Canada Life · National
The Canada Life Indigenous Student Awards
About this award
Get up to $5,000 and a potential paid internship if you are an Indigenous post-secondary student in your second or third year — apply by August 1, November 1, or February 1. Apply through Indspire's central Building Brighter Futures program — one application covers all sponsor pools.
You can win one of twelve $5,000 awards or one of eleven $4,000 awards. These are scholarships, not loans, so you do not have to pay them back. One recipient of the $5,000 award can also earn an additional $1,500 through a paid summer internship. This is for you if you identify as Indigenous and are pursuing a career in business, technology, or healthcare administration while overcoming personal challenges to reach your goals. You have three deadlines to choose from: August 1, November 1, or February 1. Contact Canada Life to confirm the exact time zone and how you will be notified if you win. Selection criteria aren't published — ask Canada Life how winners are chosen and roughly how many applicants they typically receive so you can judge your odds. Note that for the internship, the provider conducts formal interviews to finalize the placement by March 15. Ask Canada Life 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 Canada Life whether it's one-time or renewable and what you need to maintain. How to apply: This funding is administered through Indspire's Building Brighter Futures Bursaries & Scholarships program. Students complete one central application that's evaluated against all 360+ of Indspire's funding pools (including this one) — you don't apply to the sponsor directly. The Apply button on this page routes to Indspire's portal automatically. For the full program description, all three application deadlines, and detailed eligibility, see Indspire Building Brighter Futures Bursaries & Scholarships on FundMyCourse.
Can you get it?
- Indigenous — citizenship requirement
- Undergraduate, Graduate — study level
- Resident of SK, QC, ON, MB — provincial eligibility
- Studying Business, Technology, Health Science Supports and Administration, Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, Commerce, Computer Engineering, Digital Application Development, Technology Operations and Project Management, Health Informatics, Occupational Therapy, Human Resources Management, International Business, Marketing & Communications — field of study
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.
Collect reference letters2 weeks
Give your referees at least two weeks' notice and share your résumé.
Submit by No deadline~1 hour
Double-check every field, save a copy, and submit at least 24 hours early.
More details
The biggest mistake is writing a generic essay about your grades.
Winners instead focus on the specific challenges they have faced and their future aspirations.
Describe exactly what obstacles you overcame to get into your program.
Many students submit a basic character reference.
Winners provide a strong letter of support that proves their academic merit and financial need.
Ensure your referee mentions specific examples of your achievement.