CIBC · National
CIBC Achiever Awards
About this award
Apply by August 1, November 1, or February 1 for bursaries and scholarships available to Indigenous students in any program of study. Apply through Indspire's central Building Brighter Futures program — one application covers all sponsor pools.
The provider doesn't post a fixed dollar amount — contact CIBC (the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce) to confirm the value for your specific award before you apply. As these are bursaries and scholarships, this money is yours to keep and you do not have to pay it back. This is for you if you identify as First Nation, Inuit, or Métis and are pursuing a degree or diploma to build your future. You have three deadlines to choose from: August 1, November 1, and February 1. No notification timeline is posted publicly — when you apply, ask how and when you'll hear back via email, portal, or phone. Selection criteria aren't published — ask CIBC how winners are chosen and roughly how many applicants they typically receive so you can judge your odds. Ask CIBC 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 CIBC whether it's one-time or renewable and what you need to maintain. How to apply: This funding is administered through Indspire's Building Brighter Futures Bursaries & Scholarships program. Students complete one central application that's evaluated against all 360+ of Indspire's funding pools (including this one) — you don't apply to the sponsor directly. The Apply button on this page routes to Indspire's portal automatically. For the full program description, all three application deadlines, and detailed eligibility, see Indspire Building Brighter Futures Bursaries & Scholarships on FundMyCourse.
Can you get it?
- Indigenous — citizenship requirement
- Undergraduate, Graduate — study level
- Studying business, engineering, law, STEM, Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, technology — field of study
How to apply
Review eligibility and gather your documents~1 hour
Read the official award page end-to-end. Confirm you meet every requirement before you start.
Submit by No deadline~1 hour
Double-check every field, save a copy, and submit at least 24 hours early.
More details
The biggest mistake is assuming you can't apply because you aren't in a technical field.
Winners instead highlight how their specific program of study contributes to their community.
Clearly explain why your chosen field matters for your future goals.
The biggest mistake is providing generic character references.
Winners instead use referees who can speak specifically to their Indigenous identity and leadership within their community.
Ask your referee to provide a concrete example of your resilience.