The Killam Fellowships Program, administered by Fulbright Canada, funds undergraduate students to spend a semester or full academic year as an exchange student across the Canada-US border – Canadians studying in the U.S., or Americans studying in Canada – with a cash award of up to $12,000 for a full year. The competition runs on an annual cycle that launches every August, which means the window you’d need for a 2027-28 exchange is opening right around now.
Two Ways In, and They Work Completely Differently
This is the detail most overviews of Killam skip entirely: there isn’t one application path, there are two, and which one applies to you depends on where you’re currently enrolled.
The Direct Exchange route requires your home university to already be one of the Killam program’s partner institutions. You register and pay fees at your home school, then attend the host university as an exchange visitor, nominated through your school’s own internal process – meaning your actual deadline is whatever your university’s fellowships or exchange office sets, not a single national date.
The Open Competition route is different: you apply directly to Fulbright Canada as a self-placed visiting student, registering and paying fees at the host institution yourself, with a fixed national deadline of January 31. This route doesn’t require your school to be a partner institution at all, which makes it the more accessible path if your university doesn’t already have a Killam relationship.
Confirm which track actually applies to you before you build a timeline around the wrong deadline – assuming the January 31 date applies to everyone is a common, avoidable mistake if your school runs Direct Exchange nominations instead.
What the Money Actually Covers
A Killam Fellowship pays $6,000 US per semester, or $12,000 US for a full academic year, plus a health benefit plan and a mobility grant of up to $800 (CAD or USD depending on direction) for in-country travel during your exchange. Fellows also attend a three-day orientation in Ottawa and a three-day spring seminar in Washington, D.C. – both built-in opportunities to actually meet the rest of your cohort, not just optional extras.
If your placement lands you somewhere with a real winter and a large share of Killam’s Canadian partner universities genuinely have one – a properly insulated winter coat is worth budgeting for before you go, not after your first cold snap. A quality insulated winter jacket rated for genuinely cold climates makes a bigger difference to your actual experience than most packing guides give it credit for.
Who’s Actually Eligible
You need to be a full-time undergraduate in good standing, expected to remain enrolled full-time for the duration you’d be away, at a degree-granting institution in your home country. Professional degree programs are generally not eligible. This program is built for standard BA/BSc-track students. Direct exchange applicants need a recommendation from their home university; some Open Competition applicants may also receive an institutional recommendation, though it isn’t a strict requirement for that track the way it is for Direct Exchange.
If you are heading to a Canadian university with French-language instruction or a bilingual campus environment, even basic preparation matters – a French phrasebook or beginner course is worth having before you commit to a placement in Quebec or a bilingual institution specifically.
The Two Deadlines You Actually Need to Track
Since the whole program runs on an August-launch annual cycle, and this year’s window is opening right now, the practical move is to check both possible deadlines immediately: your home university’s internal Direct Exchange deadline (varies by school, often earlier than you’d expect), and the fixed January 31 Open Competition deadline if you’re applying directly. Managing two sets of institutional paperwork – home university records plus host university requirements – is genuinely easier with a dedicated document organizer to keep both sides sorted rather than mixing them into one folder.
For more scholarships and exchange programs, check our Education section.
Ready to apply? Check your university’s exchange office for Direct Exchange partnership status, or find Open Competition details at fulbright.ca.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How much does the Killam Fellowship pay?
$6,000 US per semester, or $12,000 US for a full academic year, plus a health benefit plan and a mobility grant of up to $800 for in-country travel.
- What is the difference between Direct Exchange and Open Competition?
Direct Exchange requires your home university to be a Killam partner institution and follows your school’s internal nomination deadline. Open Competition lets you apply directly to Fulbright Canada as a self-placed student, with a fixed January 31 national deadline.
- When does the Killam competition open each year?
Annually in August, for exchanges typically beginning the following fall or academic year.
- Can graduate or professional degree students apply?
Generally no. The Killam Fellowships Program is built for full-time undergraduate students; professional degree programs are typically not eligible.
- Does Killam fund exchanges in both directions?
Yes. Canadian students can use it to study in the United States, and American students can use it to study in Canada.
- What’s included besides the cash award?
A health benefit plan, a mobility grant for in-country travel, a three-day orientation in Ottawa, and a three-day spring seminar in Washington, D.C.
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