5 Cricket Scholarships in Canada

Cricket scholarships in Canada are established to support the education and sports aspiration of student-athletes. You must maintain an excellent academic record and outstanding sportsmanship to qualify for cricket scholarships.

Cricket is among the top 10 most popular sports in Canada and the No. 1 fastest-growing sport in the nation according to Yahoo! If you are a high school student passionate about playing cricket in college you can actually get a cricket scholarship to fund your college education in Canada. Although, you must have been playing the sport in high school to make it into a varsity team and qualify for the scholarship.

Already enrolled college students in their second year can also qualify for cricket scholarships in Canada but they have to be passionate about the sport and join the college cricket team. Then with their academic achievement and athletic abilities, they may qualify for the cricket scholarship.

For every athletic scholarship in Canada, what are considered are the student’s athletic abilities and academic performance. There is a certain academic score that applicants for athletic scholarships must meet as stated by U Sports.

According to the regulation by U Sports, a student-athlete entering college in the first year must have a minimum GPA of 80% to qualify for athletic scholarships in any sports category including cricket. But if the student-athlete is already enrolled in college they can qualify for an athletic scholarship if they maintain a GPA of 65% at the end of the previous academic year.

Of course, these academic requirements have to be followed with outstanding sportsmanship. Depending on your assessment, which is typically done by the coach, you may either get a full-ride or partially-funded scholarship.

Full ride covers the entire cost of your tuition and school materials for the duration of your program if you keep maintaining a specified academic grade and athletic performance. While partial funding pays for part of your tuition in a single academic year.

Cricket and every other athletic scholarship in Canada are disbursed at the discretion of the coach. So, if you are a student-athlete and want a scholarship, simply speak with your coach concerning applying for a scholarship. They have the right to give you every possible information to earn scholarships.

As an athletic student, you also have the option of applying for other scholarships and stand a chance to win them. In essence, you can apply for athletic scholarships and other general scholarships as well as any scholarships whose categories you fit into.

So, if you are a female student-athlete in a STEM program you can apply for athletic scholarships in your sports and also apply for scholarships for women in STEM or if you are a male or female student-athlete who is tall in height you can also apply for scholarships for tall people.

With all clarity observed, let’s dive into the list of cricket scholarships in Canada and how you can apply.

cricket scholarships in Canada

Cricket Scholarships in Canada

Cricket is a rising sport in Canada therefore there are no specific scholarships set aside for cricket student-athletes. However, there are generous scholarships for student-athletes in Canada who play all kinds of sports including cricket and it is those scholarships that are discussed here and you can apply for them.

Since the scholarships are for student-athletes in all sports categories it will be competitive but your coach should help you out on how to beat the competition.

Without any further ado, the following are scholarships for cricket student-athletes:

  • The University of Toronto Athletic Scholarships
  • The University of Manitoba Athletic Awards
  • The University of Alberta Athletic Scholarships
  • The University of Victoria Athletic Awards
  • Thompson Rivers University International Athletic Scholarships

1.     The University of Toronto Athletic Scholarships

At the University of Toronto, you will find three different scholarships that are offered annually to students involved in athletics. This presents an opportunity for students who want to play cricket in college to earn a scholarship that will fund their education at one of the best universities in the world and also pursue careers as pro-cricket players.

Aside from athletic participation, you must also possess an excellent academic record to qualify for any of the scholarships. And aside from these scholarships, U of T also offers other scholarships such as the International Scholars Award that you may also apply for.

Scholarship Link

2.     The University of Manitoba Athletic Awards

Every year, the University of Manitoba provides over $550,000 in athletic awards to incoming and current students who qualify for membership on any Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) university team. Note that the University of Manitoba Athletic Awards is for student-athletes in all categories of sports including male and female cricket.

Depending on the selection of the coach, you could get a scholarship fund ranging from $500 to full tuition. To be eligible, candidates must have excellent academic performance and outstanding athletic abilities.

Scholarship Link

3.     The University of Alberta Athletic Scholarships

The Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation at the University of Alberta offers a wide range of athletic scholarships to its finest athletes including cricket players. The scholarship is awarded to international students on a study permit with outstanding academic performance and demonstrates athletic excellence and is also registered at the Faculty.  

So, if you are an international student with a passion for cricket you can apply to the University of Alberta and be eligible for an athletic scholarship. This is an opportunity to play cricket as a pro and earn a reputable degree from one of Canada’s most prestigious institutions.

Scholarship Link

4.     The University of Victoria Athletic Awards

Here is another general athletic award that cricket players may apply for and get the funding they need to cover their tuition while playing pro. You must be a student of the University of Victoria and have an interest in cricket to be eligible for this funding. Applicants must have passed a minimum of 9.0 units in the preceding academic year with a minimum sessional GPA of 3.0 or higher to be considered.

High school seniors can also be eligible for this scholarship but they have to be applying for admission into the University of Victoria. For those who fall under this category, you are required to complete a minimum of 12 units in two terms in the previous academic year. If you are a newly entering university, you must follow the U Sports regulation of a minimum 80% GPA to qualify for the scholarship.

Scholarship Link

5.     Thompson Rivers University International Athletic Scholarships

The Thompson Rivers University International Athletic Scholarships are for every student-athletes coming to study at TRU or already enrolled in TRU and indicate an interest in joining one of the varsity teams. This scholarship equally covers students who wish to play cricket at TRU.

To be considered for the award, athletes must be in one of TRU’s competing varsity teams with outstanding athletic ability, be full-time students, and meet all U Sports regulations.

Scholarship Link

There aren’t very many cricket scholarships in Canada but the few listed here should help you make a choice, after all, it is just one school you will go to at the end of the day but there are 5 here for you to make a choice from. When deciding, ensure to pick a school whose academics and athletics activities fit your preference.

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