First-Generation Scholars Award

What you will need

• ✓ Proof of Canadian citizenship, permanent residency, or refugee status
• ✓ Confirmation of registration in a full-time, first-entry degree program at the University of Calgary
• ✓ Verification that parents/guardians have no post-secondary credentials
• ✓ For applicants who were in care: Documentation proving status as a Child or Youth in Care in Alberta or another Canadian province/territory
• ✓ For refugee applicants: Documentation proving current or previous refugee status in Canada

About this award

No fixed dollar amount is posted — contact University of Calgary to confirm the value for your specific award before you apply. As an award, this money is yours to keep and you do not have to pay it back. This is for you if you are the first in your family to attend post-secondary education, or if you have experience as a refugee or a youth in care. Apply through the High School Awards application in your My UCalgary portal. It opens October 1 and closes March 1. When you apply, ask how and when you'll hear back — email, portal, or phone. Selection criteria aren't published — ask University of Calgary how winners are chosen based on academic merit and roughly how many applicants they typically receive so you can judge your odds. Ask University of Calgary 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 University of Calgary whether it's one-time or renewable and what you need to maintain.

Who qualifies

You must be a high school student entering a degree program at the University of Calgary and registered for full-time studies in a first-entry degree program in the current academic year (first time, first term). You cannot already have a post-secondary credential such as a degree, diploma, certificate, or apprenticeship program. Second-entry programs (such as law, medicine, or veterinary medicine) and graduate programs are not eligible. You must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or refugee. To qualify as a first-generation scholar, your parents, legal guardians, or chosen family guardians must have never completed a post-secondary credential (certificate, diploma, degree, or trade) in Canada or anywhere in the world. Alternatively, you qualify if you were a Child or Youth in Care in Alberta (or the equivalent in any other Canadian province or territory), or if you are or previously were a refugee to Canada.

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 or refugee
• ✓ Open to high school students

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

• Academic MeritAvoid focusing only on your grades in your application. Instead, highlight how your academic achievements reflect your potential as a first-generation student. Mention specific projects or subjects where you excelled despite having no family guide for university.
• SupportAvoid trying to navigate the application entirely on your own. Instead, reach out to the specialized support team at firstgenprograms@ucalgary.ca. Send them a brief email introducing yourself and asking for assistance with the application process.
• StrategyAvoid waiting until the last minute to verify your status. Instead, gather your documentation regarding your family's education history or your status as a youth in care early. Having these proofs ready will make the process smoother.
• RealismAvoid assuming this award is guaranteed just because you meet the basic identity criteria. Instead, remember that academic merit is a factor in selection. Focus on presenting your strongest possible transcripts and personal history.

Questions students ask

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