Alberta Graduate Excellence Scholarship AGES 2026-27 in Canada

The Alberta Graduate Excellence Scholarship (AGES) is a Government of Alberta award for top master's and PhD students at public universities in Alberta, Canada. It is open to international students.

Value

CAD $11,000 to $15,000, paid from the Alberta Heritage Scholarship Fund. Each university sets its own amount. For example:

• University of Lethbridge: $11,000 for master's, $15,000 for PhD
• University of Alberta: $12,000, paid as one lump sum

It is not automatically renewed, but you can be selected again in later years if you still qualify.

Who can get it

• Enrolled full-time in a master's or doctoral programme (or a graduate certificate leading to a master's at some universities) at an Alberta public post-secondary institution
• Living in Alberta while studying
• A Canadian citizen, permanent resident, protected person, Indigenous student, or international student. International students need a valid study permit.
• Enrolled in Fall 2026 and/or Winter 2027 for this round
• Good academic standing. Universities often look at grades: the University of Lethbridge asks for a GPA of 3.5 or higher.

Important: you can't apply from abroad

AGES is only for students already studying in Alberta. If you're outside Canada, the way in is to get admitted to a master's or PhD programme at an Alberta university, such as:

• University of Alberta
• University of Calgary
• University of Lethbridge
• Athabasca University

Once you're enrolled, you can be considered for AGES.

How it works

You usually don't fill in an application. Your university selects and nominates recipients.

• University of Lethbridge: no application. All eligible students are entered automatically.
• University of Alberta: faculties choose nominees and submit them by 13 November 2026. Nominated students fill in an AGES Student Declaration Form for their faculty. There's also a separate AGES-Indigenous award that students apply for directly (deadline 13 October 2026).
• Other universities: contact your graduate studies or student awards office.

Tips

• Keep your grades high from your first semester. Selection is mainly on academic merit.
• Ask your department's graduate advisor about internal deadlines. They are often earlier than the university's.
• When applying to Alberta universities, mention your research plans clearly. Strong applicants are more likely to be chosen for funding.