Scholarships and funding for Indigenous students
Find funding opportunities to support your studies
To be considered for Indigenous-specific funding at Concordia, make sure to self-identify in your Student Hub. You’ll also complete additional verification steps, including uploading documentation.
Be sure to explore all sources of funding — not just those specific to Indigenous students — to make the most of the opportunities available to you.
Quebec student tuition waiver
If you’re a First Nations or Inuit student from a community in Quebec, you may be eligible for a tuition waiver. This means you won’t pay tuition or mandatory fees. The waiver applies to both undergraduate and graduate programs.
If you’re sponsored by an eligible First Nations or Inuit community, the tuition waiver will be applied automatically. If you’re not sponsored by your community or band, you’ll need to complete the tuition and fee waiver form.
Undergraduate students
These awards, bursaries and scholarships are offered by Concordia to undergraduate students. Be sure to also check out the external sources of awards.
If you’re a new student who pays out-of-province Canadian tuition, you may be eligible for the Canada Scholars Award for Indigenous Students, a renewable entrance award.
Concordia offers Indigenous-specific scholarships and bursaries.
Scholarships are awarded automatically, based on academic achievement. Learn more about scholarship eligibility and selection.
Bursaries are awarded primarily based on financial need. Apply to bursaries through centralized Concordia applications:
Newly-admitted students: Apply to the entrance bursary program
Current students: Apply to the in-course bursary program
When writing your personal statement for your bursary application, include as many relevant details as possible. This will help the committee match you with funding.
Keep in mind that if you qualify for multiple awards, you’ll receive the one with the highest value, even if it isn’t Indigenous-specific.
Selection for these awards might be based on your academic achievements, the program you’re enrolled in, extracurricular and community involvement, your background or identity, or other criteria.
Application-based awards are posted between October and December each year.
Some of these awards are specifically for Indigenous students or prioritize applications from Indigenous students. You can search for these awards during the application period:
RGA Life Reinsurance Company of Canada Scholarship
Carlini-DeLuca RISE Award for Resilience in Science & Engineering Pathway to Success
CIBC Entrance Scholarships in Engineering
CIBC Entrance Scholarships at JMSB
Dean M.N.S Swamy Engineering Scholarship for Indigenous Students
Rothenberg Wealth Management Scholarship
The Laura Smyth Groening Scholarship for Indigenous Students
The Christopher Moore Award in Design and Computation Arts
Dr. Ronald Calderisi In-Course Scholarship in Biochemistry
Graduate funding
These funding opportunities are offered by Concordia to graduate students. Be sure to also check out the external sources of awards.
- Most funding to graduate students is offered through the School of Graduate Studies, including the Indigenous Graduate Scholarship.
- The Concordia Indigenous Scholar Awards is awarded for academic excellence and research potential. This is a central application for several awards.
- Community-engaged learning fund for Indigenous students: Awards for community-based research and the implementation of Indigenous methods, from the Office of Community Engagement.
External awards
Browse awards for Indigenous students offered by organizations other than Concordia University. Some organizations and databases to explore include:
Undergraduate
- The Concordia Student Union (CSU) offers a Black and Indigenous Student Bursary.
Graduate
- QcNEIHR Graduate Scholarships Program: The Tahatikonhsontóntie’ Quebec Network Environment for Indigenous Health Research (QcNEIHR) offers scholarships to support Indigenous master’s and doctoral students.
Getting help with funding
If you'd like help finding or applying for funding opportunities, reach out to the Financial Aid and Awards Office at FundingYourEducation@concordia.ca.
You can also talk to the staff at the Otsenhákta Student Centre who can support you as you explore your options, plan your next steps and apply for opportunities.
