Indigenous Scholarships in Canada

Indigenous graduate students (First Nations Status or Non-Status, Métis, or Inuit) in a Toronto Metropolitan University graduate degree program (not a Professional Master's Diploma) with clear academic standing and demonstrated financial need via the Student Budget Form may apply. Awards are up to $30,000 for full-time study or up to $15,000 for part-time study. Apply through AwardSpring with a one-page statement on academic career plans, two reference letters (elder/community and academic), and a CV. Established by a friend of the Rotary Club through the Toronto Eglinton Rotary Charitable Foundation to encourage Indigenous students toward graduate study and academic careers.

For Canadian Indigenous women studying full time in Canada in an eligible program: a first degree in law (LL.B. or J.D.), a first degree in medicine (M.D. or O.D.), a nurse-practitioner qualifying program, or a master's focused on important Canadian Indigenous issues. Applicants must hold or will hold an undergraduate degree before the award is granted. Funding is $10,000 to $25,000 and is renewable. Apply through the CFUW Charitable Trust. The award, originally the CFUW Aboriginal Women's Award, honours Dr. Marion Elder Grant's commitment to women's education.

First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students of Canada (including people of a transborder Indigenous nation) entering or continuing full-time research-based master's or doctoral programs at UBC Okanagan may apply for this merit-based fellowship. The fellowship provides $20,000 per year plus tuition for up to two years (master's) or five years (doctoral). Submit the Indigenous Graduate Fellowship application with a research outline, transcripts, CV, Indigenous personal statement, community support letter, and academic reference.

Canadian First Nations students in Commerce and Business Administration at UBC Vancouver are eligible, with preference for the graduate level. The award is a $20,000 fellowship endowed by Michael and Sonja Koerner and the Province of British Columbia. If no eligible recipient is found in a given year, endowment income is reinvested to increase future fellowship value. No separate student application is required. The Sauder School of Business and the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies recommend recipients in consultation with the First Nations House of Learning.

First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students who have applied to, been accepted to, or are enrolled in an approved full-time program of at least two years may apply, regardless of field of study. Twenty-five scholarships are awarded annually. Each provides $10,000 toward tuition and $5,000 toward living expenses per year for up to four years (up to $60,000 total), plus summer employment opportunities at TD between years of study and full-time opportunities upon graduation. The scholarship is offered by TD in partnership with AFOA Canada. Terms, conditions, and the application are on the AFOA Canada site.

First Nations, Métis, and Inuit women entering their first year of full-time undergraduate study at an accredited Ontario university may apply. The scholarship supports students on a pathway toward education careers and does not fund master's or doctoral programs. Up to two scholarships of $12,500 each plus certificates of recognition are awarded annually. Applications open January 1 and close April 30 each year through ETFO's scholarships and bursaries portal. ETFO's Women's Program administers this scholarship to encourage FNMI women pursuing undergraduate education in Ontario.

Alberta residents who are First Nations, Métis, or Inuit (Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or protected persons), age 18 or older, and enrolled or applying full-time in a designated post-secondary program of at least 12 weeks may apply if they plan to live and work in northern Alberta after graduation and are not in default of a provincial student loan. Proof of Indigenous ancestry is required. Recipients must sign a return-of-service agreement: one year of full-time employment in northern Alberta in their field for each year of bursary support. Bachelor's, master's, and PhD students can receive up to $11,500 per year; certificate, diploma, and pre-apprenticeship students can receive up to $7,000. Students must reapply each year. Details are on the NADC Bursary website.

Indigenous students (First Nations, Non-Status, Métis, or Inuit) who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents and plan to enrol full-time in an Ontario Tech research-based master's or doctoral program may apply. Candidates need an A- average for admission (GPA 3.7 on a 4.3 scale, or 80 to 84 percent). Selection also considers academic, personal, professional, and cultural knowledge. Two awards are available per academic year (one master's, one doctoral), each valued at $10,000 per year for the standard program length, normally two years for a master's student and four years for a doctoral student. The scholarship is over and above minimum funding and may be combined with other awards. Complete the Indigenous Graduate Scholarship application form. Contact gradscholarships@ontariotechu.ca for more information.

Indigenous students from Indigenous communities and nations in Canada and the U.S. who are admitted to a Concordia research-based master's or PhD program may be nominated for this top-up scholarship upon admission. There is no separate application. Doctoral awards are $10,000 per year for four years ($40,000 total). Research-based master's awards are $10,000 for one academic year. The scholarship adds to any base funding package offered by the department. Nominees must provide documentation of Indigenous identity, such as a Certificate of Indian Status, Inuit Beneficiary Card, Métis card, or a letter from a band council, Inuit authority, or recognized Métis organization.

First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students of Canada (including people of a transborder Indigenous nation) entering or continuing full-time research-based master's or doctoral programs at UBC Okanagan may apply. The award provides $10,000 per year for up to two years (master's) or five years (doctoral). Submit an Indigenous personal statement and community support letter with admission materials.