Education Abroad Award for First Nations, Métis and Inuit Students

About the Award

This award financially supports undergraduate and graduate Indigenous students undertaking experiential learning opportunities outside of Canada for at least seven (7) days. Programs less than three weeks in length must be for credit.

Term Offered: Programs start between May 1, 2026 and April 30, 2027
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time, February 17, 2026
Award Value: $3,000 - up to $10,000 based on program duration and unmet financial need.
Number of Awards: Variable

The total value of the award will be based on the program duration, as well as the financial need when applicable. Successful applicants will automatically receive the following amount based on the program duration:  

  • $3,000 for programs 1 - 4 weeks in duration;
  • $6,000 for programs longer than 4 weeks.

If students have unmet financial needs more than the automatic allocation, they need to submit a budget in the scholarship application to demonstrate the additional financial needs. The total amount of funding will not exceed $10,000.

Please note: As the Global Learning office does not double-fund students through awards administered by us, students are eligible to receive only one Education Abroad Award for the same education abroad program.

How to apply:

  1. Application Instructions
    • Applications must be completed by individual University of Alberta students in our online application portal, Horizons. A complete application must consist of: 
      • Statement of Academic Motivation, Ambassadorship & Cultural Motivation;
      • Description of Extracurricular Activities;
      • Budget;
      • Unofficial Transcripts;
      • Declaration Form in Horizons.
    • First Nation, Métis, or Inuit Documentation must be on file. If an applicant has not previously provided their First Nation, Métis, or Inuit (FNMI) documentation to the University of Alberta as part of their application for admission or other student financial support funding, please submit the FNMI documentation to the Student Service Centre (SSC). Applicants should advise the SSC to attach the FNMI documentation to their student account for the FNMI scholarship application. A list of FNMI documentation can be found here. 
    • Applicants can access the Scholarship by clicking the "Search Scholarships" tab at the top of the database after creating an account. Once an application has been started, it can be found under the "My Scholarships" tab. Please be sure to follow all instructions and upload all documents required in the application form. 
  2. Selection Criteria
  3. Acceptance & Conditions
    • Applicants will be notified if they have been nominated for an award and must confirm acceptance of the nomination. Failure to do so will result in forfeiting the award;
    • If a student is unable to use the award in the year that they received it, the award cannot be carried over to the next year, and they will need to re-apply;
    • Recipients are ineligible to hold other centrally managed awards (e.g., endowed awards such as Edmonton Consular Corps Award, Rod and Judith Fraser Award, etc.) but are eligible for receiving faculty-level awards;
    • Recipients will also be encouraged to participate in promotion and recruitment activities for education abroad programming.

Frequently Asked Questions

Check out the FAQs below to find what you're looking for. If you can’t find an answer here, please contact us and we'll be happy to help!

Am I eligible for the Education Abroad Award?

Please carefully review the Terms of Reference to determine if you are eligible to apply. 

Important things to consider:

  • Are you participating in education abroad programs outside Canada for at least seven days?
  • Is this program abroad for-credit or not? Programs less than three weeks in length must be for-credit.
  • Will you be registered full-time in a U of A degree program at the time of the program abroad?
  • Do you meet the minimum GPA requirement?
  • Undergraduate students must have completed at least 12 credits of U of A coursework by the application deadline; graduate students must have completed at least one term of graduate study by the application deadline.

Common reasons for award ineligibility:

  • Not able to maintain a full-time U of A student status at the time of the program abroad
  • Programs less than seven days
  • Programs in Canada
  • Not-for-credit programs less than three weeks
  • The program start date is outside of the term offered
  • The program application is not approved
  • Undergraduate students completed less than 12 credits of U of A coursework by the application deadline
  • The scholarship application does not meet the selection criteria
Should I apply for the award if my acceptance to a program has not been confirmed yet?
You are encouraged to apply at the deadline even if your acceptance into a program has not been confirmed, provided the anticipated program starts during the eligible funding period. Find out the eligible funding period here.
How can I improve my Statement of Motivation & Rationale?
  • Research the institutions you are looking at thoroughly, and see how the programs relate to your degree.
  • Look at the long-term benefits of the program for your degree and your post-University career.
  • Think about how you are representing the University's vision abroad. Hint: take a look at the University's Strategic Plan.
  • Keep your writing professional and check your spelling (it will be considered); academics will be looking at your application.

Please note: AI tools may be used to support the writing process such as refining spelling, grammar, or sentence structure, provided the content remains the student’s original work. An application with responses generated by AI technology will be rejected.

What should I consider when completing the Budget section in the scholarship application?
  • Research the estimated cost for the fundable items in the budget form (e.g., accommodation, flight, etc.). Some programs may provide the budget online (e.g. Cortona), while others may require research on the budgetary information;
  • Do not include recreational travel and entertainment expenses in the budget. Only include expenses directly for the program abroad;
  • When planning for the budget, do not include any savings that are intended to use for your U of A tuition in the revenue sources.
  • Take currency conversion rates into account.
When and how will I receive the award payment?
  • The award funding will be disbursed no sooner than four weeks prior to your program. The disbursement timeline is also subject to the U of A’s administrative timelines.
  • You are required to complete the Education Abroad Online Pre-Departure Course, register for the UGo Off-Campus Travel Registry, and complete any other required Risk Management tasks. The award payment will not be made under any circumstances until these tasks are completed.
  • The award recipient will receive a notification to accept the award on BearTracks after the award payment request is processed. If there is an outstanding tuition balance, the award will be administered as a deduction of tuition; if tuition has been paid, you will then have the option to receive the award funding as a refund in the form of direct deposit into your Canadian banking account.

More Resources

More Information

Have a question about Awards and Funding? Contact an Education Abroad Advisor by submitting a general inquiry through our service portal.