UBC Centennial Scholarship

Written by Stephanie Pugh and Matthew Tran

The UBC Centennial Scholarship programme helps students who are moving from high school or another post-secondary institution to UBC. New students can apply for a range of one-time and renewable prizes worth up to $80,000 through the programme; it is truly a game-changing scholarship at UBC!

GrantMe has helped countless students apply to The UBC Centennial Scholarship, and has helped them get into their dream schools debt-free. One of our success stories is from Maryam— a UBC Centennial Award winner! To watch Maryam’s full interview, and read about how she won the $80,000 UBC Centennial Award, her biggest challenges, and how she stays motivated, check out the blog linked here!

If you came here to learn more about the UBC Centennial Scholarship, and what to expect on the application, then continue reading below!

Who Can Apply to the UBC Centennial Scholarship?

This program's goal is to provide financial aid to academically competent students who want to engage and contribute to the UBC community but would not be able to do so without considerable financial assistance!

To be considered for the Centennial Scholarship you must align with these eligibility requirements:

• You must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or protected person in Canada.
• You must be entering directly from high school or transferring from another post-secondary institution.
• You must be a strong academic student and meet all UBC admissions requirements.
• You must demonstrate financial need.
• You must apply to a direct-entry undergraduate program at UBC, and not have a previous degree.

Please note that although you can choose between two undergraduate degree options when applying to UBC, your award application can only be reviewed for the campus and degree of your first choice program.

Also, a reminder that the Presidential Scholars Award is not the same as the Centennial Scholars Entrance Award; however, you are permitted to apply for both rewards if you fulfil the eligibility requirements!

How do you apply?

In order to apply for The UBC Centennial Scholars Entrance Award, you will need to:

1. Submit your UBC application by December
2. Complete the UBC Entrance Award Application by December 1st
   1. To access your award application form, send your name, UBC student number (if applicable), high school name, and email address to recruitment.ok@ubc.ca for assistance!

What is in the UBC Entrance Award application?

Once you get your application, it will ask you to deliver the following:

• Your complete Student Application Form
  • A Description of Circumstance Essay (maximum 1,000 words)
  • The purpose of this essay is to provide a statement describing your personal, familial, and financial circumstances to justify your application for the award!
  • You will want to summarize your engagement and contribution to your school, town, or family, as well as your desire to join and contribute to the UBC community. You must also explain how winning the prize would affect your current and future personal status.
  • NOTE: A variety of donor-funded prizes exist to encourage underrepresented groups of persons in Canada to participate in postsecondary education! If you identify with one of these communities, please make sure to provide that information in this description!
    • Need some tips on writing your essay? GrantMe has a one-of-a-kind Essay Editing team and an Essay Wizard that helps you to format a perfect application essay! Interested? Visit our website or take a FREE two-minute quiz to find out what you qualify for!
• Parent/Guardian Form
  • This form is necessary for students who have attended high school within the last 48 months and is used to supply financial information about their families.
  • NOTE: If needed, you can express these financial circumstances in your Description of Circumstance if you are unable to reach your parent/guardian or if you are unable to submit a parent/guardian form.
• Reference Form
  • Your personal reference form should be filled out by someone who is well-versed in your background. They should be a person, not related to you, who is able to speak to your character, your desire to attend UBC, and your financial situation.
  • A coach, an instructor, your counsellor, your administrator, your manager from a job or volunteer role, your family physician, or a community or religious leader are all possible references!
    • Your reference letter may be the difference between making the shortlist and winning the scholarship. Want to ensure you stand out from the crowd with an impactful reference? Read our blog about the 3 Steps To Get A Winning Scholarship Reference Letter!

Need Support with Applying to the UBC Centennial Scholarship?

GrantMe can help your application for the UBC Centennial Scholarship stand out! We can help you succeed through our amazing essay editing team, coaching services from previous scholarship recipients, and more! To understand more about how GrantMe can assist you in achieving your post-secondary objectives, take our scholarship eligibility quiz!