Women in STEM Scholarship (Alberta)

What you will need

• ✓ GATE Front Office account
• ✓ Proof of enrolment (must include official institution logo and be for the current academic year and term)
• ✓ Two references (submitted as 2 separate PDFs)
• ✓ Social Insurance Number
• ✓ Alberta Student Number

About this award

You can receive $2,500 for your studies. There is a total of $125,000 available, meaning 50 women will receive $2,500 each. This is a scholarship, not a loan, so you do not have to pay it back. This is for you if you identify as a woman and are pursuing a career in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) where your gender is underrepresented, or if you are working to advance gender equality in your field. You must apply between September 14, 2026, and October 30, 2026. You will hear back via email in February 2027, though this may change if the Government of Alberta (Alberta Arts, Culture and Status of Women) receives a high volume of applications. Selection criteria aren't published — ask Government of Alberta (Alberta Arts, Culture and Status of Women) how winners are chosen and roughly how many applicants they typically receive so you can judge your odds. Ask Government of Alberta (Alberta Arts, Culture and Status of Women) 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 Government of Alberta (Alberta Arts, Culture and Status of Women) whether it's one-time or renewable and what you need to maintain. Note that while previous recipients can apply to this annual scholarship, priority will be given to applicants who have not previously received the Women in STEM Scholarship.

Who qualifies

To qualify, you must identify as a woman and be a resident of Alberta. To meet the residency rule, one of these must be true: your parent or legal guardian lived in Alberta for 12 consecutive months before you started school; you lived in Alberta for 6 consecutive months before starting school; or your spouse or partner lived in Alberta for 6 consecutive months before you started school. You must be a Canadian citizen, Permanent Resident, or a Protected Person (which means you have refugee or protected-person status in Canada). Visa students are not eligible. You must be a registered full-time or part-time student at an approved post-secondary institution in Alberta, including the Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training's Apprenticeship Education Program. Undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate programs are eligible, and there is no age limit. You cannot apply if you are a high school student, even if you have been accepted into a STEM program, or if you are taking short-term, part-time continuing education courses. You also cannot apply if your school is outside Alberta.

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.

• ✓ Canadian citizen, permanent resident or protected person
• ✓ Open to undergraduate, graduate or trades students
• ✓ Resident of Alberta
• ✓ Studying STEM

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

   Ask for reference letters2 weeks

   Give your referees at least two weeks' notice, and send them your résumé.

3. 3

   Submit your application

   Save a copy, and submit at least a day before the deadline shown above.

Tips for applying

• STEM DefinitionAvoid guessing if your program qualifies. Instead, check the Statistics Canada (the national agency that collects census and economic data) classification for STEM programs to ensure your field of study matches their definition. Visit the Statistics Canada website to verify your program.
• ReferencesAvoid submitting a single document containing all your referees. Instead, provide two separate PDF files for your references as requested. Ensure each referee is aware they may be contacted.
• StrategyAvoid leaving your application until the last minute. Instead, request your GATE Front Office (the government's online application portal) account as soon as the intake opens on September 14. This gives you time to gather your Alberta Student Number and SIN without rushing.
• RealismAvoid assuming you will win if you have received this award before. Instead, recognize that priority is given to first-time recipients.

Questions students ask

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