Scholarship Application Materials

Overview

There are a lot of decisions to make when deciding to pursue a post-secondary education. These can range from finding the program and school you wish to attend, to deciding whether or not to take a discovery year. Regardless of the year you apply for post-secondary education, there are a lot of funds available to support your pursuit. Every post-secondary institution offers grants and scholarships to students—they want to give you money! Let’s start with the documentation you will need so that you can take advantage of what they offer.

Learning Objectives

• Identify the various supplementary materials often required for scholarship applications.
• Describe the process of obtaining a reference letter.

Keywords

#FinancialAidDocuments #SkillsAndExperiences #SupplementaryDocumentation #TimeManagementResources

Supplementary Documentation

Depending on the scholarship, you may need to include extra documentation in your application. You might also need supplementary documentation when applying for a loan, which we discuss in the chapter, Unpacking Financial Aid. The current section covers reference letters, resumes, transcripts, Personal Statements of Experience, and essays.

Reference Letter

The following video describes the purpose of a reference letter, who you can ask to be a referee, and how far in advance you should ask them. [Transcript]

Broadly, three types of references exist: academic, personal, and work.

Our Notion database has sample templates you can modify to ask someone to provide you with a reference. Make sure you only use this resource as a guide and that you modify it for your use – do not just copy and paste. This is a formal template, so you will likely want to personalize it to your referee.  You want to be respectful when approaching a potential referee, but not so formal that it becomes impersonal!

When your referee agrees to provide you with a reference, it’s your responsibility to provide them with all the information they need, so make sure they have them the following materials:

Thank your referee if they agree to provide a reference. Tell them you will remind them a few days before the deadline. Put this date in your calendar and be sure to send it! Many referees appreciate this kind of reminder. If you get the scholarship (or job!), tell your referee! Referees would love to get this news and share in your success.

Check Your Learning

Before you proceed, take a moment to review some of the content you’ve learned so far.

Glossary

Academic reference
A person who can speak to your academic achievements.

Discovery year
Taking a year (or more) off from studying to do other things, usually a combination of travelling, working, or volunteering. Often referred to as a gap year.

Essay
A piece of writing on a particular subject that can vary in length.

Grant
Money awarded to a person (or organization) by the government or a private organization for a special purpose. This can be to pay for post-secondary or to conduct research, and it does not need to be paid back.

Loan
An amount of money that is borrowed and has to be paid back, usually with interest.

Personal reference
A person who can speak to your character.

Personal Statement of Experience (PSE)
A written piece that allows you to describe some of your relevant personal experiences and what you have learned from them.

Supplementary documentation
All the documents required as part of an application (e.g., resume, transcript, PSE, income statement).

Referee
A person who knows you well and agrees to provide a reference on your behalf.

Reference letter
A letter written by someone who knows you well and can speak to qualities the application is looking for.

Resume
A summary of your skills and experiences.

Transcript
A track record of the courses you have taken and the grades you achieved in those courses.

Work reference
A person who can speak to your performance in a working environment (e.g., employer, supervisor).

Scholarships
A type of financial assistance to help pay for post-secondary education that you don’t have to pay back.

Transcripts

Video 2.1 transcript: [Narrator] “This video is going to review important information related to reference letters. A reference letter is a letter written by someone who knows you well and can speak to your character, meaning your positive qualities and traits, as well as your community involvement, professional skills, and experiences. Your reference should be someone who can provide specific examples about the qualities the scholarship (or job!) application is looking for. This could be a teacher who has taught you or led a club you are involved with, an employer (past or present) who can speak to your various skills and abilities, or a coach or community leader who has worked with you and can attest to your qualifications. As a professional courtesy, you should always give a potential reference enough time to write a good reference letter. Giving 2-3 weeks of notice is a good rule to follow. In the case that someone is unable to provide you a reference, always have someone else in mind that you can approach and make sure to give yourself enough time to approach them.” [Return to Video 2.1]

References

Canada Revenue Agency. (n.d.). How income tax is calculated [PDF]. https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/cra-arc/serv-info/tax/cvitp/cvtip-how-tax-is-calculated-en.pdf

Government of Canada. (2023, November 20). Registered education savings plan (RESPs). https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/registered-plans-administrators/registered-education-savings-plans-resps.html

Government of Canada. (2024, January 15). Registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs). https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/individuals/topics/rrsps-related-plans/registered-retirement-savings-plan-rrsp.html