Scholarships
There are several different categories of scholarships available to graduating students who intend to pursue a post-secondary education. While many scholarships are based primarily, or solely, on the academic achievements of students, oftentimes there are other factors taken into account, including financial need, extra-curricular involvement, volunteer work, community activities, leadership, fine and performing arts achievements, and athletic activities. Your research into these opportunities will help narrow your consideration to relevant awards and focus your energy in a timely manner on those that fit for you.
Learn more about the various types of scholarships by clicking on the links or reading more below:
1. School-based Graduation Awards- These include dozens of different scholarships for various amounts awarded by Point Grey Secondary School.
2. District Scholarships - These scholarships recognize exceptional student achievements in non-academic areas (please see details below).
3. Provincial Scholarships - These include the BC Achievement Scholarship, the BC Excellence Scholarship and the Pathway to Teacher Education Scholarship (more information below).
4. Scholarships Awarded by External Organizations (please see details below) - There are hundreds of scholarships available across the country from a huge variety of providers, for students who demonstrate excellence in a variety of ways.
5. Scholarships Awarded by Post-Secondary Institutions (please see details below) - Post-secondary institutions want to attract good students, so they provide many awards as incentives to study at their institution and to reward achievement.
1. SCHOOL-BASED GRADUATION AWARDS - Details are available by clicking here.
2. DISTRICT SCHOLARSHIPS
(For more detailed information, click here.)
The District/Authority Awards reward graduating BC students for excellence in their chosen non- academic field(s). These scholarships are intended to assist tuition for furthering students’ post secondary education.
The Ministry allocates 5,500 $1250 awards as a voucher to be used toward a student’s post secondary education tuition.
Basic Eligibility Requirements
• Must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident (landed immigrant) at the time of applying for the scholarship.
• Must be a BC resident.
• Must be enrolled in and graduating from school during the year for which the scholarship is awarded.
Qualifying for a District/Authority Award
To earn a scholarship, a student must apply and:
• Meet the basic eligibility requirements.
• Fulfill the BC graduation requirements by August 31st of a student's graduating year.
• Meet the criteria determined by the local District Scholarship Committee, which requires a student to demonstrate superior achievement in any of the following areas:
1. Fine Arts (e.g. Visual Arts, Dance, Drama, Music).
2. Applied Design, Skills and Technologies (e.g. Business Ed, Technology Ed, Home Economics).
3. Physical Activity (e.g., Athletics, Dance, Gymnastics, not limited to Physical Education). 4. International Languages.
5. Community Service (Volunteer Activity).
6. Technical and Trades Training (e.g., Carpentry, Automotive, Mechanics, Cook Training).
7. Indigenous Languages and Culture demonstrated at school or in the community.
3. PROVINCIAL SCHOLARSHIPS
(For more detailed information, click here)
Basic Eligibility Requirements
Same as for the District Scholarships, above.
a) BC Achievement Scholarships
This $1250 scholarship recognizes the top 8,000 graduates in the province, based on students’ achievement in courses in Grades 10, 11, and 12 that satisfy graduation program requirements (including elective courses). Students do not apply for this award.
A cumulative average percentage will be calculated and form the basis for awarding the BC Achievement Scholarship. Recipients must meet basic eligibility requirements (above), in addition to attaining a “B” (73% or above) or better average in their Language Arts 12 course.
b) BC Excellence Scholarships
These $5000 scholarships will be awarded to 55 students in the province, recognizing well-rounded graduates.
Each secondary school in BC may nominate one eligible student, who may then make application for this scholarship through his/her school district or independent school authority.
Nominees must meet basic eligibility requirements (above), be in their graduating year, fulfilling all graduation requirements for a BC Certificate of Graduation (Dogwood Diploma) by August 31st of the school year in which they are nominated. In addition, nominees' applications will be rated on a number of criteria, including average final marks in Gr. 11 and 12 courses required for graduation, a resume, two letters of reference and written statement. Yearly deadline dates for nomination and application will be posted on-line.
c) Pathway to Teacher Education Scholarships
These $5000 scholarships will be awarded to 20 students in the province who have demonstrated a commitment and aptitude for a career in K-12 teaching. The award voucher is redeemable when a student registers and attends a teacher education program in one of nine BC Faculties of Education.
Eligibility is the same as for the BC Excellence Scholarship, above. Application is on-line and includes a resume, written statement and reference letters. Check the website for updated application materials and due dates.
4. SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED BY EXTERNAL ORGANIZATIONS
There are many organizations that provide funding for scholarships on an annual basis. These include non-profit agencies, associations, private corporations, industries, businesses, trade unions and individuals. You will need to determine your suitability for specific awards and then decide which are worth your time and energy pursuing. While aspects of these awards, including application deadlines, may remain constant from year to year, ensure that you consult the most up to date information distributed directly by the provider.
Some employers and unions provide scholarships for the graduating children of their employees/members. Check with your parent(s) to find out if you are eligible, or do a search using keywords relating to their employer/union.
The following websites collate information about Canadian scholarships and/or have searchable databases. These are provided for information only, not as an endorsement by the school:
Scholarship Portal (for those interested in studying internationally)
Ensure that you also continue to track other sources of information within the school. The Counselling Suite posts information it receives on its bulletin boards. The Student Bulletin is used to publish and share information about diverse topics such as awards and scholarships, so reading this regularly can inform you of important opportunities. In addition, ensuring that you are on the e-mail list used by your Counsellor will see that you receive periodic messages that may include useful, related details.
5. SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED BY POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTIONS
Post-secondary institutions provide financial awards to their students. In general, there are two categories, as follows:
• Automatic Entrance Scholarships - These are based upon the information provided during the application process. No separate application is required, and usually these are confirmed in the summer when the post-secondary institution receives final grade 12 marks.
• Major Entrance Awards - For students who plan to begin studies at a particular institution, these awards will take into account high school marks and additional information. You will have to apply specifically to these and to provide requested details, possibly including information about extra-curricular activities, leadership, community involvement, essays and references. You will need to explore the websites of the post-secondary institutions to which you are applying in order to learn more (look for the keywords "scholarships", "awards", "financing your education", "financial support", etc.). In addition, some institution websites provide a lot of information about external awards, which are those provided by organizations other than the institution itself.
6. OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDING
Other sources of funding for your post-secondary education include bursaries, grants and loans. Bursaries and grants are awarded to students based upon financial need, therefore application is required. It may also be necessary to apply for student loans in order to be eligible for a bursary or grant. Click here for more information, and check the websites of the institutions to which you are applying in order to learn more. To learn more about student loans, click here.
Google Translate