Cash for School is Cool!
Planning, decisions, paperwork and money…that’s what you need to continue your education after high school in college or university. Provincial and federal student loans can take the load off while you attend school, but within a short time after graduation, you need to start repayment of those loans. Many schools, companies and individuals offer scholarships and bursaries to students going to postsecondary school.
Check out our POLICE Credit Union Scholarship program. Awards up to $500 are available to eligible applicants.
You can really benefit from researching your eligibility for the hundreds of scholarships available. Do it before you start your first year or, if you are already in postsecondary school, do it before your next year begins.
Unlike a loan, a scholarship or bursary is an amount of money given as a gift to a student attending postsecondary school, and is not repayable.
If you already have your school picked out, research what is available to you as a first year student. If you are still undecided about which school to attend, find out which ones might offer you a scholarship. That may help you decide which school is the best choice.
Studentawards.com and scholarshipscanada.com are two excellent online resources. Register for free as a user and plug in the schools you may attend…these sites will provide some details about many awards. Some of them are commercial-oriented contests you can enter too, so it’s up to you to investigate each one. If you qualify, be sure to apply. Make sure to follow directions properly and meet all the deadlines for submissions. If you find other online resources, use them! Just be sceptical if they won’t let you see any information until you pay their registration fee.
And definitely talk to your Guidance Counsellor. They have access to information about what is available, especially from your own city, town or school board.
Education awards are given for academic achievement, extracurricular activities, student leadership, community involvement, sports, financial need and more! Plus, they are awarded to children and grandchildren of employees, and to members of unions, Credit Unions and clubs, so ask your family!
Know your strengths. Leadership qualities can come from coaching soccer or helping with a kids’ craft at camp. Anything that makes you different from the other students applying for scholarships is important. Sit down with your family and make a list. Run through your days. Something you consider ordinary may be just the quality a scholarship committee is looking for!
Also, when you accept one of your admission offers, the faculty of learning you enter may have some money for students pursuing that specific field, so this may benefit you!
Once you begin your studies, keep looking for new sources of funding – you can often qualify for multiple years or for awards that are dedicated to 2nd, 3rd or 4th year students.
Remember, too, you can take advantage of more than one scholarship at a time. So if Dad’s work offers you a thousand dollars and so does your school or Credit Union, you’ll have a great start!
Apply for any and all awards you may qualify for. Follow every lead and do it soon. Some applications require you to write a paragraph or essay about your future plans. You don’t want to have to rush!
Scholarships and bursaries are usually given to you on or about the start of the school year, but once you receive word of the award, you can include those dollars in your financial plans. Financial awards for postsecondary school can really assist in keeping post graduation debt loads lighter.
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