Canada Announced $10M Funding for ASEAN Scholarship

Canada has announced that it will set aside $10 million to fund scholarships for students and professionals from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries in the next five years.

Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said in her opening remarks during the ASEAN-Canada Ministerial held in the Philippines, the Canada-ASEAN Scholarships and Educational Exchanges for Development (SEED) will be open to students and  mid-career professionals in all ASEAN countries to provide them critical skills and knowledge to help them contribute to the fight against poverty.

“We’re excited for the prospects of this program that we will be able to welcome more ASEAN students and build on that people-to-people relationships,” she added.

SEED will allow those granted scholarships to have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience a short-term exchange program for study or research purposes in Canadian post-secondary institutions at the college, undergraduate, and graduate levels.

As published on the Government of Canada website, “SEED scholarships are facilitated through institutional collaborations and student exchange agreements between Canadian and ASEAN institutions; between colleges, technical or vocational institutions and universities.” Since SEED is for short-term exchange programs, the scholars shall remain registered as full-time students in their home institution during the exchange.

ASEAN candidates who are interested in this scholarship program should contact their home institution to express their intent since only ASEAN institutions will be allowed to submit applications to their Canadian counterparts. This means that direct application by any candidate will not be entertained. Scholars for the 2018-2019 academic year may begin their studies or research as early as June 1, 2018 but no later than February 1, 2019.

The total value of the scholarship will be on a case-to-case basis but the general expenses covered by the scholarship are:

• visa and/or study/work permit fees;
• airfare, for the scholar only, to Canada by the most direct and economical route and return airfare upon completion of the scholarship;
• health insurance;
• living expenses;
• ground transportation expenses, including a monthly public transportation pass; and
• books and supplies required for the scholar’s study or research, excluding computers and other equipment.

For further details on the general guidelines, scholarship value and duration, status eligibility, and application process, visit http://www.scholarships-bourses.gc.ca/

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