External awards

Awards for doctoral students

Awards for master level students

There are many scholarships, awards, and bursaries that are available through other organizations. These types of award resources (known as external awards) are administered and funded by sponsoring organizations (not by Athabasca University). You must apply for external award competitions following the directions and forms supplied by the sponsoring organization.

The following is a list of awards that are offered by external organizations that you may be eligible for. They are listed in alphabetical order, and then broken into specific categories further down the page.

Accessibility Services

NEADS National Student Awards Award: This is being offered to encourage full access to post-secondary education for persons with disabilities who often have greater barriers to participation in higher education and extra costs because of their disabilities.

Arts/science

Associated Medical Services: AMS continues to support history of medicine as a core programme. However, it wishes to expand this focus to a more interdisciplinary/interprofessional approach and include the history of health care and health services more generally.
Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarships (CGS) and NSERC Postgraduate Scholarships (PGS): Provides financial support to high-calibre scholars who are engaged in master's or doctoral programs in the natural sciences or engineering.
J. Armand Bombardier CGS Masters Award: This program seeks to develop research skills and assist in the training of highly-qualified personnel by supporting students in the social sciences and humanities.

Business

Associated Medical Services: AMS continues to support history of medicine as a core programme. However, it wishes to expand this focus to a more interdisciplinary/interprofessional approach and include the history of health care and health services more generally.
Government Finance Association: Graduate students of public administration, (governmental) accounting, finance, political science, economics, or business.

Environment

Canadian Water Resources Association Awards and Scholarships: CWRA annually offers five scholarships. These scholarships are available to graduate students whose programs of study focus upon applied, natural, or social science aspects of water resources.
Ducks Unlimited Awards: Assist in the development of talented young professionals who are dedicated to furthering the conservation of wetlands and wildlife advance scientific understanding of the biology of waterfowl and wetlands with special emphasis on the Canadian prairies.

Indigenous

AIIC Business Awards: Full-time post-secondary First Nations students.
ATCO Pipelines Indigenous Education Awards Program
Belcourt Brosseau Métis Awards
First Nation, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) NADC Bursary
Indspire: Aboriginal applicants are encouraged to apply.
Osum Spark Awards

Medals

Awards based on academic merit and achievement.

Governor General of Canada Gold Medal

Nursing

Associated Medical Services: AMS continues to support history of medicine as a core programme. However, it wishes to expand this focus to a more interdisciplinary/interprofessional approach and include the history of health care and health services more generally.
Alberta Public Health Association: An honorary life membership is awarded to a person for exceptional service to the association and whose contributions have furthered the APHA in achieving its objectives.
Canadian Lung Association Research: Graduate study in the field that supports respiratory health in Canada. Canadian or permanent resident. The Canadian Lung Association offers grants and fellowships funding to members of the CRHP.
Canadian Indigenous Nurses Association of Canada
Canadian Nurses Foundation: Applicants must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident in Canada. RNs enrolled in a Master of Nursing Program. Non-nurses who are in a nursing program which will qualify them as RNs at the Masters level.
Research-Net: This is an updated list of over 40 awards for Students in Nursing and Health.

Regional

Awards by Province: Select your province and see what is available to you based on your location.
Fulbright Graduate Scholarship: Canadian or American Graduate Students in Canadian or American Studies, Communications Culture, Indigenous issues, International Trade, and Public Policy Issues.
India Studies Fellowships: The purpose of the India Studies Programme is to promote understanding of India in Canada. Academic and Arts Fellowships are tenable for three to twelve months and four to twelve months respectively.
Mackenzie King Travelling Scholarship: The Travelling Scholarship is available to graduates of Canadian universities who pursue graduate study in the United States or the United Kingdom in the areas of international relations or industrial relations.
Mackenzie King Open Scholarship: This is available to graduates of Canadian universities who pursue graduate study in any discipline, in Canada or elsewhere. One Open Scholarship is awarded each year.
Northern Alberta Development Council Bursaries: This North Fund provides over $800,000 in bursaries to university and college students training for jobs in demand in northern Alberta.
Ontario Awards: Plan to be enrolled full-time in an eligible program leading to a masters or doctoral degree at an eligible institution in Ontario.
Peter Elzinga Award: Scholarships are available to residents of Alberta who are currently students and to those residents who are returning to school to further their education.

Search engine

Alberta Learning Information Services Portal: Open to all second year full-time Master's students who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents, and a resident of Alberta.
Universities Canada Awards: Please check this list throughout the year to view the status of Programs and Projects.
Canadian Water Resources Association Awards and Scholarships: CWRA annually offers five scholarships. These scholarships are available to graduate students whose programs of study focus upon applied, natural, or social science aspects of water resources.
Go Abroad: Search Engine for travel scholarships and financial resources.
Canadian Historical Association: This link serves the interests of all history graduate students in Canada with multiple awards.
Graduate Women International: The fellowships and grants offered by GWI and its national affiliates support the research, study, and training needed to open doors to qualify higher and continuing education for women and gilrs throughout the world.
Provincial Search Engine: Select your province and see what is available to you based on your location.
Rhodes Scholarship Trust
Transportation Association of Canada: Check this list for ongoing awards.
Research-Net: This is an updated list of awards for Students in Nursing and Health.
Scholarship Canada Search Engine: A searchable website for Canadian Students.
Student Awards Search Engine: Please register with Student Awards to get access to many awards in Canada and the U.S. that you may be eligible for.

Women

Anita Borg Scholarship from Google: Be a female student entering her senior year of undergraduate study or be enrolled in a graduate program in the 2009-2010 academic year at a university in Canada.
Universities Canada Awards: Please check this list throughout the year to view the status of Programs and Projects.
Canadian Federation of University Women: Eligibility for these fellowships and awards is restricted to women.
Canadian Historical Association: Scholarships for Women
Senior Women Academic Administrators of Canada: This will be awarded annually to the women graduate students who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in the university or general community while maintaining exemplary academic records.
Soroptimist Foundation: Examples include but are not limited to: providing services, providing legal counselling and assistance, counselling mature women entering or re-entering the labour market, counselling women in crisis, counselling and training women.

Awards for undergraduate students

Browse Financial Aid and Awards sections

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Updated August 29, 2025 by Digital & Web Operations (web_services@athabascau.ca)