Scholarships

At Briercrest, we recognize that your education is an investment in your future and we want to help make our education as accessible as possible to you.  We have a number of awards, scholarships, and bursaries available to both incoming and continuing students. Discover more about the awards we have available and how to apply below.

Take note of the application deadlines listed below to make sure your application is in before the deadline. Unfortunately, applications submitted after the deadline won’t be considered that round of award distributions.

2024-25

New Students

• Opening date: February 1, 2024
• Closing deadline: March 1, 2024 (notification by March 31, 2024)
• Final deadline:  April 30, 2024 (notification by May 31, 2024)

Continuing Students

• Opening date: February 1, 2024
• First deadline: March 1, 2024 (notification by March 31, 2024)
• Final deadline:  April 30, 2024 (notification by May 31, 2024)

The following awards require reference forms. If a student has requested a reference from you, please complete the appropriate form and submit it by the award application deadline.

• President's Scholarship reference form - due March 1, 2024

General Criteria (unless otherwise noted)

Each student who would like to be considered for an award from Briercrest College and Seminary must submit a completed application form by the stated deadlines and declare all information to be accurate to the best of his or her knowledge.

• Official acceptance to Briercrest College (pending final official transcript review), meeting Briercrest College and Seminary admissions requirements.
• Students applying for all scholarships/bursaries/awards are required to complete the application by the stated deadline each year.
• Students are required to study on-campus except when fulfilling Intercultural Studies program internship requirements (Distance Education, Kaléo and study abroad do not qualify).
• Students are required to have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher.*
• Students are required to maintain a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester in the year the scholarship is awarded to maintain eligibility. Enrolment in less than 12 credit hours per semester will result in termination of the award.*
• Students completing a BA program,who are eligible for spring graduation, may maintain eligibility with a minimum of 9 credit hours per semester.
• Returning students (12+ credit hours) must declare a program.
• Students must meet criteria of the specific scholarship or bursary.
• Students are required to exhibit financial need for bursaries.
• Students must maintain good standing in all areas in the year awarded.

*With the exception of certain scholarships. Exceptions are noted in those specific award criteria.

Award amounts vary. Not all scholarships/bursaries are awarded every year.

If you would like further assistance, please contact the student financial adviser at 1-800-645-2275 or  studentfinance@briercrest.ca.

Scholarship

Awarded on the basis of academic excellence toward which secondary criteria may be applied.

Award

Awarded on the basis of academic proficiency toward which secondary criteria may be applied.

Bursary

Awarded on the basis of demonstrated financial need, provided the student has met the requirement for satisfactory academic standing, toward which secondary criteria including academic achievement may be applied.

Open

Awarded to all categories of students, including new post-secondary, transfer and in-course students in high school, college, or seminary as specified in the award description.

Academic Excellence

Student must achieve and maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA or higher

Academic Proficiency

Student must achieve and maintain a 2.3 cumulative GPA or higher

Secondary Criteria

Additional requirements as specified in the award description

Full-tuition limit

Financial awards that do not exceed the dollar value of a student's tuition per semester. This limit does not include fees, room and board, or textbooks.

New student

New college student who has been accepted or any new transfer student - students who entered Briercrest College in the winter semester are considered new students in the following fall.

Continuing student

College student who has enrolled in the previous 5 terms (i.e., any term within two academic years), completed a minimum of 12 credit hours at BCS (including modular and Distance Education courses), and is continuing in a program of studies at BCS or a re-entry student who is returning to studies after a two year absence.

Continuing student year of study

In determining year of study include the credit hours you are currently registered in to determine your completed hours total. Transfer students should include the transfer credits that have been applied to their program.

2nd year

24-59 credit hours completed

3rd year

60-89 credit hours completed

4th year

90+ credit hours

Senior student

A student who has completed 60+ credit hours.

Independent/Dependent Student

Please see Scholarship Policy - Financial Need Calculation

• List of Awards - New College Students

• List of Awards - Continuing College Students (pdf)

• List of Awards - Open to College, Seminary and/or Briercrest Christian Academy Students

Every year millions of dollars of scholarship and bursary money is not awarded because students have not applied for it. Some students have had success applying for awards they do not qualify for because no one else applied and the awards need to be disbursed. Applying takes time and effort, you may get many rejections for every scholarship or bursary you get, but the result could be money you would not have to pay back.

• ScholarshipsCanada
• CanLearn
• Student Awards
• Foster Children Bursary
• Indspire (awards available for First Nation, Inuit and Métis students)
• The Free Methodist Church

Provincial Awards

• Alberta - Alexander Rutherford Scholarship
• Saskatchewan - SK Advantage Scholarship
  note: a Consent to Release Information form must be submitted to the Student Finance Office in order to be eligible for this program.

Briercrest College and Seminary Awards are adjudicated through the Scholarships and Awards Committee.

Award Limits

As a general rule, an attempt is made to limit the total value of Briercrest awards (scholarships, bursaries, awards, discounts and rebates) offered to any one student to a sum that does not exceed a total equivalent to the value of tuition assessed during the academic year. This limit does not include awards received from organizations external to Briercrest College and Seminary.

Pool A

• Awards, bursaries, or scholarships awarded through the scholarship application

Pool B

• Student-athlete scholarships
• Married Student Discount

Pool C

Awards

• Student Leader Awards
• Student Government Awards
• Leadership Awards

Rebates

• Senior Dorm Rebate
• Student Life Fee Rebate

Definition of Limits:

• Students may accept/receive one award maximum from Pool A
• Students are eligible to receive awards from Pool A and B to a maximum of full tuition
• Awards and rebates in Pool C may be in addition to awards received from Pool A and/or B beyond the stated maximums

Deferment

Briercrest College and Seminary does not allow awards to be deferred. Should an award recipient not attend in the award year, the student is welcome to apply in future years.

Payment of Awards

Unless stated otherwise in an award's criteria, the monetary value of an award is applied toward payment of the recipient's tuition and fees at the end of September. Awards over $1000 are paid in two installments, one half in September and the balance at the end of January. Eligibility will be reviewed prior to the funds being placed on the student's account.

Loss of Award

Should a student fail to meet the eligibility requirements of the award, the student will be notified in writing by the Student Finance Office. Students will not be required to repay amounts previously placed on the student's account but will not be granted future disbursements of the award. Exception: student-athlete scholarships. Student-athletes please refer to your signed Scholarship Agreement for further details.

Appeal Process

Financial Aid appeals follow the Academic Review and Appeal Process found in the College Calendar.

Financial Need Calculation

Step 1. Determine student status

Independent Student Definition

• Student's parent(s), guardian(s) or sponsor are deceased or have disappeared
• Student is married or a single parent with dependent children
• Student has been out of high school for at least 4 years (48 months) i.e., for 2013 awarding graduated prior to 2009
• Student has been working full-time for 2 or more periods of 12 consecutive months
• Student is widowed, divorced or separated

Dependent Student Definition

• Student has never been married
• Student does not have children
• Pursuing education within four years of graduating from high school (i.e., for 2013 awarding, graduated after 2010)

Step 2. Calculate cost of attendance based on education costs + living costs

Independent Student - a monthly amount per dependent will be factored into the calculation

Step 3. Calculate Income

Independent Student - spousal income will be considered
Dependent Student - parental income will be considered

Step 4. Final Calculation

Total Expenses minus total income = financial need
BCS financial need calculation is based on the Saskatchewan Student Loan Administrative Guidelines.

Briercrest College and Seminary (BCS) reserves the right to change any of the policies of BCS at any time, including those relating to admission, instruction, and graduation. The right to withdraw curricula, and specific courses, alter course content, change the calendar, and to add or increase fees is similarly reserved. All such changes are effective at such time as the proper authorities determine and may apply not only to prospective student but also to those currently enrolled at BCS.