Indigenous Careers Award

Purpose:

To encourage Indigenous Albertans (First Nations, Métis and Inuit) to pursue and complete post-secondary studies in certificate, diploma, applied degree and bachelor’s degree programs leading to high-demand career outcomes in Alberta. 

Value:

$2,000 per semester, and maximum of $4,000 per academic year

Eligibility:

To receive this award, you must be enrolled in:

    • The Fall 2018 and/or Winter 2019 semester (a semester is defined as a study period of up to 17 weeks in length).
    • A certificate, diploma, applied or bachelor’s degree program.
    • At least 60% of a full course load (40% of a full course load if you are a student with a documented permanent disability).
    • Have satisfactory academic standing, as determined by the school.

You must also meet all of these eligibility criteria:

    • Be a Status Indian/First Nations, Non-Status Indian/First Nations, Métis or Inuit and be able to provide a copy of proof of Indigenous ancestry
    • Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident of Canada or have protected person status under: 
    • Be a resident of Alberta. For more on Alberta’s residency requirements, see:

You must also be attending a public post-secondary school or First Nations college in Alberta offering the following high-demand career program bands:

Business

  • Accounting, Finance
  • Business administration and management
  • Communications technologists and technicians
  • Marketing

Education

  • Early childhood education and childcare
  • Elementary and secondary teaching
  • Teaching-related fields

Health Sciences

  • Health Sciences Programs including Kinesiology

 

Physical, Natural & Applied Sciences

  • Agriculture
  • Architecture and urban planning
  • Biological sciences
  • Computer and information sciences
  • Engineering and engineering-related fields
  • Natural resources and conservation
  • Physical sciences

Social Sciences

Limited to the following program bands:

  • Addictions Studies/Counselling/Service Worker
  • Child and Youth Care
  • Community Support Worker
  • Social Work

Technologist Programs

  • Mechanic and repair technologists and technicians
  • Precision production
  • Science technologists and technicians

Program/bands may vary according to program requirements at your school. Schools may also establish additional eligibility criteria.

Co-op students, students in brokered programs, and students who are participating in an official exchange may be eligible.

To be eligible, you must be enrolled in a certificate, diploma, applied or bachelor's degree program at a participating publicly funded post-secondary school in Alberta, or attending a participating First Nations college in Alberta:

Public Institutions

  • Athabasca University
  • Bow Valley College
  • Grande Prairie Regional College
  • Keyano College
  • Lakeland College
  • Lethbridge College
  • MacEwan University
  • Medicine Hat College
  • Mount Royal University
  • NorQuest College

First Nations Colleges

  • Maskwacis Cultural College
  • Nechi Institute: Centre for Indigenous Learning
  • Old Sun Community College
  • Red Crow Community College
  • University nuhelot’ine thaiyots’i nistameyimakanak Blue Quills
  • Yellowhead Tribal College

Selection:

Recipients will be selected based on:

  • Minimum eligibility criteria for the Indigenous Careers Award.
  • Any additional eligibility criteria set by the school.

How to Apply:

For more information on how to apply, contact the Student Awards or Scholarships Office at your school, or visit their website.

Deadlines:

Contact your school for application deadlines.

Disbursement:

Check with your school for disbursement details.