Develop Your Skills at Every Phase of Life with RBC's Next Step Scholarships
Get ready for your first job, or reskill for the future with financial help from RBC.
Ready to change your life? The RBC Next Step Scholarships are made for learners of all ages — from developing your skill set, to upskilling or reskilling for the careers of tomorrow. If you're 16 or older, there's an RBC Next Step Scholarship for you!
Let's explore RBC's Next Step Scholarships, which open for applications in rotating cycles throughout 2026:
RBC Ignite Scholarships: Get ready for your first job
Develop new skills to start your career.
What's the value of an RBC Ignite Scholarship?
RBC Ignite Scholarships: 500 scholarships of up to $1,500 each are available each year.
Who's it for?
Youth 16-20 who are "one skill away" from a great job. You can use your scholarship to pay for training and certification in Canada for up to 12 months.
Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and those with protected status in Canada may apply.
What courses are eligible?
Courses that take place in Canada in 2026 (in-person, online, or hybrid) and are a maximum of 12 months long are eligible. Here are a few ideas, but we'd love to hear yours when you apply!
- Job-ready certifications, like lifeguarding, food and beverage handling, First Aid, or specialist driver training
- Skill-building courses, like coding bootcamps, language lessons, or high school credit upgrading
- Hands-on training, like pre-apprenticeship or trades discovery programs, hairstyling, or culinary arts
When can I apply?
The RBC Ignite Scholarships are offered in two cycles. The first is open for applications between January 27 and March 31, 2026.
The second cycle runs in August and September, but why wait? Apply now!
- Cycle 1: Apply between January 27 and March 31, 2026.
- Cycle 2: Apply between August 6 and September 17, 2026.
Please note: The first cycle of the RBC Ignite Scholarship 2026 program may close early if all available funds are awarded before the deadline of 1pm on March 31, 2026.
The second cycle of the RBC Ignite Scholarship 2026 program may close early if all available funds are awarded before the deadline of 1pm on September 17, 2026.
Apply for an RBC Ignite Scholarship
RBC Reimagine Scholarships: Get ready to reskill for the future
Upskill, or reskill, to take on new challenges.
What's the value of an RBC Reimagine Scholarship?
RBC Reimagine Scholarships: 100 scholarships of up to $5,000 each are available each year.
Who's it for?
Individuals 25 years or older, who have been out of school 3+ years, who want to upskill or reskill for new career opportunities, but need financial assistance to do so. Your program can be part-time or full-time, but you must be active in the workforce, or seeking employment, to be eligible.
Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and those with protected status in Canada may apply.
What courses or programs are eligible?
Your program must be at least 16 weeks long, and no more than 3 years — which means traditional 4-year bachelor degrees are not eligible.
Diplomas, including Advanced or Technical Diplomas, Post-Graduate Certificates and Diplomas, CEGEP technical programs, and even Master's programs are eligible for an RBC Reimagine Scholarship.
Professional career certifications are also eligible: programs like Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), Project Management Professional (PMP), trades certifications, and more.
Canadian credentialling programs, for people with credentials earned outside Canada, are also eligible.
Micro-credentials may be accepted if they're part of a stackable series, and have a total duration of at least 40 instructional hours.
Any program or credential you choose must be provided by a recognized Canadian institution, and either upcoming, or still in progress when you apply for an RBC Reimagine Scholarship.
When can I apply?
The RBC Reimagine Scholarships are offered in two cycles. The first is open for applications between April 13 and June 4, 2026.
The second cycle runs from August 31, 2026 to October 8, 2026. If you're eligible, and you've got big plans and even bigger dreams, why wait to apply?
- Cycle 1: Apply between April 13 and June 4, 2026.
- Cycle 2: Apply between August 31 and October 8, 2026.
Please note: The RBC Reimagine Scholarship 2026 program will accept 500 submitted applications for review per cycle.
If 500 applications have been submitted prior to the Cycle 1 application deadline of 1pm on June 4, 2026, the portal will close, regardless of the date.
If 500 applications have been submitted prior to the Cycle 2 application deadline of 1pm on October 8, 2026, the portal will close, regardless of the date.
Apply for an RBC Reimagine Scholarship
RBC believes in Ideas for People and Planet, which is why we're launching our Next Step Scholarship suite. Get financial help so you can take your next step towards learning new skills and getting ready for the world of work.
Develop your skills for every phase of life with a hand from RBC. Check out RBC's Next Step Scholarships and apply today!
All RBC scholarships are administered by Universities Canada.