Undergraduate financial aid
This section contains senate-approved information related to Financial Aid and Awards only. For a complete list of ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV scholarships, bursaries, awards, and other financial assistance opportunities, see.
Students are eligible for a variety of financial assistance programs including entrance or continuing scholarships, bursaries, awards, and government student loans and grants:
- Scholarships recognize outstanding academic achievements.
- Bursaries are awarded on the basis of a demonstrated financial need.
- Awards generally acknowledge outstanding achievements or contributions to the community.
- Government student loans and grants are awarded on the basis of a demonstrated financial need by the student’s province of residence. Normally, grants are funding that students do not have to repay.
These programs are administered by one of three agencies: ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV (University administered), an external organization (externally administered), or a government (government administered).
Eligibility
Students entering ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV from secondary or high school, or transferring from a regional college or university, may be eligible for
- ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Entrance scholarships
- bursaries
- awards for the University community
- federal and provincial/territorial government student assistance (i.e. student loans and grants)
Students currently studying at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV may apply for
- scholarships for continuing students
- bursaries
- awards for the University community
- federal and provincial/territorial government student assistance (i.e. student loans and grants)
General Information and Regulations
The following regulations apply generally to all financial assistance administered by the University.
- All scholarships, awards, and bursaries are given on the recommendation of the senate undergraduate awards adjudication committee. Committee decisions, when announced, are final.
- The University does not guarantee the payment of any scholarships, awards or bursaries other than those provided directly from University funds. If invested funds do not provide the necessary income for an endowed scholarship, award or bursary, payment may be reduced or withheld. The University reserves the right to withhold awards donated by individuals or organizations where the funds required have not actually been received.
- The University reserves the right to refrain from awarding a scholarship, award or bursary if, in its opinion, none of the applicants meet the specified terms.
- Students must normally complete the term successfully in which they have received the scholarship, award or bursary may be revoked.
- The individual student is responsible for knowing the deadlines, proper completion of the application forms and supplying all appropriate documentation for the various scholarships, awards and bursaries. Incomplete applications may be rejected.
- The senate policy committee on scholarships, awards and bursaries ensures that all scholarships, awards and bursaries administered by the University or listed in its Calendar, are in the best interests of the University as an academic institution. The terms of reference for scholarships, awards and bursaries should not include restrictive criteria unrelated to academic merit or financial need such as race, creed, colour, sex, or national origin, when the committee determines these criteria are improper or irrelevant.
- The senate undergraduate awards adjudication committee has the right to give special consideration to course load requirements on scholarships, awards or bursaries for persons with disabilities who are unable to meet the course load requirements due to their disability. Supporting documentation may be required.
- Students who misrepresent themselves on applications for scholarships, awards or bursaries will be subject to disciplinary action.
- Regulations which apply to a specific financial assistance category are within that subsection.
- For students in a ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV degree partnership program with ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV, please note that for the purposes of Financial Aid and Awards funding, the home institution will be defined as the institution where the undergraduate student is registered in the majority of units (i.e. 51%). If registration is equal at both institutions (i.e. 50% each), the home institution will be defined as the institution where the student has successfully completed the most units/credits.
- Eligibility for any university administered financial aid funding is based upon the grade point average (GPA, both cumulative and term) achieved at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV. Students entering in their first term of study do not have a GPA but are still eligible to apply for funding based upon their admission and acceptance to the University. Undergraduate students in a ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV degree partnership program must be in good academic standing at both institutions to be eligible for any university administered financial aid funding.
Entrance Scholarships
The University offers entrance scholarships and awards to outstanding students from across Canada. Our entrance scholarship program recognizes exceptional academic and community achievements of students entering directly from high school and BC colleges or equivalent.
The scholarships and awards described below reflect our current program. For complete descriptions and selection criteria, see
All scholarship applicants should have high academic standing — a minimum 90% grade average is normally required. Please read carefully the application requirements described on the above website, as not all scholarships require application. Applicants must be Canadian citizens or Permanent Residents to qualify for the majority of major entrance scholarships, except for international awards. All scholars must meet certain academic and enrolment requirements for complete disbursement of funds.
Additional Scholarships and Awards
Students may only hold one entrance scholarship from the University. Upon redeeming all of the scholarship installments, students will be considered for scholarships available to continuing students.
Regulations
For entrance scholarships regulations, see
In Course Scholarships
The following regulations govern all university, private and endowed scholarships for continuing students over which the University has jurisdiction.
- A minimum 3.50 CGPA is required to be eligible for a scholarship.
- The student must be enrolled in a minimum of nine units of normally graded courses at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV in the term of eligibility, unless otherwise stipulated. Challenge, audit and credit free courses are not considered. Students who enrol in fewer than nine units or subsequently drop below nine units may have their scholarships cancelled.
- The student must have completed at least nine units of normally graded courses at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV to be considered for most private and endowed scholarships.
- A student holding an ongoing ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Entrance Scholarship is not eligible for any other University administered scholarships until the entrance scholarship is fully paid out. This policy applies to any term in which an entrance scholarship is deferred.
- Funds will be credited to the successful student’s University account. Outstanding University debts will be deducted from the scholarship funds before a cheque for the credit balance is issued.
- The student must apply using the online ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV private scholarship and awards application which is available on the Student Centre in the Student Information Systems at . It is the student’s responsibility to meet applicable deadlines and supply all required documentation. Incomplete applications may be rejected.
- Unless otherwise stated, scholarships are tenable only at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV.
- Candidates are permitted to hold concurrently more than one academic award only with the permission of Financial Aid and Awards.
- Scholarships are tenable for the term indicated and will not normally be deferred. Students who do not enrol in the term for which the scholarship is granted forfeit the award. To be considered for future private or endowed scholarships, students must reapply.
Undergraduate Open Scholarship Program
The Undergraduate Open Scholarship recognizes and supports undergraduate students who are highly qualified academically and awards scholarships to students on a term by term basis.
Eligibility
Eligibility is limited to students pursuing a first degree and will expire when a student’s total accumulated units (including transfer units) exceed by 10% the minimum number of units required to complete the degree program in which the student is enrolled. (e.g., a student whose major program requires 120 units to graduate becomes ineligible when her/his total accumulated credit and transfer credit exceeds 131 units.)
To qualify, a student must have
- successfully completed at least 24 ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV units
- a ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 3.67 or higher.
- a minimum term GPA of 3.50 in the last term of enrolment
- been enrolled in one of the last three terms
- complete at least 24 units of normally graded courses over your last three terms of enrolment in such courses. For students who fall short of the 24 unit requirement because one term’s enrolment was in a single course of five units or fewer, the last four terms will be considered and that term of one course will be set aside in determining unit and term GPA eligibility. A student recognized as being required to take an ongoing maximum 40% course load based upon a confirmed permanent disability must complete at least 24 units of normally graded courses over the last four terms of enrolment in such courses.
All eligibility requirements must be met.
International undergraduate students are eligible on the same basis as other students.
Co-operative education students will be eligible subject to normal program guidelines. Job practicum courses, however, are excluded from the calculations (i.e., the scholarship does not cover the co-op fee). Enrolment in normally graded courses during a co-op term may affect eligibility. Co-op students should seek advice about this scholarship before enrolling in normally-graded courses while also enrolling in a co-op term.
Graduate students, including qualifying, special and exchange students, are not eligible for this scholarship.
No application is required. All undergraduate students are considered for eligibility each term; eligible undergraduate students will be notified no later than the end of the fourth week of classes.
Monetary Value
The value of the scholarship is set by the University as a portion of the actual tuition costs accrued by those eligible.
The per unit rate for normally graded courses will be determined based on the availability of funds.
Bursaries
The following regulations govern all university, private, and endowed bursaries over which the University has jurisdiction. Many of the following bursaries have been made possible by generous donations.
- Bursaries are a supplemental source of funding for students in high financial need.
- Students are expected to find their primary funding through other sources such as government student loan or grant programs, part time work, savings, family, etc.
- Both undergraduate and graduate students are eligible unless otherwise indicated.
- Students must have a demonstrated financial need.
- Undergraduate students must have a minimum CGPA of 2.00 to be eligible for bursaries.
- Undergraduate students must be registered in a minimum of nine units of normal graded courses in the term of application unless otherwise indicated. Challenge, audit, and credit free courses will not be considered. Students who register in fewer than nine units or subsequently drop below nine units may have their awards cancelled. Undergraduate students in a ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV degree partnership program must be enrolled full time, in a minimum of nine units/credits of normally graded courses between the two institutions, with an enrolment of not less than 51% at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV in the term of eligibility (as outlined in the home institution definition found in the Undergraduate Financial Aid General Information and Regulations section).
- Students must apply online through the Student Information System. It is the student's responsibility to meet applicable deadlines and supply all required documentation. Incomplete applications may be rejected.
- Unless otherwise stated, bursaries are tenable only at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV.
- Funds will be credited to the successful student's account with the University.
- Outstanding debts to the University will be deducted from the bursary funds before a cheque for the credit balance is issued.
- Bursaries are tenable only for the term indicated on the notice and may not be deferred. Students who do not enroll in the term for which the bursary is granted forfeit the award. To be considered for bursaries in future terms, students must reapply.
Work-Study Program
The following regulations apply to participate in the Work-Study Program.
- Students must have a demonstrated financial need.
- Undergraduate and graduate students, both domestic (Canadian) and international, are eligible to apply.
- Undergraduate students must have a minimum CGPA of 2.00 to be eligible.
- Undergraduate students must be enrolled in a minimum of nine units of normal graded courses in the term of application. Challenge, audit, and credit-free courses will not be considered. Students who enrol in fewer than nine units or subsequently drop below nine units may have their work-study position cancelled. Undergraduate students in a ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV degree partnership program must be enrolled full time, in a minimum of nine units/credits of normally graded courses between the two institutions, with an enrolment of not less than 51% at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV in the term of eligibility (as outlined in the home institution definition found in the Undergraduate Financial Aid General Information and Regulations section).
- The student must apply using the ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV online bursary/work-study application form via the student information system (http://sis.sfu.ca). It is the student's responsibility to meet applicable deadlines and supply all required documentation. Incomplete applications may be rejected.
Awards
The following regulations govern all prizes, medals or awards over which the University has jurisdiction.
- In most cases, nominations are submitted directly to Financial Aid and Awards. Both undergraduate and graduate students are eligible unless otherwise indicated.
- Undergraduate students must have achieved a minimum CGPA of 2.00at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV during the term of their contribution and must not be on academic probation, or in the case of first term or transfer students, must possess an equivalent secondary school or college standing.
- Undergraduate students must be registered in a minimum of nine units of normal graded courses at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV in the term of eligibility. Challenge, audit, and credit free courses are not considered. Students who register in fewer than nine units or subsequently drop below nine units may have their awards cancelled.
- Candidates must submit an application form to Financial Aid and Awards or be nominated by a member (or members) of the ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV faculty, staff, student body or alumni. Individuals submitting a nomination for an award must file the nomination form with Financial Aid and Awards.
- Normally, only one intervening term will be allowed between the term in which the registered student made their contributions and the term in which the award is adjudicated.
- Where contributions are over and above usual expectations, remunerated or assigned activities, such as course assignments or teaching duties, may be considered for recognition.
- Unless otherwise stated, awards are tenable only at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV for the term indicated on the notice and may not be deferred.
Regulations for Athletic Awards
The following regulations apply to athletic and recreation awards.
- Students must have achieved a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 2.00 in the previous term and must not be on academic probation, or, in the case of a first term or transfer student, must possess an equivalent high school or college standing.
- Undergraduate students must be eligible to compete and be registered in a minimum of twelve units of normal graded courses in the term of eligibility. Challenge, audit, and credit-free courses are not considered. Students who enrol in fewer than 12 units or subsequently drop below 12 units may have their awards cancelled.
- Graduate students must be eligible to compete and be registered for residence credit in an approved full-time program. Students who do not register or subsequently change to on-leave status may have their awards cancelled.
- Unless otherwise noted, candidates must be nominated by the director, athletics and recreation.
- Only one intervening term will be allowed between the term in which the registered student made their contribution and the term in which the award is adjudicated.
- Unless otherwise noted, students must be included in the official roster of a varsity team. Specific team membership may be required for individual awards.
- Athletic awards are tenable only at the University for the term indicated on the notice and may not be deferred.
- Funds will be credited to the successful student’s account with the University. Outstanding debts to the University will be deducted from the award funds before a cheque for the credit balance is issued.
Student Emergency Loan Fund
The following regulations govern all loans for continuing students over which the University has jurisdiction.
- Short term emergency funds are available to students who urgently need money while awaiting receipt of other sources of funding.
- Emergency loans are not available for outstanding fees owed to the University.
- Students must have a demonstrated financial need and a secured source of repayment.
- Undergraduate students must be registered in a minimum of nine units of normal graded courses in the term of application. Challenge, audit, and credit-free courses will not be considered.
- Students must meet with a Financial Aid and Awards advisor. It is the student’s responsibility to supply all requested documentation. Incomplete applications may be rejected.
- ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Emergency Loans are tenable only at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV and only for the term indicated on the notice.
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