WKC 2010-2011
WKC
On the Search for Scholarships?!?!?!
There are many scholarships available in Canada, and you may be pleasantly surprised by
what is available. The time and effort it takes to research and apply for scholarships may
prove to be time well spent!
For some students, scholarships are simply an “added bonus” for their university studies,
but for other students and families, the funds can be the difference between continuing to
university or leaving school for financial reasons. Being informed about what is available
to you and how to apply can make a big difference for your postsecondary studies.
Scholarship truths
While grades and extracurricular activities are the basis for many scholarships decisions,
there are numerous scholarship types that cater to a wide spectrum of students. For
example, some scholarships are “regional” (applicants need to originate from a particular
town or area) while others can be more select and designated for a specific applicant
(someone with a disability or a certain cultural background).
Fact-finding
Who offers scholarships? Everyone from schools, companies and charities to governments
or private individuals. Your starting point in a search for scholarships should begin
at home with your parents. Ask whether the company or organization (even unions) in
which your parents work offer any scholarships. Most companies that offer scholarships to
employees or children of employees don’t advertise externally. Parents could check with
the human resources department for any scholarship offerings.
Are you or any members of your family veterans or children of veterans? Veteran
organizations give out a fair amount of scholarships. Maybe your parents belong to a
lodge or a club that has a scholarship for members or children of members. You could also
inquire whether your church, sports, service group or club has any special scholarships
available.
Winston Knoll Collegiate offers scholarships specific to our students. All of our exclusive
WKC Scholarships are listed on our WKC website in the Student section under Student
Services. In this area you will find links to Winston Knoll Specific Scholarships and a link
to Other Scholarship Websites. Some of these WKC awards require you to submit the
portfolio most students complete in TAG (you may complete your own if you are not
completing this as a TAG assignment).
Do I always need to apply?
Most scholarships require an application, but some are designed to be an automatic
consideration, with no application necessary. A number of universities across the country,
for example, provide automatic entrance scholarships for students with high school
averages above 80 percent, and the amount available is often calculated on a sliding scale
depending on your marks. It is important to check out the entrance awards
information at your chosen post secondary institution. This can usually be found
on the institutions website.
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Know yourself
When applying for scholarships, it’s important to know what you have in the way of
strengths. The majority of scholarships are still based on grades, but some administrators
are starting to look for other attributes as well. To know what you can get from a
scholarship, you have to first know what you have in the way of assets.
Do you:
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Participate in any extracurricular activities?
Participate in school events?
Get involved in sporting events?
Help out in your community?
Volunteer anywhere?
Have you ever:
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Been in a school performance?
Run for student council?
Been on an exchange program?
Anything that differentiates you from the other students applying for scholarships is
important. Try sitting down with your family and brainstorm to develop a list. Something
that seems routine to you might be extraordinary to someone else.
Resources
The website www.ScholarshipsCanada.com is a comprehensive scholarship portal and
provides a large searchable database of scholarships with well over 60,000 individual
awards, and studentawards.com is another free scholarship search service devoted to
helping students locate financial assistance.
The Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada delivers more than 3,500
scholarships each year to young people interested in pursuing higher education. AUCC
also manages more than 175 scholarships and over $11 million in student awards which
are available both for the general public and dependents of employees of certain
organizations. Information on these awards can be found at www.aucc.ca/scholarships.
In addition to the above resources, consult the financial aid office of the universities you
want to attend to find out more about the available scholarships and awards.
You can also check out www.canlearn.ca for information on government student loans
such as the Canada Study Grants, and the Canadian Millennium Scholarships and other
financial assistance tools and information.
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General Scholarship information that is up to date and nationwide can be
accessed by visiting:
http://www.scholarshipscanada.com
www.studentawards.com
www.studentcounsellor.com
www.sasknetwork.gov.sk.ca/
www.canlearn.ca
www.aucc.ca
SK. POST SECONDARY SITES:
www.uregina.sa/studentserv/admissions
www.usask.ca/students
Apply, apply, apply!
Many students underestimate their chances and some scholarships remain unawarded
each year because there are few or no applicants. Remember that each scholarship
application becomes easier, because much
of the information requested can be re-used. Invest your time in scholarship and bursary
applications and the financial pay-offs can be very impressive!
Tips to consider
Here are some useful tips to consider when filling out your scholarship applications:
Be informed
Make sure you know everything about the award before you apply for it. Be sure you meet
all the requirements, and be realistic in determining whether you qualify. The last thing
you want is to be eligible for a scholarship but somehow have missed some important
detail of the application package.
Respect deadlines
Some scholarships deadlines are as early as September for the following year, while
others are as late as June. In any case, be sure to prepare well ahead of time. Even if you
aren’t going to start school next year, it is advisable to start looking now – not to apply,
necessarily, but to see what’s out there in the way of scholarships, grants and bursaries.
See what kinds of deadlines and requirements exist. It’s better to know about an essay
that’s required for a scholarship nine months before it’s due rather than finding out about
it a week before.
Review your documents
Similar to a job application or a resumé, spelling, grammar and sentence structure are
very important in any kind of scholarship application. Dedicate time to proofreading, and
keep it simple. You should also stick to the limits given. (i.e. many judges will not read
more than two pages if a two page limit is stated.)
Think of it as a job
Finally, try to think of an application letter for a scholarship the same way you would think
of a letter you’d write when applying for a job. What makes you more deserving than
anyone else for this award? Keep in mind that scholarship wins are a wonderful addition to
your resume. Good luck!
WKC 2010-2011
Content adapted from articles and other information from www.ScholarshipsCanada.com.
WKC