Hundreds of scholarships and awards are available at UBC. Here’s where to start, who can help, and how to find the ones you’re eligible for.
Where should I start?
- The Arts funding page. This is your best first stop. It shares specific awards for Arts students, along with eligibility, requirements and deadlines for each.
- Your department website. Music, Asian Studies, Theatre & Film… whatever your major/minor is, check there next.
- If you’re doing GoGlobal, Arts Co-op or a club, check out those sites too. Some have awards you’d never stumble on otherwise!
- UBC-wide options. Once you’ve covered your bases in Arts, search the UBC Awards site, and the UBC Award Search Database to find what’s open to everyone.
- Google it. Use your own specific interests and strengths to find something tailored to you. Olivia Stedman (BA’22) built her whole list this way: “I would Google the exact words of the scholarship that I wanted, searching with terms like ‘Canadian student’ or ‘volunteered abroad’ or ‘working from a young age, etc.’”
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Apply early! Most Arts award deadlines are early in the fall (October/November).
What’s the difference between an award, a scholarship, a prize, and a bursary?
These words are often used interchangeably, but they mean different things when it comes to actually applying.
- Award: this is based on your lived experience, not just your transcript. Leadership, volunteering, etc. You’ll also hear “award” used loosely as a catch-all term for any of the four types of funding.
- Scholarship: based purely on your academic achievements. The good news is that some of these are automatic, and tied straight to your grades.
- Prize: given if you’re the top student in a specific class. Usually, no application is required.
- Bursary: a non-repayable, need-based award. This fills the gap between your student loans and what you still need, if you’re a domestic student.
How long does an application take? How many scholarships and awards should I apply for?
- Set aside about an hour and a half per application (but that’s just an average). Matthias Leuprecht (BIE’22) says some took him as little as half an hour, others closer to 10 hours. It really depends on the award.
- Start with 3 to 5 awards. Apply for what you’re eligible for now, then widen your search as you get more comfortable with the process. Targeting your applications also makes them stronger. As Olivia puts it: “[Targeting specific scholarships] makes your answers to the essay questions so much more in depth.”
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Don’t skip the niche awards just because they seem oddly specific. Fewer people apply, so your odds are often better.
What goes in my application?
The main thing is to talk about what you learned, how you learned it, and what you’ll take from it going forward. Beyond that, a few things that make a real difference:
- Answer every question. Don’t leave anything half-finished, even the ones that feel optional.
- Connect the dots. Draw a clear line between your own experience and what the award is actually looking for.
- Be honest. Vulnerability goes a long way. Adjudication committees are people too, and they respond to a real story more than a polished one.
The strength of your application comes down to the time and effort you put into it. Rushed answers tend to read that way.
Who can help me with my application?
- Start with your Enrolment Services Advisor. They’re your first point of contact for any questions about awards and scholarships, big and small.
- If your question is specific to something the Faculty of Arts offers, the Dean of Arts Office can help too.
