Financial Aid
Financial assistance is available to students in the form of scholarships and bursaries, loans and other funding options.
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Scholarships & Bursaries
Scholarships are awards given to students on the basis of academic achievement or outstanding progress in a course of study. Scholarships are awarded to students upon the recommendation of faculty.
A bursary is a non-repayable award, which is made to students who demonstrate financial need. Students applying for bursary funds are expected to have exhausted all other avenues of financial support.
Scholarship and Bursary Websites
The sites listed below provide a comprehensive list of available Bursaries and Scholarships that are available for Post-Secondary students. Follow the links to each site to retrieve the current year application forms.
- Irving K. Barber BC Scholarship Society: http://www.bcscholarship.ca/web/
- BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centers: http://www.bcaafc.com/programs/firstcitizensfund
- First Nations Social Development Society: http://www.fnsds.org/node/55
- National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation: http://www.naaf.ca/download%20applications
- Scholarships Canada: http://www.scholarshipscanada.com/
- Aboriginal Learning Links: http://aboriginallearning.ca/
- Aboriginal Canada Portal: http://www.aboriginalcanada.gc.ca/acp/site.nsf/eng/ao20011.html
- BC Awards Online: http://www.bcawardsonline.org
- AAMSA: http://www.ammsa.com/community-access/scholarships
Loans
British Columbia Student Assistance Program (BCSAP)
This program provides assistance for studying full time at the post-secondary level, in the form of Canada Student Loans, or a combination of Canada Student Loan and BC Student Loan, or Canada Student Loan and BC Grant. The amount and type of assistance awarded will be based on an assessed need as determined by the Provincial Authority. Students intending to apply for BC Student Assistance should be aware that it will take approximately eight weeks to process a student loan application. Students are reminded that this is an assistance program that is aimed at assisting, not replacing, your own financial resources. You will be expected to pay your tuition fees from your own resources at time of registration. Each applicant is encouraged to have the Financial Aid Advisor review the loan application for completeness and accuracy. Applications that are not completed correctly encounter long delays in processing.
Other Funding Options
Adult Basic Education Student Assistance Program (ABESAP)
ABESAP is a provincially funded program established to provide non-repayable grants to students in need. These grants are to cover the cost of books and supply fees and if necessary transportation. If funds are needed for enrollment, applications are available one month in advance. Students are advised to apply early. Please note this is for pre-post secondary studies only.
Post Secondary Student Support Program (PSSSP)
This program provides financial assistance to eligible students towards the cost of their post-secondary education. Subject to the continuation of the NEC Native Education College’s service contract with the Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC), students in the following categories are eligible:
Northwest Territory members who do not meet Northwest Territory residency and now reside in British Columbia;
British Columbia registered members who do not have Band membership or an affiliation with a Band (BC General List); and
non-band members who are affiliated with a BC First Nation (affiliation as indicated on Status Card)
As part of the service contract with the Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, the NEC Native Education College also has a post-secondary guidance and counseling service in place to assist students in applying for post-secondary education funding and referring students to the appropriate funding agency.
Student Aid BC
For more information on your financial aid options, please visit the Student Aid BC website: