A major education initiative aims to expand opportunities for Indian students while strengthening research collaboration and academic partnerships between Canada and India.

Canada has unveiled a new scholarship programme worth $100 million designed to improve access to higher education for students from India. The initiative is part of a broader strategy focused on talent development, academic collaboration and innovation between the two countries.

The programme will provide up to 200 fully funded scholarships for Indian students who gain admission to participating Canadian universities. The scholarships will be administered through the University of Toronto.

Funding will be available for multiple academic levels including undergraduate, master's, doctoral and postdoctoral studies. In many cases, the support may also cover living costs and research expenses in addition to tuition fees.

A key feature of the initiative is the creation of three hybrid study centres in India. These centres will allow students to start their academic programmes locally before completing the remaining portion of their studies in Canada.

The hubs will focus on fields such as artificial intelligence, emerging technologies and innovation. They will also host collaborative research projects, training programmes and joint academic courses.

One of the proposed centres will be developed by Dalhousie University in partnership with Indian institutions, while other hubs will involve additional Canadian universities.

As part of the broader initiative, 13 new agreements have been signed between Canadian and Indian universities. These partnerships will support:

• Student exchange programmes
• Joint degree courses
• Collaborative research initiatives
• Short-term academic training programmes

The partnerships will focus on important sectors such as artificial intelligence, clean energy, agriculture, health sciences and public policy.

• 200 fully funded scholarships for Indian students
• Hybrid learning centres that allow students to begin studies in India
• 13 new university partnerships expanding global academic pathways
• Stronger research collaboration between Canada and India

Education experts say the programme could significantly expand opportunities for Indian students seeking international education while also promoting deeper academic cooperation between institutions in both countries.

The announcement comes during a period of change in international student mobility policies. In 2024, Canada introduced a temporary limit on new international study permits to manage rapid growth in foreign student enrolments.

The policy reduced new permits by about 35 percent in order to ease pressure on housing, healthcare and other public services in major student cities.

Since Indian students represent the largest group of international learners in Canada, the cap has significantly affected them, with approvals declining in recent years.

At the same time, rising visa costs and changing immigration policies in other countries are influencing where students choose to study and build their careers.

Against this backdrop, Canada’s new scholarship programme provides additional pathways for Indian students to pursue global education while strengthening academic collaboration between the two nations.