• Scholarships are awarded at all grade levels for excellence in a wide range of achievements such as academic, athletics, citizenship, community involvement, subject areas, and due to financial need.
  • Although most scholarships are applied for in Grade 12, the work that students do in Grades 10 and 11 helps to earn those scholarships. Leadership skills, volunteer experiences, citizenship and academics are large components of many scholarships.
  • Scholarship information is posted on the Student Services Office bulletin board beside the Main Office and by searching helpful websites.

A scholarship is awarded first on the basis of academic achievement while a bursary is awarded primarily on the basis of financial need. Neither has to be repaid. More Information is available from Student Services.

Many post-secondary institutes and scholarship granting agencies, require references. Teachers and administration write many letters for students. Being specific in the purpose of the reference letter and ensuring students allow ample time to complete the letter is always very helpful and makes for a stronger reference in the end.

CBE District Scholarships

Currently, Calgary Public Teachers, ATA Local 38 maintains four annual scholarship programs :

  • The ATA Local 38 Heritage Scholarship Award is to recognize students of outstanding merit or students entering a vocational post-secondary program for adults with developmental disabilities, whose parent/stepparent/guardian is a current, retired, or deceased member of Calgary Public Teachers Local 38.
  • The John Laurie Scholarship is to recognize an Indigenous student with outstanding merit within the Calgary Board of Education.
  • The 2SLGBTQQIA+ Scholarship Award is to recognize a 2SLGBTQQIA+ identifying student or ally with outstanding merit within the Calgary Board of Education.
  • The Violet King Scholarship is to recognize a Black student with outstanding merit within the Calgary Board of Education.

 Scholarship Information, requirement guidelines and deadlines for application can be found here: https://local38.teachers.ab.ca/Pages/headlines.aspx

Please note that all Scholarship Application forms open February 1 and close May 31.

Investing in the Future Award

This student award was founded in 2022 by an incredibly generous anonymous donor with the desire to provide students in financial need with the opportunity to be fully supported on their post-secondary journey. Investing in young people is a true investment into our future – this student award will remove financial barriers to success for students and ensure that they can learn, grow, and be ready to make a positive impact on our world.

  • Field of Study:  Any
  • Value:  $100,00 in total for University (4 year)programs, $25,00 in year 1, with option to renew award for up to three consecutive years.
  •  Eligibility:  Grade 12 student demonstrate financial need completing high school diploma.  Demonstrated academic progress in grade 12 and marks sufficient for entrance to a post-secondary area of study. Must submit proof of financial need.  International fee paying students are not eligible for this award. 
  • Selection will be based on level of financial need, academics and a 500 word essay(or two minute video).
  •  Apply:   Online application available at www.educationmatters.ca  (Education Matters)
  •  Deadline:  March 31, 2026

Education Matters Awards (amount varies)

There are over 45 different scholarships with varying criteria that are available for students in their grade 12 year at the CBE.

  •  Opens on March 1, 2026
  •  Two deadlines of May 1 and May 30 (be sure to check deadlines for each scholarship)

Education Matters also has School Specific Awards. The following awards are only for William Aberhart Students and are all due May 1:

  • Hugh Robertson Science Prize ($1750)
    • Grade 12 student must have completed Biology 30, Chemistry 30 and Physics 30
    • Completing the requirements for a high school diploma
  • Wayne Thomas Award ($2000)
    • Completing the requirements for high school completion
    • Pursuing a trade or vocational program (4 year post secondary degrees not eligible)
    • Has been a leader in the extra-curricular athletic program at Aberhart
    • Exhibits spirit and support of fellow students
    • Significant financial need
  • William Aberhart Alumni Scholarship ($2000)
    • Completing the requirements for high school completion
    • Minimum of 80% average in grade 11 and 12
    • Must have attended Aberhart for both grade 11 and 12

 Please put your Guidance Counsellor for the Third Party Verification

Apply online at www.educationmatters.ca

Calgary Foundation Student Awards (amount varies)

Opens May 1 and deadlines for the awards do vary. (May 15 to June 30).

https://calgaryfoundation.org/awards/scholarships-awards-bursaries/

Premier’s Award

A nominee must:

Be a Canadian Citizen, a Permanent Resident, or Protected Person (visa students are not eligible), be an Alberta resident, be graduating from high school in the current academic year

  • The nominee must have displayed outstanding characteristics in: Citizenship, Leadership, and Community service and/or engagement in volunteer work, and must also have shown initiative and had a positive impact in the community/school.
  • Due May 1 – to your guidance counsellor.  Please submit an essay which speaks to your experiences in being a leader, volunteer and how your initiative has positively impacted your community/school.

Alexander Rutherford (up to $2500)

Alberta Residents who are enrolled in a Post-Secondary Program of at least one semester in length

Apply online at https://studentaid.alberta.ca/scholarships-and-awards/alexander-rutherford-scholarship/  once your official high school transcript marks are available and when you are enrolled in full-time postsecondary studies.

The 4-Step Process

Step 1 - Use Search Engines

This is probably the most important step, as it is likely to yield the largest number of results, and the data you get is easy to use (i.e. it’s sortable, hotlinked and concise, and it refers only to scholarships you actually are qualified for).

There are two major Canadian search engines:

These search engines are better for Canadian post-secondary studies than U.S.-based search engines. They have tens of thousands of scholarships in their databases.

  • Create an account. It’s free!
  • Fill out the registration form in detail. The more information you provide in the form, the better a job they can do of matching you with the right scholarships.

Step 2 - Check for School-Based Awards

All schools offer various entrance scholarships of all 4 types; some offer more money than others. Some are automatic consideration, but others require application. Check the websites of each school carefully In general, it is more important to find the right school than to go for the best scholarships.

However: If you are at or near the top of the honour roll, it might be worth your while to look at the extremely valuable scholarships they offer to the best of the best. Many universities have special scholarships targeting students with certain characteristics (e.g. a specific cultural/ethnic background, or a disability etc.)

  • If you possess one of these special characteristics, your chances of obtaining a scholarship from the school that targets it are obviously enhanced.
  • Finding these scholarships, however, would be an onerous job. Fortunately, the vast majority of universities publish all their scholarship information to the Student Awards and Scholarships Canada search engines and you therefore do not have to worry too much about missing one of these.
  • If there is a scholarship at a certain school for a special characteristic that you possess, you should already have found out about it through step 1.

Step 3 - Check Your Connections

Many, many scholarships go unawarded year after year because they are so narrow in focus and are not known to the search engines.

  • Any organization that you or your extended family are associated with could have one of these. Enquire. Ask your family and contacts to enquire on your behalf.
  • This step is a bit more time consuming than the first two and will yield few, if any, results.
  • However, any scholarship you do find using this method will have very few other applicants and therefore you will have a really good chance of receiving it.

Step 4 - Apply to Education Matters/Rutherford

The Rutherford Scholarship is given to any Alberta resident who is either a citizen or a landed immigrant whose marks in Grades 10, 11, and/or 12 are in excess of 75% on five selected subjects.

  • This scholarship is applied for in the summer before entering post-secondary.
  • Education Matters is the organization that coordinates a number of scholarships exclusive to students attending CBE or Calgary Catholic schools.


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