Peter Lukasiewicz/Gowling WLG Indigenous Bursary

What you will need

• ✓ Indigenous affiliation
• ✓ Enrollment or acceptance into an accredited Canadian post-secondary program
• ✓ Financial need
• ✓ Record of academic achievement
• ✓ Details of community service involvement

About this award

No fixed dollar amount is posted — contact Gowling WLG 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 identify as Indigenous and are pursuing a post-secondary education, especially if you are passionate about law and justice. 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 the application portal. Selection criteria aren't published — ask Gowling WLG how winners are chosen and roughly how many applicants they typically receive so you can judge your odds. Ask Gowling WLG 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 Gowling WLG whether it's one-time or renewable and what you need to maintain.

Who qualifies

You must be 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 any level of study, though preference is given to students studying law and justice. While the main focus is on your demonstrated financial need, the reviewers may also look at your academic achievement and any community service you have done.

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 or graduate students
• ✓ Studying Legal Studies or Law School

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 exactly why the funding is needed. List every specific cost you cannot cover.
• Community LeadershipMany applicants simply list their volunteer roles. Instead, describe the impact you had on your community and how those experiences shaped your goal to study law or justice. Use a specific story to show your leadership.
• StrategySince there are three separate deadlines, do not wait until the final one in February. Applying in the earlier August or November windows may give you a better chance if funds are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
• RealismBecause this award prioritizes law and justice students, those in other fields face steeper competition. If you are not in a legal program, emphasize your community service and financial need heavily to stand out.

Questions students ask

Similar awards

• Gowling WLGGowling WLG Legal Studies Award for Indigenous Women
• University of Toronto (Rotman Commerce)U of T International Scholar Award — Rotman Commerce$100,000
• Nipissing UniversityRon Marleau Memorial Award$1,000
• Nipissing UniversityL'Hibou Award$600
• Seger Family FoundationSeger Family Bursary for STEM
• McMaster University — Faculty of EngineeringClass of 1952 Mel Hawkrigg Honour Award$4,500
• BC Ministry of Education and Child CarePathway to Teacher Education Scholarship$5,000
• Gouvernement du Québec — Aide financière aux étudesAFE Loans and Bursaries Program (Programme de prêts et bourses)$14,000