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Irving K. Barber B.C. Scholarship Society – International Scholarships

There’s no denying that Canada overall, and British Columbia in particular, have a ton of excellent post-secondary schools between them that you can choose to pursue higher education. However, there are instances when you might want to study abroad or complete a part of your course or work experience/internship outside of Canada. In such instances, Irving K. Barber B.C. Scholarship Society – International Scholarships can be of great help. 

Divided into two different scholarships – One World International Scholarships and Premier’s International Scholarships – you can apply for the one that suits your case better. The One World International Scholarships are awarded to those who take an active part in study or work abroad programs; while the Premier’s International Scholarships are given to students who have an exceptional academic record along with a good sense of the impact of a globally literate citizenry on our society. 

The latter scholarship is for credential granting study abroad, and the former is for programs that offer the opportunity for experiential learning (cultural training or language) or that add to the credits of a student’s BC academic credentials. 

Now that we’ve got the basics out of the way, let’s dive into the other important details of these scholarships –

Eligibility Criteria 

The eligibility criteria for both international scholarships under this program are different. You’ll find the individual breakdown of each below –

One World International Scholarship

  • First and foremost, you need to be a citizen or a permanent resident of Canada. You can also apply if you’re a refugee or a protected person living in the country.
  • You should also be a resident of British Columbia, having lived primarily in the province for a minimum of 12 continuous months before the date of your full-time enrollment into the program you’re taking this scholarship for. 
  • You should also be actively involved in your school’s and community’s programs and should have sound academic achievement, both of which can be verified with two references. 
  • You must be enrolled in a full-time course in a British Columbia public post-secondary school for at least a year before applying.
  • You should have been accepted into an international program that’s considered eligible outside of the US or Canada.
  • You should not have any plans to gain international experience from a country you’ve immigrated from in the last decade. 
  • You should have never been the recipient of a One World International Scholarship before, or of a Premier’s International Scholarship either. 
  • You must have plans to commence your international experience within a period of 12 months since receiving the said scholarship. 
  • You must return to British Columbia after the completion of your program to either work or study further.

Premier’s International Scholarship

  • To be considered eligible, you must be a permanent resident or a citizen of Canada. Protected persons and refugees are also welcome to apply. 
  • You should be a resident of British Columbia for at least one whole year before the date of your full-time enrollment into the program abroad for which you’re availing of this scholarship. 
  • You should have at least a B+ grade overall when it comes to your academic performance. 
  • You should be able to establish a correlation between the study or work abroad program you’ve applied for and your career goals or educational goals. 
  • You should be enrolled in a full-time course at a BC college or university for at least a year before the commencement of your program, which must be outside of Canada or the US.
  • Your study period abroad should be of a minimum of 3 months, excluding any time taken on travel.
  • You must not apply for a program abroad in a country you have immigrated from in the last decade. 
  • You should not have been a recipient of Premier’s International Scholarship in the past. 
  • You must pursue work or further education after returning to British Columbia once your program is complete. 

Note – You can apply for both of these scholarships. However, bear in mind the total amount you get will not exceed the one offered by the Premier’s International Scholarship. 

How To Apply 

Just like the eligibility criteria, the application process for these two scholarships is different from the other. However, worry not as we’ve covered all the steps for you here – 

One World International Scholarships

  • Check if you fulfil the eligibility criteria for this scholarship.
  • Get all the unofficial transcripts of your post-secondary courses that you have taken from a public post-secondary school in British Columbia. 
  • Attach at least two references with your application form – one academic reference and one non-academic reference (for extra-curricular activities, volunteering etc.).
  • Once completed, submit your application to the International Awards Office of your school.

Here’s the link for the application form – https://www.ikbbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/FILLABLE-PDF-Application-Form.pdf

Premier’s International Scholarship

  • Create an account or log in to the SMApply portal here
  • Your application process will commence with a series of questions to determine your eligibility. If found eligible, you will be automatically redirected to the application form. You can edit the information entered in your form until you click submit, post which no changes will be entertained.
  • Upload a copy of all your unofficial transcripts from your post-secondary school.
  • Provide the names and email IDs of two references who can comment truthfully on your accomplishments, academics, your position as a global citizen etc. Your references will be emailed a form link, which they’ll have to fill out.
  • Once you’ve completed the form, click submit and you’re done.

How Much You Can Get 

Now for the moment you all have been waiting so patiently for – the amount you’ll receive from your scholarship. Truth be told, both scholarships offer different amounts. The One World International Scholarship offers anywhere between $2000 to $5000 to students who make the cut. On the other hand, the Premier’s International Scholarship offers an amount between $6000 to $10,000 to candidates whose applications are approved. The exact amount you get in each case will be dependent on the assessment of your application. 

Other Student Aid Options  

The good news is that Irving K. Barber B.C. Scholarship Society offers plenty of other scholarships too such as Transfer Scholarships, Indigenous Awards and more. You can even try out other student funding options such as BC Student Loans, BC Student Grants and more.

Student Loans and Grants

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Provincial Funding

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*All student funding, whether made available privately or through various government branches, is only approved to those who qualify, by the original source of funding. There are many criteria that each candidate must meet to be approved. Schools can only inform you of what may be available.