Scholarships are financial awards (a sum of money) used to help support a student’s education. Scholarships can be based on academics (marks) and/or other achievements (ex. leadership, volunteering, sports, etc…). There are a variety of sources for scholarships with some requiring an application while others are automatically considered based on the school/program being applied to. You can help your youth search for scholarship opportunities; consider the steps below when conducting your scholarship search.
All throughout high school, I volunteered as much as I could around the community. And in my last year of high school, I participated in many extracurriculars. I did this because I enjoyed being involved in the community. However, when I started applying to colleges and universities, I realized the true value of these actions.
With all the volunteering and extracurriculars I did, I was able to earn an amazing scholarship from the university of my choice; a scholarship that really valued youth who took on leadership roles and were actively involved in making a difference in their communities.
I highly recommend students get involved while they’re in school, for chances at scholarships, but also as a way to meet like-minded people, find a passion or a new hobby, and to grow as a person.“
– WDHS Graduate, Class of 2015
Step 1: Start close to home
- Check to see if the company/organization you work for offers scholarships to children of employees
- If your teen has a part-time job, have them check to see if the company offers scholarships to their employees
- Check with local services clubs/groups (ex. Rotary Club) to find out what scholarships they offer
- Check with their high school (they can talk to their guidance counsellor) to see if they have specific scholarships associated with their school and/or school board
Step 2: Start looking on the internet
There are a number of free websites sites that help you find scholarships offered by organizations
Step 3: Start looking at the schools and programs that they are applying to
Supplemental Information
- A Guide to Scholarships, Awards and Applications, a personal look at best practices for finding and applying for awards by Rob Taylor
- Indspire offers scholarships and bursaries to Indigeneous, First Nations and Métis students to help with their education.
- Village Theatre Waterdown generously funds the annual “Village Theatre Thespian Award” to graduating students of Waterdown District High School (WDHS) and St Mary Catholic Secondary School who demonstrates excellence in theatre arts.
