The Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program (ELAP) scholarships provide students from post-secondary institutions located in Latin America and the Caribbean with short-term exchange opportunities for study or research in Canadian post-secondary institutions, at the college, undergraduate and graduate levels.
In 2009, the Government of Canada announced the Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program (ELAP) to support the development of human capital and the next generation of leaders in the Americas while strengthening the linkages between post-secondary institutions in Canada and Latin America and the Caribbean.
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The scholarships also advance Canada’s objectives for the Americas: democratic and accountable governance, human rights, the environment, diversity and Indigenous peoples.
The Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program (ELAP) scholarships are facilitated through institutional collaborations and student exchange agreements between post-secondary institutions in Canada and their partners in eligible countries/territories.
Location:
CanadaBenefits
The Canadian institution will receive funding from DFATD for all successful candidates in the form of a contribution agreement and will be responsible for providing the funds to scholarship recipients.
Scholarship values vary depending on the duration and level of study:
- CAD 8,200 for college, undergraduate or graduate students (Master’s and PhD) for a minimum of four months or one academic term of study or research; or
- CAD 11,100 for graduate students (Master’s and PhD) for a period of five to six months of study or research.
In addition to the funds allocated to the recipients by DFATD, Canadian host institutions will receive CAD 500 per scholarship recipient to assist with administrative costs once the scholarship recipient arrives in Canada.
In certain cases, Canadian institutions may be eligible for reimbursement of additional employer compliance fees paid to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
Scholarship funds should be used towards:
- visa or study/work permit fees;
- airfare for the scholarship recipient only via the most direct and economical route;
- health insurance;
- living expenses, such as accommodation, utilities and food;
- ground transportation, including a public transportation pass; and
- books and supplies required for the recipient’s study or research, excluding computers and other equipment.
Eligibilities
Candidate eligibility
Candidates must be:
- citizens of one of the following eligible countries/territories:
- Caribbean: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos;
- Central America: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama;
- North America: Mexico;
- South America: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela; and
- enrolled as a full-time student at a post-secondary institution in an eligible country/territory and paying tuition fees to that institution at the time of application and for the full duration of the exchange.
Candidates are not eligible:
- if they hold or have a pending application for Canadian citizenship or permanent residency;
- if they are already participating in a scholarship program funded by the Government of Canada; or
- if they are already enrolled in a degree, diploma or certificate program at a Canadian post-secondary institution.
Canadian post-secondary institution eligibility
The Canadian post-secondary institution must:
- be a Designated Learning Institution (DLI);
- have a valid student exchange agreement with the candidate’s home institution that waives tuition fees for scholarship recipients. For college and
- undergraduate research applications with no agreement, a letter issued by the Canadian institution’s international office or equivalent will be accepted; and
- inform both the candidate and their home institution of any mandatory fees that, in exceptional cases, cannot be waived, prior to applying for a scholarship on the candidate’s behalf.
Application Process
All applications are submitted by the Canadian institution on behalf of candidates.
- Supporting documents:
- Each document must be smaller than 5 MB and in .pdf, .jpg, .doc, .docx, .txt or .gif format for the application to upload successfully.
- Institutions must ensure documents are complete and accurate as per the instructions. Revised documents will not be accepted after the deadline. Documents in a language other than English or French must be accompanied by a translation.
- Proof of citizenship:
- a copy of the candidate’s passport or national identity card with a photo and valid dates
- documents not accepted as proof of citizenship are: driver’s license, permanent residence card, work permit, student card, health card, birth certificate or baptismal certificate
- proof of citizenship selected must be from the same country/territory as the citizenship selected in the online application form
- Privacy Notice Statement: a copy of the Privacy Notice Statement for non-Canadian participants signed by the candidate and dated within the last six months
- Letter of intent from the candidate (maximum one page):
- explains the nature of studies or research to be undertaken
- provides a rationale for study in Canada and for the choice of institution, program and supervisor and how the proposed program of study or research will relate to their future career
- Letter of proof of full-time enrolment from the home institution (maximum one page):
- on official letterhead
- dated within the last six months
- confirms that the candidate is currently enrolled in a full-time program
- copies of transcripts, a student card or a letter of admission are not acceptable
- Letter of support from the home institution (maximum one page):
- on official letterhead
- dates within the last six months
- from the candidate’s instructor, professor or international director
- explains the nature of study or research to be undertaken in Canada and how the candidate and the home institution will benefit from this scholarship program
- Graduate students only – Letter of invitation from the Canadian supervisor (maximum one page):
- on official letterhead
- dated within the last six months
- signed by the Canadian supervisor
- describes the nature and scope of the research collaboration with the student’s home institution
- confirms their willingness to support and mentor the candidate during the exchange period
- explains how the Canadian institution, supervisor and peers will benefit from the exchange
- Signed copy of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or Agreement with the partner institution:
- indicates that tuition fees will not be charged and highlights this specific clause
- college and undergraduate research applications with no existing agreement can include a letter from the international office or equivalent on official letterhead that links the application to a specific international research collaboration, names the Canadian supervisor and confirms that tuition will not be charged. The letter must be dated within the last six months and be a maximum of one page
- expired agreements will not be accepted – if the agreement is in the process of renewal, institutions must include a letter to this effect
- for graduate applications, an agreement is recommended but not required
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Application Deadline: March 22, 2022
Application ClosedOfficial link
