This program is administered by Education Matters (formerly the Calgary Board of Education Foundation). All enquiries regarding application procedures, enrollment, transcripts, etc. must be made to Education Matters (http://www.educationmatters.ca/)
Information on this page is intended as informal guidance – only Education Matters can provide definitive rulings.
About the Awards:
Scholarships and bursaries were very important to of one of our founders, Carl Nickle, and were a focus of his foundation. This program carries on in that spirit.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Who is the cheque made out to?
What if I meet the eligibility
requirements the next year?
When does my paperwork have to
be in?
Successful candidates can receive $2,000 per year for four years of post-secondary education, for a potential total of $8,000.
The awards are based on academic merit and
financial need. Students graduating from
grade 12 in a
Who is the cheque made out to?
Payments are made directly to the post-secondary institution the student is attending.
How are installments paid?
The first installment, $1,000, is paid upon receipt of confirmation of enrollment for the first semester of the student’s first year (typically in September). The second installment of $1,000 is paid upon receipt of confirmation of enrollment for the second semester (typically January). By requesting payment of this installment, the student is affirming that they remain eligible for the award (since transcripts typically won’t yet be available).
In the second and subsequent years, the student’s confirmation of enrollment must be accompanied by an official transcript which confirms that they continue to meet the eligibility requirements. Students who remain eligible will have $2,000 sent to their tuition account at the beginning of the academic year.
The awards require that students maintain a minimum 3.0 grade point average on a minimum 80% full course load. So for example if you only signed up for four half courses and dropped one, you won’t be eligible for the next installment.
What if I meet the eligibility
requirements the next year?
If you forfeited one year of the award, either for completing too few courses or for dropping below a 3.0 average, you can still request payment in later years. Let’s say that your G.P.A. in your first year was 2.7. You wouldn’t be paid at the beginning of your second year. But if your second year G.P.A. was over 3.0, and you completed at least four full-course equivalents, you could be paid at the beginning of your third year provided you submitted transcripts and a confirmation of enrollment to Education Matters.
When does my paperwork have to be in?
The award is intended to help people who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford to stay in school, so we’re assuming you need to money to help pay tuition and fees. Ideally the paperwork (confirmation of enrollment and transcripts) should be in to Education Matters by the end of September. If your paperwork isn’t submitted before the end of the semester, the award for that semester won’t be paid.
Awards not paid are given to others. So you can’t “catch up” after three years and ask for $6,000.
If you want to take a few months off between high school and university, or leave university for a semester in the middle of your program, that doesn’t affect your eligibility for future installments of the award as long as you let Education Matters know ahead of time. You have to begin your studies within six months of graduating from grade 12 – if you graduate in June and won’t be going to university until January, let Education Matters know and the award will be held for you. If you’re taking a break in the middle of your program, or doing a co-op work rotation for a semester, just let Education Matters know in advance. That way the money can be available when you need it, and in the meantime another student can benefit.
Nickle
Family Foundation