Western's Admission Scholarships for Black Students and for Indigenous Students

Our admission scholarship program for Black and Indigenous students offers scholarships continuing for up to four years to recognize outstanding secondary school students entering the first year of any undergraduate program at Western University directly from high school. 

Western offers the following admission scholarships: 

Scholarship Name

Value

Carmeta Thelma Hodges Western Continuing Admission Scholarship of Excellence for Black Students

10 scholarships at $6,000 each

($6000 each year continuing for up to 4 years, plus $2,000 for an optional study abroad experience)

Western Continuing Admission Scholarship of Excellence for Black Students

20 scholarships at $6,000 each

($6,000 each year continuing for up to 4 years, plus $2000 for an optional study abroad experience)

Lieutenant Colonel Kenneth Jacobs Western Continuing Admission Scholarship of Distinction for Black Students

10 scholarships at $2,500 each

($2500 each year continuing for up to 4 years, plus $2,000 for optional study abroad experience)

Western Continuing Admission Scholarship of Excellence for Indigenous Students

30 scholarships at $6,000 each

($6000 each year continuing for up to 4 years, plus $2,000 for an optional study abroad experience) 

Notes: 

  • Admission scholarships for Black students are based on the top admission average and are available to domestic and international students. Self Identification must be completed by June 30 for scholarship consideration.
  • Admission scholarships for indigenous students are based on overall academic performance.
  • These scholarships cannot be combined with National Scholarship or Schulich Leader Scholarship.
  • Students who have attended a post-secondary institution, or students who attended a post-secondary institution and then returned to secondary school, are not eligible.
  • If you are applying for the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) please do not report scholarships from Western on your OSAP application - our office will report them to OSAP on your behalf. Please note that you are still responsible for reporting any external funding received (ie. not awarded by Western ) on your OSAP application.
  • Admission Scholarships cannot be deferred.
  • The admission average calculation for 101 applicants includes prerequisite courses for the student’s selected program.
  • Admission averages are NOT rounded to the nearest whole percentage for scholarship consideration. 
  • Western will determine averages for applicants who are not studying in a Canadian secondary school curriculum based on curriculum, grading practices, and grading scale interpretation.


Retention and Renewal

To retain a scholarship offer, you must:

  • Meet the terms outlined in your offer of admission.
  • Accept your offer of admission by the admission response deadline.
  • Register full-time in the specified program of study at the main campus. Full-time registration requires a minimum of 3.5 courses. If you enroll in a part-time course load, reduce your enrolment to part-time, or withdraw from the academic year, you will not be eligible to keep the scholarship.

To renew the scholarship in your upper year, you must:

  • During the Fall/Winter academic year (September to April), you must maintain an 80% average on a full time status (minimum 3.5 course load).
  • Remain registered full time in an undergraduate program at the main campus.

How do I receive scholarship funds?

First year - Western Continuing Admission for Black Students and Western Continuing Admission Scholarship of Excellence for Indigenous students will be applied directly to your fee account before the first installment of fees are due.

Note for students in receipt of OSAP: If your Admission Scholarship is applied to your account (as Anticipated Aid or applied toward the balance owing) prior to your first installment of OSAP being released, the scholarship amount will be used toward your first installment of fees, reducing the amount of OSAP that is remitted toward your fee account for the first installment.

Upper years – Eligibility of continuing admission scholarships are reviewed in late summer each year and funds are added to the fee account before August.

Refunds: If the scholarship results in a credit in your fee account, a refund will be issued before December by direct deposit. Please note, refunds are processed by direct deposit only. To enroll for direct deposit, login to your Student Center, click on ‘Enrol in Direct Deposit’ in the Finances section and input your banking information

How do I receive the study abroad funding?

  • You must participate in an eligible international experience that is approved by Western International, and the experience must be completed prior to the end of your fourth year of studies.
  • You must be registered at Western in the academic year you request the funding.
  • To claim the study abroad funding you must submit an International Experience Awards Application available through the Western International - International Learning website to notify our office of your travel plans.
  • Eligible students can receive an International Learning Award in addition to the optional study abroad funding offered as part of the Admission Scholarship funding.
  • The funding will be given in a single payment - it cannot be split into multiple payments toward different experiences.
  • If you do not pursue a study abroad experience, the study abroad funding is forfeited.