University of Victoria — Student Awards and Financial Aid (SAFA) · Institutional
UVic Entrance Scholarships and Awards (SAFA)
About this award
University of Victoria's entrance and in-course scholarships, awards, and bursaries — $12.5 million distributed annually through Student Awards and Financial Aid (SAFA). Includes entrance scholarships, featured scholarships with named donors, in-course awards, bursaries, work-study, and emergency loan funding.
The University of Victoria's Student Awards and Financial Aid office (SAFA) distributes more than $12.5 million each year across the full range of UVic financial supports. The entrance scholarships and awards stream covers incoming undergraduate students; in-course scholarships and awards reward continuing UVic students based on their UVic record; featured scholarships are higher-profile named or donor-funded awards (often with supplementary applications and dedicated deadlines). Beyond merit-based scholarships, SAFA also runs a comprehensive bursary programme (need-based, separately searched on the SAFA portal), a work-study programme that connects students with on-campus employment, and emergency loan funding for current students facing unexpected costs. SAFA additionally handles government loan paperwork (BC and federal), US Federal Direct Loan administration for American students, and Confirmation of Enrolment letters needed for outside funders. UVic operates dedicated graduate awards in parallel — the SAFA portal has separate undergraduate and graduate award search tools.
Can you get it?
- Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident or International — citizenship requirement
- Undergraduate, Graduate — study level
- Resident of BC — provincial eligibility
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.
Submit by No deadline~1 hour
Double-check every field, save a copy, and submit at least 24 hours early.
More details
Apply to UVic by the standard admission deadline so your file enters the entrance scholarship review pool automatically.
Beyond entrance, set up a UVic SAFA login once you are enrolled and use the in-course award search tool — many UVic students miss out on awards they would qualify for simply because no one told them to search the portal.
The featured scholarships have their own application deadlines (often distinct from admission), so build a calendar of any supplementary deadlines in your faculty or programme.
The bursary programme is separate from scholarships and operates on documented financial need — apply for bursaries even if you do not qualify for merit awards.
Work Study is a structured paid-employment program; useful if you want a part-time job aligned with your studies rather than working off-campus.