69ÌÃ

69ÌÃ bursaries are non-repayable grants given to students who demonstrate financial need. Students are expected to have exhausted all other sources of financial assistance including student loans and the adult upgrading grant (AUG). 

VCC General Bursary

Who can apply? 

Any VCC student can apply who:

• is able to show financial need (AUG or student loan recipients will be given priority)
• is registered full-time student (18 hours ESL/ABE or 60% course load for post-secondary) or is disabled and approved to study at 40%. Part-time students will be considered for a bursary only for emergency situations
• is receiving passing grades in all courses

When can I apply? 

• Apply in September, if your program ends in November, December, January or February
• Apply in January, if your program ends in March, April, May or June
• Apply in June, if your program ends in July, August, September or October 

How to apply? 

Students can apply through . Applications are only accepted online. If you do not have a computer, you can use the computers in the Learning Centre, Library, Counselling Department. 

See the bursary application document for step-by-step instructions on completing your application.

The provincial government has  that it will be restoring funding and removing tuition fees for Adult Basic Education (ABE) and English as a Second Language (ESL) programs in British Columbia as of September 2017.

We are currently working closely with the provincial government to implement these changes, and to amend our ESL and ABE student registration processes. In the interim we have put together to help answer any immediate questions you may have. 

Non-repayable grants are available!

If you are enrolling in English as a Second Language, adult basic education (academic upgrading) or adult special education programming, you may be eligible for the Adult Upgrading Grant (AUG), a provincial-funded financial assistance program. 

Adult Upgrading Grant‌
Adult Upgrading Grant application forms are available to ‌‌print. 

Please bring:

• 2022 Notice of Assessment from Revenue Canada
• Social Insurance Card
• Permanent Resident card (if you are a landed immigrant/Permanent Resident)

Benefits
AUG covers any tuition fee charged and includes other non-discretionary charges, such as the college initiative fee and student fee. In addition, if applicable, funding for text books and supplies may also be provided. 

If you are receiving AUG funding you may also be eligible for a Compass Card. 

Eligibility
Eligible students are those enrolling in part-time or full-time courses in:  

• ESL classes (EAP and Pathways)
• ABE classes (Basic Education, CCA, College Foundations)
• ASE classes (Adult Special Education) 

The eligibility is based upon financial need. To be considered to have financial need, an applicant's income must meet or be below a standard level. This level is dependent upon the applicant's living arrangement and the size of their family. AUG funding is also dependent on successfully completing previously funded courses.

Do you have questions or need help?
Please contact the VCC Financial Aid office for more information and assistance.

View the sheet regarding the AUG grant.

If you are already a VCC student in Career Access, Basic Education (up to grade 9), Adult Basic Education (grades 10-12), or EAL (English as an Additional Language) Pathways or Advanced Pathways, you may be eligible for a Developmental Program Area Award. These awards recognize students who have demonstrated a commitment to their studies.

The one-time Developmental Program Area Awards are valued at $500 each.

Young people leaving foster care now have access to free tuition. The Provincial Former Youth in Care Tuition Waiver program provides tuition waivers to former youth in care who are less likely to have access to post-secondary education or training than young people who grew up with family supports.

Who is eligible?

Students accessing the program must be:

1. from British Columbia;
2. aged between 19 to 26 years (inclusive)‌; and
3. have been in care for a minimum of 24 months

How do I apply for the tuition waiver?

1. Apply to your program of choice at 69ÌÃ
2. Complete the Former Youth in Care consent form
3. Bring the completed consent form to VCC's Financial Aid office

More information:

• Provincial tuition waiver program

‌‌The Canada Apprentice Loan (CAL) is an initiative of the Government of Canada to help you complete your apprenticeship in a designated Red Seal trade.

Students can apply for up to $4,000 in interest-free loans per period of technical training. The money will be available to you to help pay for tuition, tools, equipment and living expenses, to cover forgone wages or to help support your family.

Get the support now, pay later

You will not have to make payments on your CAL, and no interest will accumulate until after you complete or leave your apprenticeship training program.

Apply today

Visit the for more details and to apply online for quicker service. Don’t delay—start your application today!

Other resources

Frequently asked questions
Canadian apprentice loan overview

The  is open to British Columbians aged 19 years or older, regardless of financial need. The grant supports learners to take eligible short-term skills training to upgrade their skills and further their careers, giving them access to well-paid, high-opportunity jobs.

The future skills grant covers up to $3,500 of eligible costs for select courses and programs at public post-secondary institutions in BC. Find out what courses and programs you can take at 69ÌÃ, check your eligibility, and learn what costs are covered by the grant. 

VCC students can access student loans through StudentAid BC. Designed to help B.C. residents overcome financial barriers to post-secondary education, it is a partnership between the provincial and federal governments, who cover interest payments during your time of study. 

There are three types of loans available to students in B.C.: British Columbia student loans, Canada student loans and part-time Canada student loans. B.C. student loans are provided by the provincial government. Canada student loans are provided by the federal government. These are all administered through StudentAid BC, as are Canada study grants, Canada access grants. 

A basic principle of StudentAid BC is that the primary responsibility for the funding of post-secondary education rests with students and their immediate families. While the federal and provincial governments cover interest on student loans during full-time studies, student loans must be repaid. 

After the assessment of your application, you will receive a Notification of Award by mail at the address on your application. This notification advises you of the amount you may receive. You may also find out this information by calling 1-800-561-1818. 

Watch these on how to create your StudentAidBC account and how the process works.

Get more information or apply online at .

Changes to student loans for BC Students 

No more managing two student loans.

is about to get easier for borrowers from British Columbia (BC). The governments of Canada and BC are integrating their full-time student financial assistance programs - Canada Student Loans and StudentAid BC - to simplify the borrowers' experience. There's no change to the administration of Canada Student Loans and Grants for part-time students. 

Interest-Free Status 

Do you need to maintain your interest-free status on your student loan? If you are still studying full-time but are no longer receiving funding through StudentAid BC, you need to apply for interest-free status to delay paying back your student loan. Login on to and on the left hand side under "Resources" click on the "Apply for Interest-Free Status Online" link and start your application. 

Part-time Students 

The Financial Aid Program for Part-time Studies has loan and grant funding available to students attending post-secondary studies .

Student awards

69ÌÃ offers hundreds of scholarships and awards which are presented at two ceremonies every year. For the majority of these awards, students are selected by staff and faculty. Select awards are offered by application. See "VCC Awards and Scholarships" and "External Scholarships and Bursaries" for deadlines and application forms.

For complete descriptions of all VCC's financial awards, visit our . 

Many financial aid forms will ask you to list program costs. To help you determine the cost for your VCC program we have an . 

‌‌Numerous awards and scholarships are available to recognize student achievement and provide educational assistance at 69ÌÃ. Many of the awards are proudly supported by 69ÌÃ Foundation and its community of donors.

Recipients are selected either by application or by faculty, school or department. Below is a list of awards and scholarship requiring an application. 

To see the full list of hundreds of other awards and scholarships with recipients selected by the school, please visit the .

Fall 2023 - Open

1) Dr. Bik May Wai Award

The Dr. Bik May Wai Scholarship is a $2,000 award available to a 69ÌÃ student with refugee status.

Application deadline: Oct. 6, 2023
Award amount: 1 x $2,000
Dr. Bik May Wai Award application form

2) Jess Daniel Nichol Memorial Award

The Jess Daniel Nichol Memorial Award is offered to students entering the Music Program at 69ÌÃ who have a strong interest in music and have encountered challenges in their lives. Preference will be given to residents of the Downtown Eastside area of Vancouver and those who have a financial need.

Application deadline: Oct. 6, 2023
Award amount: 1 x $3,000 ($1,500/year x 2 years)
Jess Daniel Nichol Memorial Award application form

3) Ben's Original Seat at the Table Fund 

Mars Canada established the "Seat at the Table Fund" to create more equal access to education for equity-deserving groups. The Seat at the Table Fund is to cover tuition and education-related expenses to help students from underserved communities pursue a culinary education, and careers in the food industry. The program provides funding for exceptional and deserving students who identify as Black, Indigenous or Persons of Colour to help overcome financial barriers.

Application deadline: Oct. 6, 2023
Award amount: 3 x $5,000
Ben's Original Seat at the Table Fund application form

4) Positive Space Scholarship

The Positive Space Scholarship will honour a student who has displayed leadership in building a positive and welcoming environment for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, 2S (LGBTQ2S) community – inside 69ÌÃ or in the community. ‌

Application deadline: Oct. 6, 2023
Award amount: 1 x $450
Positive Space Scholarship application form

‌

‌5) Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life Scholarship for New Canadians

The Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life Scholarship supports new Canadians, either permanent residents or Canadian citizens, who have become BC residents within the last five years to assist in advancing their education, and alleviate financial barriers to pursuing post-secondary study.

Awards will be granted on the basis of financial need and a desire to enter into or be currently enrolled a full-time VCC program.

Application deadline: Oct. 6, 2023
Award amount: 5 x $1,250
Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life Scholarship for New Canadians application form

6) Pyrrha Scholarship

Designers Danielle & Wade Papin have been handcrafting their signature talisman jewellery from their Vancouver studio, Pyrrha, since 1995. The Pyrrha Scholarship provides financial assistance to a first-year VCC Jewellery Art & Design student who demonstrates high academic and artistic achievement.

Application deadline: Oct. 6, 2023
Award amount: 1 x $3,500
Pyrrha Scholarship application form

7) PS752 Commemorative Scholarship Program

Global Affairs Canada is proud to announce the , a tribute to those who tragically lost their lives in the Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 disaster on January 8, 2020. The Flight PS752 Commemorative Scholarship Program will run for 5 years. Fifty-five Canadian citizens and thirty permanent residents were among the 176 people killed in this tragedy. Among these victims were brilliant minds and dedicated students who made significant contributions to Canadian educational institutions.

To honour their legacies, we are offering 176 scholarships, in the name of each of the victims, to international and Canadian students studying in colleges and universities in Canada.

Application deadline: Oct. 31, 2023
Award amount (average): $25,000

Beginning a full-time VCC program in September? You could be eligible for an Entrance Award. These awards acknowledge contributions to self and community, resilience, and educational success. Find out if your program qualifies. Please note that there is an application deadline. Learn more

Access to Practical Nursing Education Incentive Bursary

This bursary, announced by the Ministry of Health (MoH), is for students and recent graduates enrolled in a recognized Access to Practical Nursing (APN) program at a BC-based public institution.

This bursary will be paid in equal installments each semester to new students, as a one-time payment to recent graduates, or as a combination of these two payment methods for mid-stream students, to a total of $10,000.

Eligibility criteria and application form:

BC Aboriginal Student and BC Teacher Education Awards

The BC Aboriginal Award is part of a general awards program offered by the Irving K. Barber British Columbia Scholarship Society aimed at reducing barriers to post-secondary education for Aboriginal learners. The Award is specifically designed to encourage and facilitate the training of Aboriginal students and has been made possible by funding provided by the Province of British Columbia. Further details about the application process can be found at .

BC Environment Industry Association

The awards scholarships to one secondary student and one post-secondary student pursuing Environmental Studies. In 2018, the post secondary scholarship was renamed to the Mike Macfarlane Memorial Scholarship in recognition of his important contributions and lifetime of dedication to the field of environmental studies in BC. Similarly, the high school scholarship was renamed to the David Rogers Memorial Scholarship in 2019 to recognize his years of mentorship and dedication to education within the British Columbian environment industry.

Applicants must be residents of British Columbia and either attend or plan to enroll at BC universities, colleges or technical institutes.

Completed scholarship applications must be received via email to scholarship@bceia.com by April 16, 2021. Scholarships will be awarded in May 2021.

Canadian Hospitality Foundation

The Canadian Hospitality Foundation (CHF) offers over $200,000 worth of scholarships annually for students across Canada wishing to pursue a career in the hospitality, foodservice and tourism industry.

The Canadian Hospitality Foundation's mission is to reward the best and the brightest students across Canada whose goal it is to enter the foodservice, lodging and hospitality industry. The scholarships are to encourage and ensure that these students continue and complete their education and enter into the industry. We are investing in our Future Human Capital. 

The CHF offers two scholarships to VCC students:

• College Entrance Scholarship (for students in their last year of high school)
• Hospitality/Hotel/Tourism/Food and Beverage Scholarship‌

For more information, please visit .

CIBC Future Heroes Bursary

In recognition of the legacy of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, CIBC is investing $500,000 over two years in the education of tomorrow’s healthcare professionals. The CIBC Future Heroes Bursary Program will inspire and support the next generation in their ambition of having a career in healthcare.

Eligibility criteria and application form:

Credit Union Foundation of B.C.

The Credit Union Foundation of B.C. provides 69ÌÃ students with several bursaries each year. Founded by and funded by credit union members, CUFBC awards are provided to B.C. resident post-secondary students in need of financial assistance to complete their education. The awards vary from $500 to $3,000.

Eligibility criteria and application form:

Crown Turf Green Scholarship

The Crown Turf Green Homes Scholarship Award is open to all students actively engaged in university-level studies related to smart home and green home design and construction in the US and Canada.

Scholarship amount: $1,000
Eligibility criteria and application form:

ESL101.com

is a free resource for teachers looking to teach abroad. Education is crucial to being a successful teacher, and most teaching positions overseas require applicants to have a minimum of a Bachelor's degree. ESL101 has established a scholarship to help undergraduates pay for their education so motivated individuals can pursue the opportunity to live and teach in a a foreign country after graduation.

Eligibility criteria and application form: 

Helen Bassett Commemorative Student Award 

The Helen Bassett Commemorative student award is awarded to four Aboriginal women in Canada from each of the four traditional directions (north, east, south, and west) who are currently in post secondary studies. Priority is given to those studying in law or justice related fields. Priority is given to students committed to improving the situation of Aboriginal women and youth in Canada politically, culturally, economically or otherwise.

Bursary amount: 4 x $1,000

Learn more at

Heer Law Enterpreneurship Scholarship

At Heer Law, we know students have great entrepreneurial ideas. We also know that many startup businesses start by bootstrapping whereby the initial funding comes from the founder's personal funds. For young entrepreneurs, a lack of personal funds combined with educational costs can seriously stall the progress they make in moving their business ideas forward.

So, we've set up a scholarship to help. To apply for the scholarship please send us, in confidence, a copy of the business plan for your current or prospective business, together with the details outlined in the scholarship criteria below. Since we are an intellectual property law firm, your business plan must include a section outlining your business's intellectual property strategy for our consideration.

In order to be eligible, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• must be currently attending university or college or set to attend during the 2020-2021 academic year;
• must provide an application submission, including a business plan for their current or prospective business which includes a section outlining their intellectual property strategy.
• must apply via email to scholarship@heerlaw.com and provide their name, address, university or college, major and expected graduation month and year.

For more information, please visit .

Scholarship amount: 1 x $2,000

Ike Barber Transfer Scholarship

The Ike Barber Transfer Scholarship is open to students who, after completing one year (minimum of 30 credits) or two years (minimum of 54 credits) of study at a B.C. public post-secondary institution, will transfer their credits into full-time studies at another public post-secondary institution in BC to complete their degree.

Successful applicants must demonstrate academic merit as well as significant involvement in their community and/or school.

The program is offered by the Irving K. Barber BC Scholarship Society, administered by the Victoria Foundation.

Eligibility criteria and application form: learn more about the scholarship program eligibility requirements and complete the application form at .

Indspire: Bursaries, Scholarships, and Awards

Indspire is a charitable organization dedicated to raising funds to deliver programs that provide the tools necessary for Indigenous peoples, especially youth to achieve their potential. All Canadian Indigenous individuals who are First Nation (status or non-status), Inuit or Métis and enrolled in full-time in a post-secondary institution are eligible to apply.

Eligibility criteria and application form:

Irving K. Barber Scholarship - One World International Scholarship

One World Scholarships of between $1,000 – $3,500 are awarded to students participating in study, or work-abroad programs that are either experiential learning opportunities (language or cultural training), or that provide credits toward the BC academic credential they are working towards.

Each year, the society provides hundreds of scholarships and awards valued between $1,000 and $10,000 each to students studying everything from trades to doctoral degrees.

Bursary amount: $1,000 - $3,500

New Car Dealers Foundation of BC

Considering career education to prepare to work in the automotive industry? If you would like more information on a CarCareerBC Education grant, visit . 

Grant amount: $500 - 2,500

More information can be found at .

WowAutos

WowAutos - a fast growing automotive marketplace for buying, selling, and leasing used and new automobiles - is please to offer a scholarship for students in the fields of engineering, computer science, business, accounting, and marketing.

Scholarship amount: $500

More information can be found at .

Zoeken Scholarship

Zoeken- a rapidly growing real estate and financial products discovery platform- is pleased to offer a scholarship to all undergraduate and graduate students in Canada and the United States. 

This scholarship will pay $500 per year. 

Applicants from all backgrounds, disciplines and Canadian provinces and US States are encouraged to apply. 

The Scholarships are awarded every six months during the months of March and October. You must be a current student to be eligible for this scholarship award. 

To be considered for this scholarship, please provide the following details:

• Full Name
• University or college
• Anticipated year of graduation
• Major/minor area of study

In addition to above, Please send an essay of no more than 500 words highlighting the toughest odds you have faced in your life so far and how you overcame them to continue on the path of academic success. 

If you are still grappling with those odds and are evenly(or not so evenly poised) but think this scholarship would be helpful, you are especially encouraged to apply. 

Please send your scholarship essay and details via email to scholarship@zoeken.ca  

Scholarship amount: $500/year

The following websites are provided to assist students to research additional sources of money to finance their education.