Awards & Financial Aid for Indigenous Students

The UNBC Awards and Financial Aid Unit helps students obtain the funds necessary to support their UNBC education. Funds for Aboriginal students may be obtained from the following sources:

We also provide information about emergency-need resources. Contact the Awards and Financial Aid Unit for more information.

UNBC Internal Award Competitions

Download a PDF list of Awards for Aboriginal Applicants and Students on the Awards and Financial Aid website.

Oct 15th to Mar 1st: Annual UNBC Award Competition (available after receiving admission)
Sep 15th to Oct 14th: Fall UNBC Award Competition (occurs during the first semester of study)

Each year, students can apply for In-Course Undergraduate Awards, General Awards or Graduate Awards. As long as you submit an online awards application for the award types above, we will try to match you to any UNBC Awards you are eligible for. Apply online through the awards application found in the myUNBC student portal.

Apply Online

External Awards for Aboriginal Students

Many organizations provide external awards to incoming and continuing students.

Alliance Pipeline Indigenous Student Awards
Admission deadline: 15-Jul
Amount: Up to $2,000
Eligibility: Member of an Aboriginal community (band or settlement). Residents of British Columbia, Alberta or Saskatchewan. Relevancy of the program to the oil and gas industry and Alliance Pipeline.

ATCO Indigenous Education Awards Program
Admission deadline:  15-Jul
Amount: Up to $1,500
Eligibility: Aboriginal students enrolled in full-time post-secondary.

AUCC - Scholarship Program for Indigenous Students (Husky Energy)
Admission deadline:  31-May
Amount: Up to $5,000
Eligibility: An Aboriginal student studying Business, Engineering, Geosciences, Environmental Studies, Computer Sciences, Law, or skilled trades, including power engineering and instrumentation technician courses.

BC Hydro Indigenous Scholarships and Bursaries
Admission deadline:  15-May
Amount: Up to $5,000
Eligibility: Aboriginal student who are residents of British Columbia enrolled in full-time post-secondary.

Canadian Institute of Forestry (CIF) - J Michael Waldram Memorial Model Forest Fellowship
Admission deadline:  1-May
Amount: Up to $1,000
Eligibility: Aboriginal student under 30 years old studying in the Natural Resource Management filed.

Canadian Water Resources Association (CWRA) - Golder Scholarship for Indigenous Students in Water
Admission deadline: 14-Feb
Amount: $2,000
Eligibility: Indigenous graduate student whose research focuses on applied, natural, or social science aspects of water resources.

Chief Joe Mathias British Columbia Aboriginal Scholarship Fund
Admission deadline:  15-Jun
Amount: Based on financial need
Eligibility: Members of a BC First Nations Band enrolled in full-time post-secondary.

Ch'nook Scholars Program
Admission deadline:  5-Oct
Amount: Up to $2,000
Eligibility: Aboriginal students studying full-time in a business program at a college or university in BC (inclusive of status & non-status First Nation, Inuit & Metis students).

First Citizens Fund Student Bursary Program
Admission deadline:  31-Jan
Amount: Visit website
Eligibility: Aboriginal (status, non-status, Metis, and Inuit) post-secondary students that are in financial need and registered full-time in a minimum two-year academic program at any BC recognized post-secondary institution.

Health Sciences Association of B.C Aboriginal Bursary Award
Amount: Up to $1,000
Eligibility: Aboriginal Students in the fields of: Dentistry; Health Careers and Services; Medicine; Social Services.

Indspire - Bursaries & Scholarship Awards (Indigenous education, Canada's Future)
Admission deadline:  1-Feb, 1-Aug, 1-Nov
Amount: Visit website
Eligibility: Bursary and Scholarship awards for Aboriginal students/applicants. 

Irving K Barber Aboriginal Scholarships
Admission deadline:  31-Mar
Amount: Up to $5,000
Eligibility: Various award programs for Aboriginal students pursuing post-secondary education in BC.  Available to First Nations (Status or Non-Status), Metis, or Inuit.

Jim Bourque Scholarship
Admission deadline:  13-Jul
Amount: $1,000
Eligibility: Aboriginal student enrolled in post-secondary training in Education, Environmental Studies, Traditional Knowledge or Telecommunications.

KPMG's Indigenous Student Awards
Admission deadline:  1-Aug; 1-Nov; 1-Feb
Amount: Various
Eligibility: Aboriginal student enrolled in post-secondary training in Commerce, Business Administration, Masters of Accounting / Administration & Management, Masters of Accounting / Taxation, Economics, International Business, Masters of Finance / Administration, Computer Sciences, Information Systems, Bachelor of Technology (BTech), Masters of Information Technology, Communications, Marketing & Business Administration, Human Resources / Organizational Management, or Masters of Marketing

New Relationship Trust Foundation Scholarships
Admission deadline:  April
Amount: $5,000 - $20,000
Eligibility: Indigenous student (First Nations, Métis (Métis Nation of BC verified), and Inuit) residing in British Columbia.

NWAC Helen Bassett Commemorative Student Award
Amount: $1,000 
Eligibility: Aboriginal women enrolled in full-time post-secondary under the age of 31. Priority is given to students who are studying law or are in a law related field. Demonstrate a commitment to improving the situation of Aboriginal women and youth in Canada politically, culturally, economically or otherwise.

Pacific Association of First Nations Women
Admission deadline:  28-Feb
Amount: $1,000
Eligibility: Aboriginal women in post-secondary.

Post-Secondary Student Support Program
Admission deadline:  30-Apr, 31-Aug, 31-Dec
Amount: Visit website
Eligibility: Aboriginal Northwest Territory or Nunavut Inuit students who have been residing in British Columbia for 12 consecutive months.

RBC Aboriginal Student Awards
Admission deadline:  28-Feb
Amount: Up to $5,000
Eligibility: Aboriginal Students (status and non-status Indians, Inuit or Métis).

Storwell Foster Children Bursary Program
Admission deadline: 31-Dec
Amount: $2,000
Eligibility: Full-time student who is a former foster child with a Canadian or American foster care program. Must be 24 years of age or less at the time of application.

Government Student Loans (repayable) & Grants (non-repayable)

Students may borrow money in the form of a government student loan on a promise to repay the loan at a specified time in the future. Government student loans are available to students who can demonstrate financial need. Both full-time and part-time student loans are available. Grants are another type of funding available through application to the government, but do not require repayment.

Email us at awards@unbc.ca to find out more – we are here to help and can assist you with completing the online government student loan application for this type of funding.

Band/Community Funding

Options may be available for you to receive financial support for Post-Secondary Education through your Band/Community. Each Band/Community has different options and availability to access funding. Contact your Band office or Community to find out if this option is right for you.

Forms and Information

Forms and information for band-sponsored students can be found on the Finance website under Third Party Sponsorships.

Still have questions?

If you need more information about this process or need assistance with the Band/Community funding application, please feel free to contact our Aboriginal Student Life Navigator in the First Nations Centre.