Scholarships
Key dates:
March 15: applications
April 15: announcements of results
July 31: requests for re-assessment
We understand that financing your education can be challenging, but remember, it's an investment in your future. Saint Mary’s is committed to ensuring your success, each year providing $4.2 million in scholarships, bursaries, and awardsforall students – Canadian or international. Scholarships are granted for academic achievement; bursaries and awards are granted for other criteria, such as financial need, but may also require certain academic standards.
This page introduces a number of different sources of funding of particular interest to new students.
Entrance Scholarships – automatic consideration when you apply
Additional entrance scholarships for applicants with very strong high-school results – available even if you have already been granted an entrance scholarship. One application form is used for all.
Named Scholarships and Bursaries donated by family and friends of the University. Apply to all of these at once, using just one form so the selection committee can consider you for any that are appropriate for your situation.
Entrance Scholarships
If you apply to Saint Mary’s before March 15, you will automatically be considered for a renewable entrance scholarship. Saint Mary's University guarantees a minimum total scholarship offer to any high school graduate with a scholarship average of 80% and higher. We base your scholarship average on the five Grade 12 courses required for entrance into your degree program of choice. We will also add one percentage bonus point for each enriched Grade 12 course, Advanced Placement (AP) course, and International Baccalaureate (IB) certificates at a higher level when we calculate your admission average.
If you achieve this average in high school: |
The guaranteed renewable entrance scholarship is: |
95% or more |
$14,000 total value/ $3500 renewable over four years |
90-94% |
$8,000 total value / $2,000 renewable over four years |
85-89.99% |
$4,000 total value / $1,000 renewable over four years |
80 – 84.99% |
$3,500 total value / $500 in first year; $1,000 renewable for three additional years |
|
|
If your anticipated score in the IB diploma program is: |
The guaranteed renewable entrance scholarship is: |
36 or more |
$14,000 total value/ $3500 renewable over four years |
33-35 |
$8,000 total value / $2,000 renewable over four years |
30-32 |
$4,000 total value / $1,000 renewable over four years |
28-29 |
$3,500 total value / $500 in first year; $1,000 renewable for three additional years |
Students who begin their studies in January are eligible to receive 50% of the first year scholarship amount.
Saint Mary's University encourages and rewards continuous improvement. If you have already applied to Saint Mary’s and have been awarded an entrance scholarship, you may still be eligible for reassessment for a higher amount once you have received your final results. Even if you did not initially receive an entrance scholarship, you may still be eligible for reassessment. It is important to request entrance scholarship reassessment from the Admissions Office by July 31.
Scholarships are also available for transfer students! For details on how you may be eligible for those scholarships, go to our transfer students page.
Additional Entrance Scholarships
You may also be eligible for additional entrance scholarships and awards. The entrance scholarships below require separate applications which must be received in the Admissions Office by March 15.
Presidential Scholarships - $36,000 total value/ $9,000 renewable over four years
Santamarian Scholarships - $20,000 total value/ renewable over four years
A limited number of Presidential and Santamarian Scholarships are awarded on the basis of:
- A very high aggregate score (as calculated by the Admissions Office). Successful candidates typically have a Scholarship average of 95% or above. Recipients of these awards will be determined by their overall placement in relation to other candidates.
- A résumé, which should comment on such things as involvement in community service, participation in student government, athletic achievement, extra curricular activities and volunteer and /or paid work.
The Presidential/ Santamarian Recommendation Form.
Students will be considered for these scholarships if all of the above information has been received by March 15.
Presidential International Baccalaureate Scholarship- $36,000 total value/ $9,000 renewable over four years
Recipients of this award will be determined by their overall placement in relation to other Diploma candidates. A candidate's overall ranking will be determined by the Admissions Office.
The International Baccalaureate Scholarship may be awarded on the basis of:
- An overall predictor score of 36 or above
- A résumé with information illustrating community service, participation in student government or athletic achievement.
- An International Baccalaureate Recommendation Form is to be completed by the IB Coordinator once the overall predictor score is available. It must be submitted by the high school IB Coordinator. A minimum grade point average of 3.8 is required for renewal of this scholarship. Diploma candidates will be considered for this scholarship once this form has been submitted to the Admissions Office, Saint Mary's University. Please fax no later than March 15 to 1.902.496.8100.
Named Entrance Scholarship/ Bursary Awards
Saint Mary's University also offers a number of Named Entrance Scholarship/ Bursary awards to potential high school graduates. Submission of the Named Entrance Scholarship/ Bursary application form permits students to be considered for all of the appropriate awards; therefore individual applications are not required.
Follow this link to a complete list of Entrance Scholarships and application forms.
Be sure to include all of the necessary documentation, including a resume, letter of recommendation from a high school Guidance Counselor or Principal, and the application form. Students who wish to be considered on the basis of financial need should also include their parents’ most recent Income Tax Notice of Assessment and a one page statement demonstrating financial circumstances and reasons to be considered for financial need.
Named Entrance Scholarship/Bursary Application Form
The deadline for Named Entrance Scholarship/Bursary consideration is March 15. Only complete applications are considered. Scholarships are announced no later than April 15.
If you have a question about scholarships and admission status, please contact admission.status@smu.ca.