University of Toronto introduces Canada’s first eSports scholarship

The University of Toronto has become the first university in Canada to offer an eSports scholarship to students. 

The Victor Xin Scholarship in eSports has been funded, as you may have guess, by Victor Xin a UoT alumnus who is a managing partner at an investment firm. Any undergraduate student who is in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering and has a 3.5 or higher GPA is eligible for the scholarship. They must also “demonstrate a passion for eSports” and be involved in extracurricular clubs or societies related to eSports or gaming. The first scholarship will be awarded in Fall 2018. 

“We should reward leadership attributes no matter how they manifest themselves,” said Xin. “I want to help students who pursue leadership and personal development but go about it a different way. There are trailblazers on campus who are rallying a different set of students to build campus organizations focused on an alternative way of learning to lead and succeed in life. Society may not recognize them yet – but we shouldn’t let them fall through the cracks. I hope eSports becomes even more mainstream and draws more attention. Then students who are passionate about eSports can get the recognition they deserve and the support they need to succeed.”