Colleges in Canada

Columbia College provides scholarships, awards and bursaries to international students in order to recognize their academic achievements, community involvement, leadership skills as well as to reduce their financial burden. Please find below the scholarships available for international students:

Columbia College Entrance Scholarships

This scholarship is available to students who demonstrated academic aptitude despite facing barriers in accessing a higher education. This scholarship of CAD 5,000 is awarded to six students. In order to apply for this scholarship, students are required to submit Entrance Scholarship Application Form.

Columbia College Academic Scholarship

These scholarships, valued CAD 2,500 each, are awarded to eight students on the basis of exceptional academic performance in previous semester, involvement in college and community activities as well as a personal essay.

There are few more scholarships which are awarded on the basis of performance in a particular subject. Ranging from CAD 2,000 to CAD 5,000, these scholarships are awarded to only one outstanding student in a specific semester.

Awards

There are number of awards which are given to the students. Top Associate Degree Award of CAD 2,000 is given to two students with the highest CGPA in associate degree programs. Outstanding Service Awards, amounting CAD 100, are given to 15 students for their outstanding contribution to the college community. Classroom Appreciation Awards of CAD 150 each are given to 14 students on achieving excellence in specific subject areas.

Bursary

Columbia College also offers the Jill Orenstein Memorial Bursary of CAD 1,700 to an outstanding ELC student moving from English 097 to English 098.

Note: International students are recommended to check the college website for specific details on scholarships and other awards.

At Alexander College, an academic year is divided into four semesters, three of which are regular and one is intensive (summer). The admissions deadlines and durations for all these semesters are given below:

*Deadlines vary depending on the course and can change frequently. We encourage you to check the school/department’s website for exact deadlines.

Note: All deadlines end at 4:00 PM PST unless otherwise specified by the university or the department of Alexander College.

It is recommended that you submit your application as soon as the slots open. The regular registration period is mid-Feb to mid-April.

Admission stays open until the finish of the second week of classes of a regular term and the finish of the first week of classes of Spring and Summer Intensive Terms. This date is known as the add/drop/change cutoff time. A few courses can fill rapidly, and students are suggested to submit applications at the earliest for the best course choice.

Every year, MSVU invests CAD 3+ million in scholarships and bursaries for all students. Domestic or international high school students are guaranteed scholarship if they have average of 80% or higher and if they apply by Mar 1, 2026. Students are not required to fill any separate form for entrance scholarships as they are automatically considered for this award if they have required scores.

Other than this, Financial Aid Office help students with bursary applications and budgeting. University administers 3 types of bursaries at MSVU — Entrance, In-Course and Student Works. Eligible students will get entrance bursary application with their acceptance package. Difference between scholarships and bursaries is that scholarship is merit based award and bursary is awarded to students with financial needs.

UG students can also avail of these awards-

• Diamond Jubilee Entrance Scholarship- This scholarship is offered to UG students based on high school scores and records. Amount of scholarship varies based on good academics.
• In-Course Scholarships: This scholarship is offered to students based on coursework at the university. Students are nominated by the faculty members and are required to have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 for this scholarship.

Graduate Student Scholarships: International students are eligible for graduate scholarships, such as:

• Entrance Scholarships: Students are automatically considered for entrance scholarships based on their merit and academic scores in high school or previous studies. Students are required to submit an additional application for the scholarship. The scholarships include Nova Scotia Research and Innovation Graduate Scholarships, Harvella Endowed Scholarship, Graduate Women's Studies Scholarship, and Graduate Entrance Scholarship.
• BMO Financial Group Endowed Graduate Scholarship: This scholarship is offered to international students enrolled in the Master of Science, Master of Arts, and Research programs at the university. The scholarship amount varies based on a student's academic excellence and previous study scores.