2026 Pierre Elliott Trudeau Scholarship in Canada | Fully Funded

Pierre Elliott Trudeau Scholarship aims to empower applicants to have meaningful impact in the world, equipping them with the skills to be leaders in their institutions and communities.

The Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Scholarship offers up to $50,000 per year for three years to cover tuition and living expenses, along with an additional $20,000 per year for research, travel, and networking costs.

We will unravel the details, requirements, benefits, and step-by-step application procedure for all interested and qualified candidates in this post.

Pierre Elliott Trudeau Scholarship Summary

• Host Country: Canada
• Study Abroad: Study in Canada 
• Category: PhD Scholarships  | Fellowships
• Eligible Countries: All Countries 
• Reward: Full Scholarship |  $70,000 per year | Travel Costs
• Deadline: November 17, 2025.

2026 Pierre Elliott Trudeau Scholarship Details:

Pierre Elliott Trudeau Scholarship is aimed at instilling in scholars, values crucial to become engaged Leaders, such as engagement with a plurality of perspectives, service to the community, audacity, and innovation.

Through its Scholarship, Fellowship, and Mentorship programs, the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation focuses on the leadership development of our Scholars.

Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Scholars must:

• Engage in Foundation in-person and digital events, including custom-designed Institutes of Engaged Leadership and Retreats during the first year of their term.
• Collectively organize a conference event (Impact Conference) during the second year of the leadership program and present this conference during the third year 
• Serve their communities as volunteers: Outside Foundation programming, active Scholars are expected to perform 30 hours of volunteer service or community initiatives each year and report on these activities to the Foundation. 
• Take steps, through formal or informal training, if they are not fluently bilingual in both of Canada’s Official Languages (French and English), to improve their proficiency in the Official Language with which they are less familiar.
• Commit to becoming more familiar with Canada’s Indigenous Languages through the leadership program. 

Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Scholarship Requirements:

Are you ready to embark on a leadership development journey rooted in Brave Spaces?

To apply to the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Scholarship, you must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• You must be already accepted into or in year one or two of a full-time doctoral program, and expected to complete your doctoral studies in 2026 or later.
• Your field of study is broadly related to the humanities or human sciences of direct relevance to the future of Canada; (please refer to the FAQ for more details and read up on past scholarship recipients)
• Your doctoral work must relate to at least one of the Foundation’s Four Themes: Human Rights and Dignity, Responsible Citizenship, Canada and the World, People and their Natural Environment.
• Be a Canadian or a foreign 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.

Pierre Elliott Trudeau Scholarship Duration and Reward

Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Scholars receive:

• up to $50,000 per year for three years to cover tuition and living expenses, along with an additional $20,000 per year for research, travel, and networking costs.
• Membership in a vibrant community of Scholars, Mentors, and Fellows, all of whom are leaders in their respective disciplines and sectors 
• Leadership training from our Mentors and Fellows, including unique experiential learning opportunities that enrich and complement their academic experience  
• Opportunities to acquire greater proficiency in Canada’s official languages (French and English) as well as Indigenous languages 
• Lifelong membership in the Foundation’s alumni network. 

Key Dates for Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Scholarship

• September 9, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. EST

2026 Application period opens

• September 18, 2025

Awards officers’ meeting (informal Q&A + Formal presentation)

• French – 11 a.m. EST: 
• English – 2 p.m. EST:
• October 8, 2025

1st candidates’ information sessions

• English – 11:30 a.m. EST: 
• French – 2 p.m. EST:
• October 14, 2025

2nd candidates’ information sessions

• French – 11:30 a.m. EST
• English – 2 p.m. EST
• November 12, 2025 at 9:00 p.m. EST

Deadline to submit references

• November 17, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. EST

Deadline to apply to the Foundation.

• January 26, 2026

Invitation to semi-finalists for Round One group interviews

• February 10 to 12, 2026

Round 1: Virtual group interviews and information sessions with semi-finalists

• February 19, 2025

Invitation to finalists for Round Two individual interviews

• March 10 to 13, 2026

Round 2: Final interviews with members of the Selection Committee

• April 10, 2026

Official announcement of the 2026 Scholars

How To Apply for Pierre Elliott Trudeau Scholarship 2026 (Step-by-Step)

To apply for the 2026 Pierre Elliott Trudeau Scholarship,

• Interested and qualified applicants should apply using the link below 
• Register on the Foundation’s application portal.
• Do not create a new account if you have previously applied for the Trudeau Foundation Scholarships.  Enter the email that you previously used and select “Forgot password.”
• Fill out the application
• After completing your registration, respond to the questions to create your application for the 2026 Scholarship Competition. 

Best wishes

USE THIS LINK TO APPLY