Funding for Aboriginal Students
As an Indigenous student at the College of New Caledonia, you have access to several avenues of support through the Aboriginal Resource Centre and through your CNC student services.
Funding options are available in the form of internal awards (scholarships, bursaries, and awards provided by CNC), external awards (scholarships, bursaries, and awards provided by outside sources), as well as federal and provincial government funding ministries. Begin exploring these resources below.
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CNC Awards
The online searchable awards guide shows the scholarships, bursaries, and awards available to current and incoming CNC students. You can search this guide for awards for Indigenous students.
MCFD Youth In Care Funding
Provincial Tuition Waiver Program and Learning for Future Grant
If you are a former youth in care attending a BC public post-secondary institution or the Native Education College, and were in the care of the Ministry of Children and Family Development for a minimum of 24 months, you may be eligible for the Provincial Tuition Waiver Program and the Learning for Future Grant. The program was created to improve access and educational outcomes for former youth in care.
How To Apply
- Complete the Provincial Tuition Waiver Program and Learning for Future Grant application form.
- Attach a copy of your current government-issued photo identification.
- Submit your application via email to Finaid@cnc.bc.ca or in person at the Financial Aid and Awards Office, Room 1-724
- For a paper copy, further details, or assistance with your application, Contact CNC Financial Aid & Awards by email, phone, or drop in the office.
The consent form permits CNC to confirm your eligibility with the Ministry of Children and Family Development. More information is available through the BC Government
Students already attending school on the Provincial Tuition Waiver can apply annually for the Learning for Future Grant. Complete the Declaration form Learning for Future Grant Declaration Form and submit your application via email to Finaid@cnc.bc.ca or in person at the Financial Aid & Awards Office, Room 1-753
SAJE (Strengthening abilities and journeys of empowerment)
Young adults between the ages of 19 to 26 (up to their 27th birthday) are eligible for SAJE if:
- They reached their 19th birthday while on a Youth Agreement, a Continuing Custody Order or were under the personal guardianship of a director,
- They achieved permanency between the ages of 12-19 (i.e., adoption after being in care, or under section 54.1 or 54.01),
- They have 24 months of cumulative time in care between the ages of 12-19, in a range of in- and out-of-care statuses,
- They were in a comparable arrangement under Indigenous law.
SAJE also provides pre-19 planning support. Youth can be connected to a SAJE Navigator starting at age 14 through to 19.5. Beginning at age 18.5, SAJE Guides will take on this role (working collaboratively with the SAJE Navigator until the youth is 19.5) and continue to support young adults with planning and service access up until age 25.
Steps to Becoming a Student at CNC
Please be aware that there is a $10 fee to obtain this service.
- Register a “Basic BCeID” account at BC Student Transcripts
- Log in to your new account
- Do you know your Personal Education Number (PEN) from the School District? May be found on report cards or interim reports. Choose either Former Student with a PEN or without. Follow the prompts to electronically/digitally send the transcript to another institution, ie. CNC
Find the Program you want to take on the CNC website. Different Programs have different start Dates.
If you don’t meet the admission requirements- for example, you need English 12- then there is Adult Upgrading. Book a placement test with the Academic Success Center ($20 fee + tax).
Make sure you have all your supporting documents for applying. Ex. For a Professional Cook, you need a valid Food Safe certificate.
Please be aware that there is a $40 application fee. Indigenous students may be eligible for a waiver code from recruitment. Email: recruitment@cnc.bc.ca
- Click “Apply Online”
- Either Sign up for or Login to your Education Planner BC account
- “Start Applying” be sure to have the Personal Information, Contact Information and Academic History information filled out
- Choose CNC, Create Application, Program Selection, Canadian Applicants
- Choose semester e.g. 2024 Aug/Sep to Dec term is for Fall 2024
- Choose campus e.g. Prince George
- Subject Area: e.g. University Studies and Fine Arts
- Program: University Studies
- Submit your application
- Check your e-mail for an acceptance letter from the Office of the Registrar and Admissions. Please check your e-mails Junk/Spam folder as the CNC banner often is flagged to that folder. Break into your new field.
Please be aware that each type of Sponsorship has different requirements.
- Indigenous students being funded by their band should contact the Band's Post-Secondary Coordinator to begin the application process. CNC Aboriginal Student Navigator can help with this process.
- Former/Current Youth In Care, AYA, may be eligible for Ministry of Child and Family Development funding. Please contact the Financial Aid department at CNC for more information.
Resources
External Awards
Amount: Up to $8,000
Application Deadline: Varied (follow link for more details)
Eligibility: Varied (follow link for more details)
Amount: $1,000
Application Deadline: July (follow link for more details)
Eligibility: Enrolled in post-secondary training in Education, Environmental Studies, Traditional Knowledge or Telecommunications, and a Canadian Aboriginal student.
Amount: Up to $1,500
Application Deadline: April (follow the link for more details)
Eligibility: Varied (follow link for more details)
Amount: Up to $1,200
Application Deadline: January, May & September (follow link for more details)
Eligibility: Post-secondary students of Indigenous ancestry (status, non-status, Métis, Inuit) who are: permanent residents of British Columbia, registered in a BC recognized post-secondary institution, and have a minimum GPA of 2.5 or a C+ grade equivalent. Students are not eligible to receive a bursary to repeat a course or academic year.
Amount: $2,000
Application Deadline: August (follow link for more details)
Eligibility: You can apply if you are a Canadian and a member of a First Nation, Métis or Inuit community; have been out of school for 1 year or more and are returning; have already returned to school and completed 1 full year of studies; and have never received this award in the past (you can apply as many times as you want, but you can only receive the award once)
Amount: Varies
Application Deadline: Fall (follow link for more details)
Eligibility: Program open to status and non-status First Nations, Inuit, and Métis students studying full-time in a business program at a post-secondary institution in British Columbia or at the University of British Columbia.
Amount: Varied (follow link for more details)
Application Deadline: June (follow link for more details)
Eligibility: Follow the link for more details.
Amount: Varied
Deadline: N/A
Eligibility: Post-secondary First Nations, Inuit, or Métis Descent students in full-time studies in an applicable program (follow link for more details).
Amount: Varied (average $800)
Application Deadline: February, August & November (follow link for more details)
Eligibility: Full and part time studies in college, university, skilled trades, apprenticeships, and technology programs. (follow link for more details)
Amount:$1,000- $5,000
Application Deadline: Varies (follow link for more details)
Eligibility: Each Award has unique eligibility criteria. (follow link for more details)
Amount: Varied (follow link for more details)
Application Deadline: February, August & November (follow link for more details)
Eligibility: To be eligible, you must be a Canadian Indigenous person; be enrolled in an accredited institution such as an accredited university program or an accredited college program; not be a member of the staff, board, or past participants at the time of applying for funding support.
Amount: Varied (follow link for more details)
Application Deadline: October (follow link for more details)
Eligibility: First Nations (status or non-status) member of a British Columbia First Nation community; Planning to attend an accredited post-secondary institution on a full-time basis anywhere in the world.
Amount:$1,000
Application Deadline: July (follow link for more details)
Eligibility: Applicants must: Be currently pursuing post-secondary studies (priority is given to students who are studying law or are in a law-related field); demonstrate financial need; be an Indigenous woman, gender-diverse, or Two-Spirit person under 31 years of age; demonstrate a commitment to improving the situation of Indigenous women and youth in Canada politically, culturally, economically, or otherwise.
Amount: Up to $10,000
Deadline: December
Eligibility: Applicants must be: First Nations, Inuit, or Métis; enrolled in a post-secondary institution in full-time studies; and between the ages of 17-29 at the time of application (follow link for more details)
Government Funding
Contact
Financial Aid & Awards
- All Campuses
- +1 250-561-5838
- +1 800-371-8111
- +1 250-561-5879
Tuesday: 10am-4pm