10 Sure Ways to Get Scholarships in Canada | 2021-2022
Scholarships are one way that international students can help finance their studies in Canada.
Scholarships are non-repayable financial awards. They are generally allocated to students with outstanding academic achievements, although some also recognize volunteer and work experience.
You must apply for some scholarships, but others are awarded automatically.
Nobody would deny or pretend not to feel the impact of scholarships in lives of graduate and undergraduate students.
The ideology of scholarship is one of the ideologies that has been embraced by all. And considering the financial intensity of education which had left most students with fewer options. But depend on scholarships to further their education.
Each scholarship has its unique requirements and its eligibility criteria and without being met the applicants should forget about the opportunity, therefore this answer would be focused on exposing the dos and don’ts that is associated with scholarships in Canada and how one can easily obtain a scholarship in Canada.
It is obvious that nationality plays a very vital role in obtaining a scholarship, where it is easy for a citizen of a particular country to obtain a scholarship offered by the government of that country.
It is still possible to obtain scholarships in Canada without being citizens of Canada. The instruction that would be listed in this article is valid for citizens and non-citizens of Canada, some of the instructions that would be listed would be based on psychological perspectivism, and some plugins that would leave the scholarship board or providers with no choice than offer you the scholarship.
Now before reading these instructions it is crucial one understands why he or she wants a scholarship, and how it would help in his or her pursuit of excellence.
Scholarships are very helpful for the students. It also motivates them to their study.
For education in abroad, the scholarship is a blessing for the students because the cost of studying abroad is much more expensive. This is one of the reasons one should pursue a Canadian scholarship, whether a citizen or non-citizens.
In scholarship pursuit, it is paramount that a candidate bears in mind the rule of first applicants.
Also Check the list of USA Scholarships
The candidate shouldn’t wait till deadline before applying, because it reduces the chance of one being offered a scholarship opportunity. But the application should be smart, creative and attractive so that we can draw the attention of the authority.
Nowadays, many writing institutes like ‘scientific writing service’ help learners to write their application for the scholarship. We should try to attach all the papers relevant to the requirements. But we should not provide any false information in our application. It is strongly forbidden. I think a good result is also very helpful.
Eligibility requirements tend to vary from application to application so where one scholarship may ask for a personal essay, another may just want references.
Some scholarships are offered entirely on academic merit or sporting achievements or even creative pursuits so be mindful of your skills and match them to what’s out there. Pay attention, and take notes to these. They are vital in every scholarship opportunity.
Below the list of close to undisputed tips to gain scholarships in Canada. And also applicable in other parts of the world.
PLAN AHEAD
Plan ahead, plan ahead, plan ahead. I wish to say those words a thousand times would bring to your conception the importance of this phrase in landing you a scholarship.
One of the reasons why students don’t get Canadian scholarships or other scholarship from other parts of the world is the late application problem. And the fact that most students start looking for scholarship opportunity during their tertiary institution study, or at the point where they are in dire need for financial aid.
The importance of seeking and looking for scholarship early cannot be overemphasized.
It has been recorded that students who get scholarship most of the time are students who started applying early.
If you want to increase your chances of gaining a scholarship in Canada, one should start applying for scholarships, and also make sure you don’t wait for a scholarship deadline before applying. Start as early as possible plying your trade.
Also Check the list of USA Scholarships
NOTE:
In accordance with Citizenship and Immigration Canada regulations, you must prove you have enough money to meet your financial needs while studying in Canada before beginning your studies. So, if you’re going to pursue a scholarship to help finance your education, start researching opportunities early.
RESEARCH ABOUT ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
Learn about scholarships administered by the Canadian government, provincial governments, private foundations, and not-for-profit organizations.
UNDERSTAND THE REQUIREMENTS
The importance of understanding the scholarship requirements cannot be overemphasized, it is as important as the scholarship itself.
Also Visit: Check the list of Canada Scholarships
This is applicable to all the scholarship you could think of, including the scholarships in Canada. Canadian scholarships have some unique requirements that if not duly met would definitely disqualify one the opportunity of winning that particular award.
Don’t spend your time applying to awards that you’re not actually eligible for, because it reduces your chances of gaining a scholarship.
You might be sitting there thinking, “duh, obviously”, but we see so many awards receive applications from people who have absolutely no business applying to that award! Don’t let that be you.
Read the eligibility requirements very carefully. If you’re not sure what one of the requirements means, or if it applies to you, ask the award administrator. It takes only a few minutes to ask questions, versus hours to write an essay for an award you can’t win.
DON’T FORGET ABOUT THE SMALLER AWARDS
Okay, so obviously winning $10,000 is much more appealing than winning $2,000. I get that. There are tons of scholarships in Canada that is very easy to get. And doesn’t require a sophisticated application process. I’m also pretty sure that everyone else agrees. That’s the problem. Everyone wants that $10,000 award, and not the $2,000 award.
Any award with a high-value prize is going to be extremely competitive, making it a lot less likely that you’ll have a chance at winning. This is where it becomes important to go for the smaller awards.
You’ll have a lot higher chance of winning, meaning that the effort you put into winning them will be rewarded.
Also Visit: Check the list of Canada Scholarships
If you apply to many small awards, you’ll have a higher chance of winning a few of them. So, apply to 20 awards worth $2,000, win five and receive $10,000, or apply to one $10,000 award and win nothing. The path to success is pretty clear.
REFERENCE LETTER
A letter is written specifically for the award you are applying for. Not a generic reference letter or “to whom it may concern” type letter. Those are OK for smaller awards, but anything over $2,500 or so with multiple application elements should have a tailored reference letter…it shows you’ve taken the time to connect with your reference and it shows the referee thinks highly enough of you to take the time to write the letter.
- Letterhead–have the letter written on official letterhead (the school, the business, etc). It’s the only way judges know that it’s not the applicant (or a friend or relative) who has written the reference letter. Even a generic “to whom it may concern” reference on letterhead is better than one on blank paper.
- Signature–have the referee sign the letter….again it makes it more official.
- Confirmation–scholarship programs have to be very careful about ensuring the integrity of their program–they don’t want to take a chance that the award recipient falsified anything in their application–to be 100% sure your referees are prepared to receive a call to confirm they did indeed provide your reference. It’s awful when a referee can’t be reached within the time limit because that applicant will be disqualified.
LOOK AT THE “CHEATS” FOR EACH AWARD.
The Terms and Conditions, or Rules and Regs (whatever the legal stuff is with each award is called) have insights into what the judges will be looking for because Canadian judges are very strict.
Sometimes there’s even a marking grid (e.g. 10% on marks, 40% on volunteer work, 50% on essay..) and often there are specific statements about what they are looking for. Tailor your application exactly to those specific items! The judge will love reading an application that feeds exactly into their marking rubric!
Also Visit: Check the list of Canada Scholarships
So here’s the best reason to take a couple of hours each week to apply for some awards: free money! A $500 award is about 50 hours of minimum wage work! Plus, any award in Canada looks good on your resume..it can help you win more awards (success breeds success) and it will help your resume stand out down the road!
PASSION AND PERSONALITY
The imprint of passion for scholarships cannot be overruled, and Canadian scholarships are not different.
When there are hundreds of applicants for an award the ones that show the applicant’s personality and passion for the topic really stand out.
Judges usually read a lot of applications (10-50 can be common!) after a while they can all meld together. It’s a breath of fresh air to read one that feels like you’re sitting across from the candidate–and you want to keep talking to them!
DO THE RESEARCH
Don’t enter any scholarship contests in Canada that ask for application fees.
There are billions of dollars worth of available scholarship funds in Canada that do not require fees waiting to be claimed.
In addition, be wary of signing up with any scholarship sites or search engines that require a fee to access their databases.
Instead, start by using free, reliable scholarship search engines such as World Scholarship Forum. This site uses reliable algorithms to match you with scholarship opportunities you may be uniquely qualified for based on income, background, gender, region, extracurricular activities, and academic interests. Because energy wasted on scam scholarship stops one from finding and winning the legit ones.
EXTRA EFFORT COUNTS
Some education consultants estimate that supplying optional information on free scholarship search engines can generate twice as many matches, which means twice as many opportunities to earn free money for college in Canada.
Play the numbers by applying for as many applicable scholarships as possible. Keep in mind that smaller scholarships often have fewer applicants than those with higher monetary rewards, so your chances are higher. But before you spend too much time on any one application, look carefully at all the requirements so you do not waste time on a scholarship for which you are ineligible.
GET CREATIVE
There are tons of scholarships in Canada, but look for scholarship money awarded in your areas of interest; for example, social justice, the environment, speech, and debate, or music and theater.
Some scholarships are open to any student who has participated in an area of endeavor, while others are designed for students with particular professional aspirations. For example, the Glenn Miller Scholarship Competition offers 20 awards of $4,000 each for vocalists and instrumentalists.
The deadline is March 1, and the administrators stress that they hope to assist the “musical leaders of tomorrow” and that they are not looking for “Glenn Miller look-alikes or sound-alikes.” In other words, save money on the saddle shoes and zoot suit, and focus on the music.
BELIEVE YOU’LL GET THE SCHOLARSHIP
Also Visit: Check the list of Canada Scholarships
This is somehow the most important aspect of this point.
It is not possible to get what you don’t believe in. Therefore, apply for every scholarship with the inherent belief that you would get the scholarship. It doesn’t only motivate you to go the extra mile, it also unlocks the possibility of you being awarded the scholarship.