Academic Scholarships and Bursaries

Scholarships and bursaries are available to students who are planning to attend a post-secondary institution after leaving Bowness High School. They may be earned by students in Grades 10, 11 and 12.

A scholarship is awarded first on the basis of academic achievement while a bursary is awarded primarily on the basis of financial need. Neither has to be repaid. Information is available from Student Services and online.

There are many opportunities for students to earn and achieve financial support for post-secondary studies. 

Students should actively seek out and research all available financial support. They can see their guidance counselor for more details. As scholarships and bursaries have firm guidelines and application deadlines, students should leave themselves ample time to complete the application process. Students should make note of all deadlines and ensure they have all documentation in on time. There are many opportunities available for scholarship outside of grade 12 as well. It is never too soon to begin to seek out opportunities and to apply. 

A scholarship is awarded first on the basis of academic achievement while a bursary is awarded primarily on the basis of financial need. Neither has to be repaid. More Information is available from Student Services.

Many post-secondary institutes and scholarship granting agencies, require references. Teachers and administration write many letters for students. Being specific in the purpose of the reference letter and ensuring students allow ample time to
complete the letter is always very helpful and makes for a stronger reference in the end.

The following links provide information on various scholarships and bursaries:

• ALIS (Alberta Learning Information Service) is the Alberta government website with links to Alberta and other provinces post-secondary institutions, loans and scholarships.

• Chinook Learning Services - Scholarships and Awards

• Scholarships Canada has an extensive scholarship, awards, bursaries and grants database. You can also find information on student loans, applications and budgeting.

• Student Awards

• Calgary Foundation has over 100 student awards. Awards are made to students at all educational levels including elementary, junior and high school, undergraduate and graduate.

• Education Matters provides up to 26 scholarships and bursaries for CBE students using one application. There is a May 30th deadline for these awards.  Be sure to look at both the System Wide and School Specific awards which include our Green and Gold awards.

• Burns Memorial Children’s Fund oversees the granting of bursaries and scholarships for Calgary high school students in financial need.

• Alexander Rutherford Scholarships are available to Alberta high school students who meet the eligibility criteria. Applications are available online. > More information

Applications are available in the student services office for the following scholarships:

• ATA Scholarship -- Deadline May 31 (no late applications)

• Imperial Oil Scholarships—Deadline May 15 

Scholarship Information

1. Start to prepare for eligibility in Grade 10 by:

• Getting involved in extracurricular activities, community service, volunteer work
• Most scholarship programs have other criteria in addition to academic excellence
• Financial need is often a criterion

2. Parents need to inquire about scholarships offered by their employers (i.e. ATA has scholarships for children of teachers).

3. Check on awards and bursaries offered by the post-secondary institution that you plan to attend. This information is readily available on the Internet at university and college websites.

4. Check the scholarship bulletin board! (Outside Student Services) It will include new scholarship information!!

5. Sign up for Bowness Post-Secondary/Scholarships Information to receive messages via text. Text @bowness847 to 587-316-5611 to be instantly signed up.

6. Do not leave scholarship applications until the last minute. Most are quite complex and involve portfolios, essays, letters of recommendation and summary data. Plan to work a minimum of one to two hours on each application. Keep copies of all your applications as similar requests may be made on other scholarships you may apply for.

7. Watch deadline dates carefully! Applications are not accepted beyond these dates.

8. All scholarships require your Social Insurance Number before monies are paid out. Apply for a SIN now if you do not have one.

9. Know the following websites!

• www.educationmatters.ca - Education Matters manages all the scholarships for Calgary Board of Education students. Check the List of Awards for those you qualify for, and then look at the Terms of Reference. One general application is completed for all!
• www.thecalgaryfoundation.org - Apply for the Heartstone Scholarship here!
• www.alis.gov.ab.ca - Apply for the Rutherford here! Look at other government scholarships!

Use the following web sites to do your searching for you!

• www.studentawards.com
• www.scholarshipscanada.com

10. Students apply for most scholarships in Grade 12. Large entrance awards for post secondary institutions are often processed in the fall. Student Loans (June), CBE Awards and Government Awards like the Alexander Rutherford Scholarship and school based awards are processed in the spring of the applicant’s Grade 12 year.

Scholarship Tips

1. Apply only if you are eligible! If you do not meet all of the eligibility criteria, you will not be considered.
2. Complete the application in full. Follow all directions and submit all required documentation. If a question does not apply to you, do not leave it blank – put N/A.
3. Give concrete examples of community involvement, school involvement as well as leadership activities. Be sure to note the time frame during which you participated in each activity.
4. Neatness matters! If possible, make a copy of the application and use it as a working draft. Print legibly, or type if possible. Spelling and grammar are important.
5. Develop a portfolio of your accomplishments to date. Give a list of your accomplishments to the people who are writing letters of recommendations for you, to assist them.
6. Need a letter of recommendation? Ask well in advance! Teachers, coaches, employers and others are busy and need time to write the best possible letter for you.
7. Thank those who have written letters of recommendation for you. These people go out of their way to help you, and they deserve a thank you.
8. Request help if needed.
9. Deadlines are important. Applications will not be accepted if they are received after the posted deadline.
10. Keep a copy of all of the applications and documentation. Many scholarships ask for similar criteria and you can use some of the documentation more than once. You should also keep a copy of all applications you fill out, for your own record.
11. Remember, your awards application represents you. Submit the best application you can!