Beedie Luminaries RISE Scholarship (Refugee & Immigrant Student Education)

What you will need

• ✓ Online application submitted through the Beedie Luminaries secure site
• ✓ Anything else listed in the 2027 Program Guidelines (read them before you start)
• ✓ An explanation of your or your family's financial adversity and how it has affected you
• ✓ An endorsement letter from your employer, school, or counsellor

About this award

You can receive up to $44,000 if you study full-time, which is $11,000 per year for up to 4 years. If you study part-time, you can receive up to $33,000, which is $5,500 per year for up to 6 years. This is a scholarship, not a loan, so you do not have to pay it back. This is for you if you are a young refugee or protected person rebuilding your life in Canada and need financial support to pursue your education. Applications open November 2nd at 1:00 PM PST. You apply between November and December, and the Beedie Luminaries cohort is announced in May. When you apply, ask how and when you'll hear back — email, portal, or phone. Selection criteria aren't published — ask Beedie Luminaries how winners are chosen and roughly how many applicants they typically receive so you can judge your odds. Some select applicants may be invited for interviews between January and April. Ask Beedie Luminaries 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. Renewal conditions aren't listed — if you're counting on this for multiple years, confirm with Beedie Luminaries whether it's one-time or renewable and what you need to maintain.

Who qualifies

To qualify, you must be a refugee who was granted permanent residency, or a protected person under subsection 95(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada), after January 1, 2016. You must also be residing full-time in BC for the previous 6 consecutive months. You must be between the ages of 19 and 34 (meaning you were born between the years 1992 and 2007) and have completed secondary school or an equivalent. You must plan to be a full-time or part-time student and apply to, or be currently enrolled at, one of the eligible post-secondary institutions. You must demonstrate your and/or your family's financial adversity and how it has affected you, and get an endorsement from your employer, school, or counsellor.

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.

• ✓ Permanent resident or protected person
• ✓ Open to certificate, college or undergraduate 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

• Financial NeedAvoid simply stating that you have low income. Instead, describe the specific ways financial adversity has impacted your life and your ability to study. Provide a concrete example of a challenge you overcame.
• SupportAvoid providing a generic character reference. Instead, ask your employer, school, or counsellor to write an endorsement that highlights your drive and potential. Give them a few bullet points about your goals to help them write a stronger letter.
• StrategyAvoid rushing the application on the day it opens. Instead, review the 2027 Program Guidelines thoroughly before November 2nd. Create a checklist of all required documents so you can submit your application quickly and accurately.
• RealismAvoid assuming that meeting the basic requirements guarantees an award. Instead, remember that this is a selective process involving a committee and potential interviews. Focus on showing your unique perspective as a newcomer to Canada.

Questions students ask

Similar awards

• Beedie LuminariesBeedie Luminaries SHINE Scholarship$44,000
• Gouvernement du Québec — Aide financière aux étudesAFE Loans and Bursaries Program (Programme de prêts et bourses)$14,000
• Toronto Metropolitan University - The Creative School / Shure Inc.Shure Award for Excellence in Sound Design (Image Arts)$5,000
• Calgary FoundationShannon Burwash Award for Leadership and Excellence in Equine, Agri-Business and/or Agricultural Studies$5,000
• University of TorontoU of T President’s Scholars of Excellence Program (PSEP)
• Alberta Student AidJason Lang Scholarship$1,000
• Government of SaskatchewanSaskatchewan Student Aid + Saskatchewan Advantage Scholarship + Rural-Service Loan Forgiveness
• University of ReginaHelen Janzen Toews Award for Mature Students$4,750