Official Guidelines Updated: March 2026
Key Facts for 2025–2026:
The District/Authority Scholarship recognizes 5,500 B.C. high school graduates each year for excellence in their chosen area of achievement. Recipients receive a $1,250 scholarship voucher redeemable for tuition at a designated post-secondary institution or SkilledTradesBC-approved provider. Vouchers are valid for five years. Students do not apply directly to the Ministry — contact your school or district to find out local criteria and how to apply.
The District/Authority Scholarship is a provincial scholarship awarded to 5,500 B.C. high school graduates each year who have demonstrated excellence in their chosen area of achievement. It is part of the B.C. Provincial Scholarships Program, administered by the Ministry of Education and Child Care.
Unlike the BC Achievement Scholarship, which is determined automatically by grades, the District/Authority Scholarship is selected at the local level. The Ministry sets the core eligibility requirements and general guidelines, but each school district and independent school authority determines its own awarding criteria and selects its own conditional recipients. This means the areas of achievement recognized, and what outstanding achievement looks like, can vary from district to district.
How Awards Are Distributed
The 5,500 scholarships are allocated proportionally across school districts and the independent school system through the Federation of Independent School Associations (FISA), based on each district’s September 30 Grade 12 enrolments. Larger districts receive more awards; smaller districts receive fewer. The allocation for each district is published annually by the Ministry.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible, you must meet the core Provincial Scholarships Program requirements as well as the criteria set by your local scholarship committee. All requirements must be met by August 31 of your graduating year.
Core eligibility:
- Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, with that status on record at the school where you registered for Grade 12.
- Be a resident of British Columbia.
- Have been enrolled in the school year for which the scholarship is awarded at one of the following: a B.C. public school (including online learning schools); a Group 1, 2, or 4 B.C. Independent School; a Continuing Education Centre; or registered as a homeschooler with an eligible B.C. school.
- Complete all graduation requirements and be on record as having graduated by August 31 of the award year. You must be eligible for a B.C. Certificate of Graduation (Dogwood Diploma) or a B.C. Adult Graduation Diploma (Adult Dogwood).
Scholarship-specific criteria:
You must also meet the criteria determined by your local district or school authority scholarship committee, including demonstrating outstanding achievement in at least one of the following areas:
| Area of Achievement | Examples |
|---|---|
| Applied Design, Skills, and Technologies | Home economics, technology, tourism, media arts, business education |
| Community Service (Volunteer Activity) | Awareness of local, cultural, or global issues; volunteer contributions |
| Fine Arts | Music, dance, drama, visual arts |
| Indigenous Languages and Culture | Demonstrated at school or community level |
| Languages | AP and IB language courses, external language assessments |
| Physical Activity and Health | Gymnastics, athletics, dance |
| Technical and Trades Training | Robotics, coding, mechanics, woodworking, culinary arts |
Pro Tip:
Because each district sets its own criteria, the standard for “outstanding achievement” varies across B.C. Contact your school counsellor or district office early in your Grade 12 year to find out exactly what your local scholarship committee looks for and what the application process involves in your area.
How to Apply
Students do not apply directly to the Ministry. The application process is managed at the local level and varies by district:
- Public school students — apply through your school or district office. Contact your school counsellor to find out your district’s criteria and application requirements.
- Independent school students — apply through the Federation of Independent School Associations (FISA), which facilitates the process for Groups 1, 2, and 4 independent schools.
Local scholarship committees select conditional recipients, and districts and FISA must submit their lists to the Ministry by June 30 of the award year. The Ministry then checks conditional recipients against the core eligibility requirements before confirming final recipients.
Key Dates
- June 30 — deadline for districts and FISA to submit conditional recipient lists to the Ministry
- September — conditional recipients checked against core eligibility requirements
- November — paper scholarship vouchers mailed to confirmed recipients at the home addresses reported by schools
Only students selected as conditional recipients are notified. If you are expecting a voucher but have not received one by December, log into your Student Transcripts Service (STS) account to check whether a scholarship is listed.
How Much Can You Get?
Confirmed recipients receive a $1,250 scholarship voucher, redeemable for tuition at a post-secondary institution designated by the Province of B.C. (approved for Canada Student Loans) or a post-secondary program provider approved by SkilledTradesBC. Your program must lead to a post-secondary credential.
Vouchers are valid for five years from the date of issue. The expiry date is printed on each voucher, and extensions are not available.
How to Use Your Voucher
Wait until your program has started and tuition has been paid, then submit your voucher to the Ministry along with proof of enrolment and tuition payment. If your institution can stamp and sign the voucher directly, this is the fastest redemption route. Reimbursement is issued as a cheque mailed to your address, with an estimated processing time of approximately eight weeks from receipt of all required information.
Important:
Keep your home address current with your school before you graduate. Paper vouchers are mailed to the address your school has on file with the Ministry. If your address changes after graduation, contact the Provincial Scholarships Program team at scholarships@gov.bc.ca.
Other Financial Aid Options
Whether or not you receive a District/Authority Scholarship, other B.C. and federal programs can help fund your post-secondary education. You may also want to explore the BC Achievement Scholarship, the BC Excellence Scholarship, the B.C. Access Grant for Full-Time Students, Canada Student Grants, and Canada Student Loans.
Ready to find a program? Explore eligible schools today.
