Joyce Family Foundation bursary for rural students
For newly admitted undergraduate students from rural areas of Quebec and Canada.
Purpose
The Joyce Family Foundation bursary for rural students aims to strengthen the social and economic fabric of rural Canada by empowering its next generation of leaders with skills and high quality post-secondary education. The bursary is designed to enable your academic and professional growth through opportunities for mentorship and internships.
Award value
- For Quebec residents: two bursaries of $5,000
- For non-Quebec residents in Canada: one bursary of $8,000
Each award is subject to renewal for three years, to a maximum of four years of funding.
Eligibility
To be eligible, you must:
- Be entering your first year of full-time undergraduate studies at Concordia University in a degree program in any faculty
- Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or protected person
- Have graduated from high school or Cegep within the last three years
- Have applied to attend Concordia from a rural community in Canada. A rural community is defined as one with a postal code that includes the numeral 0 in the first half of the code.
Other criteria
As a recipient of the award, you will commit to working with a mentor throughout your studies. You will be invited to meet with a coordinator or counselor for a detailed overview of one-on-one mentorship opportunities and programs offered by the University, as well as the other relevant resources to help you with your transition to university studies and your academic career.
To qualify for renewal of the award, you must submit a report on your mentorship involvement.
You are also encouraged to take part in Concordia's Beat the Odds program, an inclusive and flexible paid internship program. The program is designed to provide you help with your living expenses and deepen your engagement with your studies and renewing your commitment to your academic program. You will also gain access to professional mentorship, workshops and a peer network.
How to apply
You must also complete a confidential needs analysis to demonstrate financial need. You must also upload an application package made up of a single PDF document which includes:
- A statement outlining your path to university where you may share information related to obstacles or significant challenges faced, community service or leadership qualities and other pertinent information as to why you would be a good candidate for the bursary.
- A letter of reference from an individual who is aware of your personal circumstances and can speak to your resilience in the face of adversity and potential for success in your postsecondary studies
Please use a desktop or laptop computer since the system is not optimized for mobile devices.
- Log into your Student Centre and click on 'Apply for Bursaries or Scholarships' (on the left side of your screen)
- Choose 'Aid Year 2025'
- Complete your aid declaration
- Complete your needs analysis
- Sign into your Student Centre
- Select 'Upload Document'
- Select 'Awards Application' in the 'Select Document Type' dropdown menu
- Enter 'Awards Application' in the custom description box
- Attach your application package as a single PDF document
- Click '+ Add'
After uploading your application package, email the Financial Aid and Awards Office to advise staff of your application. Make the subject of your email your student ID number followed by Joyce Family Bursary for Rural Students.