BC Indigenous Student Award (UBC Graduate)

What you will need

• ✓ An account on the BC Scholarship Society application site (SM Apply), where you answer eligibility questions and complete the form
• ✓ The email address of a reference who will confirm your community involvement (Master's and Doctoral applicants)
• ✓ Confirmation of Indigenous identity: upload a document such as a status or membership card, or give the email of a Verifier from an Indigenous organization

About this award

You can receive between $1,000 and $5,000 per year. This is a scholarship, not a loan, so you do not have to pay it back. Because these awards are renewable, you can receive sustained funding over multiple years. This is for you if you identify as Indigenous—which includes First Nations (Status or Non-Status), Métis, or Inuit—and are pursuing a graduate degree in British Columbia. Applications for this year are closed and reopen in January 2027; late applications are not considered. The 2027 closing date is not posted yet, so check the BC Scholarship Society's Indigenous Awards page when applications open. Selection criteria aren't published — ask the BC Scholarship Society how winners are chosen and roughly how many applicants they typically receive so you can judge your odds. Ask the BC Scholarship Society during your application how the money will reach you — some awards pay students directly, others apply funds to tuition. Confirm this so you can plan your cash flow. The award is renewable: while you stay enrolled full time in the same program you can request a renewal each year, up to four more years for a Master's or five more for a Doctoral degree.

Who qualifies

You must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, convention refugee or protected person, and a BC resident whose primary residence has been in the province for at least 12 consecutive months before you enrol. You must be studying full time (usually 60% or more of a full course load) in a Master's or Doctoral program of at least two semesters at a BC public post-secondary institution or an Indigenous post-secondary institution. You must identify as Indigenous, defined as First Nations (Status or Non-Status), Métis, or Inuit.

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 graduate students
• ✓ Resident of British Columbia

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

   Ask for reference letters2 weeks

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

3. 3

   Check this year's deadline

   We don't have a confirmed date for this round. The award's official page will have it.

Tips for applying

• IdentityAvoid providing vague descriptions of your heritage. Instead, use the specific terms recognized by the award, such as First Nations (Status or Non-Status), Métis, or Inuit. Clearly state your affiliation in your application.
• SupportAvoid submitting references that only speak to your grades. Instead, choose a reference who can confirm your community involvement. Master's and Doctoral applicants must give that person's email address in the application.
• StrategyAvoid treating this as a one-time application. Instead, plan for the renewal process since the award is designed for sustained funding over multiple years. Mark your calendar for the annual cycle.
• RealismAvoid budgeting on the maximum amount. Instead, prepare your budget based on the range of $1,000 to $5,000. Contact the BC Scholarship Society to see if the amount varies by degree level.

Questions students ask

Similar awards

• BC Scholarship SocietyBC Scholarship Society Women in Technology Scholarship$10,000
• BC Scholarship SocietyBC Scholarship Society Indigenous Women in Technology Scholarship$10,000
• Seger Family FoundationSeger Family Bursary for STEM
• Gouvernement du Québec — Aide financière aux étudesAFE Loans and Bursaries Program (Programme de prêts et bourses)$14,000
• Scott MacCaie Rogers Scholarship for Legal StudyScott MacCaie Rogers Scholarship
• Calgary FoundationShannon Burwash Award for Leadership and Excellence in Equine, Agri-Business and/or Agricultural Studies$5,000
• York University - Faculty of Graduate StudiesYork University Graduate Bursaries
• Sun LifeSun Life Indigenous Student Awards