Come closer so I can let you in on a little secret. Did you know that there are athletic scholarships in Canada for international students? There are very few people that know this and now that you do you should take hold of the opportunity and apply to them.
Canada is among the top study hubs among international students therefore, thousands of students from different nationalities flock to the country annually to pursue a world-class degree. Higher institutions in Canada are widely recognized among the world’s best due to their academic quality which excels greatly in teaching and research.
You already know what happens when a school is rated among the world’s best. It would be expensive and Canadian universities are no exception. Although universities in Canada are not expensive to its citizens but it is costly for international students.
Therefore, many international students that want to study in Canada but cannot afford it seek scholarships, awards, and bursaries to lower the cost of their tuition. Fortunately, there is a wide range of scholarships in Canada for international students provided by institutions, governments, and other charity foundations/organizations.
But given the large number of students entering Canada annually and seeking scholarships, there is never enough to go around which makes scholarships highly competitive. There is actually a category of scholarships in Canada for international that has little competition and that is athletic scholarships.
Many international students do not know that there are athletic scholarships in Canada for international students which makes it less competitive compared to other types of scholarships. Also, there are just about a handful of international students with an athletic background which also lowers the competitiveness of athletic scholarships for international students in Canada.
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What are Athletic Scholarships in Canada for International Students?
Athletic scholarships in Canada for international students are “free funding” offered to international students with excellent academic performance and athletic abilities. If you meet these criteria then you can go ahead to apply for the scholarships curated in this blog post. To qualify for the athletic scholarship you are applying for, then you must have joined or be ready to join a varsity team.
Below are sports in Canada to win athletic scholarships:
- Basketball
- Volleyball
- Golf
- Hockey
- Swimming
- Baseball
- Skiing
- Tennis
- Water Polo
- Rowing
- Horseback Riding
- American Football
- Wrestling
- Cricket
Requirements for Athletic Scholarships in Canada
To be eligible for athletic scholarships in Canada, student-athletes must satisfy the following criteria:
- A minimum GPA of 80% or higher is required for student-athletes entering the first year.
- Second-year and above students must have a minimum GPA of 65% or higher to join the varsity team and qualify for an athletic scholarship.
- Active participation in your previous school team
Note that exceptional athletic performance and excellent academic records are major criteria to qualify for athletic scholarships in Canada. It also contributes to the amount of scholarship that the student-athlete will receive.
You know, applying for athletic scholarships does not limit you from applying for other scholarships whose criteria you may also meet. You may also qualify for entrance awards and bursaries if you meet their requirements.
Athletic Scholarships in Canada for International Students
International students with an athletic background can apply for the scholarships below:
- Thompson Rivers University International Athletic Scholarships
- Crandall University International Player Excellence Awards
- Douglas College Athletic Scholarship
- The University of Alberta Athletic Scholarships
- The University of Calgary Award for International Student Athletes
- Vikes International Athlete Award
1. Thompson Rivers University International Athletic Scholarships
Thompson Rivers University (TRU) is a public teaching and research higher institution with campuses and regional centers in Kamloops, Williams Lake, Clearwater, Barriere, Ashcroft, 100 Mile House, and Lillooet. There are over 14,000 students across these campuses enrolled in undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
There are over 3,500 international students from more than 100 nationalities at TRU. Every student at TRU qualifies for entrance scholarships, awards, and bursaries but there are specific scholarships that students would have to apply for like the International Athletic Scholarships.
The International Athletic Scholarships from TRU are offered annually to an international student with outstanding athletic ability who is active in one of the university’s varsity teams. Recipients must also be full-time academic students accepted into a degree program and meet the requirements to receive an athletic award in Canada. The sports that are eligible for this scholarship are basketball, soccer, swimming, and volleyball.
2. Crandall University International Player Excellence Awards
Crandall University is a Baptist Christian liberal arts university in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada. There are more than 1,100 students from over 50 countries enrolled at Crandall. The International Player Excellence Awards is set up to recognize exceptional international athletes who demonstrate commitment to the Christian faith.
Qualifying US students will get $1,000 while students out of North America will get up to $3,000 which is applied towards the cost of tuition. The awards may be renewable.
3. Douglas College Athletic Scholarship
Douglas College is known as the largest public degree-granting college institution in BC, Canada with nearly 25,000 students enrolled in varieties of academic disciplines. Douglas College has over 4,000 international students from more than 92 nationalities pursuing academic programs. Each year, the college offers up to $100,000 in entrance scholarships to new international students with excellent academic records.
Douglas College created an athletic scholarship in 2017 that recognizes and supports the education of international student-athletes coming to the college. The scholarship is awarded annually to 5 students who meet the eligibility criteria.
4. The University of Alberta Athletic Scholarships
The Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation at the University of Alberta offers an annual International Student-Athlete Award to its finest athletes, that is, student-athletes who demonstrate excellent academic performance and outstanding sportsmanship. There is no application for this scholarship, rather, recipients are nominated for the award.
5. The University of Calgary Award for International Student Athletes
Here is an opportunity for international students to study at one of Canada’s most prestigious universities on an athletic scholarship. The University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and a campus in Doha, Qatar. There are over 35,000 students enrolled in a wide range of academic undergraduate and graduate degree programs of which more than 3,000 are international students.
The University of Calgary Award for International Student Athletes is offered annually to three international students who are enrolled in an undergraduate degree program and a member of any of the university’s athletic teams. Students who meet the requirements to win an athletic scholarship in Canada will be awarded $10,000 towards their tuition.
6. Vikes International Athlete Award
Vikes International Athlete Award is offered by the University of Victoria and is tenable only at this university. The award goes to an international undergraduate student who competes on any Vikes Varsity team. The value of this award is $10,000 and renewable per year over 4 years, which is $40,000 in total.
Recipients for the award are selected based on work ethic, commitment, and performance criteria. Selection is at the discretion of the Senior Director of Athletics and Recreation and the Director of varsity Performance Sports of the University of Victoria.
Conclusion
There may be just a handful of athletic scholarships in Canada for international students but there could be more that are not on the internet. This is where speaking with your coach and teachers concerning your intention to study on an athletic scholarship in Canada comes in. Also, you can apply for other scholarships, awards, and bursaries that you fit into. Don’t depend on athletic scholarships alone.
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