Financial Aid and Awards

BC Residents

If you have lived in BC for at least 12 consecutive months, you are eligible to apply for student loans, grants, bursaries, scholarships, and special programs to help, or cover, the costs of your post-secondary education.

Out-of-province students

If you do not meet StudentAid BC’s residency guidelines, you can still apply for provincial loan programs for the province you last resided in for at least 12 consecutive months. See below for the relevant websites for each province and territory. Be sure to read carefully so you don’t inadvertently delay the process.

If you meet the eligibility requirements listed below, you may be able to earn thousands of dollars in bursaries and scholarships. What’s the difference between a bursary and a scholarship?

Bursaries are awarded based on financial need and reasonable academic standing.

Scholarships are intended to help finance further education and are awarded based on academic merit or excellence. Some scholarships are open to many programs, some are specifically for one program area.

Eligibility Requirements

• You are currently enrolled in a full-time program at the College (60% course load; 40% for students with documented disabilities.)
• If you are not a College of the Rockies student yet but plan to attend, you’ll want to take a look at our entrance scholarships and entrance bursaries and awards.

Entrance Scholarships

With over $50,000 available in entrance awards for domestic students coming to the College for the first time, directly from high school, all available after filling in one form, why wouldn’t you apply? You are eligible to apply for an entrance scholarship if you are a Canadian citizen or Permanent Resident coming to school at the College for the first time, directly from secondary school. Individual awards may have addition criteria.

Entrance Bursary Program

The College of the Rockies Entrance Bursary Program is open to first-year students entering a full-time post-secondary program at College of the Rockies. Bursaries range from $250 to $2,000 for students who demonstrate financial need.

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Entrance Bursary Online Application Form

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Eligibility

To compete for an Entrance Bursary applicants must:

• Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
• Enter a full-time post-secondary program for the first time. Minimum enrolment of a 60% (40% for students with a documented disability) course load
• Demonstrate financial need by applying for a student loan through Student Aid and provide a copy of your Notification of Assessment with the entrance bursary application and/or filling in the budget form provided with the application
• Apply for the Entrance Bursary by the application deadline

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Selection

Entrance Bursaries are awarded based upon:

• Financial need
• Student essays:
  • Briefly describe your academic and career goals. Why did you choose to study at College of the Rockies?
  • Briefly describe the activities in which you have participated as a volunteer in the community at large. For activities in which you took a leadership role, briefly state why it was important for you to assume the role of leader.

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Application Instructions

Essays
Complete the student essays, each a maximum 125 words. It’s best to type your essay in a Word document that you can save. Once you are ready (do not forget to spell check and proofread) “cut” and “paste” the text into the essay section of the application form.

Submit Online Application by July 15, 2026.
Email a copy of your Student Assistance Program Notification of Assessment from your student loan to awards@cotr.bc.ca and/or completed budget sheet on the online application.

College of the Rockies
Financial Assistance and Awards Office
2700 College Way, Box 8500
Cranbrook, BC V1C 5L7
Email: financialaid@cotr.bc.ca