The deadline is May 15, 2018.

What are the eligibility requirements?

In order to meet the criteria for an award, applicants must demonstrate the following in their application:

• Be a member of an emerging community. “Emerging Community” is defined as a group of people who are immigrants, refugees, or part of a family that includes immigrants or refugees from a particular cultural, national, or ethnic background where a significant number of the members of that community face barriers to full participation in education and employment in the greater Edmonton area. Without limiting the generality of this definition, such barriers may include but are not limited to: poverty; unemployment; lack of / or limited English reading and / or writing skills; refugee or uprooted background; low levels of education and skills; and / or; access to mainstream services and resources is limited by other barriers.
• Be permanent residents or citizens of Canada and be residents of greater Edmonton.
• Attend a school in the greater Edmonton area, or intend to attend a school in the greater Edmonton.
• Pursuit of a program of study leading to a recognized licence, certificate, diploma, undergraduate, or graduate degree or non-credited learning opportunities such as conferences, workshops and training programs in Alberta.

Priority will be given to students who:

• Are current residents of Edmonton or the four surrounding counties
• Provide evidence of positive community involvement and volunteerism. Particularly pertaining to refugee and emerging communities.
• Demonstrate commitment to studies, maturity, and likelihood of their program leading to improved employment opportunities
• Are attending a public institution.
• Experience financial need

Consideration will be given to students who:

• Have experienced breaks in education due to their refugee experience
• Have parents who have low literacy in their first language
• Speak a first language other than English nor French

Important notes:

• This award cannot fund programs retroactively. If you have already completed a program it is not eligible.
• In 2017 there will be 10 awards of $2,000 each.
• There will be no appeal process. Once decisions have been made all of the money will be allocated and changes will not be possible.
• The fact that a Student receives other bursaries, scholarships or awards does not prevent the Student from benefiting from an Award, but may affect the amount of the Award or may affect the comparison of that Student’s financial need to another Student’s financial need.
• No awards will be provided until the Student is accepted into the desired Qualified Program
• Academic achievement in high school beyond reaching the entrance requirements for the desired Qualified Program is not of the same high priority as the other priorities listed in the agreement.
• Students will be eligible to reapply for this award in future years.

What documents do I need to provide?

With the completed application form, applicants must provide:

• A Letter of Reference in support of your application. The reference will form a key part of your application and should be written by someone who can address how you meet the Edmonton Refugee and Emerging Communities Awards’s criteria. The reference may be from a teacher, instructor, professor, colleague, community leader, or long time friend. It should not be from a family member. The letter should be signed, dated and current, and should provide contact information for the writer.

Before an award is confirmed, recipients must provide:

• Proof of enrollment in the program of choice (provide if available at this time, proof of enrollment must be provided before your award is confirmed).

What schools and programs are eligible?

Awards can be used at any public university, college, or technical institute in Alberta, as well as at any private institution or vocational school accredited by the Province of Alberta. Applicants should clearly address why they have selected their school of choice.

An applicant’s program of study must lead to a recognized undergraduate degree, applied degree, diploma, certificate or licence, with the following exceptions:

Academic upgrading, college preparation programs may be eligible. Students must indicate how completion of study will help them gain admission to a post-secondary program or lead to future gainful employment.

A limited amount of support is available for non-credited learning opportunities such as conferences, workshops and training programs. Applicants should describe how it will enhance their work within Edmonton’s not-for-profit sector.

What is the application process?

With the completed application form, applicants must provide a current reference letter and proof of application or admittance to the school of choice (if available). Applicants may be invited for an interview if the Selection Committee determines it would be valuable. If requested, the applicant will be expected to provide other supporting documentation to verify information in this application form or to demonstrate their eligibility for this award.

Applicants will receive notification of decisions by email within approximately two months of the application deadline. Africa Centre will confirm award recipients’ enrollment in post-secondary institutions. Applicants may re-apply in subsequent years, but each application is for a single school year only. Public recognition of the award is expected.

How will awards be paid?

Awards are intended to assist recipients with costs such as tuition, fees, books and supplies. In general, awards will be paid directly to the students upon confirmation of enrollment.

It is the responsibility of the recipient to adhere to all regulations of the accepting post-secondary institution regarding all fee payments and to ensure that registration and/or enrollment status is not jeopardized. In particular, fee deadlines may impact students prior to sponsorship confirmation. Students are responsible for all expenses not covered by the award, in accordance with institution payment deadlines. No part of any award issued by Africa Centre can be applied to amounts owing from previous years.

There will be no appeal process. Once decisions have been made all of the money will be allocated and changes will not be possible.