Faculty of Mathematics Black and/or Indigenous Entrance Scholarships

What you will need

• ✓ Apply for admission to a Faculty of Mathematics program at the University of Waterloo
• ✓ Scholarship application submitted under the Awards and financial aid tab in the Waterloo applicant portal by April 15
• ✓ 5 KPi Award: be entering Year One of a co-op program
• ✓ Rico Mariani Entrance Scholarship: be entering a Computer Science program

About this award

Depending on the specific award, you can receive up to $40,000. This is a scholarship, not a loan, so you do not have to pay it back. There are two 5 KPi Awards of $15,707.96 for Black or Indigenous students entering a co-op program, several awards between $10,000 and $20,000 for Black students, several awards between $20,000 and $40,000 for Black international students, and one award up to $6,000 for the Rico Mariani scholarship. For the larger awards, the money is spread equally over eight academic terms. This is for you if you identify as Black or Indigenous and are starting your first year in a mathematics-related field. You must apply by April 15. Once you have applied for admission and can access the Waterloo applicant portal, you apply under its Awards and financial aid tab. Ask University of Waterloo how and when you will hear back. Selection criteria aren't published — ask University of Waterloo how winners are chosen and roughly how many applicants they typically receive so you can judge your odds. Ask University of Waterloo 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. To keep the Faculty of Mathematics Entrance Scholarships for Black and Black International students after your first year, you must maintain a minimum 80% average and take five courses each academic term. For other variants, renewal conditions aren't listed — confirm with University of Waterloo whether they are one-time or renewable.

Who qualifies

You must be entering Year One of a program in the Faculty of Mathematics. You cannot apply if you are in Software Engineering. For the Faculty of Mathematics Entrance Scholarship for Black Students, you also cannot be in Computing and Financial Management. The 5 KPi Award and the Entrance Scholarship for Black Students require you to be a Canadian citizen, Permanent Resident, or protected person, and the 5 KPi Award also requires you to be entering a co-op program. The Entrance Scholarship for Black International Students is for international students. The Rico Mariani award is specifically for those in any Computer Science program, excluding Software Engineering.

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, protected person or international student
• ✓ Open to high school students
• ✓ Studying Mathematics or Computer Science

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

• ApplicationAvoid sending a generic personal statement. Instead, highlight your specific connection to the Black or Indigenous communities and your passion for mathematics. Mention a specific goal you have for your first year at University of Waterloo.
• SupportAvoid leaving your admission application late. You can only apply for these scholarships once you have applied to Waterloo and can access the applicant portal.
• StrategyAvoid applying to only one award. Instead, apply to every scholarship you are eligible for, including university-wide awards, as you can receive multiple scholarships at the same time.
• RealismAvoid assuming the full amount is available immediately. Instead, remember that the larger awards are spread over eight terms, so plan your budget based on the payment per term rather than the total sum.

Questions students ask

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