While higher education is a rewarding experience for many students, it is no secret that it’s also very expensive! Luckily, there are many scholarships and awards specifically dedicated to helping Indigenous students fund their post secondary education! Here are some of the Indigenous student scholarships and bursaries that are open for applications now, or will be open soon:
HIGHLIGHT: The Ted Rogers Scholarship Fund has a deadline coming up on March 1st !
Ted Rogers Scholarship Fund: This scholarship is administered through Indspire, and it is for Indigenous students entering their first year of a post-secondary program in the fall of 2023. It is a renewable award of $2500/year, with preference for students who volunteer within their community or school. Students who are Non-Status can apply, but a parent’s Status Card will be needed. Applications for entrance scholarship are due March 1st, so apply soon and check out the full details at: https://indspire.microsoftcrmportals.com/en-US/
Indspire also administers other awards for Indigenous students due later in the year, like the Horatio Alger Indigenous Achievement Scholarship (due: July 1), the Petro-Canada Award for Indigenous Students (due: July 1), and the Building Brighter Futures program (due: Aug. 1, Nov. 1, Feb. 1), which can all be found at the same link as the Ted Rogers Scholarship. It’s well worth it to check them out as well!
Post-Secondary Student Support: This funding covers tuition, fees, and textbook costs for applicants; it is administered by the BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centers. Applicants must be Status First Nation students who are BC residents and are affiliated with a nation in BC, or are on the BC General list, but do not have nation membership (and are thus ineligible to apply for funding through their nation). Applications open once a semester, and the deadline for the May-August 2023 semester is coming up on March 31st! For more information, see: https://bcaafc.com/education/psssp/
Irving K. Barber Indigenous Awards: This funding is administered through the BC Scholarship Society, and it is available to students who identify as Indigenous, including First Nations (Status and Non-Status), Métis, and Inuit. There are a variety of renewable awards ranging from $1000-$2000 for students pursuing any apprenticeship, certificate, diploma or trade and $3000 for any student pursuing an undergraduate degree. The application deadline for these awards is April 20th, so be sure to apply soon! For more details, see: https://www.ikbbc.ca/indigenous-awards/about-this-award/
First Citizens Fund Student Bursary Program: This bursary program is administered by the BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centers. It provides $700-$1200 awards to Indigenous (Status, Non-Status, Métis, Inuit) students from BC who demonstrate significant financial need and are about to complete their first semester of schooling at a BC post-secondary institution. Applications must be submitted within a few weeks of the end of the semester for which you are applying, and are assessed based on financial need. Non-Status students may need to provide evidence of Indigenous ancestry, such as a copy of their birth certificate and a copy of a parent(s) status card. Applications are open now, and will be due on May 15th! For the full details, see: https://bcaafc.com/education/first-citizen-funds/
All Nations Trust Company Ruth Williams Bursary: This bursary is administered through ANTCO, the All Nations Trust Company. It provides $2500, and it is for students who are pursuing post-secondary education and/or entrepreneurial related activities. It is open to Indigenous students residing in or originally from British Columbia. The award was developed to honor the legacy of former CEO and Order of BC recipient, Ruth Williams. Applications are due June 1st! For more information, see: https://www.antco.ca/community/scholarships-bursaries
Northern Futures Scholarship: This scholarship is administered through NorthwestTel. It provides $4000 for students studying Business and Administration; Communications and Media; Computer Sciences; or Engineering and Architecture. It is open to students that live within NorthwestTel’s operating area, which encompasses Northern British Columbia, Northern Alberta, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Yukon. Applications will be open for submission in May! For more information, see https://www.nwtel.ca/scholarships
RBC Future Launch Scholarship: This scholarship is administered through RBC, the Royal Bank of Canada. It provides Indigenous students who have strong academic performance and community involvement up to $10000 each academic year for up to 4 years. This is to help with the cost of tuition, books, supplies, and living expenses. The application for this award will open up in September! For more details, see: https://www.rbc.com/dms/enterprise/futurelaunch/indigenous-scholarship.html?utm_source=vanity&utm_medium=print-social&utm_campaign=indigenous-scholarship
Roberta Jamieson Emergency Fund for Indigenous Students: This fund applies to Indigenous students who find themselves in an emergency situation (ex: house fire, displacement, need to travel home for family emergencies or death, illness requiring immediate medical treatment, injury, theft or natural disaster). No online application process is available, but students can contact Miranda Curley at education@indspire.ca for more information.
Let’s end with some words of encouragement for each one of you! Wherever you are in your education journey, be proud of all the hard work you have done to get here, and be bold in your next steps! We wish you all the best.
Authors: Basil, ITMP Admin & IT Support; Misha, ITMP Blog Coordinator; and Ginuki, ITMP Blog Writer
Photo Credits: Micheile Com via Unsplash
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