Scholarships

Alexander Rutherford High School Achievement Scholarship

This scholarship was named in honour of Alexander Rutherford, who had the distinction of being Alberta’s first Premier and Minister of Education. He was known for his strong support of public education, particularly the University of Alberta and his active involvement in community affairs.

Purpose

To recognize and reward academic achievement at the senior high school level and to encourage students to pursue post-secondary studies.

Value

Up to $2,500

Eligibility

Apply once your official high school transcript marks are available and when you are enrolled in full-time post-secondary studies.

Tip!  The requirements for high school transcript marks will vary.  

To receive this scholarship, you must also meet all of these eligibility criteria:

• Be a Canadian Citizen, a Permanent Resident of Canada or Protected Person under Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, (Visa students are not eligible)
• Be an Alberta resident, and to be considered an Alberta resident the following conditions must apply:
  • one parent or legal guardian must have maintained permanent residence in Canada for at least 12 consecutive months immediately prior to the applicant commencing a program of study;
  • applicant has maintained permanent residence in Alberta at least 12-months prior to commencing a program of study;
  • applicant is not eligible to receive a scholarship with respect to any grade unless the applicant or the applicant’s parent(s)/legal guardian were a resident in Alberta throughout the whole of that grade.
• Have completed high school on or after September 30, 1980.
• Be enrolled in a full course load in a designated post-secondary or an apprenticeship program of at least one semester in length.

Please note! You may only be awarded the Alexander Rutherford scholarship once.

Selection

A student must have a minimum combined average based on five designated courses in at least one grade: Grade 10, 11 or 12 as calculated from:

• Alberta Residents; Courses/marks on an official Alberta Transcript of High School Achievement
• Completed High School Outside Alberta; Courses/marks that appear on an official high school transcript attained in another province

Adult High School Equivalency Scholarship

The Adult High School Equivalency Scholarship recognizes and rewards academic achievement in the attainment of high school equivalency and provides an incentive for mature students to continue their education at the post-secondary level.

Value:

Up to 200 awards of $500 each are available.

Eligibility Criteria:

Applicants must:

be a Canadian citizen, a Permanent Resident or Protected Person (visa students are not eligible),
be an Alberta resident, and to be considered an Alberta resident one of the following conditions must apply:
– one parent, or legal guardian has maintained permanent residence in Canada for at least twelve (12) consecutive months immediately prior to commencing post-secondary studies and be residing in Alberta, or
– Alberta is the last place the student has lived for twelve (12) consecutive months immediately prior to commencing post-secondary studies, or
– the student’s spouse/partner is an Alberta resident.
have been out of high school for a minimum of three (3) years before starting a high school equivalency program,
have completed a high school equivalency program after September 1, 1992 in which the applicant obtained an average of at least 80%. If the school issues marks in Grade Point Average (GPA), then a GPA of 3.0 or greater (on a 4.0 GPA scale).
be enrolled full-time in a post-secondary institution in Alberta or elsewhere, and
have obtained a signed nomination by the head of the institution at which the applicant completed their high school
equivalency program.
Application Process:

The applicant must include with their application the following:

an official transcript of the high school equivalency program taken, and
a nomination letter from the institution where the high school equivalency program was completed. The letter must include the date, name and signature of the nominating institution official.

Application Adult High School Equivalency Scholarship
Students will receive their awards after Alberta Student Aid confirms full-time enrollment at a post-secondary institution.

Selection Process:

Recipients are selected based on academic achievement in their high school equivalency program.

Many other scholarships and awards are offered by other organizations – and we encourage you to visit Alberta’s university and college websites to research the scholarships that they offer. For a listing of Alberta’s public post-secondary institutions, visit: https://www.alberta.ca/designated-post-secondary-institutions-alberta.aspx

Alberta Junior Athletic Award

The Alberta Junior Athletic Award recognizes and rewards junior athletes and provides an incentive for athletes to continue with their post-secondary education.

Value:

$1,000 up to $2,000

The award allocation varies, as follows:

Alberta Junior Football teams – 30 awards
Friends of Alberta Junior Hockey Society – 10 awards
Prairie Baseball Academy – 30 awards
Eligibility Criteria:

Applicants must:

be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or protected person (visa students are not eligible),
be an Alberta resident, and to be considered an Alberta resident one of the following conditions must apply:
– one parent, or legal guardian has maintained permanent residence in Canada for at least 12 consecutive months immediately prior to commencing post-secondary studies and be residing in Alberta, or
– Alberta is the last place the student has lived for 12 consecutive months immediately prior to commencing post-secondary studies, or
– the student’s spouse/partner has maintained permanent residence in Alberta for 12 consecutive months prior to the person attending post-secondary.

be enrolled in at least 60% of a full course load for the term.
have a minimum GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.
be a participant in one of the following junior sports teams:
– Alberta junior hockey team
– Alberta junior football team
– Prairie Baseball Academy
Students in upgrading or college preparation programs may be eligible after completing one term of upgrading provided they meet the athletic requirements. Apprenticeship students may be eligible after completing one term of an apprenticeship program.

Application Process:

Submit your application to your team coach. You must include:

a current official transcript, and
an essay outlining your extracurricular activities and future goals.
Selection Process:

Team coaches of the above-designated sports teams in Alberta will nominate and select athletes based on their academic standing, community involvement and athletic achievements. Alberta Student Aid will confirm full-time enrollment prior to issuing payment.

Many other scholarships and awards are offered by other organizations – and we encourage you to visit Alberta’s university and college websites to research the scholarships that they offer. For a listing of Alberta’s public post-secondary institutions, visit: Alberta Post-Secondary Institutions

Anna and John Kolesar Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship honours the memory of Anna and John Kolesar, the parents of Dr. Henry Kolesar, Deputy Minister of Alberta Advanced Education from 1976 to 1987.

Longtime residents of the Millet area, the Kolesars were lifelong advocates of the importance of higher education, providing encouragement and support to all who chose academic pursuits. Originally from Hungary, Anna and John Kolesar arrived in Alberta in 1927, contributing much to their community and province in the many years they lived in Millet. Upon his retirement in 1987, Dr. Kolesar initiated the scholarship with a generous endowment supported by contributions from friends and colleagues.

Value:

One award of $1,500

Eligibility Criteria:

Applicants must:

be a Canadian Citizen, Permanent Resident or Protected Person (visa students are not eligible),
be an Alberta resident, and to be considered an Alberta resident one of the following conditions must apply:
– one parent, or legal guardian has maintained permanent residence in Canada for at least twelve (12) consecutive months immediately prior to commencing post-secondary studies and be residing in Alberta, or
– Alberta is the last place the student has lived for twelve (12) consecutive months immediately prior to commencing post-secondary studies, or
– the student’s spouse/partner is an Alberta resident.
be graduating from an Alberta high school in the current academic year,
be from a family where neither parent obtained a university degree, and
be enrolled full-time in a program of study in an Alberta publicly funded post-secondary institution in a Faculty of Education.
Application Process:

Students must submit completed application forms to Alberta Student Aid.

Application Anna and John Kolesar Memorial Scholarship
The scholarship will be issued after Alberta Student Aid confirms the recipient’s full-time enrolment in a Faculty of Education.

Selection Process:

The recipient will be selected on the basis of academic excellence as calculated from the final standings received in three subjects as recorded on an official Alberta Transcript of High School Achievement. The subjects include:

– One of: English 30, English 30-1, 30-2 or Français 30-1, 30-2, and,
– Any two of the following:

• Pure Mathematics 30 • Biology 30
• Applied Mathematics 30 • Chemistry 30
• Mathematics 31 • Physics 30
• Science 30 • Social Studies 30, 30-1 or 30-2
• Mathematics 30-1, or 30-2 • Or a language at the Grade 12 level other than the one used above
In the event of a tie the applicant with the highest average of Diploma Examination marks for the qualifying courses will be selected.

Many other scholarships and awards are offered by other organizations – and we encourage you to visit Alberta’s university and college websites to research the scholarships that they offer. For a listing of Alberta’s public post-secondary institutions, visit: Alberta Post-Secondary Institutions

Dr. Robert and Anna Shaw Scholarship

This scholarship is named in honour of Dr. Robert and Anna Shaw, pioneers in the Sexsmith area. Dr. and Mrs. Shaw are remembered for their many volunteer commitments to the community including serving on the local Board of Trade, Town Council, School Board, teaching Sunday School and substituting for the minister. They were both willing to provide whatever assistance was needed to help others.

Value:

Three awards of $1,000

Eligibility Criteria:

Applicants must:
• be a Canadian Citizen, Permanent Resident or Protected Person (visa students are not eligible),
• be an Alberta resident, and to be considered an Alberta resident one of the following conditions must apply:

– one parent, or legal guardian has maintained permanent residence in Canada for at least twelve (12) consecutive months immediately prior to commencing post-secondary studies and be residing in Alberta, or
– Alberta is the last place the student has lived for twelve (12) consecutive months immediately prior to commencing post-secondary studies, or
– the student’s spouse/partner is an Alberta resident.

• be a graduate from Sexsmith Secondary School in the current year,
• be enrolled full-time in a post-secondary program related to agriculture, engineering, fine arts, health or the trades, and
• demonstrate a high academic standing in Grade 12.

Application Process:

Applicants must submit a completed application form to Alberta Student Aid.

Application Dr. Robert and Anna Shaw Scholarship
The scholarship will be issued after Alberta Student Aid confirms the recipient’s full-time enrolment at a post-secondary institution.

Selection Process:

The recipient will be selected on the basis of academic excellence as calculated from the final standings received in five eligible Grade 12 courses as recorded on an official Alberta Transcript of High School Achievement.

– One of: English 30, 30-1, 30-2 or Français 30-1, 30-2, and
– At least four of the following Grade 12 courses:

• Mathematics 30-1 • Chemistry 30
• Mathematics 30-2 • Physics 30
• Science 30 • Social Studies 30, 30-1 or 30-2
• Biology 30 • A language other than the one listed above
Many other scholarships and awards are offered by other organizations – and we encourage you to visit Alberta’s university and college websites to research the scholarships that they offer. For a listing of Alberta’s public post-secondary institutions, visit: Alberta Post-Secondary Institutions

Helen and George Kilik Scholarship

This scholarship was established in 1997 as an endowment by the family of Mr. and Mrs. Kilik with the Alberta Heritage Scholarship Fund. The purpose of the scholarship is to assist a student from Olds Junior Senior High School to pursue post-secondary studies and establish a career.

Value:

Two scholarships of $1,000

Eligibility Criteria:

Applicants must:

be a Canadian Citizen, Permanent Resident or Protected Person (visa students are not eligible),
be an Alberta resident, and to be considered an Alberta resident one of the following conditions must apply:
one parent, or legal guardian has maintained permanent residence in Canada for at least twelve (12) consecutive months immediately prior to commencing post-secondary studies and be residing in Alberta, or
Alberta is the last place the student has lived for twelve (12) consecutive months immediately prior to commencing post-secondary studies, or
the student’s spouse/partner is an Alberta resident.
have completed all high school grades at Olds Junior Senior High School,
be in financial need,
be involved in extra-curricular activities,
demonstrate academic achievement particularly in mathematics and science, and
be enrolled in full-time post-secondary studies.
Application Process:

Complete the application form and submit to the main office at Olds Junior Senior High School. Contact Olds Junior Senior High School for the application deadline date.

Application Helen and George Kilik Scholarship
Selection Process:

Recipients will be selected by selection members at Olds Junior Senior High School.

Many other scholarships and awards are offered by other organizations – and we encourage you to visit Alberta’s university and college websites to research the scholarships that they offer. For a listing of Alberta’s public post-secondary institutions, visit: Alberta Post-Secondary Institutions

Jason Lang Scholarship

The scholarship recognizes and rewards Alberta post-secondary students for their academic achievements and encourages them to continue in their undergraduate or professional program of study.

Value:

$1,000

Eligibility Criteria:

To be eligible an applicant must:

Be a Canadian Citizen, Permanent Resident, or Protected Person (visa students are not eligible),
Be an Alberta resident and to be considered an Alberta resident one of the following conditions must apply:
one parent, or legal guardian has maintained permanent residence in Canada for at least 12 consecutive months immediately prior to commencing post-secondary studies and be residing in Alberta, or
Alberta is the last place the student has lived for 12 consecutive months immediately prior to commencing post-secondary studies, or
the student’s spouse/partner has maintained permanent residence in Alberta for 12 consecutive months prior to the person attending post-secondary.
Be enrolled full-time in the second or subsequent year of an undergraduate program at a publicly funded post-secondary institution in Alberta,
Have achieved a minimum Grade Point Average of 3.2 on a 4.0 point scale based on an 80% full course load in the previous fall and winter terms.
Note: A term is defined as a study period of up to 17 weeks in length. Co-op work terms/internships/exchange programs may be eligible as long as these programs are a mandatory component of the undergraduate or professional program.

Students are not eligible for a Jason Lang Scholarship if they:

Are enrolled in a one year certificate program,
Do not return to a publicly funded post-secondary institution in the fall or winter terms of the next academic year,
Are recipients of a Louise McKinney Scholarship for the same period of study, or
Have received the lifetime maximum of three Jason Lang Scholarships.
Nominees must be enrolled at eligible Alberta public post-secondary schools (includes publicly-funded colleges, technical institutes, universities and private colleges accredited to grant degrees). View the full list at:

Publicly Funded Institutions
Application Process:

Submit your completed application form to the Student Awards Office at your educational institution.

Selection Process:

Students who meet the eligibility criteria are nominated by the Student Awards Office at the Alberta post-secondary institution where they currently attend. If the student has transferred from another publicly funded post-secondary institution, the institution they currently attend will confirm the previous year’s eligibility criteria.

Many other scholarships and awards are offered by other organizations – and we encourage you to visit Alberta’s university and college websites to research the scholarships that they offer. For a listing of Alberta’s public post-secondary institutions, visit:
Alberta Post-Secondary Institutions

Persons Case Scholarships

The Persons Case Scholarship was established in 1979 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the ‘Persons Case’.

The scholarship honours the efforts of Alberta’s Famous Five – Emily Murphy, Louise McKinney, Nellie McClung, Irene Parlby and Henrietta Muir Edwards – who fought and won the right for some women in Canada to be considered ‘Persons’.

Value:

There are 40 scholarships of $2,500 each available.

Eligibility Criteria:

Applicants must:

be a Canadian citizen, Permanent Resident or Protected Person (visa students are not eligible),
be an Alberta resident, and to be considered an Alberta resident one of the following conditions must apply:
one parent or legal guardian has maintained permanent residence in Canada for at least twelve (12) consecutive months immediately prior to commencing post-secondary studies and be residing in Alberta, or
Alberta is the last place the student has lived for twelve (12) consecutive months immediately prior to commencing post-secondary studies, or
the student’s spouse/partner has maintained permanent residence in Alberta for 12 consecutive months prior to the person attending post-secondary.
be a full-time student in the fall and winter terms who maintains a minimum 3.0 grade point average at an approved post-secondary institution.

Consideration will be given to undergraduate students studying out-of-province, however, they must identify the special nature of the out-of-province program. Students pursuing graduate studies out-of-province will be given full consideration.
Application Process:

Applicants must include with the application:

an official transcript of most current post-secondary studies,
a written submission outlining how your personal, volunteer, work, or academic experience within the past two years contributes to at least one of the above criteria and to the Persons Case and/or the Famous Five,
a curriculum vitae/resume including your volunteer experience, and
a character reference letter.
Post-secondary students must contact their school to request their official transcripts. Your transcript must have an official signature or seal indicating that the transcript paper is issued by your school/institution. Photocopies and/or faxed copies will not be accepted.

Application Persons Case Scholarships
Selection Process:

Selection members will consider an applicant’s program of studies, academic achievement, written submission and character reference. Students must be enrolled in a program where they will advance gender equality through:

a contribution to one of the following Alberta Culture, Multiculturalism and Status of Women mandate areas: women’s economic security, women’s leadership and democratic participation and/or eliminating violence against women and girls; or

a field of study in which their gender is under-represented or disadvantaged.
Successful recipients will be contacted three months after receiving their award to participate in a survey about the scholarship. This is a competitive scholarship process with a total budget of $100,000.

Many other scholarships and awards are offered by other organizations – and we encourage you to visit Alberta’s university and college websites to research the scholarships that they offer. For a listing of Alberta’s public post-secondary institutions, visit:
Alberta Post-Secondary Institutions