The Ron Jamieson BMO Financial Group Aboriginal Awards

What you will need

• ✓ Full-time enrollment in an undergraduate or graduate program
• ✓ Indigenous affiliation
• ✓ Financial need
• ✓ Involvement in your Indigenous community

About this award

No fixed dollar amount is posted — contact BMO Financial Group to confirm the value for your specific award before you apply. As a scholarship, this money is yours to keep and you do not have to pay it back. This is for you if you are an Indigenous youth who has shown leadership and involvement in your community while pursuing your studies. 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 in detail, but winners are chosen based on your financial need, academic achievement, and your demonstrated involvement in your Indigenous community. Ask BMO Financial Group how many awards they give out each year so you can judge your odds. Ask BMO Financial Group 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 BMO Financial Group whether it's a one-time award or if you can apply again each year and what GPA you need to maintain.

Who qualifies

You qualify if you are an Indigenous youth with any Indigenous affiliation living across Canada. You must be enrolled in full-time post-secondary study at the undergraduate or graduate level. You can be in any field of study, though there is a strong focus on business, engineering, mathematics, technology, and science.

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 graduate or undergraduate students
• ✓ Studying business, engineering, mathematics, technology or science

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

• Community InvolvementAvoid listing your volunteer work as a simple bulleted list of tasks. Instead, tell stories that show the impact you had on your Indigenous community. Describe a specific project where you led others or solved a problem for your people.
• StrategyDon't wait until the final deadline to apply. Since there are three windows (August, November, and February), apply in the earliest one that fits your schedule to get your funding sorted sooner.
• RealismBecause this award considers financial need alongside merit, you should be very clear about your costs. Provide a detailed breakdown of your tuition and living expenses to show exactly why this funding is needed.

Questions students ask

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