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Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

Call for applications for the 2025-2026 academic year is now open. Canadian institutions must apply on behalf of eligible candidates by March 18, 2025, 11:59 p.m. EDT.

The Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program (ELAP) provides opportunities for Canadian post-secondary institutions to host students from Latin America and the Caribbean. The program is funded by Global Affairs Canada through the Academic Relations program to advance Canada’s education relations and engagement in the region. Scholarships are awarded to college and university students in the Americas to pursue short-term studies or research in Canada.

Established by the Government of Canada in 2009, the program supports the development of human capital and the next generation of leaders in the region, and strengthens academic and cultural linkages between Canada and the Americas.

Canadian institutions interested in participating are encouraged to promote the program to their faculty, staff and eligible partner institutions. Institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean interested in sending their students to Canada are encouraged to explore student exchange agreements with Canadian institutions. Students wishing to pursue short-term studies or research in Canada should review the eligibility criteria and contact their institution’s international office for application details. Canadian institutions are responsible for submitting applications on behalf of eligible candidates.

Eligibility

To be eligible, candidates must be

citizens of an eligible country/territory:
- Caribbean: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos;
- Central America: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama;
- North America: Mexico;
- South America: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela.
enrolled full-time at post-secondary institution in an eligible country/territory;
paying tuition fees to that institution at the time of application and for the full duration of the program.

Candidates are not eligible for this scholarship if they:

hold or have a pending application for Canadian citizenship or permanent residency;
are already participating in a scholarship program funded by the Government of Canada;
are already enrolled in a degree, diploma or certificate program at a Canadian post-secondary institution.

Canadian post-secondary institutions interested in hosting students must:

be a Designated Learning Institution (DLI);
have a valid student exchange agreement with the student’s home institution that waives tuition fees for scholarship recipients (required for college/undergraduate study only).

Scholarship value and duration

Award component	Value	Duration	Activities
College / undergraduate (4 months)	$8,200	Four months or one academic term	Study or research at the college or undergraduate level. A valid student exchange agreement that waives tuition fees is required.
Graduate (4 months)	$8,200	Four months or one academic term	Study or research at the graduate level (Masters and PhD). A student exchange agreement is not required.
Graduate (5-6 months)	$11,100	Five to six months

Eligible expenses

Selected candidates may use scholarship funds towards:

✔ visa or study/work permit fees
✔ airfare via the most direct and economical route
✔ health insurance
✔ living expenses, such as accommodation, utilities and food
✔ ground transportation, including a public transportation pass
✔ books and supplies required for their study or research, excluding computers and other equipment

Canadian institutions are eligible to receive:

✔ $500 per scholarship recipient to aid with administrative costs once the student arrives in Canada
✔ reimbursement of additional employer compliance fees paid to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada in some cases

How funding works

Canadian institutions will receive funding from Global Affairs Canada, through its legal name, the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD) in the form of a non-negotiable contribution agreement and will be responsible for providing the funds to successful students. Should a selected candidate not take up the scholarship, Canadian institutions must return those funds, including the administrative fee, to DFATD.

Application process

Canadian post-secondary institutions apply on behalf of eligible candidates before the deadline.

Application instructions for Canadian institutions

Assign a program coordinator to complete applications.
Select “Login or Register” to create a My EduCanada account for your institution. Ensure to select Institution for your account type.
Once you have logged into your account, select the Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program and click Apply.
Enter data in the required fields and follow the instructions on the application form.
Click Validate and save as you progress through the application form.
Upload all required supporting documents. Each document must be smaller than 5 MB and in .jpg, .gif, .png, .pdf, .doc, .docx, .txt or .xlsx format.
Review all components of your application for accuracy and completeness.
Read and accept the conditions of the "Declaration and permission" statement. Click Submit. You will receive a confirmation message and a reference number for submitted applications.
Print or download the form for your records using the “Print | Download” function.

Visit Help with MyEduCanada for more information.

Supporting documents

Institutions must ensure documents are complete and accurate as per the instructions. Revised documents will not be accepted after the deadline. Documents in a language other than English or French must be accompanied by a translation.

Proof of citizenship
- a copy of the candidate's passport or national identity card with a photo and valid dates
- documents not accepted as proof of citizenship are: driver’s license, permanent residence card, work permit, student card, health card, birth certificate or baptismal certificate
- proof of citizenship selected must be from the same country/territory as the citizenship selected in the online application form

Proof of full-time enrolment from the home institution
- must be presented on official letterhead, dated within the last 6 months, and must confirm the candidate’s full-time enrolment
- copies of transcripts, a student card or a letter of admission are not acceptable

Letter of intent from the candidate (maximum one page)
- explains the nature of studies or research to be undertaken
- provides rationale for study in Canada and for the choice of institution, program and supervisor and how the proposed program of study or research will relate to their future career

Letter of support from the home institution (maximum one page)
- must be presented on official letterhead, dated within the last 6 months, and must come from the candidate's instructor, professor or international director
- explains the nature of study or research to be undertaken in Canada and how the candidate and the home institution will benefit from this scholarship program

Letter of invitation from the Canadian supervisor (graduate students only, maximum one page)
- must be presented on official letterhead, dated within the last 6 months, and signed by the Canadian supervisor
- describes the nature and scope of the research collaboration with the student’s home institution
- confirms their willingness to support and mentor the candidate during the exchange period
- explains how the Canadian institution, supervisor and peers will benefit from the exchange

Signed Privacy Notice Statement
- a copy of the Privacy Notice Statement for non-Canadian participants signed by the candidate and dated within the last 6 months

Signed copy of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or Agreement with the partner institution
- indicates that tuition fees will not be charged and highlights this specific clause
- college and undergraduate research applications with no existing agreement can include a letter from the international office or equivalent on official letterhead that links the application to a specific international research collaboration, names the Canadian supervisor and confirms that tuition will not be charged. The letter must be dated within the last 6 months and be a maximum of one page
- expired agreements will not be accepted – if the agreement is in the process of renewal, institutions must include a letter to this effect with a copy of the expired MOU
- for graduate applications, an agreement is recommended but not required

A ranking of applications
- based on the institution’s strategic priorities must be sent to Scholarships-Info-Bourses@international.gc.ca

Scholarship selection criteria

Applications are evaluated based on:

merit of the research or study to be undertaken in Canada;
benefit to the home institution and peers;
benefit to the Canadian institution, supervisor and peers;
strength of the linkages to be created through the proposed exchange;
rankings submitted by the Canadian institution.

Priority will be given to candidates who have not previously received a scholarship under the Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program.

Key dates

Application deadline

The deadline for Canadian institutions to submit online applications on behalf of candidates is 11:59 p.m. EDT, March 18, 2025.

Canadian institutions should establish an earlier deadline with candidates and their home institutions to ensure timely receipt of supporting documents.

Notification of results

The scholarship administrator will communicate successful results to Canadian institutions in the spring. The administrator will not provide feedback for unsuccessful applications.

Canadian institutions are responsible for notifying candidates of successful results.

Candidates should contact their home institution or the Canadian institution regarding the status of their application.

Arrival in Canada

Selected candidates may arrive as early as August 1, 2025 for the fall semester and no later than February 1, 2026 for the winter/spring semester. Failure to arrive during this time may result in the cancellation of the scholarship.

Selected candidates should submit their visa or study/work permit application as early as possible to avoid delays.

Scholarship conditions

Selected candidates agree to:

engage in full-time studies or research as defined by the Canadian institution;
abstain from clinical training or clinically-oriented research involving direct patient-care;
focus primarily on full-time studies or research during their stay in Canada;
return to their home institutions after the scholarship period to complete their studies.

Failure to meet these conditions may result in the cancellation of the scholarship.

Additional information

Only applications submitted directly by Canadian institutions will be considered.
Scholarships cannot be deferred and are not renewable.
Scholarships are subject to availability of funding from the Government of Canada.
Scholarships are not taxable for either the Canadian institution or the scholarship recipient.

Questions?

Contact the scholarship administrator at Scholarships-Info-Bourses@international.gc.ca or 613-237-4820.

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