Thompson Rivers University and Financial Awards for Beginners

For the majority of students, the matter of paying for post-secondary education is always a major consideration.  And the thing is, most students don’t even know where to begin.  But the Financial Aid and Awards Office at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, BC can help…

After seven years of university (and still going strong!) I am fully aware how tough it can be to pay for school, living expenses and the occasional good time.  The nice thing is that students like me don’t have to go it alone; there are scholarships, bursaries and all sorts of awards available to lessen the financial burden of attending post-secondary education.  Let’s get started with some definitions…

Award: either financial or non-monetary recognition of ability or accomplishment.  Applicants must be enrolled for credit in a minimum of three courses and meet a GPA standard in their most recent semester or graded period of full-time study.  Financial need doesn’t play a role.

Bursaries: monetary award to applicants who demonstrate financial need and satisfactory academic achievement.  Applicants must be enrolled for credit in a minimum of three courses their most recent semester or graded period of full-time study.

Grant: similar to a bursary and is generally not issued by a government or foundation.

Loan: monetary award for applicants who demonstrate financial need and meet other criteria set forth by issuer of the loan.  Criteria often include: residence, program of study, course load, adequate performance in studies, etc.  For instance, he main source of loans for the province of British Columbia is Student Aid B.C., and most provinces or states have their own Student Loan program.

Prize: award for excellent performance in the student’s program of study.  Prizes may be medals, a certificate or plaque, a cash prize or a combination.  Faculty or departments recommend students for these awards so no application is necessary.

Scholarship: monetary award to applicants who demonstrate excellence in their program of study and meet a GPA standard. Financial need is not a factor and the money is normally intended to help fund further study.  A student must normally be enrolled in a minimum of four courses to qualify for and maintain a scholarship.

Now that you have a better understanding of what awards are available, the question becomes: How do I access them?

The first place to start is on our Financial Aid and Awards homepage: http://www.tru.ca/finaid.html.  This resourceful site allows you to learn more about the different awards you can apply for, key dates, tutorials on developing a budget and much more.

One more important thing to note is that there are two main categories at TRU: Entrance Scholarships and Ongoing Scholarships, Bursaries and Awards.  The Entrance Scholarships are designed for first-time students or those new to TRU and the application form must be submitted the old fashioned way—with ink on paper.  The Ongoing category is open to all students.  There are two application options for the Ongoing Scholarships, both of which are completed and submitted online.  Applicants can either fill out the “Apply for All Awards” application or the “Apply for Scholarships & Awards Only” application if they would like to limit their application to merit and academic accomplishment-based awards.

No matter which award or scholarship you choose to apply for, don’t worry, you’ve chosen well.  The only bad decision when it comes to scholarships is to not apply at all!  Good luck and see you on-campus!

Thompson Rivers University is still accepting applications for some of our programs for Fall 2011.  For more information about our programs and admission requirements check out our website at www.tru.ca. Still have questions? Don’t know what to study? Stop by or contact the TRU Welcome Centre at 250-828-5006 or email recruitment@tru.ca.