Accessing Funding for Indigenous Students

Securing funding for your education as a First Nations, Métis, or Inuit student can be a confusing process. Because there are specific funding options available to you, it may be harder to find documentation or resources on how to actually get this funding. That’s why we’ve compiled this brief guide on getting education funding for indigenous students.

Indigenous students have access to many of the same funding options as other students such as OSAP, scholarships, bursaries and grants, and they can also get funding specific to their band or community. Our goal is to give you the information you need to access any and all of the funding that’s available to you. Let’s start with band funding.

First Nation or Indigenous Band, organization or community funding

Step 1. Determine if you’re eligible for education funding for Indigenous students

Indigenous Services Canada provides funding to First Nations and Indigenous-designated organizations for post-secondary education. The individual First Nations and organizations set the selection criteria to determine who will receive education funding. You may also receive partial funding. Typically, students who receive funding must maintain good academic standing. This can mean different things but typically comes in the form of minimum GPA policies.

Note that each organization also has priorities to determine who will be considered for funding first. There is often high demand and funding is limited so not all students get funding. Students who are graduating from high school and those who are continuing their studies from the previous year are typical priorities for funding. To determine your eligibility, you’ll need to contact your First Nation or Indigenous organization. If you’re not sure, you can contact your regional Indigenous Services Canada office by selecting your region. Once you get in touch with your First Nation or Indigenous organization, make sure to get the following information:

• Who is eligible for funding? What do I need to do to be eligible and how are students prioritized if there is more demand than funding available?
• What is the deadline to apply for funding?
• How do I apply for funding? What documentation do I need to submit?
• What is the process after I’ve applied? When will I hear back and what do I need to do once I hear back?

Step 2. Determine deadlines to apply for funding for Indigenous students  

First Nations or Indigenous organizations will set the application deadlines, meaning you’ll need to get this information directly from the organization you’re applying to for funding, as noted above.  

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Step 3. Apply and submit your documentation

Follow your indigenous organization’s application steps. Most First Nation or Indigenous organizations require you to submit your Ontario Secondary School Diploma as proof of high school graduation to receive your first year of funding. To continue funding for later years of post-secondary study, you’ll likely need to submit a transcript and/or confirmation of your registration each semester. You can get your unofficial transcript and schedule on WebAdvisor or get your official transcript and verification of enrollment by submitting a request through the Office of the Registrar.

If you aren’t eligible or don’t get accepted to receive funding, there are still options. Skip to the next section.

Step 4. Receive Your Funding

Once your application has been accepted, there are a few things you should know about receiving your funding at Fanshawe. Your First Nation or Indigenous organization must email your sponsorship letter to the Fanshawe Student Fees department at fees@fanshawec.ca, including the details of your sponsorship such as the start and end dates of your sponsorship, student I.D., sponsorship coverage, etc. Your Indigenous organization will let you know if they will send you the funds to forward to your school or if they will pay your school directly.

Some fees may not be covered by your sponsor and it will be your responsibility to cover these.

Late Fees

Students are responsible for all fees that are not covered by their sponsor. Late service charges and interest will continue to apply for all fees not covered by the First Nation or Indigenous organization. A portion will be waived once your account is paid. If you are approved for funding and have provided the Fanshawe Student Fees department with your sponsorship letter and are concerned about late fees, reach out to the Institute of Indigenous Learning ahead of time for more information.

Direct Deposit

If you’re eligible for a monthly allowance as part of your funding, ask if direct deposit is available. This will make receiving this allowance much easier.

Health & Dental Opt-Outs

If you already have healthcare coverage, you may wish to opt out of your student health and dental benefits. If you have a Secured Certificate of Indian Status, you can provide this as proof of coverage under the Non-Insured Health Benefits program. To opt out of health and dental coverage, students must first pay full-time incidental fees and then reach out by email to their student association prior to the 10th day of term. Please review the Fanshawe Student Union’s health plan opt-out instructions. Note that this process is only available during the opt-out period. If granted, the student association will refund you via direct deposit.

Indigenous Scholarships, Bursaries and Grants

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If you don’t receive First Nation or Indigenous organization funding, you still have options! While bank loans and OSAP can make paying for your education easier, scholarships, bursaries and grants differ from loans in that you don’t have to pay them back–usually; be sure to confirm the specific terms of funding as there might be exceptions.

Here is a short list of First Nation, Métis and Inuit bursaries, grants, scholarships and tools to find funding.

• The Métis Student Bursary Program provides education funding for Métis students at Fanshawe and 42 other post-secondary institutions. You can apply here in the fall, after registration and you can reapply each year once you're registered for school. Recipients are announced in the winter.
• The Indigenous Student Bursary can range from $1,000 to $3,500 and is available to those who have self-identified as an Indigenous person and have a secured certificate of Indian status. At Fanshawe, this bursary is available for students registered with our Institute of Indigenous Learning who are currently enrolled in a full-time, part-time or apprenticeship program. Students must also demonstrate financial need and meet Ontario Residency and Canadian Citizenship criteria. Learn more on Fanshawe’s bursary portal.
• The Indigenous Bursaries Search Tool will help you identify additional bursary opportunities that are relevant to you.
• Indspire provides information and options for scholarships, grants and bursaries for Indigenous students.

Be sure to investigate other scholarships, bursaries and grants! Check out all of Fanshawe’s bursary opportunities and explore Fanshawe’s scholarship opportunities. You may also find funding specific to your program, area of study or post-secondary institution. Learn more about scholarships, bursaries and awards or our entrance opportunities. You can also search for scholarships on Scholarships Canada.

OSAP, Loans and Jobs

We recommend reviewing our in-depth overview of all funding options to get all the details, but we’ve included some quick notes below.

• OSAP: a loan provided by the federal and provincial government for Ontarians. Loans need to be repaid, but OSAP can sometimes include grants that do not have to repaid if you meet the required conditions. Apply for OSAP even if you don’t think you’re eligible - if you qualify for OSAP, you may also qualify for other scholarships, grants, bursaries or awards based on financial need. Also, be sure to apply before the deadline! Learn more about OSAP.
• Student Line of Credit: a loan offered by a bank or credit union that must be paid back. You will need to pay minimum monthly interest payments on the amount you’ve borrowed and eventually, on the principle. Learn more about student lines of credit.
• Employment: Getting a part-time job can help offset the cost of your post-secondary education. Each student has a career consultant who can help you get there!

Be sure to also review our blog on the Top 5 Sources of Student Financial Assistance in Canada! 

Questions? Connect with us!