Karen McKellin International Leader of Tomorrow Award (UBC International Scholars Program)
University of British Columbia
Need-based UBC undergraduate award for international students with superior grades and exemplary leadership, set at the level of assessed financial need and renewable up to four years. Needs school nomination and a teacher reference; 2027 entry opens Sept 2026, due 15 Nov 2026.
Verified today · verified by our team · Official page
Create a free student account to check your eligibility and get reminders.
Eligibility
- Who can apply
- All except Canada
- Education required
- Secondary enrolled
- Fields
- Any field of study
- Language
- Must meet UBC's English Language Admission Standard (students who do not may be considered for Vantage One Excellence Award via Vantage College)
- Residency
- International student who will study in Canada on a Canadian study permit (not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident)
- Also required
- Entering UBC directly from an accredited secondary school, applying for a first undergraduate degree
- Superior academic achievement: all A's or equivalent standard
- Significant financial need, documented with official financial documents
- Nomination by a high-school official (counsellor, principal or administrator) plus a teacher reference from a different person
- Must submit the UBC admissions application before/alongside the award application
- Four essay questions (approx. 150-250 words each); possible video interview
About this opportunity
The Karen McKellin International Leader of Tomorrow Award is one of four awards in UBC's International Scholars Program (with the Donald A. Wehrung International Student Award, International Impact Award and Vantage One Excellence Award). It recognises prospective international undergraduates with superior academic achievement and exemplary leadership that supports and empowers others; award levels match assessed financial need (tuition and fees plus living costs minus family contribution), renewable for up to three more years.
Applicants must be international students on a Canadian study permit entering a first undergraduate degree directly from secondary school, with all A's or equivalent, UBC's English standard and documented significant financial need. Steps: UBC admission application, school nomination, teacher reference, four short essays and award application by 15 November.
- Level
- Undergraduate
- Where
- Canada
- Duration
- Up to 4 years (renewable for up to three additional years subject to continued need and academic standing)
- Difficulty
- Very high · about 8 weeks to prepare
Funding
Funding varies
- tuition
- stipend
Need-based: award level 'commensurate with their financial need as determined by the costs of their tuition and student fees, plus their living and other related costs at UBC, minus the financial contribution the student and their family can make' (UBC KMILOT nomination package, 2020-21); renewable for up to three additional years. The current program page does not publish dollar values.
What you will need
- Essays
- Reference letters (1)
- Financial documents
- Academic transcripts
- Other documents
One school nominator form plus one teacher reference (different people), submitted online a few days before 15 November; four short essays; official documents demonstrating financial need; academic documents for the UBC admission application by 31 January.
Track this application and eStudent360 turns the list into a checklist and, with Plus, a dated plan that works back from the deadline.