Scholarships & awards

Information for future students

Students sitting in the lobby inside the McNally Main building

Entrance Scholarships, Bursaries and Awards

Saint Mary’s University rewards academic excellence with a competitive entrance scholarship program. Students who apply by and are admitted by February 15 for the September intake will be assessed for entrance scholarships within the applicant candidate pool. Admissions Awards require a separate application and are awarded based on factors including academic merit, financial need and/or community and extracurricular involvement.

Questions about becoming a Saint Mary's student and applying for entrance awards can be sent to the Recruitment Office by contacting recruitment@smu.ca.

Entrance Scholarships

Students who apply by February 15 for the September intake will be assessed for entrance scholarships within the applicant candidate pool. Scholarships are competitive and are based on academic merit.

Students applying to Saint Mary's through a tuition reduction program (e.g. NSISP, CAIS) are not eligible for entrance scholarships.

Admissions Awards

In addition to the Entrance Scholarships described above, Saint Mary's offers many scholarships, bursaries and awards for new students. There are also that have been established with the support of alumni, staff, community members and businesses.

Students must have a completed undergraduate application and be accepted (or admissible) by the February 15 deadline to be considered for Admissions Awards. These scholarships include our Presidential and Santamarian scholarships.

As Admissions Awards have been established to meet a variety of student needs, there are different eligibility criteria, such as community involvement, extracurricular activities, academic achievement or financial need. Students can fill out one application and provide supporting documentation as requested to be considered for one of the awards.

Requirements

  • Must be a new student entering an undergraduate degree at Saint Mary’s University directly from high school.
  • Must have a completed undergraduate application and be accepted (or admissible) by February 15.

Application Instructions

The application is in 3 parts:

Part 1 (Required): Admissions Award Application

      • Required for all applicants. No supporting documents are required.

Part 2 (Optional): Financial Need-Based Admissions Awards

      • Only required if you wish to be considered for Admissions Awards that take into consideration the applicant's financial need.
      • Must submit a personal statement of financial need.

Part 3 (Optional): Presidential/Presidential International Baccalaureate/Santamarian Scholarships & Sobey National Innovator Scholarships

      • Only required if you wish to be considered for these specific scholarships. The eligibility criteria and application supporting documents are described below.

Application Deadline and Awarding Decisions

The application for 2025 Admissions Awards will be open from November 1, 2024 at 9 a.m. until February 15, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. AST. Only applications received during this time will be considered. Early or late submissions will not be reviewed. If the same individual applies more than once, we will use the most recently submitted application.

Only those who have been selected to receive an Admissions Award will be contacted.

Presidential/Presidential International Baccalaureate/Santamarian Scholarships

Domestic and international high school applicants with an admission average of 95% or higher, or an IB result of 36+, should apply for the Presidential Scholarship, the Presidential International Baccalaureate Scholarship, and the Santamarian Scholarship. 

Application

  • Complete Parts 1 & 3 of the Admissions Awards Application.
  • Submit a 750-word personal essay based on your community involvement, contribution to school life and plans for the future. This could include participation in student government, athletic achievement, extra-curricular activities, volunteer and/or paid work.

Renewal

In your first year, a grade point average of 3.70 in a minimum of 24 credit hours between September and April is required for renewal of the scholarship.

In your second and third year, for students admitted in January 2023 or later, a grade point average of 3.70 in 30 credit hours is required between May and April for renewal.

Sobey National Innovator Scholarships for Bachelor of Commerce Students

We are pleased to offer 10 renewable entrance awards valued at $50,000 over 4 years awarded annually. These scholarships will be presented to exceptional students from across Canada in recognition of their accomplishments and as encouragement and support for their success in the Sobey School of Business.

The initial scholarship in academic year one is $20,000. The renewal value in academic years 2-4 is $10,000 per year. The total value of the scholarship over four years is $50,000. These awards are open to those accepted applicants with a 90% or higher admission average or a minimum IB Diploma score of 36.

Application

  • Complete Parts 1 & 3 of the Admissions Awards Application.
  • Submit a 750-word personal essay based on your community involvement, contribution to school life and plans for the future. This could include participation in student government, athletic achievement, extra-curricular activities, volunteer and/or paid work.
  • Submit a copy of your resume.
  • Provide a letter of recommendation from your high school principal, guidance counsellor or teacher.

Renewal

This scholarship is renewable if the student recipient achieves the university academic requirement for scholarship renewal as it may change from time to time.

For more information, visit the Sobey National Innovator Scholarships page. 

 

Admissions Awards requiring a separate application

Harrison McCain Scholarship/Bursary

Open to any high school student in Canada, with preference given to Canadian citizens and/or permanent residents. The criteria for the awards include a minimum 80% average in their senior year of high school, demonstrating financial need, leadership qualities and a recognized initiative in funding their own education.

Tribe Network Award

The Tribe Network Award is a Nova Scotia provincial government-funded program to align Computer Science programs at Saint Mary’s University with initiatives to develop pathways for Black and Indigenous youth, with a particular focus on engaging African Nova Scotian and Mi’kmaq youth participating in programming through the Tribe Network and associated partners. The Tribe Network is a community of racialized people pursuing entrepreneurship and innovation. Their mission is to foster a culture of leadership, collaboration, creativity, and growth for racialized individuals. 

Award Criteria: 

  • Be an incoming student that meets undergraduate admission requirements to a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Commerce program, with an intended major in Computer Science or Computing and Information Systems
  • Self-identify as Black (African Nova Scotian, African Canadian or Black Immigrants) or Indigenous (First Nation, Métis, Inuit)
  • Participation in Computer Science or Entrepreneurship programming between the Tribe Network, Saint Mary’s Entrepreneurship Centre, and associated partners.

This award can be renewed for up to three years, provided the recipient maintains the eligibility criteria as listed on the application.

How to apply:

  1. Submit online application. 
  2. In 250 words (maximum one page) tell us about your interest in Computer Science and your connection to community.  You should also include what receiving this scholarship would mean for your academic and career development.
  3. Your resume (this will help with matching applicants to internship opportunities).

After submitting the online application please email your write-up and your resume to financial.aid@smu.ca with "Tribe Network Award Application" as the subject line.  

Deadline:

Committee:
Award selection will be determined by representatives from the Tribe Network, Saint Mary's University and associated partners.

Students recipients will have access to a subsidized internship at the end of their first year of study at Saint Mary's University.  Management of the internship program will be through the Office of Innovation and Community Engagement with oversight by the AVP Research & Dean, Graduate Studies & Research. 

Techsploration Science Award

Techsploration gratefully acknowledges the generosity of Saint Mary’s University in providing a renewable $2,000 scholarship to young women and non-binary people pursuing a Science, Technology or Engineering Degree. Applicants may include Techsploration Alumni as well as all female and non-binary grade twelve graduates of Techsploration schools in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

Applicants must be accepted into a Saint Mary’s University science, engineering or technology program as full-time students (30 credit hours). In order for the scholarship to be renewed, the student must maintain full-time status each academic year.

This scholarship will be evaluated by the Director of Admissions, Saint Mary’s University in consultation with Techsploration and will be awarded based on a combination of:

  • Academic achievement: 80% average upon leaving high school (in order for the scholarship to be renewed on an annual basis a minimum of 3.0 GPA must be maintained)
  • One page essay (see application for details)
  • Completion of the Techsploration Science Award application

If more than one candidate is identified as a finalist, we may consider financial need as further criteria.

The scholarship is valued at $2,000 per year and is renewable on an annual basis.

Applications must be received by the Award Committee by May 31. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

The Bahamas Ministry of Education / Saint Mary’s University Scholarship

Saint Mary’s University is pleased to partner with the Bahamas Ministry of Education on this scholarship.

The objective of this award is to provide an opportunity for a public-school student in the Bahamas that might otherwise not have an opportunity to complete a university degree. Both parties believe the award should be given to students who clearly demonstrate financial need and academic merit.

Eligibility

  • Students must be accepted into a full-time, undergraduate degree program at Saint Mary’s University
  • Any person in their final year at a public secondary school in The Bahamas
  • Should be 16-20 years at the time of application
  • Must have a 95% admission average 
  • Must be a national of The Bahamas
  • Must demonstrate financial need
  • A minimum of a 2.0 GPA is required for renewability

Value of award

  • One award annually of $24,000 CAD per year (renewable to a maximum of $96,000 CAD per student)

Application

David Wang Scholarship

Saint Mary’s University gratefully acknowledges the generosity of Mr. David Wang in providing eight scholarships per year to academically talented Chinese students enrolled in a Canadian curriculum high school in China.

Eligibility

  • Enrolled (Grade 12) in a Canadian curriculum high school in China
  • 80% or higher admission average
  • Letter of recommendation from a high school Counselor, Principal or Teacher
  • A 500-750 word essay (in English) outlining why you wish to study in Canada, and at Saint Mary’s University
  • A minimum 2.5 GPA (and full-time enrolment at Saint Mary’s University) is required for renewal

Value of awards

  • Eight awards annually, valued at $5,000 CAD per year/per student (to a maximum of $20,000 CAD per student).

The award will be applied directly to student tuition in two installments per year (the first in September and the second in January). To be eligible, students must be enrolled in full-time undergraduate degree studies, or Intensive English Language Programs at The Language Centre (at Saint Mary’s University).

Application deadline

  • The David Wang Scholarship Application (along with essay and reference letter) must be received by April 1. Students must be accepted or conditionally accepted (for undergraduate degree studies) by Saint Mary’s University before applying for these awards.