Award Definitions and Policies
Below you will find information on the different Mount Royal award definitions and how awards are administered.
Type of Awards
Scholarship
Scholarships are monetary awards granted to students on the basis of academic achievement and, in some cases, extracurricular activities.
For Mount Royal scholarships, a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.2, or high school average of 80%, is required to qualify unless otherwise specified.Bursary
Bursaries are monetary awards granted to students on the basis of demonstrated financial need.
Emergency bursaries are given to students as a result of urgent, unforeseen circumstances that result in immediate financial need. Marks are not a consideration.
Award
Awards are monetary and/or non-monetary awards that recognize a student's achievement in a course or program that is not solely based on a GPA calculation or financial need.
A student must be in good academic standing to receive an award.
Mount Royal award policy highlights:
- Applications for awards are available online from November 1 to March 1 every academic year
- All scholarships, bursaries and awards are open to Canadian citizens and permanent residents unless otherwise specified by a donor agreement or institutional procedures.
- International students are eligible for entrance and in-course scholarships, nominated awards and emergency bursaries that do not have a residency requirement, unless otherwise specified by a donor agreement or institutional procedures.
- Applicants will be evaluated on work completed in the academic year in which they are submitting their applications.
- There are a small number of awards that are advertised on the Mount Royal award site which require alternate application procedures, including separate application processes and deadlines.
- Mount Royal limits the overall amount of money awarded to a student in scholarships, bursaries and awards to $15,000 in any given academic year. Please refer to the procedures document used to administer Mount Royal awards.
- For the most current listing of awards, please visit the searchable award database.
Award categories
Who should apply?
- Students who are attending Mount Royal for the first time and who will be entering a credit program in the upcoming fall semester; and
- Students who are changing programs or have already graduated from a Mount Royal program and are beginning a new program at Mount Royal in the upcoming fall semester.
In order to be considered for Mount Royal’s entrance awards, you must:
- Apply for admission during the early admission period by February 1 to attend Mount Royal in the fall semester. Students require a Mount Royal admission record in order to apply for awards.
- Enroll as a full-time Mount Royal student. Full-time means you must be registered in at least 9 credits in the fall semester. This will be confirmed after drop/add in the fall.
Application Period:
Applications for awards are available online from November 1 - March 1 every academic year. You can apply for awards as soon as you have applied for admission to Mount Royal and have received a Mount Royal student ID number in your Mount Royal email.
Deadline:
March 1
Who should apply?
Students who are currently attending credit courses at Mount Royal
- To be considered for full-time in-course awards, you need to be completing a minimum of 9 credits per semester in the academic year in which you are applying for awards
- You will be evaluated on your grade point average (GPA) in the academic year in which you are submitting your application
- Evaluation is based on your GPA for the particular academic year of application only unless an award specifies that evaluation is based on your cumulative GPA.
- Awards are payable only to students who will be returning to Mount Royal as a full-time student in the upcoming fall semester. Students who are enrolled in mandatory program co-op, work terms or practicum are also eligible to receive their award.
- Students receiving graduating awards do not need to be returning to Mount Royal in the fall semester following the awards selection. However, they do need to have met the definition of a full-time student, if required, in the year of selection.
Application Period:
Applications for awards are available online from November 1 - March 1 every academic year.
Deadline:
March 1
Who should apply?
If you complete less than a full-time course load (outlined in the sub-categories above) in either the fall or winter semester, you can complete the general award application to be considered for part-time awards. Normally, you must be in attendance for both the fall and winter semesters in order to be eligible.
Who should apply?
Full time students in the Funeral Service Education, Massage Therapy and Personal Fitness Trainer programs through Continuing Education could qualify for bursaries that are open to all programs. Application for these bursaries are through our online general awards application.
Award criteria
Academic Achievement - Includes GPA and academic performance in a class or program. Must meet minimum GPA requirements.
Academic Excellence - Awarded to students with the highest GPA in a course or program.
Financial Need - The guidelines used for a financial need assessment are informed by the guidelines used to administer government student loans. Essentially, financial need will be calculated using the following formula:
Allowable Expenses - Resources = Financial need
Extracurricular Activities - Activities such as volunteerism, athletic participation and roles in student government are examples of extracurricular activities.
Other Criteria - Applicants may be assessed on a variety of other criteria as specified by the award donor. Examples of other criteria include artistic or athletic performance or demonstrated commitment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Do I have to claim my scholarships or bursaries as income on my tax return?
A. As of the 2006 tax year, students are no longer required to report their scholarships, grants and bursaries on their income tax return. These awards are no longer considered taxable income.
Q. Who can I contact if I have a problem with my application?
A. Contact Student Awards, Office of the Registrar for scholarship inquiries.
Q. How and when will I be notified if I am receiving an award?
A. The majority of our award recipients are selected between June to August. If you are selected for an award, you will be notified by an email sent to your Mount Royal email