Invest Your Time for Big Rewards

By Kari Sackney

Looking for scholarships may take a bit of effort, but there can be big rewards for those who take time to invest in themselves.

Many awards require an application and the sooner you start, the better. The more scholarships you apply for, the greater your chances are of receiving the money (providing you meet the requirements, of course)! You can reduce the amount of student loans needed for your post-secondary education, or even avoid them altogether.

External awards are offered by many different types of organizations and businesses, and can usually be applied to the post-secondary of your choice. Check with your guidance counsellor, or just do a search online. You can try looking for scholarships offered by your parents’ workplace, clubs and organizations you belong to, and businesses you frequent. Or, you can start with the University of Lethbridge website, where we have links to a number of external scholarships.

Often these applications have an essay component; seek advice from your school counsellor or teacher if you aren’t sure where to begin. When you finish writing the essay, review it, wait a day and review it again to make sure you haven’t missed anything important. Have someone proofread your essay; it may be the deciding factor for the scholarship, you want it to be as strong as possible.

Internal awards are offered by the specific post-secondary institution you apply to, and can only be claimed if you decide to attend that institution. Last year, the University of Lethbridge distributed more than $3.5 million in scholarships and awards to its students!

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at inquiries@uleth.ca or (403) 329-2762. We are always happy to help!

Apply to the University of Lethbridge by June 1st for Fall 2013.