Financial Support
At Laurier, we strongly encourage all Indigenous students, including those receiving sponsorship, to apply for scholarships and bursaries.
Here's a step-by-step guide on how you can access these opportunities:
Step 1: Submit an Online Student Portal in LORIS
Indigenous students, including sponsored students, are encouraged to complete the Online Student Portal in LORIS. This step is essential for consideration in competitive scholarships, awards, and donor-supported bursary opportunities. By completing this form, you will automatically be considered for relevant awards that match your criteria.
Step 2: Become a Verified Indigenous Student
All financial awards specifically designed for Indigenous students are only available to those who have completed the Indigenous verification process. If you haven't initiated the verification process yet, you can still complete the online portal to receive general financial aid.
Step 3: Explore and Apply for Indigenous Student Scholarships and Bursaries
You can use the Laurier search engine on LORIS by searching “Indigenous” to find internal scholarships you are eligible for. Many of Laurier’s scholarships require you to complete a student profile at the beginning of each school year.
Here are some Indigenous-specific awards that you can look into:
- Cherry Awards
- Doris Bragg Scholarship for Clinical Excellence
- Grundy Scholarship
- Hogarth Family Foundation Fund Bursary
- John and Susan Bowey Bursary
- John and Susan Bowey Part-Time Bursary
- Kathleen Lyne Social Work Endowment Fund
- Khal Hosein and Family Indigenous Bursary
- Marie M Tizzard Memorial Bursary
- One Dish One Spoon Bursary
- Social Work Indigenous Student Prize
- Tehonatawnry Award
- William Mann Indigenous Bursary
- Wunska Bursary Fund
- Yethihretsay:rons Bursary
Step 4: Explore and Apply for Additional Student Financial Support
For additional financial support, here are some awards and bursaries that you can look into.
SUNDANCe Indigenous Award
Application deadline: March 2025
The SUNDANCe Indigenous Award was established to recognize First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students who give back to their communities.
Granted to full-time Indigenous students who are attending Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo Lutheran Seminary, the University of Waterloo, Conrad Grebel College, Renison College, St. Jerome's College, United College and the University of Guelph.
External Awards
Indigenous Bursary Search Tool
The Indigenous bursaries search tool is a searchable list of 537 bursaries, scholarships and incentives aimed at Indigenous students across Canada.
Indspire – Building Brighter Futures
Indspire is a hub for scholarships for FNMI peoples. Successful futures are created through hard work, creativity, and perseverance. Each one of us has a unique potential to achieve, and for First Nation, Inuit, and Métis students, Indspire is here to help make that happen. Indspire provides hundreds of scholarships, bursaries and awards to thousands of Indigenous students every year.
Deadline to apply: Feb. 1, June 1, Nov. 1
Future Generations (FG) Foundation
The goal of the FG Foundation is to help First Nations, Métis people and communities address the impacts of the Indian residential school's system, and to provide resourcing to create meaningful opportunities that improve the quality of life for First Nations and Métis people. Apply as an Individual to receive support for financing your education.
Deadline: June each year (check the FG Foundation website for specific dates)
Band Funding
If you receive funding from your First Nations Band or the Métis Nation to cover tuition, books, living expenses, and more, you are considered a sponsored student.