Alberta First Nations, Metis and Inuit Bursary

What you will need

• ✓ Verified Alberta.ca Account
• ✓ Copy of the front and back of your status card OR a current letter from your band, settlement, or Indigenous organization
• ✓ Most recent unofficial transcripts
• ✓ Resume (optional)
• ✓ Completed online application form with essay responses

About this award

Depending on your program, you can get up to $7,000 for pre-apprenticeship training, certificates, or diploma studies. If you are in a bachelor's, master's, or PhD program, you can get up to $11,500 per year for a maximum of 4 years. As a bursary, this money is yours to keep and does not have to be paid back, provided you fulfill your work commitment. This is for you if you are an Indigenous student who wants to gain skills to enter or re-enter the workforce in northern Alberta. You have two choices for when to apply: Intake 1 runs from February 1 to June 1, and Intake 2 runs from June 5 to November 1. If you apply in Intake 1, you will hear about your status through the online portal by the end of August; if you apply in Intake 2, you will be notified by mid-January. Recipients are selected by an independent committee based on established criteria and the resources available. Because funding is limited, not every applicant receives a bursary. Ask Government of Alberta during your application how the money will reach you—some awards pay students directly, while others apply funds to tuition. Confirm this so you can plan your cash flow. To keep this funding, you must sign a return of service agreement with the Ministry of Advanced Education. You must agree to live and work in the program area for one year of full-time employment in your field of study for every year of bursary support you receive. If you do not fulfill this commitment, you will be asked to repay the bursary.

Who qualifies

You must be a Canadian Citizen, Permanent Resident, or a protected person (someone with refugee or protected-person status in Canada). You must be 18 years of age or older and have lived in Alberta for 12 consecutive months before your program starts. You must be enrolled in or have applied for a full-time program at a post-secondary school designated for provincial funding. Your program must be at least 12 weeks long to get half a bursary, or 16 weeks long for a full bursary. You cannot be in an apprenticeship program or in default of a provincial student loan. Finally, you must provide valid proof of Indigenous ancestry and agree to live and work in northern Alberta after you finish your studies.

This is what the award's official page said when we last checked. Rules change, so confirm on the award's official page before you apply.

• ✓ Canadian citizen, permanent resident or protected person
• ✓ Open to trades, certificate, undergraduate, graduate or post-secondary students
• ✓ Resident of Alberta

How to apply

1. 1

   Read the award's official page

   Check you meet every requirement, and note each document they ask for.

2. 2

   Order your transcript1–2 weeks

   Your school's registrar can take a week or two.

3. 3

   Ask for reference letters2 weeks

   Give your referees at least two weeks' notice, and send them your résumé.

4. 4

   Write your essay

   Be specific about what you did and what changed because of it. Proofread it twice.

5. 5

   Submit your application

   Save a copy, and submit at least a day before the deadline shown above.

Tips for applying

• EssayAvoid giving vague answers to the essay questions on the portal. Instead, be clear and concise about your goals and how this training helps you enter the northern Alberta workforce. Draft your answers in a separate document first to check for clarity.
• SupportAvoid sending outdated letters from your community. Instead, ensure your letter from your Band, Metis Settlement, or Indigenous organization is current. Call your organization today to request an updated letter if yours is old.
• StrategyAvoid waiting until the final day of the intake to create your account. Instead, set up your verified Alberta.ca Account at least two weeks before the deadline. This ensures you aren't locked out by the verification process on the due date.
• RealismAvoid counting on this bursary before you hear back. Instead, remember that an independent committee selects winners based on limited funds. Apply for other bursaries you are eligible for, but remember you can only keep one type of northern development bursary per year.

Questions students ask

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