From: Joseph Wong, Vice-President, International
Date: June 5, 2025
Re: Call for Proposals — International Student Experience Fund

The goal of the International Student Experience Fund (ISEF) is to foster a supportive environment on the University of Toronto’s campuses by funding initiatives that enhance the experience of the university’s international students, in alignment with The International Strategic Plan (2022 -2027).

Funding Streams

The ISEF supports two streams of activities: Seed ($5,000-$15,000 per year) and Impact ($15,000-$75,000 per year). This tiered system is intended to provide opportunities for projects that explore, implement and scale up promising practices at different stages of their development and implementation, and create a pathway for projects from their initial inception to their full potential.

Thematic Areas

All proposals should address one or more of the following themes:

Programs, Services, and Policies:
Serving ALL students well through institutional and operational competence. Consideration of existing programs, policies, and practices from the lens of international students (1/3 of the university’s student population) at all points of the student journey, from pre-arrival to preparing for life after U of T.

Changing Mindset – Building inclusive community and fostering belonging
Shift from deficit mindset/approach (international students as a problem to solve) to one of global inclusion (international students as valuable members) among faculty, staff, and students.

Interactional Diversity – Required in a learning environment at a global university
Intergroup interaction across biographies (multilingual speakers/unilingual speakers of English, Canadian/international, interaction amongst communities from various regions of the world, etc.)

Listening to and encouraging the voices of international students
Identification and leveraging of existing forums and channels for dialogue. Addressing barriers to participation.

Eligibility

Submissions will be accepted from U of T faculty and staff with continuing appointments only. The primary beneficiaries of the proposal must be U of T international undergraduate and/or graduate students. Projects must engage each of the U of T’s student, faculty, and staff communities, even if only in an advisory capacity.  Projects must also include collaboration with other divisions, either from the start of the project, or as a means of expanding the project in its final year of funding.

Timeline 

The 2025-26 Call for Proposals is now available online. Applications for the two funding streams will be accepted as follows:

• Seed Grants ($5,000-$15,000 per year, max 2 years) accepted on a rolling basis.
• Impact Grants ($15,000-$75,000 per year, max 2 years) require the submission of an initial Letter of Intent by Tuesday, November 11, 2025.  Select candidates will be invited to submit full proposals by Tuesday, January 20, 2026.

Questions about ISEF can be directed to international@utoronto.ca.