In this day and age it can be hard to escape debt, especially if one has strong academic ambitions and little family aid. So scholarships are obviously of high importance, and with all the different kinds available in Canada narrowing down your search can seem overwhelming at first. There are many and it will take a great deal of time. Before you buckle down and hit the search hard, keep these few things in mind:

• BRAG. When applying for scholarships DO NOT shy away from this. Now is the time to let people know how good you are at what you do and the kind of potential you have. Get ready to talk about yourself a lot.
• Ask for advice and help from teachers, parents, school councilors and advisors…use every resource at your disposal. There is a lot of free money out there and you have to work hard to get it.
• Apply for as many scholarships as possible. Just keep doing it. Modify your letters of intent when needed and make searching for scholarships a number one priority; a job.

Here are some tools for your financial quest:

Canadian scholarship websites and information on scholarships and financial aid:

• www.scholarshipscanada.com
• www.universitystudy.ca
• www.studentawards.com
• www.schoolfinder.com
• jobspeopledo.com (of course!)

Narrow down your school of choice

Typically students start searching for scholarships after they find out where they are going. Some scholarships require this, and knowing what province you will be in will help with the hunt. Many sites have drop-down school lists and will provide you with a complete list of scholarships and awards available to students of the school. If you would like a specific recommendation for what to apply for, meet up with one of your new university’s academic advisors. Their job is to make your transition more relaxed, so pick their brain!

Keywords and Advanced Searches

What are your major/minor interests? Are any members of your family a part of any union, club or company that hands out scholarships? Does your job have a scholarship fund? Do you have a learning or physical disability? What are your extra curricular credits and strengths? Are you of aboriginal decent? What province were you born in or where will you graduate from? All these points and more generate hits on Canada’s best scholarship websites. Sift through the ones that apply to you. Don’t forget to search by grade point average, particularly if yours is high.

After you are done the searches you wish, sort the result lists by deadlines (do you have enough time to gather references and write the necessary application criteria etc.?), award names and the amount offered. Some scholarships can be as small as $500, and some can be as large as $10,000 and beyond.