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Applying to the Fellowship
Q. Which universities can I attend?
A. Fellowship recipients must attend a recognized university abroad for the academic term in which they can take courses in the new language they are learning.
Q. Which countries can I go to?
- Fellowship recipients must go to a country in which they have not previously lived for more than three months, do not hold citizenship, and are learning or want to learn at least one of its major languages.
- Fellowship recipients are expected to go to a country that will allow them to stretch outside of their comfort zone (for example, recipients cannot choose a country where they or their parents have lived for an extended period of time, or where they already have an extended family network).
- Fellowship recipients cannot go to a country with the status “avoid all non-essential travel” or “avoid all travel”, or to a region of a country with a regional advisory of “avoid all non-essential travel” or “avoid all travel” on the Government of Canada’s travel advisory service.
Q. What is the Foundation looking for in Fellows?
A. Selection criteria for the Fellowships include:
- Evidence of sustained and thoughtful engagement in school and community activities rooted in a deep interest in improving things for others, strong empathy, and interest in working with people from diverse points of views and backgrounds;
- Evidence of leadership potential and an entrepreneurial drive that has resulted in taking on meaningful challenges;
- Evidence of wanting to go outside one’s comfort zone, to stretch the limit of one’s potential, to fail, persist, and learn, and to show and develop self-awareness, adaptability, and resilience;
- Evidence of genuine interest in learning a language and being immersed in a country, language, and culture different from one’s own;
- Strong character, including commitment to integrity and honesty.
Note that applicants are not required to have any international experience or second language skills in order to be considered for this award.
Application Process
Q. I’m having trouble with my online application. Help!
A. All enquiries should be sent to internationalfellowships@mccallmacbain.org and we will respond as soon as possible.
Q. Who can I choose as a reference?
A. The person you choose as a reference should be someone who knows you well and can speak to some of your qualities that are relevant to spending a year abroad, such as integrity, adaptability/flexibility, openess/curiosity, and your resilience and honesty. Note that your reference cannot be one of your friends, fellow students, or family members.
Q. What does the reference form look like?
A. References will be asked to fill out this form.
Q. What is the process for my for my referee to submit an online reference on my behalf?
A. As part of your application, you must ask one referee to submit an online reference form on your behalf. In Part L of the online application, click ‘Add Reference’ to add the name and email of your referee, and send the request to them. Once you send the request, an email with a link to the online reference form will be instantly sent to your referee to fill out. The reference form will be sent in the language that you are filling out the application in (English or French). The email they receive will indicate your name and that you named them as a referee as part of their application for the McCall MacBain International Fellowship. It will ask them to complete the form before the application deadline. If they do not receive the email, ask them to verify their junk mail and reconfirm their email address. Once they submit the form, they will receive a confirmation message that it has been submitted.
The reference form must be completed by your referee before the application deadline, so it is best to send the referee request well in advance of the deadline. You do not need to complete or submit your application in order to send the reference request. You will not be able to see the reference form that has been submitted by your referee, and your referee will not be able to see any parts of your application. You will be able to resend the request if needed and see when the reference form has been completed by your referee with a timestamp. Your referee must submit the reference form through the online form. They cannot submit it by email or send as a separate letter.
References are due by the same deadline as applications.
Q. Can my reference submit an existing letter instead of using the online form?
A. No. In order for your application to be considered complete, your reference must complete the online form. If your reference has trouble accessing the system, please invite them to contact us directly at internationalfellowships@mccallmacbain.org.
Q. In Section K, Statement of Intent, if I have more than one choice, should I provide a rationale for all of my choices?
A. Yes. You can choose to dedicate more of the word count to your top choice or give each of your choices of languages and countries an equal weight in your response.
Q. What happens after I submit my application?
A. Your application will first be reviewed by your university, which will verify eligibility and nominate candidates to the McCall MacBain Foundation. From those nominated, students selected for an in-person interview will be notified. All interviews must be done in-person and candidates selected for interviews will be asked to submit additional documentation on their plan for their year abroad prior to the interview day. Interviews usually last the full day and take place on campus at Dalhousie, McMaster, McGill and the University of Manitoba.
Offers for the Fellowships will be made shortly after the interviews. In order to formally accept the Fellowship offer, students will be asked to sign an agreement outlining the requirements and expectations.
A few finalists who distinguish themselves in the selection process but do not receive a Fellowship may be offered a grant of $6,000 towards their studies abroad of at least one full academic term in an eligible destination. Those accepting this grant will be required to submit a report on their experience.
Q. Where do the interviews take place?
All applicants must be prepared to be present for a full morning or afternoon of in-person interviews at either the University of Manitoba, Dalhousie, McMaster, or McGill. No interviews are done online. Hometown scholarship applicants will be required to come to the closest university.
Choosing a Country and a Language
Q. I’m not sure yet where I want to go, but I still want to apply. Do you recommend certain countries?
A. It is definitely ok to be unsure about where you want to go, or to be open to different possibilities at the application stage. The McCall MacBain International Fellowships does not have a pre-determined list of recommended countries. If you want to discuss some options you are considering, please contact us at internationalfellowships@mccallmacbain.org. Note that there are certain countries where you cannot use the fellowship. See Eligibility & Selection section above.
Q. I’ve never left Canada. Is this program really for me?
A. Students with limited or no experience abroad are welcome and encouraged to apply for the McCall MacBain International Fellowships. There are no requirements of prior travel or second language experience to apply for the Fellowships. If this is your first or one of your first international experiences, you may have additional questions. Please do not hesitate to contact us at internationalfellowships@mccallmacbain.org at any time with any questions you may have. We’d love to hear from you!
Q. Is there a minimum language proficiency to participate in this program?
A. There is no minimum language proficiency that you need to have in another language in order to choose it for your Fellowship. Students accepted as Fellows who do not already have a base proficiency in the new language will be required to take a language course in order to begin the language learning process prior to departure.
Q. I already have a solid foundation in a second language but I would like to gain fluency. Is this acceptable?
A. The McCall MacBain International Fellowships are designed to encourage “stretch” among Fellows over the course of a year abroad. While applicants with a base in a second language can choose to use the Fellowship year to develop full fluency, they will be asked demonstrate how the proposed language and country will involve substantial stretch and learning beyond their previous travel and language experiences.
Q. How intensive is the language study?
A. During the first language term, Fellows are required to take a minimum of 15 hours of in-person language classes per week for 15-20 weeks. During the following two terms, students are expected to immerse themselves in the language by taking half of their classes in the language (study term) and finding a work placement in which the language can be practiced (work term).
The Fellowship Year
Q. Can I live in different parts of the same country over the course of my year abroad?
A. Yes. While Fellows can choose to stay in the same city or community for the full year abroad, Fellows also have the option of changing locations within the same country from one term to the next. For example, your language immersion goals in the first term may be better met in a smaller community than the one where you may want to do your academic or work terms. Generally, Fellows will be expected to identify no more than one community or city per term. Though it’s not required, previous fellows have found that it is a good idea to spend at least two of the terms in one place to build deeper connections.
Q. Can I live in different countries but learn the same language over the course of my year abroad?
A. No. Fellows have to complete their entire Fellowship year in one country. This does not preclude Fellows from visiting other neighbouring countries on breaks.
Q. I want to use this chance to study something unrelated to my current program. Is this allowed?
A. Yes. Fellows are not required to take specialist upper-year courses to meet program requirements during their year abroad, though some may of course choose to do so. Fellows have the flexibility to choose courses to explore their interests and continue to develop their language skills. Remember that half of the courses taken at a university abroad must be taken in the new language (and that some or all of them can be language courses).
Q. Will this program delay my time to graduation?
A. While most Fellows will likely delay graduation, you are encouraged to work with your faculty advisor to discuss options in advance. You and your faculty advisor can determine whether any courses taken abroad will count towards your program and/or degree requirements, and can also discuss possibilities such as taking summer or additional courses in order to graduate on time. Applicants are encouraged to meet with their faculty advisors (once selected, Fellows are required to do so), to ensure they have a plan in place with an anticipated graduation date.
Q. Am I responsible for applying for an exchange or study abroad through my university?
A. Yes. Fellows interested in participating in a university exchange for their academic term are responsible for meeting all internal deadlines imposed by their universities for participating in a university exchange. Click here for deadlines for McMaster, McGill, Dalhousie, and the University of Manitoba.
Q. My university has no exchange agreements in the country I want to go to. Can I still go there?
A. Yes. Fellows may undertake an independent study abroad or study abroad on a letter of permission if their university does not have an existing exchange agreement that is open to them. However, they must choose a recognized university (one that is recognized by the government in the relevant country as part of its higher education system). Applicants are encouraged to work with a faculty advisor to discuss options in advance. Your faculty advisor can advise you on whether the proposed institution abroad is recognized and whether any courses taken abroad will count towards your program and/or degree requirements. Note that once selected, all Fellows are required to meet with a faculty advisor.
Q. Will I be required to stay in a home stay for the entire year?
A. No. The homestay will be required for the language term. Fellows who would like to change their living arrangement after the language term will be required to demonstrate that their living arrangement continues to support their language acquisition.
Q. The country I’m considering has a different academic year than Canada. Can I change the order of my terms?
A. Yes. The first term must be a language immersion term. Depending on the academic year of the country chosen, fellows can choose to do the work term or the academic term second.
Q. Am I required to stay within the same country for the entire year?
A: No. While you have to complete the three terms of your Fellowship in the same country and stay in the country for at least a total of 48 weeks, you are welcome to do regional travel or even return to Canada on scheduled breaks.
Q. Will I be required to find my own homestay?
A. Yes. Fellows are required to search for and secure their own homestay. Usually they can be found through language schools or reputable websites.
Q. How long does each term have to be?
A. Each of the three terms must be between 15-20 weeks.
Q. Is it possible to do just part of the Fellowship year?
A. No. Each Fellow must participate fully in the program and spend a year abroad in another country. The total time abroad, from initial departure to return to Canada, cannot be less than 48 weeks.
Fellowship Funding
Q. What is the value of the stipend and other allowances?
A. Fellows will receive a living stipend of CAD $1,500 per month for the language and academic terms (up to CAD $12,000) as well as a travel stipend of CAD $3,500. Fellows will also have access to an allowance for language courses (up to CAD $4,500), and an allowance for purchasing travel medical insurance (up to CAD $1,500). Fellows will be required to submit budgets and expenses in order to access funds for the allowances.
Q. How does the tuition waiver work?
A. For Fellows from the 4 partner universities (Dalhousie, University of Manitoba, McGill, McMaster):
Fellows who study abroad at a university with which their home university has an existing exchange agreement that allows the payment to their university in Canada will receive a tuition waiver (or equivalent) for the value of their tuition fees for one semester. Fellows who study abroad at a university with which their home university does not have an existing exchange agreement that allows the payment to their university in Canada will receive a grant provided directly to the student to cover the cost of tuition for one semester at a 100% full-time course load. This amount will be the lesser of (1) the actual tuition fees payable for one semester abroad at a 100% full-time course load or (2) the tuition fees for one semester at a 100% full-time course load in the student’s current faculty and program. In the case of (2), the Fellow is responsible to cover the additional tuition expense.
For Fellows who are already recipients of a MacBain Niagara Falls or McCall Huron County Scholarship:
Fellows receive a topped-up scholarship stipend of $6,500 during the academic term of their fellowship to help pay for their tuition fees or cover other extra expenses related to travelling farther from home. If their tuition fees are more than their hometown stipend received for this term, they will be required to pay the balance out of pocket.
Q. Do Fellows receive funding during the work term?
A. Fellows do not receive the living stipend during the work term. Fellows only receive a living stipend during the language and academic term. However, if Fellows are in a country where they cannot obtain a work visa that allows them to undertake paid work, they can apply for additional funding of up to CAD $3,000 to pursue an unpaid internship.