How To Apply
Bursaries, Scholarships and Awards (BBF) program opens doors through education
Since 1996, Indspire has provided over $190 million in financial support through more than 59,000 bursaries, scholarships and awards to First Nations, Inuit and Métis students. All Building Brighter Futures donations are matched by the Government of Canada allowing us to be double the impact for students.
Getting Paired With Scholarships
1. Check If You Qualify (5-10 Minutes)
Unleash the full potential of the BBF database
Knowing how to accurately display your best and brightest skills will create the best possible outcome for you.
- Applications are assessed on financial need, merit and giving back (community involvement).
- Awards are assessed on financial need, merit and giving back (community involvement).
- Bursaries are assessed on financial need, merit and giving back (community involvement).
- Scholarships are assessed on merit.
The database acts as a collection of our current scholarship, bursary, and award offerings. Using our search tool, you can view what scholarships available and their individual criteria so you can attune your application accordingly. This will strengthen your submission potentially leading to a greater outcome!
Our current process involves matching through a jury to eligible applicants. Knowing your strengths and opportunities can help guide your process.
For example, charitable work is a large component of our scoring system. Any source of volunteering, such as, your academic institution, your child’s school, elder care, family care, SPCA, Big Brother or Sister, local hospital, church, Indigenous organization (i.e. longhouse), sport’s team is beneficial to your application. (this is not an exhaustive list just examples). This area is viewed and scored, students who do not have any hours will not receive a score in this section and lower their chance of being successful.
Deadlines & Application Eligibility
Full and part time studies in college, university, skilled trades, apprenticeships, and technology programs for the September 2022 – August 2023 academic year. There is one application for all of Indspire’s bursaries, scholarships, and awards (with a few exceptions that you’ll see below). You only need to complete the application once to be considered for all applicable bursaries, scholarships, and awards.
Deadlines: August 1, November 1, February 1 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
Caution: Important eligibility points to keep in mind
- This application is for students attending full-time with a minimum 60% course load.
- All students are required to have a financial need to be eligible for a bursary. Indspire offers scholarships which are not based on financial need however there are very few scholarships.
- Students are eligible once per academic year for an award through Indspire.
- Students must be studying inside Canada to be eligible unless they are studying at a graduate level outside of Canada.
- Students are not eligible if they are enrolled in a fellowship or residency program.
2. Collect Your Documents (Time Varies)
Gather all REQUIRED documentation for your application. In order for your application to be processed you will need:
- Check with your Indigenous organization’s membership office on how to acquire an Indigenous card
- A non-status First Nation person is required to submit a front and back copy of their parent’s Indigenous card and the student’s long form birth certificate or baptismal certificate. Both documents must list the student’s name and the parent’s name showing the link between student and parent.
- Students are required to submit grades to qualify. Contact your last educational institution’s Registrar office to obtain your grades.
- Students who were not enrolled in the 2021-2022 academic year will need to provide a copy of their marks from their most recently completed program or course.
- A letter of acceptance is NOT proof of enrollment. Students must submit a letter confirming enrollment from the Registrar’s office or a class schedule stating full-time enrollment, student name and school terms.
- All students must submit a copy of the official confirmation letter from their First Nation and/or Inuit organization, stating whether you are being sponsored for the 2022-2023 academic year, or not being sponsored. If you are receiving band funding, the letter must provide a breakdown of the amounts you receive for tuition, books, and living allowance as it will reflect the amounts in your budget.
- Métis students receiving assistance from their Métis organization are required to submit the document as well.
Applications without these documents will be deemed incomplete and will not be eligible for funding.
3. Complete The Application (30-45 Minutes)
Once you have assessed your eligibility and gathered all the required documents, you can head over to our general application form. The form will take roughly 45 minutes to complete and will be assessed after the deadline has passed.
For more information or if you have any questions, please email education@indspire.ca or call 1.855.INDSPIRE (463.7747) x0223 (bilingual support x039).
4. Sit Back And Wait To Hear From Us (3-6 Weeks)
Jury Decisions
Due to the high volume of applications, only successful students will be notified. Fortunately, you do not need to reapply to the next deadline if you haven’t heard from us. Your application will stay ‘live’ for all three deadlines during the September 2022 to August 2023 academic year. You only need to complete the application once per academic year to be considered for all applicable bursaries, scholarships, and awards.
Decisions of the Jury are final. If you did not receive an award, Indspire will work with you to strengthen your application for the next application deadline. Awards cannot be deferred.
Awards allocated by Jury must be directed to the program of study and the academic year specified on the application form.
Distribution of funds
Amounts awarded vary. The amount of a bursary varies according to the assessed financial need of applicants, the number of applicants, fields of study, and the availability of funds.
Most awards are electronically transferred to students personal banking account. Awards $10,000 and under, will be deposited in full. Awards over $10,000 will be deposited in 2 transactions, one in term applied and the 2nd payment in the subsequent term. There are certain awards that must be posted to a student’s academic account. Students will be notified if their award will be transferred to their institution.
