Note we have extended the application deadline to June 30, 2011.

Please follow the instructions below to submit your application.

 

Overview

The CAPE Scholarship is a needs-based program that supports students from low-income and minority backgrounds pursuing professional studies. The CAPE Scholarship’s mission is to improve access to professional education and services in Canada’s disadvantaged communities. In exchange for generous awards, CAPE Scholars must be involved in a professionally-relevant community service project while in receipt of funding.

 

Available Funding

 

Up to $5000 for 2011-2012. Subject to available funding, the CAPE Scholarship is renewable for the duration of the scholar’s program up to a maximum of four (4) years.

 

Eligible Programs of Study

 

The CAPE Scholarship will fund students pursuing professional programs at Canadian public post-secondary institutions. The definition of an eligible program is broad and flexible, but includes the following five criteria:

 

1. Be offered at a public post-secondary institution in Canada;
   
2. Be more expensive than maximum government financial aid;
   
3. Certain socio-economic and ethno-cultural minorities are underrepresented;
   
4. Have higher than average debt loads upon graduation; and
   
5. Be primarily vocational.
   

Examples of eligible programs include (but are not limited to): medicine (M.D.), law (LL.B. or J.D.), management (M.B.A.), education (B.Ed. or equivalent), and dentistry (D.D.S., D.M.D., or equivalent).

 

Eligible Applicants

 

In order to be eligible, applicants must meet the following requirements:

 

1. Applicants must have been admitted to an eligible program. If they have not yet been admitted, any funding awarded will be conditional upon acceptance to an eligible
   program; and
   
2. Applicants must be eligible for and must have applied for federal and provincial government financial assistance programs, including loan and grant programs.

 

Application Requirements and Deadline

 

The application deadline for the 2011-2012 CAPE Scholarship is Thursday, June 30, 2011. In order to apply, you must submit the following:

 

1. A letter of intent no longer than 1000 words explaining the following:
   a. Your motivation to pursue their chosen field of study;
   b. Your family background and the challenges you have overcome in pursuing your studies;
   c. Your dedication to community service and your career plans; and
   d. A description of the professionally-relevant volunteer work that you intend to do as
   part of the CAPE Scholarship.
   
2. A Resumé outlining your educational, employment, and volunteer experience. The resume should also highlight academic and professional accomplishments.
   
3. A copy of your application for student financial assistance (i.e. student loans or grants) from all provincial, territorial, or federal student financial assistance programs to which you have applied. This form should provide a breakdown of the costs of your program, and your expected personal and parental contributions. If you applied for student financial assistance online, a printout of the application information or online preassessment is acceptable.
   
4. A copy of your Letter of Assessment from all provincial, territorial, or federal student financial assistance programs to which you have applied. This letter will contain the total federal, provincial, and/or territorial financial assistance (both loans and grants) that you will receive. If you have not yet received your official Letter of Assessment, you may still apply with the documentation in requirement 3, but you must submit a copy of your Letter of Assessment as soon as you receive it. If your province or territory has an online pre-assessment or estimation feature, a copy of the results of this pre-assessment should
   be included.
   
5. Disclosure of any additional financial resources (either personal or received from other sources) that may be used to fund your professional studies. Do not include private sources of debt like bank loans, student lines of credit, or credit cards.
   
6. Proof of admission to an eligible professional program, e.g. letter of admission. If admission has not been received by the time of application, you must indicate which program(s) you have applied to and when you expect to receive a decision.
   
7. Copy of official transcript of most recent post-secondary program.
   
8. Two letters of reference, preferably from non-personal relations who can attest to your ability to succeed in your chosen program of study and commitment to your community.

 

Failure to fully comply with the above requirements will result in rejection of the application or withdrawal of funding.

 

Selection Criteria

 

Candidates will be assessed on the basis of three criteria: (1) financial need; (2) commitment to community service, as shown by the cover letter, resume, and references; and (3) evidence of candidates’ ability to succeed in their program of study.

 

Additional Guidance for Applicants

The purpose of the CAPE Scholarship is twofold. First, to help people from traditionally disadvantaged backgrounds (e.g. low-income people and visible minorities) pursue to professional programs. Second, to help people from Canada’s poorest communities access professional services. The second objective is fulfilled through the professionally-relevant volunteer work of CAPE Scholars.

 

Applicants for the CAPE Scholarship should craft their application with the organization’s objectives in mind. You should explain why are you are the type of person the CAPE Scholarship was designed to help. You should also explain what you will do to help others during your studies and beyond. In this regard, you should describe the type of volunteer work that you will do as a CAPE Scholar.

 

The volunteer work should be professionally-relevant, meaning that it should share the skills and knowledge you will learn during your studies with the people you will be serving. Examples of professionally-relevant volunteer work include: law students working at community legal aid clinics, medical students involved in community health projects, education students working at after-school programs, management students helping charities with operations or finance, etc. These are just examples and we encourage you to be propose other worthy projects that expand access to professional services.

 

Submission of Application

 

All application materials must be received by 11:59pm on June 30, 2011. Please send applications to:
CAPE Scholarship
166 St. Andrew Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1N 5G6
Applications can also be submitted electronically to support@capescholarship.ca.

 

Supplemental Funding 

 

Upon graduation, a CAPE scholar may apply to the Board for additional assistance. The Scholar must show that despite receiving the CAPE Scholarship, he or she continues to face financial challenges that may affect their ability to pursue their desired career path.

 

Consideration will be given to all of the applicant’s financial resources, including compensation and benefits provided by his or her employer, government grants and incentive programs, etc. Furthermore, over the course of their studies, the Scholar must have demonstrated a commitment to CAPE’s founding principles, including successful completion of his or her community service project, and to ongoing community service beyond their program of study.

 

Supplemental funding will only be awarded if CAPE has surplus funds after awarding all of its core scholarships.