official website. 

What Does the McCall MacBain Scholarship Cover?

McCall MacBain is undoubtedly one of the best Fully Funded Scholarships covering both your educational costs as well as the cost of living in Montreal, and it includes a leadership component that most graduate funding programs lack. The following is a breakdown of the scholarship coverage.

Tuition Fees and Living Stipend

• Tuition and fees: Fully paid for the regular period of your master’s or professional degree program at McGill.
• Living allowance: $2,300 CAD monthly during academic semesters.
• Moving allowance: Lump-sum payment to help move to Montreal.
• Summer funding: Scholars who are not taking any courses during summer can receive funding to do research or impact projects.

The one thing to note is that the application fee for the McGill program is not included; hence, you should expect to cover that on your own.

Additional Benefits for Scholars

In addition to the scholarship, the students are enrolled in a leadership development program that complements their academic pursuits:

• Training: This includes mentoring and coaching, where each scholar is assigned a mentor and an executive coach and advisor. Over 100 leaders have served as mentors to scholars since 2021.
• Leadership program: This covers training in six areas such as Context and Foundations, Leadership Skills and Taking Stock.
• Seminars/workshops: Gatherings held every two weeks, field trips and workshops dealing with subjects like strategic thinking and public speaking.
• Place-based Learning: In year two, students take tours in either Quebec or Canada. The recent destinations include Quebec City, Winnipeg, Vancouver and Halifax.
• McCall MacBain House: Downtown place for study, meetings and community activities.

Candidates who make it to the later rounds but do not win the scholarship will still be awarded money. The finalists will be awarded $10,000 CAD (candidates from Canada) or $20,000 CAD per year for two years (international candidates).

Who Is Eligible for the McCall MacBain Scholarship?

These criteria are based on the timing of your receipt of your first bachelor's degree and not on your nationality, and both Canadian and international applicants can apply for it through the same scholarship program.

Academic and Degree Requirements

1. Bachelor’s degree criteria: To be eligible, you must satisfy at least one of the following three criteria:

• that you will attain your first bachelor’s degree by August 2027;
• that you obtained your bachelor’s degree within the past five years from January 2021 onward
• you obtained your bachelor’s degree more than five years ago and were no older than 30 on January 1, 2026.

1. McGill acceptance: In addition, you have to satisfy McGill’s master’s degree requirements and get accepted into a related program at McGill University. These two applications are independent of each other, but most students apply for the scholarship first.
2. GPA: The official website does not mention any minimum GPA requirement. Strength in academics and intellectual curiosity are among five criteria that will be considered for selection, along with compatibility with the program and the range of courses taken.
3. Test scores: No test scores or proof of English proficiency is required during the scholarship application process, though McGill may require it for the admission process.
4. Course format: The program that you select should be full-time, and scholarships cannot be postponed. 

Age, Graduation and Other Eligibility Criteria

• Age restriction: The program has no age restriction. Students and graduates of any age can apply for the program, and the age restriction of 30 applies to those whose first bachelor’s degree was obtained over five years ago.
• Nationality: International and Canadian students can participate in the scholarship program. Deadlines are different based on your region, and there will be 20 Canadian scholars and 10 international scholars.
• Endorsement for international students: Applicants from international backgrounds planning to study in Canada and have not studied at a Canadian institution or a participating university outside Canada should request endorsement from their respective university regardless of their graduation year. An application without an endorsement is incomplete.
• References: Two references are mandatory, both of which should be obtained online. Both should be academic and community. Relatives, peers, and friends cannot act as references, and both should be obtained before the deadline.
• Attempts: From the 2022-2023 cycle onward, candidates are not allowed to make more than two attempts.

Which McGill Programs Are Eligible for the McCall MacBain Scholarship?

This award works with over 150 master’s programs and three second-entry professional programs at McGill University, which means that there is something available in most disciplines. The complete list of eligible programs can be found on the program website, and the following criteria determine eligibility:

• Program format and size: The program should have a full-time format and contain a minimum of 45 credits. Also, it should be focused on downtown or the Macdonald Campus of McGill University.
• Degree of Master: More than 150 disciplines with MA, MArch, MBA, MEd, MEng, MISt, MM, MMus, MPP, MSc, MSW, MUP, LLM and STM degrees.
• Secondary-entry professional degrees: BCL/JD (Law), DMD (Dentistry) and MDCM (Medicine).
• Application to different programs: Students may apply for up to 5 different McGill programs using the scholarship application, but a separate application should be submitted to McGill for each of them.

Some courses are not part of the scholarship program, and it is good to identify those that do not qualify prior to shortlisting them:

• Graduate Certificates and Ph.D.s
• Executive Master’s programs including the EMBA, IMHL, and IMPM
• Part-time courses
• Dual degrees
• Qualifying Year programs, even though you can apply for the scholarship before joining one

Your eligibility for the scholarship will depend on your admission into and enrollment in an eligible program, which begins either in Fall 2027 or Summer 2027.

McCall MacBain Scholarship 2027 Deadline: Key Dates

Applications for the Class of 2027 started on June 1, 2026, and the deadline will vary based on where you completed your education. The deadlines are set for 4:00 PM Eastern Time, and all the reference forms need to be completed by that time.

International Applicant Deadline

• Deadline: August 19, 2026, 4:00 PM ET.
• Whom it concerns: All except Canadian and American university students and alumni and Canadians who study abroad. One of the top scholarships for Indian students planning their master’s in Canada.
• What you need to expect: As you will have to get an endorsement from your university, you can say that the process begins well in advance of the date specified above. 

Canada and U.S. Applicant Deadline

• Deadline: September 23, 2026, 4:00 PM Eastern Time.
• Who is eligible: Students and alumni from universities in Canada and the U.S., plus Canadians studying overseas. 

This is the official timeline for the 2027 cohort, which reveals how early the process begins in comparison to the September start date. It is expected that the rhythm of the next intake will be similar, with applications starting in early summer and ending in late summer or early fall. Dates for the next cycle have not been published yet; please consult the official page.

How to Apply for the McCall MacBain Scholarship?

The process of applying for the scholarship is different from applying to McGill. The scholarship application is done first, and then the application for the McGill program is done separately. In the case of the 2027 application cycle, applicants could list up to five relevant McGill programs which are suitable for you in the scholarship application process.

The steps include:

1. Evaluate your eligibility: Make sure that you satisfy all requirements set by the program for the specific cohort.
2. Identify appropriate McGill programs: Do research on appropriate programs and make sure that you meet the requirements of the programs.
3. Fill out the scholarship application form: Include personal details, academic and professional interests, activities, and other information.
4. Organise your references: You need to submit two types of references: one reference from an individual who is familiar with your academic credentials and the other reference from an individual who is familiar with your community involvement.
5. Submit the documents: The scholarship application requires you to submit documents like your resume and transcript. You can upload the unofficial transcript for the purpose of the scholarship application.
6. Application to McGill separately: As a finalist applicant, you will be required to apply to at least one eligible McGill program. The McCall MacBain scholarship application is not a substitute for the university admission application.
7. Interview preparation: After being shortlisted, applicants progress through regional interviews before being invited to the final interview process.

A practical tip that should be kept in mind is not to delay the process of researching McGill admission requirements until the result of the scholarship is announced, since program deadlines differ and the scholarship finalists may be required to apply to McGill University by December.

McCall MacBain Scholarship Selection Process

The selection process takes place in three steps, and the panel considers the whole person. The five attributes that the panel evaluates include outstanding character, community involvement, leadership qualities, entrepreneurial drive, and academic excellence with intellectual curiosity. The written application is evaluated first, and only those short-listed go for interviews, which are by invitation only.

Regional Interviews

• Who are invited: Over 250 semi-finalists from Canada and abroad for the 2027 batch.
• When: October to December 2026.
• Notice: Selected applicants will be notified two weeks before the day of the interview.

What you get: Candidates who impress the committee but do not qualify will receive a Regional Award of $5,000 CAD (Canadian) or $10,000 CAD (international) and can use it anywhere in Canada’s public universities.

Final Interviews

• Who is invited: Approximately 85 finalists, selected from the regional round.
• Where and when: In Montreal in March 2027, and travel expenses will be paid for the interview process.
• Who interviews you: In past years, volunteer leaders from academia, business, government and the social sector have conducted the interviews.
• Result: At most 30 finalists are appointed as McCall MacBain scholars; others are awarded the Finalist Award of $10,000 CAD (Canadian) or $20,000 CAD per year for up to two years (international). 

McCall MacBain Scholarship Timeline 2027

The intake for 2027-28 will go through the same process as the 2027 intake, which involves applying in mid-2027 and coming to Montreal in September 2028. The following are the estimated dates that will be confirmed after the publication of the official dates.

Most McGill programs begin in the fall, though a few start in the summer of 2028.

FAQs

1. What is the McCall MacBain Scholarship?

The McCall MacBain Scholarship is a full scholarship for eligible master’s and professional programs at McGill University. It covers tuition and fees and includes a living stipend, mentorship, leadership development and other scholar benefits.

2. Is the McCall MacBain Scholarship fully funded?

Yes. For eligible programs, the scholarship covers tuition and fees for the normal program duration and provides CAD 2,300 per month during academic terms, plus relocation and potential summer funding.

3. Who is eligible for the McCall MacBain Scholarship?

For the 2027 cohort, applicants needed to be completing their first bachelor’s degree by August 2027, have earned it from January 2021 onward, or meet the older-degree and age condition. McGill admission requirements also apply.

4. Can Indian students apply for the McCall MacBain Scholarship?

Yes. Indian students can apply as international applicants if they meet the scholarship and McGill admission requirements. For the 2027 cohort, the international application deadline was August 19, 2026.

5. What is the McCall MacBain Scholarship deadline for 2027?

For the 2027 cohort, international applicants had to apply by August 19, 2026, at 4 PM ET, while Canada/U.S. applicants and Canadians abroad had until September 23, 2026. Both deadlines have now passed.