Student Awards

You can make a difference in a Laurier student's life

Imagine having the talent, dedication and drive to go to university, and then using your degree to make the world a better place.

That’s what it means to be a Laurier student.

Now, imagine having to drop out or take a year off to earn more money, or coping with anxiety attacks because you don’t know how you’ll afford next term’s tuition – or maybe next week’s groceries.

Unfortunately, for many, that’s also what it means to be a Laurier student.

Bursaries, awards and scholarships provide much needed support for our students, recognize their efforts and commitment to their studies, and encourage them to work even harder. Let’s give all Laurier students the best university experience they can have. 

Support buraries, scholarships and awards.

Making Education Accessible

The cost of living and education is rising quickly for students; their financial resources can’t always keep up. To realize their dreams of graduating from Laurier, our students rely on part-time jobs, summer employment, student loans, lines of credit, help from their parents and provincial government support.

Often it’s not enough.

56% of Laurier’s students applied for OSAP in 2023. 30% of students indicate that these funds are not enough to cover their tuition and living costs*.

Upon graduation, the average Ontario student will be more than $28,000 in debt. New graduates, on average, need nine and a half years to repay their loans.

Laurier’s Student Awards Office often hears from students who can’t make their tuition payments, pay their rent, buy food or balance a part-time job with a competitive academic program.

Financial stress can affect studies, as students may need to reduce course loads, take time off or manage stress-related mental health problems. The top three health factors that Laurier students identified as affecting their academic performance are all mental-health related. Stress (46.6%), anxiety (41.6%) and depression (28.5%) are all ranked higher than other medical concerns including colds and flu. (source: NCHA survey, 2019).

Students who come from low-income backgrounds, mature students who are providing for their families and students living with disabilities face even more financial challenges.

Since 2019, a consistent 58% of students have considered taking a break from university due to their financial circumstances*.

(*Source: Laurier’s Annual Financial Wellness Survey, 2019-23)

You can help make a post-secondary education accessible to all of our students.

Undergraduate Costs 2024

Domestic | $23,773 – $39,926 per year

Tuition: $6,059 – $9,999

Fees: $1,938 – $3,781

Textbooks & supplies: $1,500

Cost of living: $14,276 – $24,646

International | $51,690–$99,193 per year

Tuition: $33,220 – $68,510

Fees: $2,694 – $4,537

Textbooks & supplies: $1,500

Cost of living: $14,276 – $24,646

All costs listed are estimates for two terms for the 2024/25 academic year. These fees are subject to change.

Bursaries

Offer financial assistance, enabling students in financial difficulty to stay in their programs, focus on their studies, reduce their debt burden and build a successful future. Bursaries aren’t based on academic or personal achievements. They exist solely to relieve students who demonstrate financial need.

Scholarships

Reward academic achievement and personal accomplishment. They are competitive and become powerful incentives for our students to reach their highest levels of academic achievement. They can also reward students for exceptional accomplishments in extracurricular activities, such as student clubs, competitions, varsity sports, student government and community volunteer work.

Awards

Recognize achievement and accomplishment as well as alleviate financial need. Awards are competitive as they recognize academic and/or personal achievement, such as athletic performance or community leadership. To qualify for an award, however, students must also demonstrate financial need. Awards provide our students with both the assistance of a bursary and the recognition of a scholarship. 

International Experience Awards

Give students a chance to learn the business and culture of other countries through co-op terms, study exchanges, competitions, conferences and volunteer opportunities around the world.

Emergency Support

Provides critical financial support to students, both domestic and international, who have faced exceptional circumstances and are struggling to meet their basic expenses. Student emergency funds are often their only hope to pay for food, rent or clothing.

You can create a student bursary, scholarship or award in your name or in honour of your family, friends, former professors or current company.

Financially, your award can be set up in two ways.

Endowed Support

With endowed support, your initial donation remains untouched, but generates an investment income to fund your student gift in perpetuity. To establish a named, endowed scholarship, award or bursary, you can make a pledge or gift of a minimum of $25,000. An endowed scholarship at this minimum level can support one student each year, with the amount granted annually dependent upon market returns. Laurier’s endowment investment strategy strives to have a steady 3% return of the market value made available to the student.

Expendable Support

With an expendable gift, funds are accessed annually to provide immediate support for students. To establish a named annual scholarship, award or bursary, you can make a gift or pledge of $5,000 or more, granted at $1,000 per year over five years at minimum.

Legacy Gifts

You may choose to establish one of these opportunities now or through a gift in your will. Legacy gifts reflect a future financial commitment to Laurier through your estate.

You can associate your name with a future bursary, scholarship or award that will be appreciated by our students for years to come.