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Home » Students » Future Students » York Science Scholarships and Awards » Yavin Family International Science Student Scholarship

Yavin Family International Science Student Scholarship

Mina and Itay Yavin met at one of the retreats organized by York International while they were visa students studying science at York University. They remain appreciative of the way York University and Canada welcomed and treated them. They support academic excellence in the firm belief that exceptional international students enrich both York University and Canada.

What is the Yavin Family International Science Student Scholarship?

This scholarship was created to benefit first-year Faculty of Science international students who show exemplary academic achievement and extra-curricular participation in their field of study. Each recipient of this scholarship will be awarded $25,000. There will be two recipients in 2026.

Applications are due before February 20, 2026 at 9:00AM EST (Toronto time).

Future Students

Who is eligible for this award?

To be eligible for the Yavin Family International Science Student Scholarship you must:

  • Be an international fee paying student entering your first year at York University in a Faculty of Science program in Fall 2026
  • Have a minimum entering grade of 90% (or equivalent)
  • Submit two personal statements following the prompts provided below

How do I apply?

Applications to the Yavin Family International Science Student Scholarship are very competitive. Please complete and submit your application as early as possible. You may submit your application prior to receiving an offer of admission to York University’s Faculty of Science.

1) Complete the application form
Fill out the application form through our online portal. This portal will open in November.

2) Write your personal statements
You must write two personal statements and submit them with your application form. The prompts for your statements are the following:

Personal Statement 1:
In 300 words or less, describe your academic achievements/excellence and how this scholarship will impact you.
Please include your full name and York Student ID number at the top of the document. Your name and ID are not included in the word count.

Personal Statement 2:
In 300 words or less, highlight some of your extra-curricular activities. Participation in international or regional scientific competitions, as well as involvement in research related to your field of study, will be considered a strong asset.
Please include your full name and York Student ID number at the top of the document. Your name and ID are not included in the word count.

3) Prepare and upload your resume
Your resume should include your name, educational background, all employment and volunteer experiences and any involvement you have had in clubs and extracurricular activities. You do not need to include a cover letter.

4) Submit your application!

APPLY NOW

Please contact science@yorku.ca if you do not find the answer to your question(s) below.

First-year Faculty of Science international fee paying students entering York University in Fall 2026 with a minimum entering grade of 90% (or equivalent) are eligible to apply for this award.

1) High academic achievement/excellence: You must have a minimum entering grade of 90% (or equivalent) and outline your academic achievements (Personal Statement 1).

2) Scholarship impact: You must explain how receiving this scholarship will impact you (Personal Statement 1).

3) Extra-curricular involvement: You must highlight some of your extra-curricular activities (Personal Statement 2). Participation in international or regional scientific competitions, as well as involvement in research related to your field of study, will be considered a strong asset.

Applications for Fall 2026 are now open.

The application deadline is February 20, 2026 at 9:00AM EST (Toronto time).

Yes, you can apply to both the YSSA and the Yavin Family International Science Student Scholarship. Applications for these two scholarships will be evaluated independently.

Our undergraduate students have multiple opportunities to gain scientific research experience in addition to research exposure in class.

For example

  • Research Practicum Courses: Students apply to work with researchers to advance Professors’ research and Student work experience
  • Research @York: Paid positions to work with professors in their labs
  • NSERC USRAs: The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) offers prestigious paid Undergraduate Summer Research Awards (USRAs) every summer.
  • Dean’s Undergraduate Research Awards (DURA): Exclusive to the Faculty of science, students undertake research in labs for 16 weeks over the summer.
  • Capstone Project Courses: Independent research projects with the help of a supervising professor leading to publications in scientific journals or conference proceedings.
  • Biology Field Courses: In the field training in ecology and conservation.