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University of Calgary ii'taa'poh'to'p Excellence Awards — Entrance

For Indigenous students entering first year of any undergraduate program at the University of Calgary.

Reviewed by G Paul · verified August 31, 2026

Nov 1, 2026

Next deadline

What you will need

Indspire Building Brighter Futures consolidated online application via indspire.ca
Confirmation of Indigenous affiliation (Status Card / Citizenship Card / band letter / NLCA Beneficiary documentation)
Acceptance letter to a first-year undergraduate program at the University of Calgary
High school transcripts
Personal statement (academic plan + connection to Indigenous community)
Two letters of recommendation

About this award

The University of Calgary ii'taa'poh'to'p Excellence Awards — Entrance is the entrance-stream award in U of Calgary's ii'taa'poh'to'p Indigenous Strategy. The award is distributed annually to Indigenous students entering their first year in any undergraduate program at U of Calgary, on the basis of a complete application and confirmed Indigenous affiliation. The ii'taa'poh'to'p (pronounced 'eet-ta-pa-toe-pa', a Blackfoot phrase from the Treaty 7 territory U of Calgary sits on) strategy is the institution's commitment to indigenizing the campus and supporting Indigenous student success. Three companion ii'taa'poh'to'p awards exist: this Entrance award (first-year incoming), the Excellence Awards — Continuing Students (for students continuing in undergraduate programs at U of Calgary), and the ASAP Award (entrance/transfer for any year of undergraduate). Application is through Indspire's central Building Brighter Futures Bursaries & Scholarships portal — one consolidated application is evaluated for all 360+ Indspire funding pools, including this one. Three Indspire deadlines per year (August 1, November 1, February 1) provide flexibility.

Who qualifies

You qualify for the U of Calgary ii'taa'poh'to'p Excellence Awards — Entrance if you (1) have confirmed Indigenous affiliation (First Nation, Métis, or Inuit — any affiliation accepted); (2) are entering first year of any undergraduate program at the University of Calgary; (3) submit a complete Indspire application by one of the three annual deadlines.

This is what the award's own page said when we last checked. Rules change, so confirm with the provider before you apply.

Open to undergraduate students
Resident of Alberta

How to apply

Read the award's own page
Check you meet every requirement, and note each document they ask for.
Order your transcript1–2 weeks
Your school's registrar can take a week or two.
Ask for reference letters2 weeks
Give your referees at least two weeks' notice, and send them your résumé.
Write your essay
Be specific about what you did and what changed because of it. Proofread it twice.
Submit your application
Save a copy, and submit at least a day before the deadline shown above.

More details

Apply through Indspire's Building Brighter Futures portal — one consolidated application is evaluated for this and all other Indspire funding pools, so the application effort is amortised across many possible awards.

If you're CONTINUING at U of Calgary rather than ENTERING, look at the ii'taa'poh'to'p Excellence Awards — Continuing Students instead (sibling entry).

If you're a transfer student, look at the ii'taa'poh'to'p ASAP Award.

Three deadlines per year (Aug 1, Nov 1, Feb 1) align with fall, winter, and spring intake — pick the one that lines up with your program start.

Document your Indigenous affiliation clearly in the application — Status Card, Métis Citizenship Card, Nunavut Land Claim Agreement Beneficiary card, or letter from your Nation/Band administration are all acceptable forms.

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