Scholarships: Free money, for more than just good grades!

It’s not a secret that post-secondary education can be expensive. But it doesn’t always have to be – and we have some (hopefully) valuable information for you.

Did you know that most universities and colleges give out millions of dollars of free money every year in scholarships, awards, and bursaries? Did you also know that not all of those awards are based on your grades or GPA?

Last year alone, UNBC gave away $2.9 Million, to over one thousand students (with an average of 1 in 4 students receiving a financial award).

The question then becomes – how do you get in on the free money?

• Shop. University and college websites all have awards guides for you to peruse. Look for program-specific, entrance, general, or non-academic (leadership, or athletic, for example) awards. (Information about UNBC scholarships and awards can be found at: www.unbc.ca/financial-aid)

• Be aware of application deadlines.

• Apply. After you’ve oriented yourself to the awards and their deadlines, you need to know how to apply. Some awards are grades based and you need apply to the university/college to enter those competitions. Other awards require letters of references, short essays or personal statements, or resumes in order to apply. Read the full award description to know how to apply for the awards you are eligible for, and how to submit any supplementary documents necessary. studentaidbc.ca, for instance, has a great list of grants and scholarships, and ask your friends, family and coworkers – chances are you have great resources available to you!

For more information about UNBC, our programs and courses, tuition and fees, scholarships and financial aid, student life, and much more, please visit our prospective student website at unbc4u.unbc.ca or email us at unbc4u@unbc.ca.