In part because it is an opportunity to promote their own academic and professional curriculum. Beyond that, it is also an opportunity to start a process that can lead to permanent residency in Canada.

To better understand how to get a Canadian scholarship, we have prepared this article for you. In addition to understanding how this system works, you will learn how to improve your chances of obtaining a scholarship.

What is a scholarship?

A scholarship is a financial aid provided by a private or governmental institution with the intention of helping a person with their studies. In general, the scholarship is focused on enabling people to gain a career development that would otherwise not be possible.

In English-speaking countries, such as Canada and the United States, the scholarship usually is about an amount of money that is given to the student, by check or bank transfer. It is then up to the student to pay the educational establishment and use the remaining value for what is provided in the description of the scholarship, typically: housing, food, equipment and books.

Scholarships can be full or partial. While the full scholarship fully covers the study expenses, the partial scholarship covers the payment of the educational institution fee. Full scholarships include, not only the tuition fee of the educational institution, but also a sum that is intended to allow the student to maintain a focus on studies.

Besides this, some scholarships are linked to a particular course and university. In this case the educational institution only receives applications from students already accepted to study there. On the other hand, there are also open scholarships, which accept candidates from a determined course at any university, or from any course at a particular university.

How to get a scholarship in Canada

Every year, dozens of institutions offer grants of different types. For this, is recommended to check first the eligibility and the amount covered, between other details that may influence your choice before applying.

Scholarships often request a proof of your level of proficiency in English or French language. This is usually done using the result of a test such as TOEFL or IELTS. In addition, it is important to pay attention to whether you meet the requirements of the course for which you will use the scholarship. Most scholarships require that the applicant has already been accepted as a student before attempting to obtain financial aid.

Are there scholarships for certificates?

Certificates and diplomas are courses of shorter duration, usually focused on improving the knowledge of a certain area. Despite being shorter, and therefore more financially viable, some of the courses may have the possibility of obtaining a partial scholarship. In a more specific situation, it can be possible to find full scholarships.

What does a scholarship in Canada cover?

As mentioned, in some cases full scholarships cover the tuition fee in full as well as the costs of housing, food and equipment. In other cases, they only cover the monthly fee.

Scholarships may vary greatly from one another. Therefore, it is important to note the specifications described in each of them before applying. Scholarships can predict in what the amount can be spent on and require a contract and accountability of the student expenses.

In general, full scholarships are focused on University Degrees, while scholarships for technical and short courses are usually partial. Although, it is possible to find full aid for this level of study as well.

How to find the right scholarship

There are many ways to identify a scholarship that might suit your need. First, you must try to contact the educational institution responsible for your course, remembering that most scholarships only consider applicants who have already been accepted to the course.

In this case you will probably be already in contact with the university/school service for students, and they can assist you to find a scholarship that meets the criteria. Second, you can contact the Canadian government directly for information about programs that accept scholarships. An example that includes natives of Latin America is the Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program (ELAP).

What are my chances of getting a scholarship?

It is difficult to predict the chances of getting a scholarship without an in-depth curriculum analysis. Another factor to consider is the criteria of each scholarship, which is usually specific, and directly affects your chances.

However, some factors are more general. A key factor is the level of language skills: candidates with greater English proficiency, with a proven test results such as from IELTS, will have a higher chance.

Another factor that can help improve your CV, especially for Universities, is extracurricular activities. This may range from artistic activities, such as participating in plays, to volunteer experience in social service. In fact, volunteer work is a very relevant part of the CV nowadays.

Regardless of whether you are looking for a full or partial scholarship in Canada for universities, technical or short courses, one important thing you must remember: get well informed about the scholarship you are applying for!

We wish you all the best! Good luck. :)

 -The Greenboards Team.