Pearson Scholarship Eligibility 2027: Four Conditions and One Gatekeeper

The Pearson Scholarship has fewer written eligibility rules than most international awards. There is no published minimum grade, no nationality list and no income test. But the few rules that exist are absolute, and the nomination requirement filters the field before U of T reads a single application.

The published conditions

From U of T’s official Pearson page, for the 2027 intake you must be:

• An international student — “a non-Canadian requiring a study permit”. Canadian citizens and permanent residents are not eligible.
• In your final year of senior secondary school in 2026/2027, or have graduated no earlier than June 2026.
• Beginning your studies at the University of Toronto in September 2027.
• Nominated by your school. Each school can nominate one student per year.

U of T also spells out who is excluded: students “already attending post-secondary studies”, and students starting post-secondary study in January 2027 at U of T or anywhere else. If you have begun a university, college or foundation degree, you are out, even if you plan to restart.

Quick eligibility checker

Answer each question honestly. This is a planning tool, not an official U of T decision.

Citizenship and study permits

The test is not where you live but whether you need a study permit. A student from Kenya studying at a boarding school in Ontario is eligible; U of T’s Centre for International Experience says the scholarship is open to “international students studying at Canadian high schools”. A Canadian citizen living in Dubai is not, because they do not need a permit. U of T’s inquiry form adds that dual citizens who hold Canadian citizenship are not eligible either. If your status is unusual, such as a pending permanent-residence application, ask U of T through that form now.

The timing rule

Pearson is for school leavers. You either finish secondary school in 2026/27 or finished it no earlier than June 2026, which allows a short gap year for students who graduated this summer. A gap-year student still needs a school nomination, and U of T says nominations come from your “current secondary school”, so confirm with your school and U of T that it can nominate you. Anyone who finished earlier, or who has started a degree, is excluded. Starting in January 2027 also disqualifies you.

Pearson sits on top of a normal undergraduate application. U of T’s international requirements still apply: a senior-level English course for every applicant, the prerequisites for your chosen program, and proof of English if it is not your first language. The published minimums are IELTS Academic 6.5 with no band below 6.0, or TOEFL iBT 4.5 overall on the new scale (Writing 4.5, Speaking 4.0), among other tests on the English requirements page. You can request an exemption if you have studied four or more years full-time in English in an English-dominant country, or in a Canadian school.

The Pearson goes only to your top program choice at the time decisions are made, so you must meet that program’s prerequisites.

What is not written down

U of T does not publish a minimum grade average for Pearson. It says it looks for “exceptional academic achievement”, and the competition is roughly 37 awards drawn from nominees around the world. Expect your school to nominate its strongest all-round candidate. There is also no published financial-need test; Pearson is presented as a merit award.