EY Indigenous Futures Award

What you will need

• ✓ Indigenous affiliation
• ✓ Enrollment in a post-secondary program

About this award

No fixed dollar amount is posted — contact EY Canada to confirm the value for your specific award before you apply. As a bursary, this money is yours to keep and you do not have to pay it back. You may be able to receive this funding throughout your entire post-secondary career because the award is renewable. This is for you if you identify as Indigenous and are pursuing a post-secondary education in Canada. Deadlines come around three times a year on August 1, November 1 and February 1, so aim for whichever one is next. When you apply, ask how and when you'll hear back — whether it is by email, phone, or through the application portal. Selection criteria aren't published — ask EY Canada how winners are chosen and roughly how many applicants they typically receive so you can judge your odds. Ask EY Canada 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 EY Canada what you need to maintain to keep the funding.

Who qualifies

You qualify if you have any Indigenous affiliation and are pursuing any level of post-secondary study. While the award is open to those in various fields, there are two bursaries specifically for students studying Indigenous Languages, while the balance of the funding is for students studying Business, Commerce, Accounting, Finance, or STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). You will have a better chance of winning if you attend an accredited institution in or near Vancouver, Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, or Ottawa.

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.

• ✓ Open to college, undergraduate, graduate, trades or certificate students
• ✓ Studying Indigenous Languages, Business, Commerce, Accounting, Finance, STEM, Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics

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

   Submit your application

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

Tips for applying

• Program ChoiceAvoid ignoring the specific funding buckets. Instead, highlight how your studies in Indigenous Languages or STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) align with the funder's goals. Clearly state your major in your application.
• SupportAvoid providing generic references. Instead, use referees who can speak to your connection to your community and your academic persistence. Ensure your references can vouch for your Indigenous affiliation and goals.
• StrategyAvoid applying only once. Since this is a renewable award with three separate deadlines (August 1, November 1, and February 1), you should track these dates carefully. Plan your application around the deadline that best fits your current enrollment status.
• RealismAvoid assuming the geographic preference is a hard requirement. Instead, apply even if you aren't in the five preferred cities, but you emphasize why your specific institution is accredited and valuable. Don't let the preference for Vancouver, Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, or Ottawa stop you from applying.

Questions students ask

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