Official Guidelines Updated: March 2026

The Pathway to Teacher Education Scholarship is a provincial scholarship awarded to 20 outstanding B.C. high school graduates each year who have demonstrated a commitment to and aptitude for a career in K–12 teaching. 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 awarded automatically based on grades, the Pathway to Teacher Education Scholarship requires an application and is assessed on a combination of academic achievement, a written statement, and a resume.

Eligibility Criteria

To be considered, you must meet the core Provincial Scholarships Program eligibility requirements as well as the scholarship-specific academic requirements below. 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.
• Be in your graduating year and enrolled in 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 scholarship award year.

Scholarship-specific academic requirements:

• Minimum “B” average in Grades 11 and 12 courses required for graduation.
• Minimum “B” (73% or above) in Language Arts 12.
• Minimum “B” average in courses fulfilling graduation requirements for Science 11 or 12, Math 11, and Social Studies 11 or 12 — with no more than one “C+” (67% or above) and no marks lower than “C+” in those subjects.
• Be eligible for a B.C. Certificate of Graduation (Dogwood Diploma).

How to Apply

Applications are submitted online through the Provincial Scholarships Program application form on the B.C. government website. Only high school graduates — or students in their graduating year — may apply. Be prepared to complete your application in a single session, as you cannot save your progress and return to it later.

Your application must include:

• A written statement — assessed by a team of B.C. teachers using published marking guidelines; written statements determine which applicants are shortlisted.
• A resume — shortlisted applicants are assessed on their resumes by a separate team of B.C. teachers; resumes determine the final 20 recipients.
• Reference letters — used to support the resume assessment. If a referee prefers to submit directly to the Ministry, upload a brief note in your application stating that your referee will email their reference to scholarships@gov.bc.ca by the deadline.

You can report up to seven life, volunteer, and/or work experiences relevant to your intended career in K–12 teaching as part of your resume submission.

Selection Process

All applications are assessed in two stages. First, written statements are reviewed by a team of B.C. teachers who identify approximately 40 shortlisted candidates. Second, the resumes of those shortlisted candidates are reviewed by a different team of B.C. teachers, with reference letters used to support this assessment. 20 students are selected by consensus as conditional recipients.

Conditional recipients are notified in early June. Their eligibility is then confirmed in September against the academic and core requirements. Vouchers are mailed to confirmed recipients in October.

Key Dates — 2026 Scholarship Cycle

• February 17, 2026 at 3 pm — online application deadline
• Early June 2026 — conditional recipients and their schools notified by email
• September 2026 — conditional recipients checked against eligibility requirements
• October 2026 — paper scholarship vouchers mailed to confirmed recipients

How Much Can You Get?

Each of the 20 recipients receives a $5,000 scholarship voucher. Vouchers are valid for seven years — longer than most other B.C. provincial scholarship vouchers, which expire after five years. The expiry date is printed on the voucher, and extensions are not available.

How to Use Your Voucher

The Pathway to Teacher Education Scholarship voucher can only be redeemed at an approved teacher education program in the Faculty of Education at a B.C. post-secondary institution. The program must lead to eligibility to apply for a B.C. teaching certificate and teach in the K–12 school system in B.C. It cannot be used at any designated post-secondary institution — the program type is the key requirement, not just the institution.

To redeem, wait until your program has started and tuition has been paid, then submit your voucher to the Ministry along with evidence of your enrolment. If your institution can stamp and sign the voucher, this is the fastest route. Reimbursement is issued as a cheque mailed to your address; estimated processing time is approximately eight weeks from receipt of all required information.

Other Financial Aid Options

Whether or not you receive this scholarship, other provincial and federal funding is available to help with your post-secondary costs. You may also be eligible for the BC Excellence Scholarship (though you can only receive one), B.C. Student Loans for Full-Time Students, the B.C. Access Grant, and Canada Student Grants.

Ready to find a teacher education program? Explore eligible schools today.