Through a co-operative arrangement between the Manitoba Metis Federation and the four universities in Manitoba, the Louis Riel Bursaries and Scholarships have been established.
Information on the bursaries and scholarships is provided below in a question and answer format.
What is the difference between a Bursary and a Scholarship?
Bursaries are awarded primarily on the basis of economic need, so students with fewer resources are more likely to receive bursary awards.
Scholarships are awarded primarily on the basis of academic merit, so students with higher grades are more likely to receive scholarship awards.
What institutions award Louis Riel Bursaries and Scholarships?
Louis Riel Bursaries are available at the University of Manitoba, University of Winnipeg, Brandon University, and College Universitaire de St. Boniface.
Louis Riel Scholarships are available at Brandon University and College universitaire de Saint-Boniface.
Where do the funds for these awards come from?
At each university, the Louis Riel Bursaries and Scholarships were established through an endowment set up from equal contributions by the MMF and the university. The funds for the bursaries and scholarships awarded come from the interest on these endowments. Because the awards come from endowment interest rather than endowment capital, the Louis Riel Bursaries and Scholarships will be permanently available for qualifying Metis students.
Who decides which applicants are selected for a Bursary or Scholarship award?
Applicants are selected for a bursary or a scholarship by an Awards Committee composed of members at each university. The Louis Riel Institute plays no role in the selection process.
Who is eligible for a Louis Riel Bursary or Scholarship?
Metis students planning to attend one of the four provincial universities are eligible to apply for an award. In addition to completing a standard University application form, applicants must complete a Louis Riel Institute application or demonstrate that they are either members of the Manitoba Metis Federation (MMF) or eligible for membership in the MMF. Both are available at the University.
How are the selections for a Bursary or Scholarship made?
The Awards Committee at each university evaluates the completed applications using the criteria specified for the award. These criteria differ between the scholarship and bursary awards, and the bursary criteria vary slightly between the universities. To obtain the current criteria used at each institution, you can contact each university directly.
How do students apply for a Louis Riel Bursary or Scholarship?
Students must apply for a bursary or scholarship by completing the application forms. Application forms are available from the Awards Office at the university the student plans to attend.
What are the due dates for completed application forms?
The due dates for completed application forms vary between the universities. Consequently, potential applicants are encouraged to obtain this information directly from the university and conform to the dates specified.
When are the awards granted?
The date of the selection and announcement of the awards also varies among the universities. Therefore, this information should be acquired directly from the universities.
How many awards are given out each year?
Since the funds for the awards come from endowment interest, the number of awards depends on the size of the endowment and the interest rates in any particular year.
What is the value of each award?
The value of each bursary and scholarship varies at each university. This is dependent on the number of students that apply at each institute.