Undergraduate Scholarships, Awards and Bursaries

Several funding opportunities are available to current students to help fund your education. These opportunities are separated into three main categories: Scholarships, Awards and Bursaries.

Apply for Scholarships, Bursaries and Awards - myAwards portal https://lakeheadu.academicworks.ca

The myAwards portal is open for students to apply for scholarships, bursaries, and awards. The portal has been redesigned offering you a new look and feel as well as an opportunity to use a general application, which will automatically match you to opportunities available. Based on your responses you may be asked to provide additional information for other opportunities too. Over the coming days, additional opportunities will be added to the portal and you will be notified when those become available. Visit: https://lakeheadu.academicworks.ca/ to begin your application.

UPDATE: In light of the temporary grading scheme set in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there are some important implications to be aware of when it comes to your scholarship renewal and average calculation.

First, when it comes to calculating your scholarship renewal average, courses that are changed to PCR, FNC, or W will be excluded from the average calculation, and only remaining numeric grades will be used to calculate your average for the academic year.

If you decide to take a W for a course (i.e. you've failed the course and wish to not have it appear as a failure on your transcript), this may affect your scholarship renewal. In particular, in calculating your course load for the previous year, any course that is converted to a W will not be counted towards your full time status. For example, if you were in 5.0 FCEs over the fall and winter terms combined, and took a W for one course in the winter term (and passed everything else), then you will be considered to have completed 4.5 FCEs, which is equivalent to a 90% course load (4.5/5=0.9). For this reason, the following year, you would only receive 90% of your scholarship entitlement. All other renewal policies remain the same, and this is subject to change.

General Information

Several funding opportunities are available to Lakehead University students.

Application Deadlines
All prescribed deadlines are listed in the awards database or myAwards portal. The deadlines are firm. It is important that all applications and supporting documentation be submitted prior to the published deadline date.

Submitting Supporting Documentation
Scholarships, bursaries, or awards that require further supporting documentation (e.g. essays, CVs/Resumes, Transcripts), will indicate this during the application process. Supporting documentation should be uploaded on the myAwards portal.

Budget Forms
Budget forms are required for the majority of award applications. Forms are available when the applications are live.

To learn how to create a budget please click here.

Terms and Conditions
Terms and Conditions for Entrance Scholarships.
Terms and Conditions for In-Course scholarships, awards, and bursaries.

Disclaimer
The availability of all awards, scholarships and bursaries are subject to change. Student Awards and Financial Aid reserves the right to change the listed award, scholarship or bursary information and/or value without notice. Lakehead University's scholarships, awards and bursaries are not transferable to other post-secondary institutions.

Scholarships and Awards

Scholarships recognize academic achievement. Awards are based on a combination of criteria, including academic merit and financial need. Lakehead University scholarships and awards are available to entering and returning full-time undergraduate students.

Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible to apply for most scholarships and/or awards, you must:

have good academic standing,
be enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student in the current academic year; and
be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

Application Process
Apply through Lakehead University's myAwards portal. The majority of applications for the academic year are open August 15 to October 15 annually; however, some deadlines vary. Check back throughout the year for other possible opportunities.

Submitting Supporting Documentation
During the application process scholarships or awards that require further supporting documentation (e.g. essays, CVs/Resumes, Transcripts), will indicate this in the requirements. Supporting documentation should be uploaded on the myAwards portal.

Bursaries

A bursary is a form of financial assistance awarded to students based on financial need, rather than academic achievement. Eligibility requirements vary by bursary but at minimum students must:

Demonstrate financial need based on a fillable budget form (included with the application).
Maintain a minimum average of 60%.
Be enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student at Lakehead University (excluding Medicine and Law).
Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

Submitting Supporting Documentation
Bursaries that require further supporting documentation (e.g. essays, CVs/Resumes, Transcripts), will indicate this at the end of the application process (you will also receive an email indicating any supporting documentation required). Supporting documentation should be uploaded on the myAwards portal.

External Awards

External Awards are administered by associations, institutions and businesses external to Lakehead University. The requirements of these listings vary so it is best to review each individual award website when considering application.

Glossary

Aboriginal Student
A student who self-identifies as a First Nations, Métis or Inuit person of Canada.

Academic Year
The academic year runs from September to April. The September to April academic year may not be the normal academic year for some programs.

Application
An official request for something, usually in writing. Applications are used within the Office of Student Awards and Financial Aid to formally request receipt of a scholarship, award, or bursary.

Application Deadline
The date and/or time by which all scholarship, award, and bursary applications and documentation must be submitted.

Average Required
The minimum academic standard which a student must achieve to be eligible for a scholarship, award or bursary. This average is calculated on courses taken over the previous academic year, but will also include the grades of any Lakehead University Spring/Summer courses taken following the academic year.

Award
An award is an amount of money given as an official payment, compensation, or grant based on recognition of academic achievement and financial need.

Budget Form
A document designed to provide a glance into a students' expenses for the duration of your study period. The budget form is a sound representation of a student's financial need.

Bursary
A bursary is a form of financial assistance awarded to students based on financial need rather than on academic achievement.

Course Load
The number of courses that a student is expected to take for their particular program and year level during the academic year. Refer to the appropriate Academic Unit for program requirements. The number of courses may vary from program to program and from year level to year level.

Department
A department within Lakehead University is a division devoted to a particular academic discipline. All departments fall under a related faculty. For example, the Department of English is found within the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities.

Entrance Student
Students entering Lakehead University directly from a recognized high school curriculum. Entrance students have completed less than two post-secondary full course equivalents (F.C.E.s).

Essay
A short piece of writing on a particular subject. Essays are often required with scholarship and award applications and are used to explain how a student meets the specific criteria of the scholarship or award being applied to.

External Award
A scholarship, award or bursary provided and administered by an entity outside of Lakehead University.

Faculty
A faculty is a division within Lakehead University comprising of one subject area, or a number of related subject areas. A faculty may be comprised of one or more departments. For example, the Faculty of Engineering includes the departments of Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Software Engineering.

F.C.E. (Full Course Equivalent)
Two half credit (0.5) courses are equivalent to one full credit (1.0), also known as one full course equivalent.

Full-Time Student
A full-time undergraduate student in the Fall-Winter Term is one who is registered in more than three and one-half full course equivalents (F.C.E.).

In-Course Student
An undergraduate student who is and was registered full-time at Lakehead University in both the present and previous academic year.

International Student
A Lakehead University student who is neither a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada.

Mnemonic
Something such as a very short poem or a special word used to help a person remember something. Each scholarship, award, and bursary administered by the Office of Student Awards and Financial Aid has a unique mnemonic. The mnemonic is also referred to as the "award code".

Part-Time Student
A part-time undergraduate student in the Fall-Winter Term is one who is registered in three and one-half full course equivalents or less.

Returning Student
An undergraduate student who is returning to Lakehead University as a full-time undergraduate student in the Fall Term. A returning student must have attended Lakehead University in the previous academic year.

Scholarship
A scholarship is a grant or payment made to support a student's education, awarded on the basis of academic or other achievement.

Student with a Disability
A student who is registered with Student Accessibility Services for any degree of physical disability, mental impairment or developmental disability, learning disability, or mental disorder.

Undergraduate Student
A student who has yet to complete a three year Bachelor Degree.

Year Level
Academic year as calculated by completion of successfully completed courses. Students should refer to the "Year Level Increments" outlined for their specific program. A student's year level is displayed in their myInfo account (Student Tab > Academic Profile > My Credentials and Standing)