There are few no essay scholarships in Canada, but they do exist. Typically, no essay scholarships in Canada are smaller, lesser-known scholarships or they are specific types of scholarships, such as random draw. Many of the easy scholarships in Canada are no essay scholarships, too. In this blog, we’ll look at some no essay scholarships in Canada, the pros and cons of applying for no essay scholarships and tips on how to find scholarships in Canada.
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List of No Essay Scholarships in Canada
- Value: $100,000
- Eligibility: Canadian citizen or permanent resident; minimum average of 85%; be entering university for the first time
CIBC Youth Accelerator Scholarship
- Value: $50,000
- Eligibility: Black students in Grade 11 or 12 who are members of a BGC Club in Canada
- Value: $5,000
- Eligibility: Saskatchewan Aboriginal students only
Arthur Paulin Automotive Aftermarket Scholarship Award
- Value: $700
- Eligibility: Must be enrolled in an automotive aftermarket industry related program or curriculum at a Canadian college or university
RBC Students Leading Change Scholarship
- Value: Various amounts between $500-$10,000
- Eligibility: RBC offers 4 different scholarship programs with specific criteria. See details on the RBC website.
Innovation Credit Union Scholarship
- Value: 4 awards of $1,000 each
- Eligibility: Open to all students; random draw
TD Scholarships for Community Leadership
- Value: $70,000
- Eligibility: Applicants must be in their final year of high school, have an average of 75% or above, and have demonstrated community leadership.
ATCO Indigenous Education Awards Program
- Value: $750-$1,800
- Eligibility: Full-time Canadian Indigenous students (cannot be children of ATCO employees)
Sobeys Food for Thought Scholarship
- Value: $2,000
- Eligibility: Open to all students over age 16 and parents of students attending university.
Terry Fox Humanitarian Scholarship
- Value: $28,000
- Eligibility: Must be Canadian citizen or permanent resident, in good academic standing at a Canadian secondary school. Students must be involved in voluntary humanitarian activities.
Canadian Wildlife Federation Scholarships
- Value: $500-$4,000
- Eligibility: Open to all Canadian students registered at a university in Canada
Fido Stay Connected at School Giveaway
- Value: $2,500
- Eligibility: Open to all students over age 18 and parents of students attending university.
What Are No Essay Scholarships?
While there are not many scholarships in Canada that don’t require essay submissions, they do exist. Some scholarships ask only for students to fill out an application form, complete a survey, submit a photo or other small requests. Some weird Canadian scholarships might ask questions about your specific interests or for a reference letter, but not require a short essay. No essay scholarships are popular because they are faster, easier and less work for the applicant, but they can be hard to find!
If you’re on the hunt for no essay scholarships in Canada, be sure to look at your other options, too. Search for some unclaimed scholarships in Canada or scholarships in Canada for international students that work for you.
Other Types of No Essay Scholarships in Canada
Survey and Win Scholarships
Sometimes websites like Scholarships Canada will hold “survey and win” scholarships. All you need to do is complete a survey to enter, then a random draw is done where the winner is selected. While these are easy scholarships to apply for, keep in mind that the outcome is random!
Random Draw Scholarships
Random draw scholarships usually don’t have many requirements to enter. You might need to sign up, create an account or enter your personal information and that’s it. As the name implies, though, winners are chosen at random and the applicant pool can be quite large since these are free scholarships in Canada to apply for.
Entrance Scholarships
Entrance scholarships or merit-based scholarships are awarded by universities based on your grades or academic achievements. Typically, you don’t need to submit an essay or any other application materials, as you become eligible once you are accepted to a university.
Pros and Cons of No Essay Scholarships in Canada
While applying to no essay scholarships in Canada has some definite benefits, there are drawbacks to applying exclusively for no essay required scholarships, and this can severely limit your options. Here are some of the pros and cons of applying to no essay scholarships in Canada:
Pros:
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Cons:
How to Find Scholarships in Canada
Whether you’re looking for no essay scholarships in Canada or broadening your search, there are many resources available and many great places to look for unknown scholarship opportunities. Here are a few of the places you can start looking for ways to fund your education:
1. Scholarship Search Engines
Scholarship search engines sites like Scholarships Canada and Yconic are great places to start looking for potential scholarships. Often, you can search databases for scholarships that are tailored for you, based on your location, what level of studies you are pursuing, what program or field of study you’re interested in, and even your experiences and extracurriculars for college.
2. Community Organizations and Professional Associations
Community organizations and professional organizations such as schools, sports, art associations and charities often have scholarships for Canadian students. Many of them may be unique scholarships in Canada that ask for other application materials other than an essay, such as reference letters or a resume detailing your volunteer experience or community service. It’s worth checking with the local chapters of national or provincial organizations to see what is available to you and what you’re eligible for.
3. Government and School Websites
Universities across Canada and all levels of government have extensive scholarships for students wanting to attend university or who want to get into grad school. While there are rare no essay scholarships offered at this level, these tend to be larger awards with more prizes up for grabs. Check for scholarships with specific eligibility that can weed out some of the competition.
4. Corporate Websites
Companies across Canada offer big scholarships every year. Some of them ask applicants to fill out a form, submit a photo or participate in a social media contest. While the competition pool is usually bigger for these scholarships, they are easy to apply for.
5. Financial Aid Offices
Financial aid offices at universities are usually looking to award scholarships based on financial merit, not on your essay writing skills. If you want to find no essay scholarships, applying for financial aid scholarships might work better, since you will just need to meet the criteria and demonstrate a financial need.
6. Local Organizations and Clubs
For more unique, small-scale scholarships, check with your local clubs and groups. These can be sports or arts clubs, religious or cultural associations, or community service and charitable organizations. While the amounts awarded might not be in the thousands of dollars, every little bit counts when it comes to funding your education, so it’s worth applying for those small scholarships, too.
Other Factors to Consider When Searching for Scholarships
Keep in mind that there are smaller scholarships out there with specific eligibility requirements. While not all of these are no essay required, they are worth looking into as they tend to have less competition and sometimes simpler application processes.
Conclusion
Finding no essay scholarships in Canada can be a challenge, since there aren’t many that don’t require at least some written application. And exclusively applying for no essay scholarships can be a disadvantage, since it will limit the number of scholarships you apply for and decrease your chances of winning some money to cover your education. No essay scholarships tend to be competitive since they are viewed as easier to apply to.
While applying to no essay scholarships in Canada means shorter applications, its best to do your research, find a variety of scholarships to apply for and look for those smaller, niche scholarships you can use to fund your education!
FAQs
1. What are no essay scholarships?
No essay scholarships are scholarship applications that don’t have a required essay component.
2. Are there any no essay scholarships in Canada?
Yes, there are some no essay scholarships in Canada, although they are not common. Typically, scholarship applications in Canada have at least one required essay or some form of written application component to apply.
3. Are there any no essay scholarships for international students in Canada?
Yes. There are some no essay scholarships for international students in Canada. These can include merit or entrance scholarships and some scholarships geared towards international students that do not require an essay.
4. What are the pros of no essay scholarships?
No essay scholarships tend to have shorter applications, saving you time. They are also appealing to students who are not strong writers.
5. What are the cons of no essay scholarships?
No essay scholarships tend to be more competitive since the application process is easier. Many of the no essay required scholarships are also random draw or survey and win scholarships, meaning the winners are selected at random, so your chances of winning are lower.
6. Where can I find scholarships in Canada?
To find scholarships in Canada, check with scholarship database websites, government and school websites, or ask at your local community organizations, clubs and associations. Many companies in Canada also offer scholarships to students.
7. Are there any free scholarships in Canada?
Yes, there are many free scholarships in Canada offered by the federal and provincial governments, as well as private universities in Canada.
8. Where can I find no essay scholarships?
Finding no essay scholarships can be tough. You can usually find them among smaller, lesser-known scholarships, scholarships with niche eligibility criteria or by searching for random draw and survey scholarships. Entrance scholarships also are usually no essay scholarships.
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