Official Guidelines Updated: Sept 2026
Key Facts:
The BC Achievement Scholarship recognizes the 8,000 B.C. high school graduates with the top academic achievement each year. Recipients receive a $1,250 scholarship voucher redeemable for tuition at a designated post-secondary institution or SkilledTradesBC-approved provider. No application is required — recipients are determined automatically based on school records. Vouchers are valid for five years.
The BC Achievement Scholarship is a provincial scholarship that recognizes high school graduates with the top academic performance in their graduation year. It is part of the B.C. Provincial Scholarships Program, administered by the Ministry of Education and Child Care. No application is needed — recipients are identified automatically based on grades reported by their schools.
The scholarship is awarded to the 8,000 B.C. graduates with the highest average across the grades 10–12 courses used to meet provincial graduation requirements (including electives). Because the B.C. curriculum is flexible and students graduate with different course combinations, the average used for this scholarship is unique to each student and differs from a GPA or overall school average.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for the BC Achievement Scholarship, you must meet all of the following by August 31 of the scholarship award year (award years run September 1 to August 31):
- 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 during 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
- Registered as a homeschooler with an eligible school in B.C.
- Complete all B.C. graduation requirements and be on record as having graduated by August 31 of the award year.
- Have no more than one Transfer Standing (TS) or Standing Granted (SG) reported among the course marks used to satisfy graduation requirements, regardless of the credit value of those courses.
- Have a final percentage of at least 73% (a “B”) reported for the course used to meet the Language Arts 12 graduation requirement. This mark is also used as the tiebreaker if needed.
Important:
There is no fixed percentage that guarantees this scholarship. Because 8,000 students are selected from across the entire graduating cohort each year, the required average varies annually. It is possible for students with high marks to not make the cut. If there is a tie for the 8,000th position, it is broken using the final percentage in the Language Arts 12 graduation course.
How Recipients Are Determined
Your school reports your eligibility and final grades to the Ministry of Education and Child Care. This includes a “C” indicator in the school’s student information system confirming you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. If that indicator is missing, you won’t be considered.
For every eligible graduate, an average is calculated automatically from the final percentages in the courses used to meet graduation requirements. Extra courses beyond the required credits are not counted. The 8,000 graduates with the highest averages receive the scholarship. If there is a tie for the last spot, it is broken using the Language Arts 12 percentage.
How Much Can You Get?
Each recipient receives a $1,250 scholarship voucher. The voucher is used to claim reimbursement from the Ministry of Education and Child Care for tuition already paid at an eligible institution. Vouchers are valid for five years from the date of issue — an expiry date is printed on each voucher, and extensions are not available.
Key Dates
- August 31 — deadline for schools to update student records with the Ministry
- November — paper scholarship vouchers mailed to recipients at the home addresses reported by schools; notifications also posted to the Student Transcripts Service (STS)
If it is December or later and you graduated that year but have not received a voucher, log into your Student Transcripts Service (STS) account to check whether a scholarship is listed. If none appears, you were not among the 8,000 recipients for that year.
Pro Tip:
Make sure your school has your current home address on file before you graduate. Paper vouchers are mailed to the address your school reported to the Ministry. If your address changes after graduation, contact the Provincial Scholarships Program team at scholarships@gov.bc.ca so your voucher reaches you.
How to Use Your Voucher
Once your post-secondary program has started and you have paid at least $1,250 in tuition, you can redeem your BC Achievement Scholarship voucher for reimbursement. The institution must be designated by the Province of B.C. (approved for Canada Student Loans) or a post-secondary program provider approved by SkilledTradesBC.
Write your Social Insurance Number, email address, and mailing address (if changed) on the voucher. If your institution stamps and signs it, that’s all you need to submit. Otherwise, include an official receipt or account summary showing your name, institution, program start date, and tuition paid. Submitting online is fastest, and your reimbursement cheque arrives in about eight weeks.
Other Financial Aid Options
Whether or not you receive a BC Achievement Scholarship, there are other B.C. and federal programs that can help fund your post-secondary education. When you apply for a B.C. student loan through StudentAid BC, you are automatically assessed for the B.C. Access Grant and the Canada Student Grant for Full-Time Students. You may also want to explore Canada Student Loans, Federal Student Scholarships, and Federal Student Bursaries.
Ready to find a program? Explore eligible schools today.
