Scholarships Pay Off!

Researching and applying for awards takes time, but the payoff's worth it.

Your post-secondary education is an investment in your future. Tuition, books, supplies, and even living expenses can quickly add up, but there are things you can do to offset these costs.

Here are five tips to help you in your search for free money:

Start early

Many institutions have award deadlines spaced throughout the year, so the sooner you start, the more you can apply. Some even have awards for high school students in their grade 11 year, like the Grade 11 Merit Award at uLethbridge.

Do your research

Individual institutions offer awards with a range of different criteria. For example, the University of Lethbridge has several scholarships and awards based on academic performance, or factors such as financial need, leadership potential, community involvement, work experience, artistic ability, and athletic skill. Read up on the scholarships available and look into awards provided by external sources, such as federal, provincial, and private awards.

Get organized

Take the time to make a schedule of important deadlines, pull together all the documents you need to apply, and read the criteria carefully! If you need to provide an essay as part of your application, make sure you build in enough time to write and revise it.

You may also be required to include a reference letter (from a teacher or a volunteer organization), so give them enough lead-time to write one before your submission deadline. You may even want to ask for a couple of reference letters now, so everything's ready to go when you start your search.

Apply, apply, apply!

Remember to answer every question on the form or your application may be disqualified.

Check your work

Don't forget to review your application to catch any typos or grammatical errors. Ask a friend to proofread your documents.

Every year in Canada, millions of dollars in scholarships and bursaries go unclaimed because students don't apply. Investing your time now can pay off in a big way later on.

If you have questions about uLethbridge awards, programs, important deadlines, or admission requirements, check out our website or contact inquiries@uleth.ca.