John Bernard Kennedy Bursary

What you will need

• ✓ Indigenous affiliation
• ✓ Enrollment or acceptance into an accredited Canadian post-secondary program
• ✓ Financial need
• ✓ Records of academic achievement
• ✓ Community service

About this award

No fixed dollar amount is posted — contact Indspire (the organization that manages this funding) 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. This is for you if you are an Indigenous student with any Indigenous affiliation who is 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 their online portal. Selection criteria aren't published, though the funder notes that demonstrated financial need is the main factor, along with your academic achievement and community service. Ask Indspire how winners are chosen and roughly how many applicants they typically receive so you can judge your odds. Ask Indspire 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 Indspire whether it's one-time or renewable and what you need to maintain.

Who qualifies

You qualify if you are an Indigenous student with any Indigenous affiliation. You must be enrolled, or planning to be enrolled, in an accredited post-secondary program in Canada. This award is open to you regardless of your program of study or your level of study.

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 high school, college, undergraduate, graduate, trades or certificate 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

• Financial NeedAvoid providing a vague summary of your expenses. Instead, provide a detailed breakdown of your tuition gaps and living costs to prove your financial need. List every specific cost you cannot cover.
• StrategyAvoid waiting until the final deadline to apply. Since there are three windows (August, November, and February), apply during the earliest one that fits your enrollment status to get your funding sorted sooner.
• RealismAvoid assuming financial need is the only factor. While it is the primary consideration, you should also highlight your grades and volunteer work to make your application stand out from others in your income bracket.

Questions students ask

Similar awards

• IndspireThe Butt Family Memorial Bursary for Indigenous Students$2,000
• IndspireElizabeth Freeland Compassion Fund
• IndspireFeiga Bresver Academic Fund
• IndspireThe Indspire Star Scholarship for Business/Engineering$5,000
• IndspireDoreen Bell Bursary
• IndspireIndspire Building Brighter Futures Bursaries & Scholarships
• IndspirePractical Nursing Bursary
• IndspireHilary Pearson Award