Scholarships and bursaries can be a great way to help pay for your university education, so students often ask, what is a scholarship or bursary and how do I get one? The goal of this blog is to help new and returning students understand what these awards are, what options are available at Cape Breton University and how to apply.

What is a scholarship?

A scholarship is a non-repayable financial award given to students to help with the costs of their post-secondary education. Scholarships are often awarded based on academic achievement, volunteer work, community involvement, and sometimes even future career plans. Scholarships can be granted in the form of a one-time payment or may be renewable, meaning as long as you continue to meet the criteria, you will be awarded a portion each year. Criteria for scholarships are set on a case-by-case basis, so it’s important to read the fine print before you apply!

What is a bursary?

Like a scholarship, a bursary is also a non-repayable financial award given to students to help fund their continued studies. However, while factors like program or community involvement may be considered, bursary eligibility is primarily based on a student’s financial circumstances. Bursaries are given out by universities, colleges, high schools, local business and community organizations.

What types of scholarships and bursaries does CBU offer?

CBU offers two different types of scholarships and bursaries: Entrance and In-Course.

Entrance Scholarships and Bursaries are offered to students coming to CBU directly from high school. Each year, every first-year admission applicant is assessed based on their high school transcript for renewable scholarship eligibility; no application is required for this type. Other types of Entrance Scholarships and Bursaries may require additional steps like an application, responding to questions about community involvement, or even an essay.

In-Course Scholarships and In-Course Bursaries are available each year to students who have completed at least one semester of studies at CBU. If you receive one of these awards, you will be notified and the funds will be automatically applied to your account. Applications for these types of awards are available to eligible students for the Fall and Winter semesters.

How do you apply?

At CBU, we try to make the application process as simple as possible. You can view all available scholarship applications by visiting our Current Applications webpage and all available bursary applications by visiting the In-Course Bursaries page.

Once you’re on one of these pages you simply click on the applications that interest you, read the requirements, and submit your application if you are eligible.

Need to know more?

For more information about scholarships and bursaries at CBU, please visit the Scholarships and Bursaries webpage or email awards@cbu.ca.