End of Global Skills Opportunity program means university students will lose key funding source when studying abroad

In March 2025, Employment and Social Development Canada announced that the Global Skills Opportunity (GSO) program would not be renewed after its five year pilot.

Starting in 2019, GSO was established to provide federal grants to Canadian university students participating in international study programs. The program was allotted a five year pilot, at which point the government would review and determine if it would continue. The end of the pilot came in December 2024, and in March 2025 the program was not renewed.

The University of New Brunswick utilized GSO funding to support short term study abroad programs—generally lasting several weeks in the summer (as opposed to long term study abroad semesters). St. Thomas University also used GSO funding to support students.

Esme Newling, STU’s Director of Experiential Learning and Career Development, noted that the end of GSO funding will significantly limit the number of students that participate in study abroad programs at STU—particularly low income students.