CNIB Post-Secondary Scholarships & Bursaries

CNIB Foundation

Get between $1,000 and $8,000 for your post-secondary studies if you are blind, Deafblind, or have low vision.

Published by G Paul · last checked September 24, 2026

Total value

$8,000

Level

College, Undergraduate, Graduate, Trades, Certificate

Open to

Across Canada

Apply on the official site ↗

What you will need

Application form submitted through CNIB Foundation
Proof of secondary education completion (interim)
Two reference letters (one academic, one community), on official letterhead, in professional letter format and in an accessible format
Letter of acceptance from an accredited post-secondary institution, college or university
Transcript (interim)
A short essay (two pages max) on how a CNIB scholarship will change what it means to be blind for you in your education

About this award

Depending on the specific award, you can receive various amounts. Individual awards include the Barney Danson Scholarship at $5,000, the Dr. John and Olive Pyper Scholarship at $4,000, the Kylie Matthews Memorial Scholarship at $3,000, and multiple CNIB Scholarships at $3,000 each. There are 8 KPMG Scholarships at $2,500 each and 2 Tammy MacDonald-Doran Memorial Scholarships at $2,500 each. Other awards include the Dr. Phiroz N. Dastoor Memorial Scholarship at $1,500, and multiple awards at $1,000 each, such as the Agnes L. and Thomas S. Harrison, Ben McConnell, Bernice & Robert Gilbert B.C., Betty Towler, Carl G. Frink, FJL Woodcock SAPA, Gladys N. and Maynard L. Norton, Kathleen L. and Angus Robson, Lorne Hassan Memorial, and Martha Guest Memorial awards. The Joyce Family Foundation Bursaries are renewable and range from $6,000 to $8,000. These are grants, not loans, so you do not have to pay them back. This is for you if you are blind, Deafblind, or have low vision and are pursuing post-secondary education or training, from youth starting apprenticeships and skilled trades to adults in continuing education or post-graduate degrees. Applications for the 2026/27 year are closed. Applications for the 2027/28 school year open in spring 2027; the closing date isn't posted yet, so check CNIB's scholarship page then or email scholarships@cnib.ca. CNIB's selection committee gets in touch with every applicant by the end of the summer, whatever the outcome. It's not just about grades: CNIB's selection committee weighs financial need, location, community involvement, resilience in overcoming barriers, leadership skills, ambitions, achievements and goals. By submitting one application, you are automatically considered for every award you are eligible for based on the criteria. Ask CNIB Foundation 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 for most awards, though the Joyce Family Foundation Bursary is explicitly renewable. If you're counting on this for multiple years, confirm with CNIB Foundation whether it's one-time or renewable and what you need to maintain.

Who qualifies

You must be blind, Deafblind, or have low vision (best corrected visual acuity of 20/70 or worse and/or a visual field of 20 degrees or narrower), and be a Canadian citizen or have held landed immigrant status for at least one year before applying. You can be a youth entering apprenticeships or skilled trades, an adult in continuing education or certificate programs, or a student pursuing a diploma, degree, or post-graduate degree. Specific awards have tighter rules: the Agnes L. and Thomas S. Harrison Scholarship is for female students at the University of Victoria residing on Vancouver Island or the Gulf Islands; the Gladys N. and Maynard L. Norton Scholarship is for male students at the University of Victoria residing on Vancouver Island or the Gulf Islands; the Ben McConnell Scholarship is for students from Alberta; the Bernice & Robert Gilbert B.C. Scholarship is for students in British Columbia; the Betty Towler Bursary is for students from Nova Scotia; the Carl G. Frink Scholarship is for those in British Columbia who do not receive government funding; the Dr. John and Olive Pyper Scholarship is for residents of Southwestern Ontario (Perth, Wellington, Oxford, Middlesex and Huron counties); the Dr. Phiroz N. Dastoor Memorial Scholarship is for students at a Canadian university with financial need; the Kathleen L. and Angus Robson Bursary is for residents of Vancouver Island or the Gulf Islands aged 16 or older; the Lorne Hassan Memorial Bursary is for those attending school in British Columbia or Yukon; and the Martha Guest Memorial Bursary is for residents of British Columbia or Yukon in post-secondary or adult upgrading.

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 or permanent resident
Open to college, undergraduate, graduate, trades or certificate students
Studying health care, education or music

How to apply

Read the award's official page
Check you meet every requirement, and note each document they ask for.
Order your transcript1–2 weeks
Your school's registrar can take a week or two.
Ask for reference letters2 weeks
Give your referees at least two weeks' notice, and send them your résumé.
Write your essay
Be specific about what you did and what changed because of it. Proofread it twice.
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

GoalsAvoid writing vague ambitions. Instead, connect your educational goals to how you plan to achieve independence. List one specific career milestone you want to reach.
SupportAvoid providing references who only know you casually. Instead, choose mentors or teachers who can speak to your resilience in overcoming barriers. Ask them to highlight a specific time you pushed through a challenge.
StrategyAvoid focusing only on your grades. Instead, emphasize your community involvement, leadership skills, and personal achievements. Describe one project where you helped others in your community.
RealismAvoid assuming you only qualify for one award. Instead, remember that one application enters you into the running for all eligible funds. Submit your materials early to ensure CNIB Foundation has everything needed to consider you for multiple categories.

Questions students ask

How do I apply?

Use the Apply on the official site button on this page: it opens the official application page in a new tab.

When is the deadline?

We don't have a confirmed deadline for this one. Check the award's official page for this year's date.

Can international students apply?

No. You need to be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

Similar awards

Share this award

FundMyCourse.ca · checked Sep 24, 2026