Why should you apply?

Scholarships, awards and bursaries represent free money, which helps students avoid taking out large student loans and graduate with less debt. It's free money!

Did you know that winning a scholarship looks great on your resumé? Employers look for students who have shown the initiative to apply for student awards. Also, having been selected as an award recipient based on community service, academic achievement, leadership and/or campus involvement is a great accomplishment.

There are endless scholarships available and applying could be well worth your time. Many businesses, organizations and individuals enjoy giving back by sponsoring student awards, assisting students in achieving their educational goals with less financial burden.

Take advantage of this window of opportunity while you're a student!

Types of student awards:

Internal awards – money donated to the Olds College awards program and administered by the school. Students who are enrolled in an Olds College program at the time of application are eligible. Most post-secondary institutions will have their own internal awards that they give out every year. Be sure to browse to see what's out there.

External awards – External awards are administered according to the terms and criteria set by the sponsor. External awards are open to any post-secondary student and have varying deadlines and eligibility requirements. Students apply directly to the sponsor. You can find many awards of this kind on ScholarshipsCanada.com.

Many times, awards are not given out because no one applies! There are many reasons that students may not apply: concerns about GPA, income, time management, and others. Still, most students are eligible for some sort of award, so don't count yourself out too soon!

3 common myths around student award applications:

My GPA isn't high enough to be considered.

There are some scholarships based on top academic achievements — but most will consider any student who has achieved a satisfactory GPA.

My parents' income is too high so I won't qualify for bursaries.

Financial need reporting is based on the student's financial situation at the time of application. Unlike a student loan, this does not include your parents' income statement. Based on the fact that most students cannot work full-time while attending post-secondary studies, they are usually in financial need. Even if you don't think you have substantial financial need, go ahead and apply for bursaries.

I don't have time to apply.

Make use of a long weekend — or that spare block in your timetable — to complete your application! You may be rewarded $500, $1,000, or even more, for just a couple of hours of effort. The Student Awards team at Olds College offers Student Award Application Sessions throughout the year to assist students with the application process.

Start your search for student awards now. Check out the Olds College scholarship page for student award opportunities available! Students apply for internal awards after they begin their program at Olds College.

Other institutions may have students apply for awards before they begin their studies, so make sure you're aware of application deadlines!

Some external awards may allow you to apply with an early letter of acceptance to your program. Review the list of external awards available on Olds College scholarship page, alongside a few helpful hints, to search out even more!