The Search for Scholarships

Tips to help you on your hunt for financial aid

Paying for tuition fees that can go upwards of several thousand dollars for you first year may seem daunting, but there are several financial resources out there to help you make a sizable dent in those fees.

Scholarships are the first thing that comes to mind. They can be offered by your high school, the postsecondary school you’re applying to, or other third party organizations. And scholarships can range from a couple hundred to several thousand dollars!

You can search for them in a variety of ways as well. A really helpful source is your high school guidance counselor. They’ll show you some of the less well-known scholarships. And the great thing is, since not many students know about those scholarships, you’ll have less competition and better chances!

You can also subsidize your education through bursaries. A bursary is similar to a scholarship, though they are usually distributed based on financial need, rather than grades or applications. Waterloo offers a variety of entrance bursaries for first year students, and you can check out the full list here.

Other sources for scholarships and bursaries include websites like yconic.ca and ScholarshipsCanada.com. The deadlines for applying for them will vary, so be sure to keep careful track.

As you can see, paying for your postsecondary education doesn’t have to mean taking out a gigantic loan that will take ages to pay back. With a bit of searching, you’ll be able to graduate with less debt than expected. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and start applying!