Since an eye-opening look into the cost of university tuition, I can’t lie, I’ve been pretty obsessed with checking out scholarships for Black students.
It was shortly after looking over my teenager’s high school course selections. We naturally talked about their future ambitions. Knowing both of them hope to attend university or college, I thought it wise for me to check out the tuition fees.
Insert side-eye here.
My kids seem pretty focused on going to college or university. I’d hate my pesky heart palpitations as I take in the cost to get in the way of their dreams.
I know it’s not just my kids. Black youth are darn near obsessed with going to college or university.
94% of Black youth want a degree
According to StatsCan, 94% of Black youth aged 15 to 25 want to earn at least a bachelor’s degree. Versus only 82% of other youth in the same age group.
This comes as no surprise to me. There are many reasons that our youth hope to pursue post-secondary education.
Of course, family pressure and cultural expectations exist. Many parents want to ensure their children have every door open to them. I know mine sure did.
Some parents feel that more education can mean more opportunities and studies support this idea. The benefits of post-secondary education seem to be wide-ranging, leading to everything from higher earnings to better overall health.
And let’s not ignore the lure of campus life.
Some of my children’s friends seem more motivated by the freedom that comes with living on campus than by job opportunities…
Whether it’s to pursue a professional passion or simply taste freedom, post-secondary studies are on our young people’s ‘to-do’ list.
What gets a little complicated for some is figuring out how to pay for this education.
How can we pay for a post-secondary education?
Compared to other countries post-secondary education in Canada is apparently pretty cheap.
But listen, I’ve been looking at these prices and “cheap” is definitely a relative term.
Universities Canada says parents can expect to pay between $6,000-$10,000 per year in tuition fees. And I’m not going to lie, these rates seem low when compared to the tuition fees posted on University websites.
Even if you have that under control, there is the matter of incidental costs. Textbooks, transit and supplies add up, to the tune of between $2000-$4000 or more per year depending on the program.
If your ambitious little genius gets accepted into a university they can’t commute to, that will cost you. Just add another $8000-12,000 per year for residence or an apartment. Never mind food, groceries or a meal plan on residence.
Investing in education can be worthwhile. Not only for the doors it opens but for the ways it can increase your child’s independence.
But we have spent nearly two decades bankrolling these kids. Paying for everything from their time in sports leagues to those pricey Orthodontics they love to show off. Never mind steering them through the trials and tribulations of our Canadian school system.
With any luck, most will have managed to use RESPs to save for the cost of obtaining a degree. But with the rising cost of just about everything, it is fair that some parents might face financial barriers that get in the way of funding their kid’s post-secondary dreams.
Well, thankfully, in comes scholarships, bursaries and grants.
There are $10 million reasons to apply for scholarships for Black students
In Canada, there are an alarming number of scholarships available to kids. Yet, shockingly, according to GrantMe, more than 10 million dollars in scholarship money goes unclaimed each year in Canada.
Tf?
While scholarships rarely pay for the entire cost of tuition, they offer a great way to reduce the financial burdens placed on students, sometimes significantly.
GrantMe suggests that students often leave this coin unclaimed because they are not aware of or do not apply for scholarships. To see so much money go unclaimed does not sit well with me. $10 million is a lot of missed opportunities for our kids.
I hate to see free money go to waste!
Every year, more than $10 million dollars in scholarship money goes unclaimed in Canada.
Research and apply for scholarships for Black students all year round
One thing is for sure, some kids will miss out on the chance to apply for scholarships if they are not looking all year round.
Coming into the Spring, many students anxiously await responses from colleges and universities they applied to in the fall. Coincidentally, Spring may be when thoughts turn to applying for many scholarships.
But the thing is application deadlines for scholarships can and do vary widely. Some are open to applications in the Spring, while others only accept submissions until the end of the calendar year.
Often, programs expect scholarship applications well in advance of when a student will begin academic year.
Also since scholarships, bursaries, and grants do not require repayment, the competition for them can be fierce.
Students also usually need to meet eligibility criteria – be that academic achievement, financial need, extracurricular activities or community service. Everything from strong grades to demonstrated leadership skills can help qualified students to access student awards and other institutional supports. Doing early research can give students time to make extra efforts needed to meet application requirements.
With all of this in mind, the bottom line is there is no bad time of year to research and apply for scholarships.
Scholarships for Black Canadian students
As I comb through ways to support our kids’ ambitions, I’ve started this list of scholarships specifically available for Black students.
To be clear, this doesn’t pretend to be an exhaustive list of the free money available for our children. But consider this a good first step for you and your student to start researching financial support available for their post-secondary journey.
Scholarships for Black students in Canada
BBPA National Scholarship Fund
The Black Business and Professional Association (BBPA) established the National Scholarship Fund (NSP) in 1986.
The National Scholarship Fund receives financial donations from companies and individuals who support its mission to help Black youth in Canada get a post-secondary education. Donors can give to a General Fund, which pays for scholarships or to the Endowment Fund, which provides annual scholarships and the foundation of a lasting scholarship program.
There are several scholarships available from this fund. Each supports and promotes the achievement of academic excellence by Black Canadian youth.
At least three judges evaluate all applicants. The criteria for application is high academic achievement, financial need, and recognized contribution to the Black community. The application form requires an essay, the student’s academic transcript, and a letter of recommendation from a teacher.
The BBPA scholarship website has details about the application process and much more.
BlackNorth Initiative (BNI) Scholarships & Bursaries
According to its website, the BlackNorth Initiative works alongside Black communities across Canada to address the underlying challenges and hurdles faced in identifying, uplifting, and retaining Black talent.
BNI has created multiple bursaries that seek to improve access of Black youth to post-secondary education.
RioCan and BNI Canadian Real Estate Bursary for Black High School Students supports the Black community by helping disadvantaged graduating students achieve their post-secondary education goals. Selected students will receive up to $5,300 for a university degree or $2,650 for trade education. Their Athlete’s on Track scholarship provides financial support along with mentorship opportunities to Black student-athletes. The scholarship pairs winners with a mentor to enhance access for Black youth to employment and internship opportunities.
In collaboration with Toronto’s Metropolitan University, BNI also offers the Wes Hall Award for Black Journalism and the BlackNorth Initiative Scholarships for Black students pursuing degrees in Journalism and Law respectively.
The BNI website has full details on how to apply.
Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) scholarships
The Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) offers scholarships of varying amounts to Black youth.
The Ann Newman Scholarship Fund offers $1000 to the chosen recipient. This scholarship is open to children or family members of the CBTU and youth in the Black community are eligible to apply. The CBTU’s Young Women’s post-secondary scholarship recognizes the community activism of a young Black woman who has been accepted to a post-secondary institution.
More information and access to nomination forms are available on their website.
RBC Future Launch Scholarship for Black Youth
The RBC Future Launch Scholarship for Black Youth awards 20 scholarships each year. Valued up to $10,000 each per year (for up to 4 years), the funds are only part of what recipients receive. Successful candidates will also have access to mentorship, academic and career planning, tutoring and internship opportunities. More details are available on RBC’s Future Launch website.
If the student in your life is already enrolled in an undergraduate program they may want to look into the RBC Capital Markets Pathways Diversity Award Program. This award is for BIPOC students interested in pursuing a career in finance and presents a great opportunity. In addition to a $10,000 financial award, scholarship recipients are offered executive sponsorship and a summer job in either Toronto, Montreal, Calgary or Vancouver. The website provides details on the program and application timelines.
University-specific or regionally-based scholarships for Black students
As another important way to find scholarships, students and families should closely examine admission scholarships for undergraduate students at their chosen institution.
Many, if not all, Universities and Colleges offer scholarships to their students. All of these scholarships cannot be listed here, but below are several examples.
As a start, the University of Waterloo offers several Entrance Awards designated for Black Students. The Waterloo Black Brilliance Sankofa Award provides two awards, worth up to $20,000 over eight terms, to Black undergraduate students starting Year One in any full-time degree program in the Faculty of Arts.
Several other scholarships are specific to programs such as Math, Engineering or Accounting. Waterloo U’s website describes the application process and deadlines students need to be aware of.
Several other schools – such as the University of Western Ontario offer several admission scholarships for Black students, some of these scholarships award enough cash to cover tuition for each of the four years.
McMaster University offers multiple admission scholarships and annual scholarships for Black youth. From their Brighter World Entrance Award for Black students to several other Program-specific and corporate-sponsored scholarships, the school provides many awards that Black students should apply for.
Look closely at the admission scholarships at each institution your student is accepted to
The University of Toronto offers the Dr. Anderson Abbott Award and several scholarships and bursaries to Black students in its Medical program. As well, the University’s Excellence is Black award also offers support for Black students who have demonstrated financial need and are enrolled in any U of T program.
The University of British Columbia (UBC) offers promising scholarships to dedicated Black students. UBC launched the Beyond Tomorrow Scholars Program, designed to provide both financial and institutional support for Black Canadian students. Students identifying as Black Canadians can apply for a range of one-time and renewable scholarships worth up to $80,000 through the initiative.
At Dalhousie, the school offers Black Students several entrance scholarship awards. Additionally, while many scholarships require that students have status as a permanent resident, Dalhousie’s site lists several bursaries and awards that cater to students from various backgrounds. The Jeff D. and Martha Edwards Scholarship gives one student $4,500 per year (up to $12,000), with preference for Canadian students of Black African descent and second preference for Black Bermudian students at Dal. It also prefers students entering a Bachelor of Science program. The Richard and Melda Murray Scholarship awards one student $22,000 annually (up to $88,000) for Jamaican students entering a Bachelor of Engineering program (not specifically for Black students).
Some scholarships target students from various regions. For example, the Black Canadian Scholarship Fund was established in 1996 by the Ottawa Community Foundation.
This Scholarship Fund provides annual scholarships to outstanding young, Black students in Ottawa. If you live near the nation’s Capitol region, your family should check out their website.
Scholarships offered by Professional Associations and Corporations for Black students
It is also critical to check into awards, bursaries and scholarships offered by professional associations and corporations. Both associations and corporations have a vested interest in supporting students taking specific programs related to their business.
Professional associations and businesses seeking students in Nursing, Medicine, Engineering, and Journalism – to name just a few – offer great opportunities.
The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) offers the Undergraduate Student Research Awards program, supporting over 3,000 students each year. It’s run jointly by three granting agencies and intended to support Black student’s potential for a research career in health, natural sciences and engineering, or social sciences and humanities. These awards also encourage students to undertake graduate studies by providing research work experience that complements their studies in an academic setting.
SickKids offers an Award for Black Nursing Students. This scholarship is specific to those students interested in becoming pediatric acute care nurses at SickKids upon graduation. The $5,000 bursary helps pay tuition and recipients also get the opportunity to complete a clinical placement at SickKids.
With one in five applicants across Canada awarded a scholarship, the Canadian Nurses Foundation website lists many scholarships for those studying nursing in Canada. Several scholarships seek to advance Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in the field and are open to BIPOC nursing students.
For our aspiring writers and content creators – the Canadian Association of Black Journalists offers $2,500 in scholarships to Black Journalism students each year. The association also offers several opportunities for students to be mentored and learn from other prominent journalists.
Students can find a lot of scholarship opportunities if they check out professional associations or corporations related to the program they are interested in.
World-class scholarships available for Black students in Canada
As I said at the start, this is in no way meant to provide an exhaustive list of the scholarships available to Black students in Canada.
There are so many available, including those open to everyone but offered by folks who are committed to diverse representation in their recipients. I would be remiss if I didn’t point out two such scholarships that are truly world-class and potentially life-changing for recipients.
The Loran Scholars Award offers a four-year undergraduate award valued at a life-changing $100,000. But the value of this scholarship goes beyond the finances as recipients also receive mentorship, networking, internship and summer work opportunities.
The Schulich Leader Scholarships offer undergraduate STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) Scholarships to high school graduates enrolling in 20 partner universities across Canada. The Schulich Leader awards can be life-changing, and provide recipients between $100,000 and $120,000. Details around timing are available on its website. That said, in January every high school in Canada can nominate one graduating student for this award.
Scholarships for Black students are worth the research
For those looking to supplement RESP savings or their student loan or need help to offset the costs of living while studying, funds are available and make post-secondary education accessible to more of us.
This is not an exhaustive list of scholarships available to Black students in Canada. I hope these ideas lead your student on the path to funding their dreams of post-secondary education. Perhaps this will inspire your student to take a closer look at scholarships or have longer chats with Guidance.
Please note – Parenting while Black is in no way affiliated with any of these programs. Check their websites for more information regarding application criteria, scholarship amounts and deadlines.
The earlier you start researching Scholarships for Black students the better. Hopefully, with some research, we can leave fewer scholarship dollars on the table every year.
I would love to know about other scholarships for our kids.
If you know of any scholarships for Black students not mentioned here, please drop them in the comments!
