Indigenous Student Entrance Academic Grants

Indigenous Student Entrance Academic Grant Regulations

1. Indigenous Student Entrance Academic Grants are monetary awards allocated on the basis of academic merit, and in some cases other forms of earned merit, and demonstrated financial need.
2. Indigenous Student Entrance Academic Grants are available to students entering Level 1 of their first baccalaureate degree program whether direct from high school or an alternate pathway including, but not limited to, college, an Indigenous post-secondary institution or other University.
3. Indigenous Student Entrance Academic Grants are available to students who are Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents of Canada, and those who self-identify as First Nations, Metis, or Inuit, regardless of status under the Indian Act or where they completed their high school education.
4. Indigenous Student Entrance Academic Grants are available to full-time and part-time students entering Level 1 of their first baccalaureate degree program.
5. Indigenous Student Entrance Academic Grants first consider one or more McMaster University calculated admission and scholarship averages (e.g. final admission average).
6. Students must achieve the minimum final admission average required for their program to be eligible for an Indigenous Student Entrance Academic Grant.
7. Averages for Indigenous Student Entrance Academic Grants are calculated using the course grades that form the basis for admission to the Level 1 program. Final grades for courses completed after June 30^th in the year of admission application will not be considered in assessing eligibility for Entrance Academic Grants.
8. Indigenous Student Entrance Academic Grants requiring full-time status are available to students enrolled full-time or equivalent in both the fall and winter.
9. Indigenous Student Entrance Academic Grants may also consider other forms of earned merit.  In order to evaluate earned merit, students may need to complete one or more additional requirements including, but not limited to, submitting an application, participating in an interview, performing an audition or developing a portfolio.
10. In order to be considered for an Indigenous Student Entrance Academic Grant by application, students must submit a complete application by the specified deadline date.
11. Indigenous Student Entrance Academic Grant applications which meet eligibility criteria are forwarded to a selection committee for review and ranking.
12. Indigenous Student Entrance Academic Grants are allocated on the basis of an eligible course load and financial need as demonstrated through a completed Canadian federal and/or provincial government student aid application (e.g. full-time OSAP) or a completed standard University need profile for the academic year in which the student is entering Level 1 of their program.
13. The greater calculated financial need is used to break any tie.
14. Students may receive a maximum of one Entrance Academic Grant or Indigenous Student Entrance Academic Grant.
15. Students must be enrolled in at least the full-time OSAP eligible course load used to determine their eligibility to have an Indigenous Student Entrance Academic Grant payment processed.
16. All Indigenous Student Entrance Academic Grant payments are disbursed through the McMaster Student Account and are applied to outstanding charges. A few exceptions to this regulation may be approved by the Office of the Registrar, Aid & Awards.
17. Indigenous Student Entrance Academic Grants are disbursed September through the end of December.
18. Indigenous Student Entrance Academic Grant recipients will have their awards noted on their University transcript.
19. Registration in, or transfer to, another program of study and/or a change in course load may result in forfeiture or adjustment in the value of the Indigenous Student Entrance Academic Grant.  Students are advised to consult with the Office of the Registrar prior to making any changes to their program of study or course load.
20. Students withdrawing from courses without failure by default in the Winter term will forfeit their Indigenous Student Entrance Academic Grant.
21. Students who forfeit their Indigenous Student Entrance Academic Grant will have their grant cancelled and their transcript notation removed.  Students must return the Indigenous Student Entrance Academic Grant funding to their McMaster Student Account.
22. Some Indigenous Student Entrance Academic Grants are renewable (see In-Course and Renewal Academic Grant Regulations).
23. The University may choose not to grant an Indigenous Student Entrance Academic Grant in the absence of a suitable candidate; may choose to limit the number of recipients selected where funding is limited; may choose to limit the number of recipients selected where too few suitable candidates exist; and/or may choose to generate applicant pools for awards by application, where complete applications have not been received.
24. The University may remove specific Indigenous Student Entrance Academic Grants from the University Calendar, may revise the terms and stated value and/or suspend the granting of Indigenous Student Entrance Academic Grants (e.g. donor funds).
25. Indigenous Student Entrance Academic Grants supported by donor funds may have additional eligibility requirements.

Indigenous Student Entrance Academic Grants

Academic Grants by Application

Application details are available in Mosaic.

Open to Two or More Faculties

The Marjorie Anderson Academic Grant for Indigenous Students

Established in 2017 by McMaster University in honour of Marjorie Anderson (Class of ‘35), from the Six Nations of the Grand River, who was the first Indigenous woman to graduate from McMaster.  The establishment of the academic grant allows McMaster University to recognize and acknowledge that it is located on the traditional territories of the Mississaugas and Haudenosaunee nations, and within the lands protected by the “Dish With One Spoon” wampum agreement.  It also allows the University to recognize the City of Hamilton’s role in treating Inuit peoples with tuberculosis after the Second World War.  The Hamilton Sanatorium on the Mountain was once home to the largest year-round community of Inuit anywhere in the country.

Requirements: To be awarded to students who self-identify as Inuit, or as Status/Non-status First Nations from the Six Nations of the Grand River or the Mississaugas of the New Credit, who are entering a Level 1 baccalaureate degree program with a minimum average of 75%, and demonstrate financial need.  The academic grant is renewable for three additional years at the same value for those who remain enrolled full-time and achieve a minimum Grade Point Average of 8.0.

Typically Available: 4 x $80,000 ($20,000 per year) by award application through the Office of the Registrar, Aid & Awards.