Scholarships & Funding

NOTE: We are not responsible for the accuracy of material on this page. Sources of funding change from one school year to another. All of the information on this pagemust be varified with the institution or agency providing the funding.

Funding for Part-Time Upgrading and for Post-Secondary Studies

Financial Assistance for School-Aged Distance Learning and Virtual School Students

Alberta Education's Funding Manual states a student must be at least 5 years and 6 months old and less than 20 years of age on September 1 of the school year. A student who is 19 years of age on September 1 of theschool year is eligible for funding.

School-aged students in Alberta may be eligible for funding from several different sources:

• A school district places the student on an authorized home education program. For more information, parents may contact their local school or school district office.

• Students attending an accredited high school in Alberta may be eligible for some funding for distance education courses. Students may check with the principal or guidance counsellor of their school for details.

• First Nation or Métis Nation students who have official treaty status and live on a reserve may be eligible for funding through the First or Métis Nation educational offices.

Financial Assistance for Mature High School Upgrading Students

Mature students (20 years of age or older on September 1 of the school year) in Alberta may be eligible for several sources of funding:

• Employers: Some employers reimburse employees when a course is successfully completed.

• First Nation or Métis Nation funding: Students having official First Nation or Métis Nation status might be eligible for funding through the First Nation or Métis Nation Education Office.

• Workers Compensation Board:Clients of the Workers' Compensation Board might be eligible for some funding when retraining could assist that person in finding suitable employment.

• Canada Pension Plan: Young adults who have a parent collecting Canada Pension Plan Disability benefits or who died might qualify for funding. Information about children's benefits to the dependent children of disabled or deceased CPP contributors is available at the Canada Pension Plan website.

• Part-time Bursary: Adults upgrading by distance education may be eligible for the part-time Alberta Works Bursary administered by the Alberta Students Finance Board and Human Services. Eligible students can receive up to $5000 per year.  Eligibility requirements can be found on the Alberta Human Services website.  Application forms for the part-time Alberta Works can be printed off the internet and completed.

Because adult students often have a pressing combination of job and families duties, we recommend registering in only one or two courses at a time.  Students may find the funding agency restricts the registration time to a 5-month period.  Completing two 5-credit courses in 5 months would require students to spend about 20 hours a week on their studies.  Students completing one 5-credit course in 5 months would need to devote about 10 hours a week to their studies.

Note:  Sources of funding can frequently.  All of the information on this page needs to be confirmed with the institution or agency providing the funding.

Students applying for scholarships administered through the Alberta Government may be required to provide a Social Insurance Number.  The Government of Alberta may decline to process faxed applications.  Officials with the Alberta Government may insist on receiving the original application form. 

General Scholarship/Funding Information

Some possible sources of funding for college and university studies include the following:

• • Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties. Eligible students may receive a $1,000 scholarship. Students must be from municipal districts, counties or special areas. Town, village and city students are not eligible. Candidates are selected on the basis of citizenship and community involvement, academic performance and a letter of application. Additional and up-to-date information can be found on the web site.

  • Alberta Opportunities Bursary. Available for between $500 and $1,500. Students must be eligible for an Alberta Student Loan and be in first or second year of post-secondary studies.

  • Alberta Press Council Scholarship. The $1,000 scholarship is given to students based on ability to write an essay. Applicants need to be grade 12 students who have lived in Alberta for a year or more and who are planning on attending a post-secondary program. More information can be found on Alberta Government web site - Alberta Learning Information Service.

  • Alexander Rutherford Scholarship. The Rutherford Scholarship offers scholarships to Alberta students, based on Grade 10, Grade 11 and Grade 12 academic performance. The scholarships provide up to $2,500 for students graduating after April 1, 1999 or up to 1,500 for students who graduated on or before April 1, 1999.

  • Awards section of the Alberta Learning web site. This site describes some of the scholarships available for students taking post-secondary (college, technical college or university) studies.

  • Bill Kehler Memorial Awards. There are four awards of up to $2,500 each. They were awarded in the fall of 2005 for students who are interested in broadcasting or agriculture, or have a background in professional rodeo.

  • Boys and Girls Clubs of Alberta. Awards of $500. For current or former members of a Boys and Girls Club in Alberta who are enrolled or planning to enroll full-time in a post-secondary program.

  • Burger King Scholars. Burger King has awards up to 1,600 scholarships of $1,000.00 to students who have part-time, year-round employment. The scholarships are awarded on the basis of need and community service. More information can be found on the Burger King web site.

  • Canadian Merit Scholarship Foundation. The foundation provides scholarships to outstanding high school students with demonstrated leadership, entrepreneurial and service skills who are planning on entering universities. Awards of different amounts are available, with the top award being valued at $60,000 over the four year degree program.

  • Canadian Millennium Bursary. Assistance rangers from $2,250 to $3,000. Students must be in at least the second year of study at a post-secondary institution.

  • Charmaine Letourneau Fund. The bursary is mainly for hearing impaired or deaf students attending or registered in an accredited college or university. Award is given on the basis of financial need and involvement and leadership in deaf organizations, the school, the community and commitment to the field of study the student is planning on attending. Information is available at theDollars for Learners web site.

  • Education for Life Bursary. The Alberta Committee of Citizens with Disabilities has a bursary that varies between $200 and $800. The bursary is available to people who have disabilities. Information about the bursary is found on the web site.

  • Financial Assistance and Scholarships. Information provided by the Alberta Government. This site has an online video and a funding eligibility calculator.  Information on student loans, grants, scholarships, budgeting and saving for schooling is provided.

  • Free Masons - Masonic Higher Education Bursaries. The Masonic web site has an application form for the bursary. Bursaries are awarded on the basis of need and academic ability.

  • Garfield Weston Merit Scholarships. Scholarships are available for students planning on attending participating community colleges in programs of two or more years in length. Some of the things applicants need to demonstrate include intent to be full-time students, leadership potential, school or community service and academic excellence. A complete description of the requirements and application forms are on the Garfield Weston Merit Scholarships web site. The national scholarships are up to $8,000 per year, regional scholarships are up to $4,000 per year and provincial scholarships of up to $2,500 per year.

  • Global Television Scholarship and Internship for a Canadian With a Physical Disability. For people with mobility impairment. Winner serves an internship and receives an award of about $15,000.

  • Global Television Scholarship for a Canadian Visible Minority Student. Scholarship of $4,500 for studies at a radio and television arts or journalism program at a recognized Canadian university or college.

  • Grant MacEwan Literacy Awards. There is a $2,500.00 Young Writer's Scholarship for students who are 16-25 years of age. The Young Writer's Scholarship is for an essay or a short story. Information and application forms for the Scholarship can be found by clicking here.

  • The Grant MacEwan Author's Award is a $25,000.00 Author's Award. The Award is presented each year to an Alberta author who wrote a book that reflects and represents both Alberta's and Grant MacEwan's interests. Information and application forms for the Scholarship can be found by clickinghere.

  • Miller Thompson Foundation . The foundation encourages people who have high academic ability and who have contributed to their school and to society. The foundation generally awards $1,000 scholarships to about 200 people in Canada. The deadline is March 31. Information about the scholarships and application forms are on the Miller Thompson web site.

• Nelson Education - Civic Leadership Scholarship.  The $5,000 Nelson scholarship requires students to have a 75% minimum average and civic leadership.  

  • Persons Case Scholarship. Scholarship of up to $5,000 for Alberta students who are contributing to the advancement of women through their post-secondary studies. More information about the scholarships can be found on the Alberta Learning Information Service web site.

  • RBC Royal Bank Financial. Scholarship of up to $2,006 for students. Students need to have a specified grade average and acceptance into a Canadian college or university. Information is on the RBC Royal Bank Financial web site.

  • Rose Margaret King Merit Awards. The awards range from about $500 to $3,500. The awards are for people took at least part of their Grade 1 to 12 schooling in Edmonton. Additional information is available on the Dollars for Learners web site.

  • Scholarships and Financial Aid . Free scholarship search service for scholarships in Canada and the United States.

  • ScholarshipsCanada.com. Site has information on scholarships available in Canada.

  • Students Finance Board. The web site has online application forms for full-time funding. There are part-time bursaries from the Alberta Students Finance Board. Generally, the part-time bursaries are available for up to $1,200.00 per semester or $3,600 for a full year. For more information, contact your local Canada/Alberta Service Centre, Human Resources and Employment office or the Student Finance Office of the college or university you wish to attend.

  • TD Canada Trust Scholarships for Community Leadership. Scholarships are available for up to $60,000 for students who have demonstrated community leadership in areas such as employment programs, the environment, support groups and family services. TD Scholarship Application Forms and information.

  • Terry Fox Humanitarian Award program. The award is for a maximum of $7,000 per year for a maximum of four years for a first degree. Applicants need to have demonstrated humanitarian service and good citizenship. Award is available for students in Grade 12 or students registered in full-time Canadian post-secondary institutions. The deadline to apply is February 1 of each year.

  • Toyota Earth Day Scholarship Program. The awards for 2005 were $5,000 each. Applicants are expected to show academic excellence, environmental commitment, community service and leadership.

  • Youth Formerly in Care Bursary. The award for 2004 was $1,000. This bursary is for Canadian citizens living in Edmonton or northern Alberta who spent at least two years under the care or guardianship of Children's Services in Alberta. Information about the bursary can be found on the Dollars for Learners web site.

Ability-related Scholarships

A few of the scholarships for students with disabilities follow.

• • Alberta Association of the Deaf.  Some scholarships for deaf students are described on the Alberta Association of the Deaf website.

  • Association of Universities and Colleges Scholarship.  Scholarships of 5 000 are awarded to students with a permanent disability who are completing their first undergraduate degree.

  • Childrens Ability Fund Bursary.  Up to $5 000 a year is awarded to one or more individuals.  Accomplishments and financial needs are considered when determining who should receive the bursary. 

• Copnick/Hilliard Scholarship.  The scholarship, offering about $500 a year, was established to assist students with spinal cord injuries to complete a post-secondary educational program.

• DisabilityAwards.ca.  Disability Awards has a scholarship search feature.  After students provide information about where they live, where they would like to study, and their disability, the Disability Awards website provides a list of potential scholarships and awards.    

• Education for Life Bursary. The Alberta Committee of Citizens with Disabilities has a bursary that varies between $200 and $800. The bursary is available to people who have disabilities. Information about the bursary is found on the website.

• Global Television Scholarship and Internship for a Canadian with a Physical Disability. This awarde is for people with mobility impairment. The winner serves an internship and receives an award of about $15 000.

• Mandin Award.  Up to $400 a year is awarded to an Alberta resident who has a learning disability or ADHD.  The funds can be used for attending summer camps, social skills courses, tutoring and assessments.

• National Educational Association of Disabled Students.  The NEADS Equality Through Education Awards provide eligible students with a permanent disability up to $3 000 a year for undergraduate, graduate and professional studies.   

• Sbhana Scholarship.  This scholarship is for individuals who have Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus.  The scholarship provides up to $1000 for students who in Alberta (Red Deer and north) and the Northwest Territories. 

• Walter and Wayne Gretzky Scholarship Foundation for Blind Youth of Canada. Scholarships between 3 000 and 5 000 a year are awarded. Candidates for the scholarships need to either be blind or living with vision lost. The Canadian National Institute for the Blind might be able to provide additional scholarship information.

First and Metis Nation Scholarships

• • Aboriginal Business Leadership Awards. Awards for aboriginal students wishing to take an educational program in business or commerce. The awards are for $1,500. Information does not appear to be available on the internet, but information can be obtained by contacting the Grant MacEwan College Foundation, PO BOX 1796, EDMONTON AB T5J 2P2, Phone (780) 497-5545, Fax (780) 497-5050.

  • Aboriginal Health Careers Bursary. The amount of the bursary varies. The criteria may include academic performance, financial need and community service.

  • Alberta Blue Cross Scholarship for Aboriginal Students. The scholarship is based on Grade 12 marks. Three scholarships are awarded each year. Amount of $500 to $1,200 per year.

  • Alberta Pacific Forest Industries. The Aboriginal Scholarship Program is for Aboriginal students living in specified regions who are accepted for studies at a post-secondary institution.

  • Belcourt Brousseau Metis Awards. Awards for between $1,000 and $7,000. Students must be Canadians, Alberta residents and Metis accepted in post-secondary program. Additional information is available on the Dollars for Learners web site.

  • Global Television Aboriginal Peoples' Internship Award. Winner receives $10,000 and serves a salaried internship period at a Global Television station.

• Husky Oil Aboriginal Educational Awards Program. Awards for Aboriginal people of. up to $3000.00 each are available.

  • Legal Studies for Aboriginal People Program. The amount of assistance varies. Financial assistance is provided for Metis and non-status Aboriginal students who want to enter or are in law school. Students must be Canadian students, living inside Canada who have applied to law school. Awards are based on financial need and merit. More information is on the Department of Justice Canada web site.

  • Metis and Non-Status Bursary. Bursary program for Metis and non-status First Nations individuals. The bursary is available for students who are interested in a career in Social Services. Students without dependents may be eligible for up to $8,000 per year for a college program and up to $9,000 per year for a university program. Students who have dependents may be eligible for up to $12,000 per year for a college program and for up to $13,000 per year for a university program.

Scholarships for Sexual Minority Students

• Sexual minority students who meet the eligibility requirements may be eligible for many scholarships. Some sexual minority students might also be eligible for scholarships established to assist gay, lesbian, bisexual, and trans-identified students.

• Bill 7 Award. Ontario award for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, queer and two-spirited students in financial need in any post-secondary institution in Ontario.

• Dadson Scholarship. University of Toronto award for students in the undergraduate sexual diversity studies program.  Candidates need to be Canadian citizens who are residing in Ontario. Selection is based on financial need and leadership potential in the queer community.

• DalOUT. A $1,500 Dalhousie University scholarship for students who made a signficant contribution to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and queer community and to promoting awareness and acceptance of sexual diversity.

• Donald L. Boisvert Scholarship for Gay and Lesbian Studies. The scholarship is for Concordia University students taking a gay and lesbian studies program and who are involved in activism.

• Emperor/Sergio Apolloni Memorial Scholarship. University of Toronto scholarship for students registered in the sexual diversity studies.

• Jer's Vision.  Founded by Jeremy Dias, Jer's Vision offers awards and scholarships.  The Jeremy Dias Scholarship is for high school students planning on attending accredited post-secondary institutions or for students attending post-secondary institutions.  The scholarship is for students who have worked to reduce discrimination, homophobia, or heterosexism in their school or community.   

• John M. Kerr Memorial Scholarship Award. Yearly scholarships are awarded to gay or lesbian students enrolled in accredited post-secondary programs in Alberta. The number of scholarships awarded and the amount of the scholarships vary yearly. Generally, the amount of the scholarships is between $500 and $750.

• Lambda Foundation Scholarship. Lambda scholarships are available for eligible students at participating Canadian universities. The scholarships are for graduate students who are conducting research projects related to gays and lesbians.

• League Foundation.  The League offers scholarships for United States citizens attending post-secondary institutions in Canada or the United States.  The League awards League Foundation Scholarships, a Laurel Hester Memorial Scholarship and a Matthew Shepard Memorial Scholarship. 

• LGBTOUT Student Award. University of Toronto award for sexual minority students who are residents of Ontario and who can demonstrate volunteer contributions to a school or a sexual minority community.

• Mark S. Bonham Scholarship for Queer Studies in Film and Video. A $5,000 scholarship is available for gay, lesbian, bisexual, or trans-identified students, who are pursuing full-time, post-secondary film studies programs related to GLBT culture, or that help educate society about GLBT people and issues.

• Michael Phair Leadership Award. The Michael Phair Award is the first University of Alberta award that is specifically for gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans-identified, or queer students. Applicants need to demonstrate leadership qualities. Preference may be given to students who demonstrate leadership within queer communities.

• Rainbow Triangle Alumni Association Award. University of Toronto award for student taking one of the specified courses in the sexual diversity studies program.

• Roberts Fund. This University of Toronto award is available for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and trans-identified students. Financial need and volunteer contributions that helped increase the acceptance of sexual diversity are taken into consideration.

• ScholarshipsCanada.Com. Scholarships can be searched by key words. In the top right side of the web page, click on scholarship name. Typing the word gay in the key word search box will provide a list of scholarships with the word gay in the scholarship title.

• Sexual Diversity Studies Scholarship. This University of Toronto award for students in the undergraduate sexual diversity studies program. Awards are given on the basis of financial need and academic merit.

• TD Scholarships for Community Leadership. This scholarship is not restricted to sexual minority youth. GLBT students who have made a difference in their community in areas such as social justice, the environment and ending child poverty may wish to apply for the scholarship. Each scholarship is valued at $70,000.

• Young and Free Alberta Scholarship. The Young and Free Scholarship is not limited to sexual minority youth, but may be of interest to GLBT activists. A scholarship of $1,000 is provided to students who were positively influenced by a mentor to improve the world.

British Columbia Scholarships

• Dogwood and District/Authority Awards. The District/Authority awards can provide up to $1000 for eligible students. 

• Graduation Program Examination Scholarships. These scholarships are available to students with the highest provincial exam scores. The scholarships can provide up to $2500 for post-secondary education expenses.

• Passport to Education Awards are being phased out. They allow eligible students to receive up to $250 for Grade 10 and Grade 11 and up to $500 for Grade 12.

Manitoba Scholarships

• Manitoba Student Aid information can be found on the Manitoba Advanced Education and Literacy website.

• Manitoba Metis Federation. The Federation has some scholarships for Metis students.

Northwest Territories Scholarships

• Northwest Territories Government. The Northwest Territories has a website dedicated to providing information about scholarships and bursaries. 

Nunavut Scholarships

• Nunavut Government . information about student funding can be found on Nunavut Government website. 

Saskatchewan Scholarships

• Saskatchewan Advantage Scholarship. Every Saskatchewan high school graduate is eligible for up to $500 per year, to a maximum of $2,000 for tuition expenses. 

• Saskatchewan Government and General Employees' Union. This Saskatchewan union has some scholarships available for members and their dependants.

• Saskatchewan Graduate Retention Program. This is not strictly a scholarship, but it can assist graduates from Saskatchewan post-secondary programs. Eligible Saskatchewan post-secondary graduates can receive a tax rebate of up to $20,000.

• Saskatchewan Scholarships. This website provides students with information about Saskatchewan scholarships.

• Scholarships, Bursaries and Grants. A Saskatchwan Advanced Education web page providing information about scholarships, bursaries and grants. 

Yukon Scholarships

• Yukon Government .   The Yukon Government website has information about sources of funding and scholarships.