WUSC — Student Refugee Program (SRP)

About this award

The Student Refugee Program (SRP) is Canada's oldest refugee-education resettlement pathway. Run by World University Service of Canada (WUSC), it is the only program in the world that combines refugee resettlement with university or college admission — you arrive in Canada as a permanent resident, ready to start studying. WUSC, founded in 1957 as one of Canada's first non-profit international development organizations, launched the SRP in 1978 with a single placement at Carleton University. Today, the program supports more than 150 students per year through more than 100 partner Canadian university, college, and CEGEP campuses, and has resettled over 2,500 young refugees across its history. The funding model is unusual and worth understanding: each Canadian campus that joins the SRP raises money through a small per-student levy that the local student union votes on. Those campus levies then cover your tuition and first-year living costs after you arrive. WUSC is an official Sponsorship Agreement Holder with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, which is why students arrive directly as permanent residents rather than as study-permit holders. The first year is fully covered by your host campus. After that, you are a regular permanent resident with full access to provincial student aid (OSAP, AFE, and equivalents), provincial bursaries, and the broader Canadian funding ecosystem. You cannot apply directly. WUSC selects candidates through partner organizations in countries hosting large refugee populations — typically through UNHCR-referred lists. Ask WUSC at srp.wusc.ca to confirm the current intake countries and selection timeline.

Who qualifies

Refugees living abroad, typically aged 17-25 with English or French proficiency. Must be accepted by a partner Canadian university or college through the WUSC sponsorship application. Each host campus has its own selection committee and deadline.

This is what the award's own page said when we last checked. Rules change, so confirm with the provider before you apply.

• ✓ Protected person or refugee
• ✓ Open to college or undergraduate students
• ✓ Resident of Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador or Prince Edward Island

How to apply

1. 1

   Read the award's own page

   Check you meet every requirement, and note each document they ask for.

2. 2

   Check this year's deadline

   We don't have a confirmed date for this round. The award's own page will have it.

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