At MitoCanada, we believe mitochondrial disease should never stand in the way of a young person’s educational goals. That belief is at the heart of MitoScholars, our scholarship program designed to support students living with mitochondrial disease as they pursue post-secondary studies.

We are proud to announce that applications for the 2026 MitoScholars program open March 31, 2026.

Together, these scholarships reflect MitoCanada’s commitment to supporting the broader mito community and investing in the educational futures of students whose lives have been impacted by mitochondrial disease.

We are incredibly proud of MitoScholars and believe the program reflects MitoCanada’s ongoing commitment to empowering youth and young adults in the mito community to pursue their academic goals with confidence.

In 2026, three scholarships of $5,000 CAD will be awarded to eligible students. These scholarships are intended to help ease the financial burden of post-secondary education and support students as they work toward their academic dreams.

Our MitoScholars program includes two scholarship streams to support students within the mitochondrial disease community.

  • MitoScholars is awarded to Canadian students who have received a clinical diagnosis of mitochondrial disease and are pursuing post-secondary education.
  • MitoScholars+ recognizes students whose lives are also shaped by mitochondrial disease, awarding scholarships to Canadian students who have a parent and/or sibling with a clinical mitochondrial disease diagnosis.

MitoScholars is intended for Canadian students living with mitochondrial disease (mito) who are pursuing a post-secondary education at a Canadian, public academic institution.

In 2026, MitoCanada will award:

  • 3 scholarships
  • $5,000 CAD each

Scholarship funds may be used toward eligible educational expenses, including:

  • Tuition
  • Student fees
  • Required educational materials
  • On-site residency

  • Scan and upload all the required supporting documents for your application using our application portal
  • You will NOT be able to save and return to your application to complete. Your full application must be completed at one time/single step
  • All fields marked with an * are required
  • Incomplete applications will not be accepted
  • Applications are reviewed in July by our selection committee (comprised of community leaders, health experts, and individuals living with mito)
  • All applicants will be notified in August

Applicants must meet all of the criteria listed below. Applicants:

  • Are a citizen or permanent resident of Canada
  • Have a clinical mitochondrial disease diagnosis or have a parent or sibling with a clinical mitochondrial disease diagnosis
  • Are pursuing a diploma, certificate, associate, undergraduate or graduate degree from a publicly-funded Canadian university, college or trade school
  • Have accepted an offer from a Canadian-based, publicly-funded, post-secondary educational institution for the 2026 fall semester

  • Applications open: March 31, 2026
  • Application deadline: June 30, 2026

You will need:

  1. Two reference letters/personal recommendation
  2. One Proof of Diagnosis form
  3. One Applicant Consent form (must be signed by a parent/ legal guardian, if applicant is less than 18 years of age at the time of application submission)
  4. One copy of your program acceptance letter from the publicly funded trades or post-secondary school you will be attending in the Fall.
  5. One page essay (500 word max.), in either Word or PDF form, Calibri 11 point, single spaced.

Do have questions you’d like to ask about our MitoScholars and MitoScholars+ program or the application process?

Connect with us to learn more, we’re here!

Or call us at: 1-877-708-6486 (MITO)

MitoCanada extends its deepest appreciation and thanks to this years scholarship sponsor, Ultragenyx, to our Holiday Giving donors, and this years MitoSpin fundraisers for making these scholarships possible.