University of Toronto launches $100 million PhD scholarship programme

The University of Toronto has launched a $100 million scholarship programme to attract high-calibre PhD students from Canada and around the world, including researchers considering opportunities outside the United States.

The Presidents' Impact Scholarship Programme, described by the university as the largest initiative of its kind in Canada, will provide each selected scholar with $80,000 (approximately ₹76.98 lakh) annually for four years. The total funding for each recipient will amount to $320,000 (approximately ₹3.08 crore).

The programme is designed to strengthen the university's ability to recruit outstanding doctoral researchers whose work addresses complex global challenges.

"I am thrilled to launch the Presidents' Impact Scholarships," the university president said, adding that the programme would help attract "the best and brightest PhD students" from Canada and across the world.

A key feature of the programme is its interdisciplinary approach. Scholars will work under two faculty supervisors, allowing them to develop expertise across multiple fields and collaborate on research that cuts across traditional academic boundaries.

The university said the initiative has been made possible by a $50 million endowed gift from a Canadian family foundation with a long history of supporting the University of Toronto and higher education in Canada. The university will match the annual payout from the endowment, taking the programme's total value to $100 million.

The first cohort of scholars is expected to begin receiving the four-year funding from September 2027. Around 12 to 13 new scholars will be selected each year.

By the beginning of its fourth year, the programme is expected to have 50 scholars receiving support. The university said the number of scholars will then be maintained in perpetuity.

The initiative comes as leading universities compete globally for top doctoral talent and research expertise. The University of Toronto said the scale of the funding is comparable with scholarship support offered by major research universities in the United States and the United Kingdom.

The university, based in Toronto, is among Canada's leading public research institutions. It was ranked 32nd in the QS World University Rankings 2027 and placed first in Canada across all five broad subject fields covered by the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026, ranking among the world's top 17 universities in each of those fields.

The scholarship programme is expected to further strengthen the university's international appeal for students pursuing advanced research and doctoral careers.