8 Scholarships for College Students Worth Big Bucks

TD Scholarship for Community Leadership

Value: Up to $70,000
Deadline: November

Each year, TD grants up to 20 scholarships for students entering a Canadian college or university who are dedicated to community leadership. Winners receive up to $10,000 per year for tuition, and up to $7,500 per year for living expenses, for a maximum of four years. On top of the significant cash prize, winners get exclusive opportunities for paid summer employment, peer networking and mentorship. To win, students must have a GPA of at least 75 per cent and demonstrate a commitment to community leadership. Past recipients have been chosen for their work in everything from starting more academically inclusive robotics clubs to discussing mental health, from pressuring city councillors to abandon single-use plastics.

Schulich Builders Scholarship

Value: Up to $40,000
Deadline: Varies

Students entering a skilled trade program at an Ontario college may be eligible for this award, which emphasizes strong work ethic and character. Students are nominated by their high school or a community organization and must plan to attend one of the 12 participating colleges. There are 120 scholarships available and selected students receive $20,000 (for a one-year certificate) or $40,000 (for a two-year diploma) to cover the cost of tuition, tools and living expenses.

Terry Fox Humanitarian Scholarship

Value: $28,000
Deadline: December

Recipients of this award, established in honour of Terry Fox, receive $7,000 per year to cover tuition. Applicants need to be going into a program at a Canadian college or university and should have experience in volunteering or community service. In their application, students may highlight challenges they are facing—including physical, mental or financial obstacles—and how they demonstrate courage and compassion in their academics, sports, volunteering or other everyday activities.

BluEarth Renewables Scholarships

Value: up to $3,000 each
Deadline: September

Three separate awards are available for students interested in environmental stewardship and renewable energy. The first is for Indigenous students, and proof of Aboriginal status is required. The second award targets students specifically enrolled in programs with a focus on wind, hydro or solar energy. The third scholarship is more general, and awarded to students who demonstrate commitment to giving back to their community and making the world a better place for future generations. Eligible students must be pursuing full-time studies at an accredited trades or technical school. In their submission, they should summarize why they’d be a good candidate, including information on financial need and community involvement, as well as how they’d apply their education toward the field of renewable energy.

RBC Foundation Green Skills Scholarship

Value: Up to $5,000
Deadline: July

Each year, RBC awards up to 40 scholarships to students over the age of 25 returning to school in programs focused on finding innovative solutions to environmental challenges. Applicants must be entering or enrolled at a college or university in a diploma program, post-graduate certificate or master’s program in courses related to buildings and construction, agriculture and food production, transportation, waste management or renewable energy. For this award, students must submit a personal essay detailing their career aspirations in the field of environmentalism, including how they plan to make a positive impact on the environment.

Strike Group EDI Scholarships

Value: $2,000 each
Deadline: Varies

Industrial construction company Strike Group’s equity, diversity and inclusion scholarship program focuses on a few subsets of students: those who immigrated to Western Canada, Indigenous students, LGBTQ2S+ students and women. To qualify, students must be enrolled in a full-time post-secondary program at a college or university specific to the energy or construction industry, or in a trades program in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan or Manitoba. In the application, students must discuss their academic goals, community involvement and financial need.

Provincial Smart Home Services Scholarship

Value: One award of $5,000 and two secondary awards of $2,500
Deadline: July

This award from Provincial Smart Home Services, which provides connected home services like heating and cooling, goes to students dedicated to environmental sustainability. Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited college, university or trades program (or plan to start one within 12 months of applying for the scholarship). Students don’t have to be enrolled in an environmental program, but they should have an interest in environmental sustainability, like volunteering in tree planting or highway cleanup. In their application, students are encouraged to include photos, reports, or videos of environmental initiatives they’ve participated in.

Rubber Reid Charitable Foundation Scholarship

Value: Up to $3,000
Deadline: May

This scholarship is available to students living in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Alberta and British Columbia. It focuses on students pursuing post-secondary education in health-care professions such as nursing, physiotherapy and elder care, or in the trades, such as electrician certification or hair dressing.
In their applications, students write a statement demonstrating their academic achievements and community involvement, as well as an outline of their long-term goals. ■

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