Indspire · National
Indspire Building Brighter Futures Bursaries & Scholarships
About this award
Indspire's central bursary + scholarship program for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis students. ONE application covers 360+ corporate-partner funding pools. Deadlines: Aug 1, Nov 1, Feb 1.
Building Brighter Futures (BBF) is Indspire's flagship financial-aid program for Indigenous post-secondary students in Canada. Since 1996, Indspire has distributed over $280 million in financial support through more than 84,000 bursaries, scholarships, and awards to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis students. Funding is contributed by 360+ corporate, foundation, and individual sponsors — including AbbVie, RBC, Air Canada, BMO, CIBC, AltaGas, and many others — but you submit ONE application through Indspire's central portal. Eligibility for each sponsor's specific funding pool is determined automatically based on your program of study, region, and demographic criteria. Award amounts vary based on assessed financial need, applicant pool size, fields of study, and available funds in each cycle.
Can you get it?
- Indigenous — citizenship requirement
- College, Undergraduate, Graduate — study level
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.
Request your official transcript1–2 weeks
Order through your school registrar — allow 1–2 weeks.
Submit by Aug 1, 2026~1 hour
Double-check every field, save a copy, and submit at least 24 hours early.
More details
Submit Indspire's central application before the cycle deadline (August 1, November 1, or February 1 at 11:59 p.m.
One application covers all 360+ partner funding pools — you don't need to apply separately to each corporate sponsor.
Have your status documentation, transcript, and financial-need details ready before starting.
awards distribute based on assessed financial need plus available funds in each pool, and earlier applications are reviewed first.
If your circumstances change after applying, contact Indspire's Education Department immediately — staff can advise how it affects your application.