Some of Canada’s largest scholarship foundations have application deadlines by the end of May, but many Canadian students aren’t bothering to apply, leaving millions in education dollars on the table annually.
Digging deeper, it appears many students start the process — researching, starting applications — but aren’t following through.
Students often wrongly believe they need to be academic geniuses, that they need to disclose personal financial information that demonstrates financial duress, or that scholarships are only for the young or saintly.
Only about a third of scholarships, however, require one or two of the above.
The truth is, the folks giving away this money know that empowering students from all walks-of-life through scholarship dollars is key to unlocking innovation in Canada.
And they’ve designed the entrance qualifications to be much more flexible than is commonly believed.
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Here are four tips to get your (or your child’s) scholarship applications across the finish line — with a higher degree of success:
Know where to look
If a student is already registered, their school’s financial aid office is a great place to start looking around for scholarships.
Advisers working there will also have a line on bursaries, which are typically based on financial need, whereas scholarships are more merit based.
Aggregator sites should be your next stop including , , , Government of Canada and .Ìý
These sites compile lists of potential scholarships that match your profile, so the trick is to set up a robust profile using keywords that will match the kinds of scholarships that fit your best.
Artificial intelligence can also help drum up perfect keywords with specific prompts like: ‘provide a set of keywords used in scholarship applications that are focused on women in finance.’
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Many private organizations and foundations also offer scholarships and bursaries on their websites.
The lowest hanging fruit, of course, is through a current employer. Many organizations provide scholarships to the children of employees, or to the employees themselves, with a limited application process.
Write a strong application and read requirements carefully
This part starts with reading the application requirements carefully.
When applying for dozens of scholarships all at once, it’s easy to mix up requirements between them. Slow down, and use AI to help with a prompts like ‘summarize the requirements of winning this scholarship.’ Then double check you’re hitting those requirements before submitting the application.
Small mistakes can cost big money, so proofread before submitting.
This is especially important if there is an essay component (don’t rip this from ChatGPT! It needs to be uniquely you).
A strong application also follows instructions to a T. If the requirements say a 500-word essay needs to be submitted, don’t write 700 words.
And, if certain documents are requested in a particular format (PDF, Word etc.,) submit those.
If they prefer a personal statement versus an essay, prepare that.
A personal statement shares who you are, and is an opportunity to help connect your life story to the purpose of the scholarship.
Depending on the scholarship, this would include academic achievements, extracurriculars, leadership roles, community volunteer service and personal passion projects.
Having been successful at applying for scholarships in both my undergrad and then in my masters program, I can confidently emphasize that quantifying results is key: ‘Raised $700 for a Red Cross’ or ‘led a team of 10 volunteers on a Habitat for Humanity build.’
Get strong references
Having an influential person — teacher, coach, supervisor — vouch for you, and your accomplishments, can make a great first impression on your application.
You can complement this with a well-written personal statement that lays out your rationale for why you should win the scholarship and how you plan to make the most of the money.
Almost always, someone who knows you well can shine a light on what makes you special? As you craft your personal statement, they can validate life experiences, challenges you have overcome, passions and future goals.
For this reference to feel as authentic as you are, you need to give the person enough time to write something thoughtful.
Keep well organized
Start early and now!
Deadlines can sneak up fast, so create a calendar with application due dates to stay of top of things.
Going a step further, use a spreadsheet to track what each scholarship requires: essays, transcripts, recommendation letters, links to the websites and more.
If you really want to geek out, there are free versions of project management software that can be used.
Being this organized will ensure you have the time to tailor each application so that it resonates with each scholarship committee.
And starting early should give you enough time to tackle the more lengthy applications.
From decluttering and depersonalizing, to adding a lick of paint and making repairs, it only
It’s these ones, by the way, that can often yield great results as you can sometimes be the lone applicant with the stamina to jump through all the committee’s hoops.
Of course, not all your applications will pan out, but some might, and every dollar counts toward lowering your education costs.
There’s free money out there — you just need to apply for it.Ìý
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