Awards: scholarships and bursaries

Award types

UBC and the University's donors provide a range of financial support to reward your academic and extracurricular achievements and meet your financial needs, including:

Scholarships
Scholarships are merit-based awards primarily based on academic achievement. Other merits such as community involvement or athletic achievements may also be considered.
Bursaries
Bursaries are assessed based on unmet financial need. Student awards based solely or partially on financial need are not shown on a student's transcript.
Fellowships
Fellowships are given at the start of the academic year to a graduate student primarily based on academic achievement, research ability or research potential.
Medals
Medals are non-monetary awards given at the conclusion of an academic year to a graduating student, based primarily on academic achievement.
Prizes
Prizes are given to a student at the end of the academic session to recognize performance in a particular course, research performance, or publication record.

Read through a full list of how UBC defines different types of awards.

Automatic consideration awards

Certain awards do not require an application. As a UBC student, you are automatically considered for the following awards:

Student Housing Supplement Grant
Eligible students can receive additional financial support for their first-year residence experience.
Trek Excellence Scholarship
Academic awards are granted to the top continuing students ranked in the top 5% of their year.
Faculty recommended awards
Merit-based awards are presented based on strong academic performance and community leadership. Some faculties might require an application, so it is highly recommended to check-in with your faculty student services.

Apply for an award

Make sure you meet the award requirements and submit the application by the deadline.

General awards

Any UBC student who meets the eligibility requirements is invited to apply to these awards.

UBC Bursary Program
UBC bursaries are designed to support students with unmet financial need.
UBC Vancouver Technology Bursary
This one-time, needs-based bursary supports the costs of basic technology requirements deemed necessary for academic purposes.
Affiliation Bursaries
These bursaries are based on financial need and for students connected to a specific club or group.
Affiliation scholarships
These scholarships are based on merit such as academic achievement, community involvement, or leadership, for students in a specific club or group.
John R. Scarfo Wellness Bursary
Funding is available for students who demonstrate a financial need and a commitment to a healthy lifestyle.
Premier Undergraduate and Wesbrook Scholarship
These scholarships are awarded to senior students with outstanding academics, leadership, and community involvement.
Rhodes Scholarship
Eleven Canadians are selected each year to join a class of 84 Scholars at the University of Oxford.
McCall MacBain Scholarship
Graduate students in a master’s program at McGill University can apply for a leadership-driven scholarship.
3M National Student Fellowship
The fellowship honours 10 full-time diploma and undergraduate students at Canadian post-secondary institutions demonstrating outstanding leadership.

Awards for specific student groups

These awards are available for specific groups of students who meet additional requirements.

Awards for Indigenous students
If you're First Nations, Métis, or Inuit, you may be eligible for non-repayable scholarships and bursaries.
Beau Dick Memorial award for Indigenous students
This $20,000 award is available for students from Kwakwakaʼwakw First Nation or other First Nations.
Musqueam First Nation Scholarship
Musqueam students are eligible for a renewable scholarship valued up to $5,500 annually.
Women in part-time studies
Scholarships are available for women studying on a part-time basis.
Students participating in Go Global
Browse awards available to UBC students in Go Global International Learning Programs.
Students with disabilities
Find need- and merit-based awards for students with disabilities.
International student awards
Awards are available for outstanding international undergraduate students at the UBC Vancouver campus.
Graduate student awards
There are many merit-based awards for students in graduate programs.
Funding for former youth in care
As a former youth in care, you may be eligible for tuition waivers or funds.
Funding for Canadian Veterans
Individuals planning to return to school after a career in the military can apply for financial help.

UBC Award Search

The UBC Award Search is a listing of UBC scholarships, bursaries, prizes, and awards. Find information on award criterias, descriptions on the faculty, scholarship donor, and student reference.

Use the tool

External awards

Organizations and groups outside of UBC also offer external awards for post-secondary students.

Additional resources

If you have questions

If you're an undergraduate student, please contact your Enrolment Services Advisor directly. To find your advisor’s contact information, log into your Student Service Centre (SSC) and select “UBC Contacts” under Personal Info.

Graduate, postgraduate, and all other students can contact an Enrolment Services Advisor by calling 604 822 9836 or submitting a question through the online form.