Ivan Joseph Promise Scholarship

What you will need

• ✓ Complete the General Entrance Award application via the application portal by February 15, 2027
• ✓ Submit your official first-semester transcript OR your provincial student ID number (for Nova Scotia and Ontario applicants)
• ✓ For applicants not yet accepted to a Dalhousie program: pay the $70 CAD admissions application fee

About this award

You get $32,000 in total, which is paid as $8,000 per year renewable for 4 years. This is a scholarship, not a loan, so you do not have to pay it back. This is for you if you are a domestic undergraduate student from an under-represented or underserved group entering a degree program. Dalhousie lists it among its entrance awards for Black students and for Indigenous students. You must apply by February 15, 2027. If you receive an award, Dalhousie University will notify you in the spring. Selection criteria aren't published — ask Dalhousie University how winners are chosen and roughly how many applicants they typically receive so you can judge your odds. The money is applied to your student account in two equal instalments in mid-August and mid-December. Ask Dalhousie University during your application to confirm if there are any other ways the funds are handled. To keep this award, you must remain registered full-time at Dalhousie University for the terms in which the scholarship is awarded. This means a minimum of 9 credit hours per term for degree students and 6 credit hours per term for technology students. Since renewal conditions aren't fully listed, confirm with Dalhousie University if you need to maintain a specific GPA to keep the funding for all 4 years.

Who qualifies

You are eligible if you are a domestic undergraduate student from an under-represented or underserved group entering a degree program. You must be applying directly from high school, or be a mature student with no transferable post-secondary study. You must be applying to start in the Fall term and meet the academic requirements, which are typically an 80% average or 26 predicted/anticipated IB (International Baccalaureate — a global standardized curriculum) points.

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
• ✓ 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

   Order your transcript1–2 weeks

   Your school's registrar can take a week or two.

3. 3

   Submit your application

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

Tips for applying

• Academic RecordsAvoid sending incomplete transcripts. Instead, ensure your official first-semester transcript or provincial student ID is submitted correctly. Double-check that your school has sent the documents to Dalhousie University before the deadline.
• Application PortalAvoid waiting until the last day to log in. Instead, access your application portal early to ensure your login works. Test your credentials now so a technical glitch doesn't stop you on February 15.
• StrategyAvoid treating this as a separate application if you are already applying for admission. Instead, use the General Entrance Award application to be considered for this and other similar awards at once. Check off every requirement in the portal to ensure your file is complete.
• RealismAvoid assuming that meeting the 80% average means you will get an award. Instead, remember that this is a competitive process based on limited funds. Apply for multiple bursaries and scholarships to increase your chances of funding.

Questions students ask

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