Bursaries and Scholarships
The Aboriginal Financial Officers Association of Canada is dedicated to helping Aboriginals reach the highest standard of excellence in finance and management. AFOA’s initiatives in the development of Awards and Scholarships are examples of that commitment.
See link below for scholarships and bursaries.
http://www.metisnation.org/programs/education–training/education/bursaries–scholarships
If you are graduating from high school this month, chances are you are preparing to enter your first year of college or university this fall. That means you need to figure out your finances – how exactly will you pay for your post-secondary education? Student loans are very helpful, but you need to pay them back. There’s a bevy of scholarships and bursaries just waiting for you to go out and grab them – and you don’t have to repay them! So what are you waiting for? Check out some of these excellent scholarships and apply for that FREE money!
1. Equals6 30 Day Scholarship – Open to all students in all programs. Amount: $250. Deadline: June 12, 2013.
2. Bill 7 Award – Open to students who identify as lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, transsexual, two-spirited, and/or queer and are attending a school in Ontario. Amount: $2000. Deadline: August 2, 2013.
3. NACBS Undergraduate Essay Contest – Open to students in any school who write an essay on a British topic. Amount: $100. Deadline: June 15, 2013.
4. Workers Health & Safety Centre Scholarship – Open to students attending school in Ontario. Amount: $1000. Deadline: June 7, 2013.
5. AIA and the Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS) Scholarship Program – Open to students enrolled in an accredited automotive technical program in Canada. Amount: $1000. Deadline: June 15, 2013.
6. Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers Memorial Scholarship – Open to students who are studying agriculture in any school. Amount: $1000. Deadline: June 30, 2013.
7. Nexen Oil Sands Scholarship Program – Open to Canadian citizens or permanent residents that reside within the area eligible for bus transportation to Fort McMurray by the Northland School Division. Amount: $2500. Deadline: June 30, 2013.
8. Canadian Medical Hall of Fame/Great-West Life, London Life, and Canada Life Scholarship Fund – Open to currently enrolled high school students planning to pursue post-secondary studies in medicine or health sciences at a Canadian university. Amount: $1000. Deadline: June 10, 2013.
9. Nelson Civic Leadership Scholarship – Open to all Canadian students outside of Quebec who are making a difference in their community. Amount: $5000. Deadline: June 28, 2013.
10. Canada Post Aboriginal Education Incentive Awards – Open to Aboriginal Canadians who have been out of school for one year. Amount: $1000. Deadline: August 31, 2013.
Am I eligible?
You are eligible if you:
– apply and qualify for a Canada Student Loan;
– are enrolled in a full-time or part-time program (minimum 32 weeks) at a designated post-secondary institution;
– meet the criteria for students with permanent disabilities; and
– include one of the following with your loan application as proof of your disability: a medical certificate, a psycho-educational assessment, or documentation proving receipt of federal or provincial disability assistance.
What’s available?
$2,000 per academic year (August 1 to July 31).
This grant is available for each year of post-secondary studies, provided you continue to meet the eligibility criteria. This includes post-secondary studies beyond the undergraduate level. Grant money is issued by your province or territory of permanent residence at the beginning and in the middle of the school year.
Since grant amounts are fixed, the amount you receive may exceed your assessed need.
Example: If you qualify for the grant and you have an assessed need of $1,400, you will receive a $2,000 grant. In this case, the grant would cover your assessed need, so you would not need a student loan.
How do I apply?
The application process for this grant differs in each jurisdiction. To make sure you meet all the application requirements, contact your province or territory’s student financial assistance office.
Bursaries and Scholarships
The Aboriginal Financial Officers Association of Canada is dedicated to helping Aboriginals reach the highest standard of excellence in finance and management. AFOA’s initiatives in the development of Awards and Scholarships are examples of that commitment.
See link below for scholarships and bursaries.
http://www.metisnation.org/programs/education–training/education/bursaries–scholarships
The internet is a great source of information. You could research, connect with friends and relatives, shop for various things and you could even finish or earn an online college degree. With the advent of technology, everything seems to be just a click away. But the World Wide Web is not just a source of facts, it is also full of scams.
More students are becoming interested in acquiring online college degrees. In fact, as of 2007, there are already 3.7 million online students. It is easier for working parents, single parents and the disabled to take online college degrees since geographical location is not a big issue. Time and budget would depend on the student.
But online college programs are not the only ones increasing in popularity – bogus online colleges are also proliferating on the internet. The issue of having fake college degrees and diplomas is not new; the internet just gave the problem a new look. Nowadays they are called diploma or degree mills.
Fake online colleges would provide an illusion that they are a reputable and solid online academic institution. But when researchers and experts check their domain name, it would show that they do not have a concrete campus or office.
How could you differentiate illegal and legitimate online colleges and universities? There are two ways these fake institutions would market. They could blatantly announce that they are selling bogus college diplomas, while there are others which would pretend to have a solid academic background and fool the people. How do you protect yourself from such scams?
• Ask questions. It has been a common notion to never question a college or a university. But when dealing with online colleges, it is important to ask questions about management, offered courses, etc. to get an idea about its credibility.
• Check the accreditation of the online college in question. Even if they are saying that they are accredited do not settle until you have completely verified their accreditation.
• They do not require anything else other than credit card information. Online colleges require high school transcripts, previous academic records and test scores. It is likely you are dealing with fake institutions if the only thing important for them is money.
• Earning your degree would only take you about 30 days after enrollment. A real college degree, even if it is online, is something that you would have to earn and not something that would be handed to you regardless of your status.
• The online college in question has multiple complaints filed against them. You could check your local provincial government or the Better Business Bureau to see if they have lists of unaccredited colleges.
It’s the time of the year where many students are preparing their post-secondary applications, and with that comes scholarship applications, too. With that in mind, we wanted to give you an extra dose of scholarships this month. Here are ten more that you can apply for! Check the due date, as some of them need to be in this weekend. Go out and get that free money!
1. KSA K-W Rangers Scholarship – for girls entering their first year of study at any school. Amount: $2000. Deadline: May 21, 2013.
2. Helena Marie Saunders Memorial Award – For students in the Administrative Assistant and Secretarial Science program at Grant MacEwan University in Alberta. Amount: $500. Deadline: May 18, 2013.
3. J. Michael Waldram Memorial Model Forest Fellowship – For students enrolled in a Natural Resources and Conservation program at any school. Amount: $1000. Deadline: May 18, 2013.
4. Estevan Public Service Local 1120 Scholarship – For students from Saskatchewan studying at any school. Amount: $250. Deadline: May 23, 2013.
5. Orville Erickson Memorial Scholarship Fund – For students from Yukon Territory studying in a Natural Resources/Conservation program. Amount: $4000. Deadline: May 25, 2013.
6. A Campus Saint-Jean Award – For students entering their first year of study at the University of Alberta. Amount: $1000. Deadline: May 30, 2013.
7. Aboriginal Education Partnership Program – For Aboriginal students from Alberta. Amount: Based on need. Deadline: May 30, 2013.
8. Adrienne Goudie Memorial Bursary – For students that went to a Western Canada high school. Amount: $400. Deadline: May 30, 2013.
9. Arrata Family Award for New Canadians – For new Canadians that attending high school in Calgary. Amount: $2100. Deadline: May 30, 2013.
10. Bowness Historical Society Student Award – For students that attended Bowness High School in Alberta. Amount: $500. Deadline: May 30, 2013.
Bursaries and Scholarships
The Aboriginal Financial Officers Association of Canada is dedicated to helping Aboriginals reach the highest standard of excellence in finance and management. AFOA’s initiatives in the development of Awards and Scholarships are examples of that commitment.
See link below for scholarships and bursaries.
http://www.metisnation.org/programs/education–training/education/bursaries–scholarships
It’s difficult to believe, but May is already upon us. Chances are you’ve already applied to – or are about to apply to – your post-secondary schools of choice. But what about your finances? Don’t put off thinking about them! Student loans certainly are not your only options when it comes to paying for your education. Scholarships and bursaries can be found in droves – you just need to go out there and apply for them! Check out some of the great scholarships we were able to find for this month!
1. 2013 ECO Canada Scholarship – For students entering any field of study at any school across Canada. Amount: $2000. Deadline: May 21, 2013.
2. The Kitchener Sports Association Scholarships (KSA) – For students living in Ontario entering any field of study in any school across Canada. Amount: $2000. Deadline: May 21, 2013.
3. Education Awards for Brain Tumour Survivors – For students across Canada entering any field of study in any school, who are survivors of a pediatric brain tumour (diagnosed with a brain tumour before the age of 18). Amount: $5000. Deadline: May 17, 2013.
4. MyUnited Student Award – For students living in Ontario entering any field of study in any school across Canada. Amount: $3000. Deadline: May 17, 2013.
5. ACLS Foundation Geomatics Scholarship – For students across Canada entering a Geosciences/Geological and Earth Sciences program at any school. Amount: $1500. Deadline: May 15, 2013.
6. Brock University Council of International Schools CIS Scholarship – For international/Visa students entering their first year of study in any program at Brock University. Amount: $3000. Deadline: May 15, 2013.
7. Credit Valley Horticultural Society Scholarship – For students in any field of study at the University of Guelph. Amount: $1000. Deadline: May 15, 2013.
8. The Dr. John M. and Regina Riffel Entrance Bursary – For students in any field attending Campion College in Regina. Amount: $750. Deadline: May 15, 2013.
9. The Epilepsy Association of N.S. Memorial Scholarship/Bursary – For students from Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick who have been diagnosed with epilepsy. Amount: $500. Deadline: May 15, 2013.
10. Lupus Canada Scholarship – For students across Canada entering any field of study at any school who have been diagnosed with Lupus. Amount: $1000. Deadline: May 15, 2013.
My first year of university officially ended on the 21st of April and the time arrived for me to finally think about getting a summer job. As I am an international student with a ears almost as big as my fiscal expenses, I would need to work at least 65 hours per week in order to cover my tuition for the coming school year. That is the equivalent of working one full-time and one part-time job. Now, who would have thought that going to school was the fun part of the year?!
Luckily, I had already landed one job at a certain casual Canadian restaurant; the second job came soon after at a local convenience store thanks to the efforts of a well-built network of friends. The first thing I was grateful for is that both the jobs I landed required the same base skill set. I worked as a cashier at both the restaurant and the convenience store and my job required me to do the following tasks on a day-to-day basis:
1) Take customer orders
2) Manage any and all numerical transactions
3) Talk to customers and solve their problems
4) Clean the restaurant/store from time to time
5) Do not spill anything on the boss’s pants( one of my co-workers had the unfortunate pleasure of doing so)
Much to my surprise, I had mastered the base skill set in under a week without much difficulty. My first job had me working mostly overnight shifts and, as bad as it may sound, it was actually the ideal situation for me to work. This is because I would work from 11 pm to 7 am every night (or day; honestly working overnight really messes up your perspective of time), go home, have breakfast by 8, take a 2 hour nap and go to my second job (which would start at 11 in the morning and would go on until 3 pm).
So the days passed and I continued with my daily exploits. I will not lie to you – it was hard. But the work itself was not bad and I enjoyed most of it. I made some great friends and went through some very hilarious experiences.
So here is my final pieces of advice for anyone who wants to make the most out of working two jobs:
1) Find two jobs that essentially are similar in nature and require the same basic skill set. Doing so will allow you to improve on those required skills and perfect them.
2) Find jobs that are close to your house. Doing so will save you a long commute to work and will also save you time that you can utilize to do other things – like sleep!
3) Make the most out of every situation. As clichéd as this may sound, it does work. Try and make new friends at work. Broadening your horizons will also widen your network of contacts that may help you later in life.
3) You do not want to physically and mentally over-exert yourself. If you cannot handle two jobs then it is better to just have one. You will avoid making mistakes and potentially being let go from both your jobs this way. Instead, focus your energy on looking for scholarships/bursaries/loans to help pay for school. Also, ask your employer for help as many companies have educational benefit plans for student workers.
Working two jobs is a strenuous task but it is possible. So if you find yourself in a situation like this sometime in the future then hopefully you shall remember my advice for you!
Like getting a ton of free money? Of course you do!
Those lines might sound like the beginning of an un-reputable online advertisement, but the truth is there are plenty of scholarships aiming to do just that – hand you free money to support your education.
So how do you score some of this free cash? Start by applying to any and all scholarships that you can. The more you apply to, the higher your odds of receiving an award.
If you’re not sure of your eligibility for a scholarship, apply anyway. Many scholarships are not given out due to lack of applicants. Even if your eligibility is hazy you may be the lucky winner by default. This was the case when Sandro Rocco, Niagara College Photonics alumni, applied to the Walker Technology Grant.
“I wasn’t entirely sure if I qualified but I thought – why not give it a shot? A lot of people don’t bother,” he commented.
“It turned out I was the only person to apply for the scholarship so I won. The award was really helpful and got applied directly to my tuition,” Sandro continued.
Some students shy away from scholarship applications because they feel their grades aren’t high enough. However, plenty of scholarships are handed out as a result of achievement in other areas, including extracurricular involvement, athletics or charity work. Financial aid and area of interest are also taken into consideration when handing out scholarships.
Take time out of your schedule to make great applications. Prioritize and spend time on scholarships that are most applicable to your skills and experiences.
Remember that scholarship application is not limited to your first year of studies. Many students stop applying after their first year thinking that the majority of scholarship funding is reserved for new students. This is not the case, as many awards are reserved for students in their second, third and fourth year of studies.
Students are sometimes intimidated by the amount of work involved in applying to scholarships, but by using an incremental approach and developing decent time management (yes, it is possible) you will be able to handle the stress and hopefully reap the benefits of scholarship application.
Many online scholarships allow you to save your work in their own word processors, making it easy to finish one or two parts of the application at a time.
Having a stock application template done in advance is another easy way to save time and minimize stress while scholarship hunting.
Have a thorough list of your skills, past experiences, awards and academic achievements on hand as part of your application template. This go-to list will make a world of difference in the quickness of your application process.
Also, prepare a general and flexible essay that highlights your personal qualifications and that can be tweaked to fit specific scholarship criteria.
Keep your audience in mind when filling out applications.
If you are applying to an academic scholarship, be sure to use academic language and keep the tone of your writing as professional as possible.
In contrast, some scholarship review panels are looking to see a more personal response. For these, don’t be afraid to use a less formal language and be sure to highlight your own opinion, giving judges a better understanding of your personality.
Just like that summer job, it is never too early to start the search for scholarships! So good luck and happy applying!