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 shortest month of the year is upon us, but it’s still jam-packed with things to do. If you’re heading into college or university this fall, make applying for scholarships part of your February plan. Come September, you’ll be thankful to know that part (or maybe even all!) or your tuition will be covered by free money that you received simply by taking the time to apply for scholarships and bursaries. Here’s some of the latest ones we discovered this month!
1. Gear-Up Scholarship – Open to students across Canada who are entering post-secondary education or are current college students. Amount: $1000. Deadline: February 15, 2014
2. Canadian Meat Science Association Undergraduate Scholarships – Open to students across Canada who are enrolled in an undergraduate program in Agriculture and/or Food Science at a Canadian University. Amount: Two (2) prizes of $2500. Deadline: February 14, 2014.
3. Canadian Corporation for Studies in Religion Undergraduate Essay Contest – Open to students across Canada enrolled in an undergraduate program who submit an essay about religious studies. Amount: $300 for first prize and $100 for second prize. Deadline: April 18, 2014.
4. Ascent Social Enterprise Competition – Open to Ontario residents under the age of 35 who submit a business idea to solve a social or environmental issue. Amount: Top prize of $5000, secondary prizes of $2500 and $1000 plus a trip to Waterloo. Deadline: March 4, 2014.
5. Industrial Undergraduate Student Research Awards – Open to undergraduate students across Canada who are enrolled in a natural sciences or engineering program. Amount: $6500. Deadline: February 28, 2014.
6. Keith Gilmore Scholarships – Open to Canadian students enrolled in an agriculture, agricultural journalism or veterinary medicine undergraduate program. Amount: Varying prizes ranging from $1500 – $2500. Deadline: May 15, 2014.
Debt is a four letter word that should not be feared.
Students who learn how to manage debt during university are paying themselves a great investment. You may be hearing horror stories of friends of friends who are paying off student loans years after graduation. Even the media pitches in and tells tales of students with debt so large that it seems unlikely they will ever pay off.
No one wants to start out in life saddled with debt, but this could really be the best thing you do for yourself.
Good Debt vs. Bad Debt
A $1000 handbag or watch from your favourite designer is bad debt. $1000 towards books and supplies is good debt. Debt that goes towards something that will benefit you in the future is fine. Using borrowed money to earn your degree will only guarantee yourself a chance to earn much more than someone without a degree or diploma.
Dr. Richard Settersten and Barbara E. Ray’s book Not Quite Adults highlights this fact, “taking on a little debt for a bigger payoff down the road is smart”. Settersten and Ray also shared Nobel laureate, Milton Friedman’s advice: people should borrow the most early on when their earnings are the smallest, save a lot when they are in their highest earning years in midlife, and then start spending all those savings after they retire.
Be Realistic
BMO Financial Group surveyed students across Canada and found that half believe that they will graduate with zero or less than $10,000 debt. This doesn’t quite match up with the findings from Statistics Canada, which states the average student graduates with $18,800. Be realistic when you’re borrowing money and always know how much you’ve taken out and how much you’re spending.
Be Strategic
Arthur Chan, who took out Canada Student Loans for fives years at Carleton University to complete his engineering degree, graduated with a debt of $21,000. He wasn’t able to find a job in his field until 8 months after graduation. Now, 2 years in a full time position with the government of Canada, that massive loan is all but a distant memory. How did he do it?
Just because you’re able to borrow a large amount of money, doesn’t mean you have to spend all of it. Arthur lived at home during university and took public transportation everyday to keep costs low. He also worked part time retail jobs during summer vacations. When he wasn’t able to find a job right away, he applied for interest relief on his student loans. Once he was able to secure a job, he used his earnings to get rid of the debt as quickly as possible. The key is to learn how to save as much as you’re able to borrow.
With tuition costs rising across Canada, sometimes adding everything up really discourages prospective students. Don’t let debt deter you from getting the education you want. Remember: education is a right, not a privilege.
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’re entering college or university in 2014, now is the time to get your applications in for scholarships and bursaries. The turning of the calendar to a new year heralds many new scholarship opportunities that you will not want to miss out on! Recently, the Canadian government announced plans for scholarships to honour Nelson Mandela – as soon as we have more information on these, we will pass them on to you. Until then, check out these great scholarships and bursaries that we have found for you this month:
1. From Failure to Promise Essay Contest – Open to students across Canada who meet GPA criteria. Amount: $500 – $1500. Deadline: July 31, 2014.
2. Fraser Institute Student Essay Contest – Open to students across Canada. Amount: $500 – $1500. Deadline: May 30, 2014.
3. Tronia Systems Scholarship – Open to students across Canada enrolled in an Agribusiness program. Amount: $1000. Deadline: October 4, 2014.
4. CBC Literary Prizes – Open to students across Canada who submit a 2500 word essay. Amount: Up to $6000. Deadline: February 1, 2014.
5. AEF Edcuational Scholarship – Intended for students interested in pursuing an equine-related post-secondary education. Amount: Varies. Deadline: April 25, 2014.
6. Joseph W. Atkinson Scholarship for Excellence in Teacher Education – Open to students in Ontario enrolled in a teacher’s college. Amount: $2000. Deadline: July 13, 2015.
7. Farm Credit Canada Support Grant – Open to students who are members of 4-H in 2013/2014. Amount: 30 grants worth $500 each. Deadline: January 31, 2014.
8. Industrial Undergraduate Student Research Awards – Open to students registered in a university bachelor’s degree program in natural sciences or engineering. Amount: $6500. Deadline: February 28, 2014.
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
With December upon us and exams in full-swing, the last thing on your mind might be how you’ll fund your post-secondary education next year. As you settle in for your holiday break in a few weeks, take some time to check out the scholarships we have sourced for you this month. Getting your applications in now can help grab that free money that you otherwise would not have. Take a look at the application criteria for each scholarship – you may be only a few clicks of your mouse away from getting help with your post-secondary tuition!
1. Equals6 Top-Talent Scholarship – Open to all students across Canada attending high school full-time. Amount: $250. Deadline: December 31, 2013.
2. Industrial Undergraduate Student Research Awards (I-USRA) – Open to students registered in a university bachelor’s degree program in natural sciences or engineering. Amount: $6500. Deadline: February 28, 2014.
3. Simplycast Jutla Scholarship – Open to all students across Canada entering any field of study. Amount: $450. Deadline: February 28, 2014.
4. Simplycast Scobey Scholarship – Open to all students across Canada entering any field of study. Amount: $450. Deadline: February 28, 2014.
5. From Failure to Promise Essay Contest – Open to all students across Canada who write a 1000 word essay on a specific topic. Amount: $500 – $1500. Deadline: July 31, 2014.
6. Canadian Society for the Study of Religion Undergraduate Student Essay Contest – Open to all students enrolled in undergraduate studies at a Canadian university or college who write a 2500 word essay on a specific topic. Amount: $100 – $300. Deadline: April 18, 2014.
7. Fraser Institute Student Essay Contest – Open to all students enrolled in high school or an undergraduate studies program across Canada who write a 1000 word essay on a specific topic. Amount: $500 – $1500. Deadline: May 30, 2014.
8. Terry Fox Humanitarian Award – Open to all students across Canada who demonstrate community service and volunteerism. Amount: 20 awards worth $7000. Deadline: February 1, 2014.
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 considering the possibility of graduate school, one of the most daunting factors for you to consider could be how you will pay for it. Don’t worry! There are many scholarships available to students pursuing everything from engineering to the arts. Some of the financial aid your school offers is competitive and based on performance, and others are based on applicant needs. While the types of support offered varies by university, I use Laurentian University in Barrie and Sudbury Ontario as an example of some of the types of support offered for this article. For accurate descriptions of the types of support offered, please view your school’s website. Graduate students can apply for graduate teaching assistantships or research assistantships, summer fellowships, scholarships and bursaries (based on merit and need) and OSAP (based on need).
Teaching assistantships or research assistantships are valued at $7,350 for Masters students and $12,075 for PhD students and are opportunities that full time students registered in the first two years of their masters program or in the first 4 years of their graduate degree can take advantage of. These can be in the form of 10 hr/week teaching positions in the University or fellowships (“A temporary position at an academic institution with limited teaching duties and ample time for research” (Wiktionary, 2013)). Summer fellowships are valued at $1000 and gives graduate students the opportunity to work full-time on their research during the summer. Research assistantantships are available in select cases and based on availability of faculty to support graduate students wishing to pursue this option. The criteria for receiving scholarships and bursaries varies by school, so check your school’s graduate studies program website for further details on the scholarships and their respective deadlines. Typically, these supports are available to applicants in their first and second year of their program who are enrolled into full time studies and are Canadian residents. OSAP (Ontario Student Assistance Program) is designed to help students who are in financial need. Interested students may view eligibility criteria and apply through the website at www.osap.com.
If the next step on your career path requires you to pursue graduate education and you’re broke, never fear! There are many options suited for students in different situations. Keep your head up and take a look at your graduate studies website for more information on what is best suited for you!
It’s November, so we know what you’re thinking about – getting through exams and counting down the days to when you will be on holidays come December. If you’re planning on starting post-secondary education next fall, thinking about scholarships is something you need to pencil in, too! Many scholarships are accepting applications NOW. Get yours in while everyone else is concentrating on Christmas vacation and you’ll have an even better shot at scoring that free money!
1. Canadian Society for the Study of Religion Undergraduate Student Essay Contest – Open to all students enrolled in an undergraduate program at any school. Amount: $250. Deadline: April 18, 2014.
2. Burger King Scholars Awards – Open to all students across Canada who are employed by Burger King or who are children of Burger King employees. Amount: Up to $50,000. Deadline: January 10, 2014.
3. Terry Fox Humanitarian Award – Open to all students across Canada who demonstrate voluntary humanitarian work. Amount: $7000. Deadline: February 1, 2014.
4. Dalton Camp Award – Open to all students across Canada. Amount: $10,000. Deadline: November 15, 2013.
5. TD Scholarships for Community Leadership – Open to all students across Canada. 20 awards available! Amount: Up to $70,000 over 4 years. Deadline: December 6, 2013.
6. RBC Students Leading Change Scholarship for Undergraduates – Open to all students across Canada entering post-secondary education on 2014. Amount: Varies. Deadline: Applications available November 1, 2013 – deadline TBD.
7. Horatio Alger Canada Scholarship Program – Open to students in Quebec, Ontario, BC or Alberta. Amount: $5000. Deadline: December 1, 2013.