All FAQs (Helpie FAQ)

A full tuition waiver, or a “full ride” scholarship, is funding that covers the entire cost of your tuition, and may go even further than that, covering textbooks, housing, living expenses, and so on. These types of programs are relatively rare and highly competitive for domestic and international students alike.

Yes, the income received from scholarships is generally taxable, as it’s income you must declare on your taxes! Student loans are not considered income for tax purposes, though, and the interest you pay can be reclaimed via a tax credit.

Not required, no, but it’s definitely good practice. A quick thank you note, detailing what you’re up to, where you’re going, and how receiving the scholarship has helped, is a great idea, and helps encourage scholarship admins to continue supporting students in the future.

Full tuition waivers, or scholarships covering your full tuition amount, are rare in Canada. Some programs like the Loran Scholars and the Schulich Leaders might offer enough to cover all of your tuition, but they will be extremely competitive. Some colleges and universities (often the larger ones) will have a few “full ride” scholarships, but again, they’ll be highly competitive, and typically expect stellar grades at the very least.

If you take a gap year after high school, you will likely still be eligible for entrance scholarships. Different schools may have different restrictions, but in general, if you haven’t taken any post-secondary education before, you’ll still qualify as an “entering” student and be assessed for entrance scholarships.

Engineering technology diplomas typically cost roughly $5,000 per year for Canadian/domestic students, or roughly $18,000 per year for international students. An advanced technical diploma like this will typically take three years to complete. Try: https://www.schoolfinder.com/Programs/ProgramSearchResult.aspx?searchWord=engineering&programCategory=-1&ProfileType=College

Yes, most schools that offer co-op or internship options will source the positions for you. They may have preferred partners in the community, or at the very least, connections and leads you can use to find a position for yourself. In some cases, though, you may be left to your own devices to find a position, so be sure to talk with school staff when deciding on the right school and program.

Lots to consider here: cost, location, program offerings, campus life, and more. You’ll need to decide which of these factors is most important to you (living close to home? traveling outside the country? something else?) Then finding a few options and comparing them directly, point by point, can help you narrow down the right choice. You may want to try the new Program Explorer tool on SchoolFinder.

We do our best to index every active university, college, and career college in Canada on SchoolFinder.com. We also include schools from outside the country, but on a less comprehensive basis. If you’re looking for a school in Canada, you’ll find it on SchoolFinder.

Yes, schools will be more concerned that you have the correct prerequisites, and less concerned on when exactly you finished them. You could even take a summer class, so long as you have the prerequisite completed when you apply to the college or university. When in doubt, it’s always a good idea to reach out to the school and ask an admissions rep directly. You can find contact info for many schools on SchoolFinder.com or StudyinCanada.com!

Most scholarships — especially those from the school that you’re attending, like an automatic entrance scholarship — will be credited directly to your tuition account. You probably won’t really “see” the money, it’ll just be deducted from the amount of tuition you owe. Some scholarship providers will instead mail you a cheque or do direct deposit to your bank account, in which case you’ll need to move the money around yourself to cover tuition and so on.

Colleges and universities will email you (and may even use regular mail, too) to offer you a place in a program, assuming you’re accepted. This is your admissions letter, or “offer of admission.” If a scholarship requires proof of enrolment, you can usually use your offer letter instead, at least until you actually receive your proof of enrolment (which may be some weeks later).

Rankings are just one facet of the school search process, and for many students, they’re not the most important thing. You’ll also want to consider program offerings, expected costs, location, potential workplace connections (especially if you’re looking at a co-op or internship), and you’ll have to decide how much each of these factors matters to you! For a STEM subject like chemistry, you may want to look into what the profs are publishing and researching at the schools that interest you — you may find a project you’d love to be part of!

Yes, scholarship consultants exist! These experts typically have lots of experience in admissions and financial aid, so they’ll be able to help you identify which scholarships you should apply to, and how you can make your best case. There will be a cost involved, and remember, the service is consulting: you’ll still need to write your own applications! Having someone else, expert or no, write your applications for you is unethical and could result in your application being rejected if the deception is discovered.

There’s no limit to the number of scholarships you can apply to! In some cases, a given organization might restrict you to just one of their available awards — and in rare cases, may not consider you eligible if you already have a scholarship from a competitor — but in general, you can (and should!) apply to as many scholarship opportunities as you can.

Try to find a scholarship that resonates with you! Some will have straightforward, dare we say boring, applications, while others will ask for videos, essays, art pieces, even a prom dress made of duct tape! So decide what your strengths are and try to find awards that match. Plus, keep an eye out for entrance scholarships at your school of choice, of course!

Renewable scholarships will be marked as such. If they don’t use that specific word, look for awards that mention “continued support,” “ongoing eligibility,” and that kind of thing. Most renewable awards will last for the duration of your degree; ie 2-4 years.

As long as you meet the eligibility requirements for a given scholarship, you can apply. Pay special attention to the “year of study,” though: if an award is for first-years only, and you’re in second year, you won’t be eligible to apply. When in doubt, it’s always a good idea to reach out to the financial aid department at your school for more info and help.

Your best bet when seeking specific programs like this is to break it down: search for the specific keywords (in this case “sound”), and consider synonyms, too, like “audio” and “recording” to ensure you find as many relevant results as possible. Here’s a quick search to help you get started: https://www.schoolfinder.com/Programs/ProgramSearchResult.aspx?searchWord=sound&programCategory=-1

An average grade of 95% in high school will likely give you access to some of the most valuable entrance scholarships a school offers, but a 95% isn’t necessary to qualify for awards. Many entrance scholarship programs start at the 80% mark, or even lower, depending on the school! Try to find entrance awards that match your grades, rather than the reverse.

Getting a scholarship depends on many factors, which may include: your average grades, what you study, where you go to school, where you’re from, your family’s financial status, your heritage, your extracurricular activities, and more. General advice: try to engage with your school and/or community. Develop your leadership skills, and try to volunteer or work where possible. Build connections with others who can write you reference letters too!

Your academic average is relevant, yes, but it’s not the only factor that goes into scholarship eligibility — though it’s usually the most important part for entrance scholarships.

In some cases, you may be left to your own devices to find a position, so be sure to talk with school staff when deciding on the right school and program. Once you understand the requirements and restrictions of the co-op program itself, you should have an easier time finding a role.

OSAP is the Ontario Student Assistance Program — Ontario’s provincial student loan provider. Other provinces have their own systems (StudentAidBC, for example), but they all operate fairly similarly. You apply for a student loan, and you’re “assessed” for a certain amount of money, based on your income and finances. This loan is generous for students, with more forgiving repayment terms than a bank might offer, but the money still needs to be repaid.

Each scholarship listing on ScholarshipsCanada.com includes a “monthly views” indicator; this will give you some insight into the recent popularity of a given scholarship. (In many cases, the most valuable awards are also the most popular, so it may be best to apply for smaller scholarships!)

Some schools consider more than a student’s grades to get a better picture of who the applicant is as a whole. They may request to see a resumé of the extracurricular, volunteer, or employment positions you’ve held or ask for this information in a personal essay.

Extracurriculars are a great way to set yourself apart from other applicants, as it shows your commitment and interests. Some schools will accept information about a student’s extacurriculars in their application, but other schools may only consider a student’s grades. So, make sure you see what a given school wants you to submit.

Grade 11 is a great time to start looking into scholarships to see what’s available and to get a head start on writing those applications. Just keep in mind that some scholarships may require you to be enrolled in a postsecondary program to be eligible for the award.

No, some scholarships don’t require you to be enrolled in a postsecondary school or program at the time of your application. Some will be eligible for students who are currently in high school. However, they may ask for proof of enrolment at a later date after you apply.

Yes, scholarships are available throughout a student’s education career, meaning you can apply to awards from your first to your last year of undergrad. Most scholarships require you to be enrolled in a program to be eligible for the award, so make sure you apply to scholarships while you’re still in school.

Be yourself and highlight what makes you unique! If a scholarship requires an essay, use this as an opportunity to answer the question that is provided, but emphasize your strengths and experiences.

No. Our database includes thousands and thousands of scholarships from schools, companies, and organizations, but these aren’t all that are available. Make sure you check with your parents’ workplace, places you volunteer, and local organizations to see if they have any scholarships that they offer.

Scholarships that are listed on ScholarshipsCanada will show the award amount on each listing. There is no “full scholarship” tag, and instead the numerical value of the award will be listed. Canada has relatively few “full ride” scholarships; you’ll likely need multiple sources of funding to cover your entire degree and living expenses.

No, in most cases, you’ll need to be at least accepted, if not outright enrolled, in college or university before you can apply for scholarships. Some exceptions may exist, based on age, or awards specifically directed at high school students, but most scholarships are aimed at college/uni students.

Yes, you can apply to and earn as many scholarships as you want. But some scholarships will include a rule that if you accept this award, that you won’t accept any other. For example, some schools will offer multiple high-value entrance awards, but will stipulate that if you receive one, then you can’t claim any of the others. So, make sure you read the terms and conditions of each award.

The ScholarshipsCanada team works to vet each scholarship provider that comes into our system, so you won’t find any scams here! There are awards from colleges and universities, unions, corporations, and more.

You can choose any undergrad program that interests you. Medical schools in Canada don’t require applicants to have a degree in a specific field, but each school may require applicants to have taken specific courses. These courses will vary between each school, but they are commonly courses in life sciences, health sciences, social science, and humanities. Try exploring medical related programs on SchoolFinder.

Universities will offer scholarships to students that attend their own school. Schools may also offer scholarships for students enrolled at their institution, but will be completing a semester abroad at another school. Some universities wil have formal agreements with other schools to make this process easier. But as a rule of thumb, schools only give scholarships to their own students.

If you’re required to show you’ve been enrolled, but you don’t have an admissions letter yet, many scholarship admins will let you use a proof of acceptance instead, meaning the email or letter you got from the school saying you can have admission if you want it. Failing that, you can reach out to the scholarship admin and explain that you don’t have the proof yet, and you may be able to work something out.

Available scholarships change all the time, so if you’re eligible, it’s better to apply now than wait. University life can be super busy as is, without adding scholarship applications on top. So it’s a good idea to browse and research what may be available, and yes, saving or bookmarking the interesting awards is a good idea, but be aware that some awards may or may not be available by the time you get to apply to them!

Each school or program may have a different deadline for general and early acceptance applications. Typically, early admission applications have deadlines in December, but make sure you do your research first so you don’t miss any dates!

Yes, when we talk about the importance of “leadership” skills in scholarship applications, how you came to develop your leadership is important, and past achievements are certainly worth discussing! Your leadership skills can be developed in school, your community, at work, when volunteering, etc. What matters is that you’re building your soft skills and making an impact in your world.

Many scholarships or bursaries may ask you to self-identify as coming from a low income household if your family earns less that the amount they state. To verify this information, they may ask you to share information from your previous year’s taxes and T4s to prove your income status. Some may instead ask you to share documents from your provincial student aid organization — like OSAP, StudentAidBC, etc.

Most of the time, this will even out, as admins are looking at “household income,” meaning a total of both parents’ incomes. You may still be in financial need if you have a funding gap that your parents can’t fill, and you can’t afford with part-time work alone.

You can’t accept multiple offers of admission, no. You can only attend one college or university at a time, really! Nor will you be able to take a scholarship from College X to University Y.

Yes, if you receive multiple scholarships from different organizations you can certainly keep them! Unless and until an award specifies an exclusion (for example, an award from Bank X means you can’t accept one from Bank Y as well) then you’re all safe.

Most of the time, scholarship admins will send money directly to your school account. Some admins may prefer to mail or direct deposit a cheque, though, so it depends on the administrator. Colleges and universities themselves usually directly credit your school account; companies and other orgs will differ.

New info is updated, added, and removed all the time, so nothing on the back end of the database is static. It’s a good idea to check in now and then, update your profile, and experiment with your matches. As new awards and programs are added, and removed when no longer offered, your matches will shift. Consider subscribing to Scholarship Deadline Alerts, which sends a monthly email reminding you of awards that are closing soon that match your profile. (Update your profile to get new matches!)

Volunteering, in terms of scholarship applications, is more about quality than quantity. How many hours you worked isn’t as important as how the experience shaped you and impacted your community.

Teachers, volunteer coordinators, employment supervisors, coaches, religious figures—these are good examples. Note that we didn’t include family or friends!

When in doubt, apply with a great application to fewer scholarships, rather than the inverse. Reading a “mediocre” scholarship essay is painful, so please do your best!

The grades you earn in high school can have different impacts depending on where you go. Smaller colleges and universities may offer generous entrance awards if you have good grades, while bigger schools will do the same, but they can afford to be more selective. In general, the better your grades, the more likely you will be to get an award. A good floor to shoot for is 70% overall, but again, higher is better.

Sites like ScholarshipsCanada contain links to all sorts of awards, and other sites like it exist in Canada and beyond. Otherwise, you’ll want to check the school(s) you’re considering for opportunities, alongside your employer, volunteer associations, your parents’ workplace—anywhere that might offer scholarships, really! Try https://www.scholarshipscanada.com or browse by category here: https://www.scholarshipscanada.com/Scholarships/Browse-Scholarships.aspx

Yes, some scholarship providers will offer awards to survivors of various conditions. Check with organizations and associations dedicated to the ailment (eg cancer societies, or learning disability associations) and see what they offer. Schools may have specific scholarships for students with medical issues as well.

Grade 12! You can use scholarship opportunities to help guide your school search, and then once you’ve applied to schools, start applying for scholarships too.

Yes, scholarship consultants exist! Outside of sites like ScholarshipsCanada (try the Tips and FAQs sections) we can recommend two scholarship experts who can consult, for a fee, to help you understand the scholarships you might qualify for. Consider reaching out to Janet MacDonald, @mycampusgps, or Brittany Palmer, @unlockyourfuture.

A gap year shouldn’t mean you’re no longer eligible for entrance scholarships. As long as you haven’t taken any other post-secondary education, you should qualify as an “entering” student when you do apply after your gap year.

Not specifically. If you qualify for the scholarship, you will be able to apply like any other student.

When in grade 11, you should make connections with teachers, employers, volunteer supervisors, coaches, etc, to help with reference letters down the line. You may want to check with your employer if any scholarships are offered, too. Otherwise, focus on building your resumé, your leadership skills, and your volunteer experiences, wherever possible.

Your high school can impact admissions, in some cases. IB may be preferred in some cases, as it is often a more challenging curriculum. But this won’t be as important for less-competitive schools and programs, so how relevant this is really depends on your goals.

As many as you can! There’s no limit to how many awards you can receive, so try putting in an hour or two every couple of weeks throughout your grade 12 year, rather than trying to apply to a whole bunch over a weekend. The more you apply, the better your odds.

You could try starting a club that meets for an hour every week or two, or offer to keep times or scores for a school sport that you don’t play, but that interests you. Or you could offer to help your teacher in classes, with prep or cleanup, depending on what’s needed. Putting yourself out there is always the first step!

In some rare cases, scholarships will be offered to current high school students, or be based on age rather than level of study. (Open to 16-28 year olds, for example.) In these cases, you can apply before receiving your acceptance letter from uni.

SchoolFinder offers a comparison tool to logged-in users. You can choose up to three programs and compare them on all sorts of metrics, like cost, prerequisites, and so on. Otherwise, you’ll need to visit each college or university webpage and compare them manually. You can visit SchoolFinder.

Yes, if you happen to have “leftover” scholarship money, you should be able to use it on other expenses. The odds of having leftover money are low, but you can always hope!

For specific extracurricular activities, like track and field, here are a few ideas: check for local or national associations and leagues that might offer awards, and see if your college or university has a track and field team that may have annual scholarship opportunities. Of course, you can also try searching the ScholarshipsCanada database!

If you’re an international student in grade 12 (that is, not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident), you’ll still be considered international in college or uni (at least until you receive citizenship or PR), so you’ll have access to scholarships intended for international students. There aren’t many awards for international students in high school. You’re considered a “domestic” student if you’re a citizen or permanent resident.

To find out what a university’s up to, check out their website! Research universities will be thrilled to talk about what they’re working on, and different schools will have different focuses. In the Atlantic provinces, you’ll find more topics like oceanology, vs agriculture in Alberta. Find a field or topic that resonates with you, then explore what’s being published and worked on. You can even find the names of profs and check out their past work!

Choosing a school based on the potential scholarship offerings is classic, and a good way to decide on the right institution. Applying to a given school won’t necessarily guarantee you a scholarship, but check with the financial aid department, as some colleges and universities DO guarantee scholarships to certain students. You’ll have to do some digging to find them, as they’re the exception, not the rule.

Canada is quite stable, economically, but the cost of living is high, even outside the major cities. Much of Canada is rural, and most of the population lives within a close drive of the United States border. Living in Canada can be expensive, but you may be able to make it work, depending on where and what you study, what sort of part-time work you can do while at school, and so on. Canada is safe, but expensive. This article may help: https://www.studyincanada.com/Discover/Article/1/5958/All-About-Cost-of-Living-in-Canada

Chances are good that you’ll be in “financial need” even if your parents’ income is pretty good. School is expensive, especially if you’re attending a private university or going abroad. Otherwise, so many variables go into scholarship decisions that it’s possible to apply for many and receive none, while another student applies for few and wins them all. Generalizing is difficult. Still, from our research, no scholarship admins want to receive fewer applications, so if you think you have a shot at an award, it’s worth applying.

For scholarships, you can expect to hear back after roughly 4 weeks. It can take time for admins to score and communicate with recipients. For schools, decisions are made on a rolling basis; the earliest you can expect to hear back is mid-January, with more and more decisions released as winter gives way to spring.

Yes, scholarships exist based on your field of study—especially STEM. But we don’t see so many awards that require an IB or AP diploma. If you have a credential like that, it’s not bad, but it won’t necessarily open many extra scholarship doors for you the way your program of study in college or university will.

Yes, you’ll want to focus your application time after you’ve at least applied to school, if not been accepted. You can start planning and searching beforehand, but you’ll want to have applied to school before applying for scholarships.

SchoolFinder doesn’t rank schools directly, but you can explore programs from lots of institutions, and use the comparison tool to judge them for yourself!

Yes, most provinces and territories will offer scholarships to students from the region. You’ll want to check local schools, as well as the provincial/territorial student loan providers, who may have links to local scholarship opportunities as well. And of course, you can always explore ScholarshipsCanada!

Having a history of extracurricular activity isn’t generally mandatory for university admissions. Instead, it’s a “nice to have” that shows you’re engaged with your community. But not every student will have lots of extracurriculars on their record, and that’s okay.

If you’re interested in physics and math, you’ll probably want a STEM career! This may be in pure physics or mathematics, or in something adjacent to both, like computer science. That said, you may want to try the new Find Your Program quiz!

For a STEM and healthcare-related field like medicine or dentistry, you can either take an undergraduate degree in life sciences, biology, or chemistry, or try a “direct entry” program, which lets you combine an undergrad degree with professional training in medicine or dentistry. Here are some examples for medicine: https://www.schoolfinder.com/Programs/ProgramSearchResult.aspx?searchWord=medicine&programCategory=-1

For school and program applications, you may still be accepted, but if not, you may want to take additional courses in your spare time (perhaps even online) to complete the prerequsities before you apply once again.

Universities and colleges will often look at your grade 11 marks while you’re still working on grade 12. They’ll give you the benefit of the doubt, assuming you’ll finish the required courses if they’re underway. While they may offer provisional acceptance, you’ll still need to ensure your grade 12 marks are up to par, or else your offer of admission may be revoked.

For a STEM and healthcare-related field like pharmacy, you’ll want either a basic bio/chemistry degree, or a more specialized pharmacy degree. You might start with pharmacy technician, even, if you’re looking for a faster, lower-cost pathway to getting experience in a pharmacy. Here are a few examples you can start exploring: https://www.schoolfinder.com/Programs/ProgramSearchResult.aspx?searchWord=pharma&programCategory=-1

You may want to check out this guide to becoming a pharmacist: https://www.schoolfinder.com/Discover/Article/1/5980/How-to-Become-a-Pharmacist

You won’t be penalized for taking extra courses, night school, summer classes, or anything else. The important thing is having the right prerequisites, grades, and experience!

The exact average you get in high school is only one factor. Highly competitive schools and programs may look at more than just your raw average, including which high school you attended, what your extracurriculars were, and so on. While having a strong average gives you better odds in getting the program seat you want, it’s not the whole story. A 93% at UofT is pretty good, but it doesn’t necessarily guarantee you admission! It’s always a good idea to reach out to the school or faculty and chat with a rep who can answer your specific questions.

Many Caribbean medical schools offer direct entry programs, letting you start your journey to becoming a doctor straight out of high school. For specifics, you’ll have to check out the schools that interest you. You can start exploring here: https://www.schoolfinder.com/Programs/ProgramSearchResult.aspx?searchWord=med&programCategory=-1&Country=GD_KN_VC

Yes, schools will look at your grade 11 marks, and use them to estimate your overall grades after graduation. Some schools may get updated marks for grade 12, and others may just use the estimate. Always a good idea to reach out to an admissions rep for full details if you’re curious.

Yes, some schools apply mathematics to the academic average you provide, based on internal metrics and expectations. Graduates of some high schools may have their average adjusted up, while others may have it adjusted down. The idea is to level the playing field as much as possible so universities can directly compare students, without worrying about grade inflation or deflation. There’s nothing you can do about this, really!

If you’re an international student in grade 12 (that is, not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident), you’ll still be considered international in college or uni (at least until you receive citizenship or PR), so you’ll have access to scholarships intended for international students. There aren’t many awards for international students in high school.

There’s no firm answer here. Income level depends on your location, as the relative costs of living vary quite dramatically in different parts of the country. For one example, a large, national scholarship program that requires “financial need” specifies a household income of no more than $65,000 annually. Again, this is just one example — if you’re curious, you can reach out to the scholarship admin and ask.

Yes, when applying for student loans or bursaries, you’ll be asked about houshold income and family support. If you live with a single parent, that’s the extent of your household, though you may need to include incoming financial supports (eg child support payments).

When applying to schools, you may have a certain number you can apply to as part of your standard application fee. This may be 3 or even 5 institutions. So, you can freely apply to as many as the limit allows, then choose which to attend when you start receiving offers. Deciding on which to apply to? That’s the big question! You’ll have to decide which factors matter most to you. Program availability, cost, campus life, and more! SchoolFinder makes finding and comparing schools easier: https://www.schoolfinder.com/Schools/SchoolSearchIndex.aspx

The sheer number of volunteer hours isn’t the most important thing in most cases. Instead, the lessons you learned, and the impact you had on your community, and those you helped as a volunteer, is what’s most important.

Many schools will offer a certain number or amount of scholarships for international students. They’re often entrance awards, and based on average grades. Canada doesn’t offer a “general” scholarship for international students.

Most scholarships require and expect you to be enrolled in college or university. Be sure to check the eligibility requirements before applying.