Financing Your Education Bluevale C I September 2015

Financing Your Education Bluevale C. I. September 2015 Mr. Weatherdon Mr. Taylor

Topics Of Discussion l l l Scholarships - definition Types of scholarships Application procedures Tips Useful websites Bursaries and OSAP

What is a scholarship? Money given to a student to help him/her pay for his/her education

Three Types of Scholarships 1. Scholarships requiring a school nomination – complete the required application 2. Scholarships not requiring a nomination – complete the required application 3. Scholarships not requiring an application i. e. entrance scholarships based on marks

Getting Started ü Check the Guidance section of BCI’s website for recent updates http: //bci. wrdsb. ca/ ü Visit the web sites provided ü Search the web for other possibilities

A Few More Tips…. 1. Review scholarship opportunities at all Ontario Universities by going to www. electronicinfo. ca 2. Review scholarship opportunities for College at ontariocolleges. ca, click on “colleges”, “choosing a college”, click on “paying for college” 3. Check whether your parents’ place of employment offers scholarships 4. Inquire at local clubs, ethnic organizations, church groups and professional organizations which you are a member of.

Useful Websites ü www. studentawards. com ü www. scholarshipscanada. com ü http: //www. wrdsb. ca/programs/secondary-schoolinformation/scholarships/waterloo-region-scholarships ü https: //juno. aucc. ca/wes/hes. aspx? pg=834 ü www. osap. gov. on. ca ü www. campusaccess. com ü www. canlearn. ca

A few pointers when completing an application for a Scholarship: l l l Check to make sure you meet the requirements of the scholarship before applying. Advance preparation is required – do not wait until the last minute to complete your application! Treat applying to scholarships like a part-time job – it takes work! Follow the instructions very carefully and fully complete each application. Have a parent help you (proofreading, work and volunteer experiences, etc. )

Applying for Scholarships that Require a School Nomination 1. Carefully complete a student resume form (download form from “Scholarship Info” on BCI website – complete this form electronically) 2. Return the form to Mr. Moffatt by Wed. Sept. 30 to be considered for all awards requiring a school nomination. 3. Keep a copy for yourself. Update your student resume forms as your information changes. See Mr. Moffatt to update the hard copy of your resume (i. e. if you change the schools that you apply to!)

Remember the importance of……. l Volunteering: many scholarships put more emphasis on community service, extracurricular involvement than on marks l Marks: very important for entrance scholarships l . 5% could cost you thousands of $$$$$

Bursaries Bur-sa-ry n. 1: a monetary grant to a student in need l l Complete the last page of the student resume Visit the web sites provided Search the web for other possibilities Visit http: //osap. gov. on. ca

Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) Objective: To help the students from lower-income families meet the costs of post-secondary education. You may apply to OSAP (in the spring) for a loan online at http: //osap. gov. on. ca or by sending in a paper application. Attend the presentation on how to apply for OSAP in the Spring of 2016 at BCI

Feeling Overwhelmed?

Fear Not… l l l Start researching early Save all your work and reference letters Pay attention to due dates Check out the Scholarship page on the BCI website Update your resume Volunteer!

• Thank you for listening. • Remember to check the school website often and follow us on Twitter • @BCI_Guidance