The McGill Students and Scholars at Risk Fund
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” – Nelson Mandela
The war in Ukraine is one of many ongoing humanitarian crises, each reminding us of the fragility of life as we witness lives disrupted, refugees fleeing their homes, and atrocities visited upon civilians and their communities.
Though less often in the headlines, the effects of these crises on the academic community are also profound and long-lasting: schools and universities closed or even destroyed, scholarly work interrupted, life-changing research unrealized.
To help lessen the impact of these devastating events, McGill University has launched The McGill Students and Scholars at Risk Fund. The fund provides urgent financial support to international undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, scholars and researchers who have been displaced by conflicts or humanitarian emergencies.
The University has committed financial resources – available immediately – to help ensure students and academics displaced by humanitarian crises are able to pursue their studies, research, or academic careers at McGill, in an environment of safety and stability.
- Fund details
- Undergraduate students
- Graduate students and post-doctoral fellows
- Scholars and researchers
About the McGill Students and Scholars at Risk Fund
Choose from the options to the left to view details including information about applying for funding.
Undergraduate students
The fund provides undergraduate students with critical support during their studies, including tuition waivers, health insurance, scholarships for living expenses, housing, and language support.
Support for individual students will be provided in the form of tuition waivers, of up to the full amount of their academic fees, as well as a stipend of up to $10,000 to cover living expenses.
Note: Students must be admitted to a McGill program before applying for funding.
Housing
The funds may be used for emergency accommodation. It may also be possible to provide temporary housing in McGill Residence Halls during the summer months.
Travel to Canada
The funds may be used to cover the cost of travel to Canada.
Graduate students and post-doctoral fellows
The fund provides graduate students with critical support during their studies, including tuition waivers, health insurance, scholarships for living expenses, housing, and language support.
Support for individual students will be provided in the form of tuition waivers, of up to the full amount of their academic fees, as well as a stipend of up to $10,000 to cover living expenses.
Note: Students must be admitted to a McGill program before applying for funding.
Housing
The funds may be used for emergency accommodation. It may also be possible to provide temporary housing in McGill Residence Halls during the summer months.
Travel to Canada
The funds may be used to cover the cost of travel to Canada.
Scholars and researchers
In addition, the fund provides a source of funding and an academic home to by arranging temporary research and teaching positions as well as stipends or fellowships for living expenses.
Support for individual scholars will be provided as a fellowship of up to $50,000 per year.
Note: In recognition of the fact that displaced scholars will usually require more than one year of support, support packages will typically be provided for a two-year minimum period. Shorter packages will be considered for extension at the end of their term.
Housing
The funds may be used for emergency accommodation. It may also be possible to provide temporary housing in McGill Residence Halls during the summer months.
Travel to Canada
The funds may be used to cover the cost of travel to Canada.
Hosting displaced or refugee scholars
When possible, hosting scholars must take place through an existing partner organization: (ex., Scholars at Risk) or, in case of emergency or imminent danger, directly through a McGill faculty or department.
Hosting a scholar at McGill through an existing partner organization:
- Scholar applies through a partner organization (see below).
- Organization sends out message to interested partners about hosting availability.
- McGill accepts scholar and hosts at a faculty/department (there may be a requirement to provide full or matching funding, depending on the placing organization).
Partner organizations:
These organizations provide sanctuary and assistance to threatened scholars and arrange temporary research and teaching positions:
NOTE:
When there is an urgency in placing a scholar, departments and faculties could choose to host scholars outside the vetting and matching process by organizations such as those listed above.
- Scholars approach faculty/departments directly.
- Sponsoring faculty/department submits application for review and approval to the McGill steering committee.
Resources are mobilized (on average, approximately 50,000 dollars for hosting a scholar for one academic year).
Contact form
Please note that this is not an application form.
Visit the McGill Giving website to back McGill’s efforts in supporting students and scholars at risk and contribute to this Fund.