Funding your education in Canada doesn't have to be overwhelming.
Paying for post-secondary education can be financially strenuous, especially if you are studying abroad. There are a number of scholarships available to help African students finance their studies in Canada. Before applying for scholarships, be sure to obtain either permanent residency (or Canadian citizenship), or a student visa valid for the expected length of your studies.
Black Business and Professional Association
The BBPA sponsors a number of scholarships for African-Canadian students who are citizens or permanent residents. These scholarships are worth between $1,000 and $5,000 each. The organization's website also lists a number of externally sponsored scholarships with varying eligibility criteria.
Black Canadian Scholarship Fund
This scholarship offers $5,000 to a student with financial need who submits a two-page essay. However, it has stringent eligibility requirements: applicants must be Canadian citizens and must be graduating from a high school in Ottawa with an average of more than 75 percent.
Black Academic Scholarship Fund
This fund offers scholarships for trade programs, undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate studies, and professional programs. Applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
Provincial Governments
Some provincial governments offer scholarships for African-Canadian residents or international students. The most developed of these is the African Canadian Services scholarship program administered by the government of Nova Scotia. Although that particular program requires applicants to be Canadian citizens or permanent residents, others do not; contact your province of intended residence to check its specific program requirements.
Federal Government
The government of Canada funds a number of scholarships specifically for international students. Its database (see Resources) is organized by native country; select your home country from the drop-down list to see which scholarships are available to you.
Canadian Bureau for International Education
CBIE administers a number of scholarships for both Canadians and non-Canadians. Each scholarship has varying requirements; several are specific to country of origin. CBIE also funds primary and secondary studies for international students.
StudyinCanada
StudyinCanada is a site intended for international students from elementary to post-graduate school who want to pursue studies in Canada. It provides informational articles, tips and scholarship listings. Creating a free account here also gives you access to ScholarshipsCanada, a wide-ranging scholarship database.
Post-secondary Institutions
Some post-secondary schools provide institution-specific scholarships to African or international students. CEC Network (see Resources) provides a comprehensive list of links to school-specific scholarship information.
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