The University of British Columbia is inviting applications for Graduate Global Leadership Fellowships for the 2026 academic year. These Fellowships are open to promising leaders from developing countries to pursue doctoral studies at UBC.
The University of British Columbia is offering Graduate Global Leadership Fellowships for the academic year. Applicants must be a citizen of a developing country.
The fellowships are to support international students showing outstanding leadership in humanitarian and development work in their home country.
As one of the world’s leading universities, the University of British Columbia creates an exceptional learning environment that fosters global citizenship, advances a civil and sustainable society, and supports outstanding research to serve the people of British Columbia, Canada, and the world.
Course Level:
Fellowships are available to pursue a Doctoral program.
Study Subject:
Fellowships are awarded to learn any of the courses offered by the university.
Scholarship Award:
Fellowships of $18,200 per year plus tuition for four years will be awarded.
Number of Scholarships:
Two new fellowships will be offered each year.
Host Nationality
The scholarship can only be taken in Canada
Eligibility:
Applicants must:
- Hold a study permit at the beginning of the fellowship funding period
- Be a citizen of a developing country at the time of application for admission
- Have shown outstanding leadership in humanitarian and development work in their home country
- Be starting a Ph.D. or DMA program at the UBC Vancouver campus in January 2026, May 2026, or September 202\2.
- Be starting their first doctoral degree
- Students with external funding (external scholarships, third-party sponsorship, etc.) are eligible to apply, but if successful, recipients will have their Graduate Global Leadership Fellowship funding reduced by the amount of their external funding
Nationality: Applicants must be a citizen of a developing country (see the list of developing countries).
College Admission Requirement
Entrance Requirements: Applicants must be starting a Ph.D. or DMA program at the UBC Vancouver campus in January 2026, May 2026, or September 2026.
English language Requirements: Applicants must meet the English Language Requirements at the University of British Columbia.
How to Apply:
A complete application package consists of:
- Completed and signed the Graduate Global Leadership Fellowship application form.
- Academic records for all university-level studies (including studies undertaken but not completed) up to 31 December 2026. For institutions other than UBC, only official transcripts will be accepted. These may be original or certified true copies provided by the applicant’s graduate program. For UBC, the applicant’s “Academic History” printed from the SISC by the applicant’s graduate program will be accepted. Please note that students must request certified true copies of transcripts from their graduate program, not from the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. If only unofficial admission transcripts are available, they will be accepted.
- Two letters of reference. Letters of reference provided with the student’s application for admission will be accepted.
Application Deadline:
Check with the graduate program (likely February ); Graduate program nomination deadline: March 10.
The GGLF program has been discontinued.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the UBC Graduate Global Leadership Fellowship?
The University of British Columbia offered Graduate Global Leadership Fellowships to support international students showing outstanding leadership in humanitarian and development work. Fellowships were available for Doctoral (Ph.D. or DMA) programs at the UBC Vancouver campus, in any of the courses offered by the university.
Is the UBC Graduate Global Leadership Fellowship still available?
No. This article clearly states that the GGLF program has been discontinued, and no new fellowships are being offered. Do not apply for this program. Check the UBC graduate awards page linked in this article for current doctoral funding opportunities at the University of British Columbia.
What was the UBC Graduate Global Leadership Fellowship worth?
When the program was active, the fellowship provided $18,200 per year plus tuition for four years. Two new fellowships were offered each year to doctoral students at UBC Vancouver. However, the GGLF program has been discontinued, so these awards are no longer available to applicants.
Who was eligible for the UBC Graduate Global Leadership Fellowship?
When the program was active, applicants had to hold a study permit at the beginning of the funding period, be citizens of a developing country, and be starting a Ph.D. or DMA program at the UBC Vancouver campus. They also had to meet UBC’s English Language Requirements.