University of Calgary (administered via Indspire) · Institutional
University of Calgary ii'taa'poh'to'p Excellence Awards — Continuing Students
About this award
Annual continuing-student award for Indigenous undergraduates at the University of Calgary. Distributed annually to EVERY eligible Indigenous student continuing in any undergraduate program with a complete application — making this one of the most widely accessible Indigenous student awards at any Canadian university.
The University of Calgary ii'taa'poh'to'p Excellence Awards — Continuing Students is the continuing-stream version of U of Calgary's ii'taa'poh'to'p Indigenous Strategy entrance award. Critically, this award is distributed annually to EVERY Indigenous student continuing in an undergraduate program at U of Calgary who submits a complete application — meaning it's not a competitive merit award but rather a structural commitment from U of Calgary to support every Indigenous undergraduate's persistence. If you're an Indigenous student already enrolled at U of Calgary moving into your second, third, fourth, or later year, this award is built for you. Confirmed Indigenous affiliation (any First Nation, Métis, or Inuit identification) is required. The Entrance award (sibling entry) covers first-year incoming students; the ASAP Award covers transfer students. Three Indspire deadlines per year (August 1, November 1, February 1) provide flexibility — apply early in your continuing year. Application is through Indspire's central Building Brighter Futures portal.
Can you get it?
- Indigenous — citizenship requirement
- Undergraduate — study level
- Resident of AB — provincial eligibility
- Studying any — 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.
Request your official transcript1–2 weeks
Order through your school registrar — allow 1–2 weeks.
Collect reference letters2 weeks
Give your referees at least two weeks' notice and share your résumé.
Draft and revise your essays~10 hours
Use the STAR framework. Be specific, show impact, proofread twice.
Submit by Aug 1, 2026~1 hour
Double-check every field, save a copy, and submit at least 24 hours early.
More details
This is the most accessible of the three U of Calgary ii'taa'poh'to'p awards — distribution is to EVERY eligible continuing student, not a competitive selection from a pool.
So if you're an Indigenous continuing undergraduate at U of Calgary, the action item is just to file a complete Indspire application.
Don't skip this assuming someone else will get it — every complete application is funded.
If you're entering first year at U of Calgary, look at the Entrance award instead.
If you're transferring in, look at the ASAP Award.