Staff Directory | Site Map | FAQ
header

Awards and Bursaries

Going to school is expensive; tuition, travel, accommodations, external courses, etc. - not to mention that it is a full-time program and so can be difficult to balance with paid work. Sometimes it’s difficult to ask for money, or to believe that what you are doing is ‘worth’ asking for - especially when there are so many places with shrinking budgets. Remember that your education does not just benefit you, but contributes to the education of the community - church and society. Recognizing this, there are many organizations and government levels that offer grants, bursaries, and scholarships. In general;

  • a grant is money based on an application describing what you are doing and why
  • a bursary is money based on an application describing your financial need
  • a scholarship is money based on an application describing how well you are doing in school.

However, many people use these terms interchangeably, so don’t be constrained in your search.

- from the CCS Student to Student Handbook

Bursaries

The Centre has limited bursary funds which are allocated on the basis of financial need. The amount available for each student is small and, by policy, would never exceed 90% of the tuition paid to the Centre.

There is no bursary available for LDM students. (Unless you're Anglican. There's a special bursary designated for Anglican LDM students which you can apply for.)

The Centre for Christian Studies Bursary funds come from two sources:

  1. United Church of Canada Student Financial Aid. This is an amount of money granted through the Congregational, Educational, and Community Ministries (CECM) Unit upon receipt of the Centre for Christian Studies application. The amount is determined by a formula which includes the number of United Church of Canada candidates and the amount of bursary money available to the school from other sources.
  2. The Centre for Christian Studies Bursary Funds. These funds come from donations and include general bursary funds and some designated funds.

Woud you like to donate to the Bursary Fund?

 

How do I apply for a bursary?

  • Read the CCS bursary policy. As bursaries are awarded based on need, it will ask you to declare you income and expenses.
  • Download and fill out the Bursary Application form.
  • Mail it to CCS. The deadline for application is set by the Bursary Working Group, so you might want to contact CCS to find out when your paperwork needs to be in by.
  • The Bursary Working Group will meet and evaluate all the bursary applications in relation to the amount available for dispersal from the CCS Bursary Fund. This usually happens in June.

Are there other sources of funding?

If you are a candidate for ministry, often your Education and Students Committee or Bishop’s desk will have leads on locally available funds. It's also worth checking with your congregation/parish or your denominational offices (Conferences, Presbyteries, Dioceses, etc.).

Other Bursaries:

  • Order of the Eastern Star (Eastern Star Training Awards for Religious Leadership -ESTARL), The Order of the Royal Purple, or the Masonic Lodge - Contact the chapter closest to you for information. Membership not necessary.
  • Unions and insurance companies often have bursaries if your family or yourself are a member.
  • Women’s organizations such as the UCW and ACW. Membership not necessary.
  • Conference, Diocese, or Presbytery discretionary funds.
  • Many universities have internal bursaries that you may be eligible to receive for external courses. It is always worth asking.

For students with disabilities:

The National Educational Association of Disabled Students has information about financial assistance, accessibility, in-class accommodations, jobs, on-campus groups, and other information relevant to students with disabilities. It is run by students with disabilities and is a good resource for advocacy. The NEADS website also contains information about government grants and funding for students with disabilities.

 

RESPs and RRSPs:

You can borrow from ‘yourself’, by borrowing from your RESPs or RRSPs, if you have them. You can borrow ten thousand dollars a year, up to a lifetime amount of twenty thousand dollars.

 

The CCS Student to Student Handbook is compiled by students and contains an evolving list of funding possibilities.

 

Student Loans

There are also student loans - both from governments and from private corporations like banks and credit unions. Government loans from the Canada Student Loan Program are usually interest-free until you graduate, but may require more paperwork. Also, because CCS is not a degree-granting institution, for some of the provincial loans you may need to be co-registered at the University of Winnipeg or St. Stephens. Student Aid programs vary from province to province, so please check with your local Student Aid office for application criteria and procedures.


Scholarships

The following scholarships are available from the Centre for Christian Studies:

The Emma Kaufman Scholarship - A scholarship for study or a learning experience outside of Canada or The United States for an extended period of time. It will be awarded to someone with a university degree or demonstrated equivalency. Applicants must demonstrate commitment to a theology of social justice. Preference will be given to women applicants. (Application form for Kaufman Scholarship)

Gertrude Rutherford Scholarship - A scholarship to further the studies of a graduate(s) of the Centre for Christian Studies, who is proceeding to a degree in religious education, on the basis of recognized ability, academic standing and financial need. (Application form for Rutherford or Myers Scholarship)

Dr & Mrs A. J. W. Myers Scholarship - A scholarship fund for post-graduate work in religious studies. Awards can be made to students in the Centre for Christian Studies program who have a university degree or to graduates who are pursuing post-graduate work in religious studies at an institution other than the Centre for Christian Studies. (Application form for Rutherford or Myers Scholarship)

 

Companion of the Centre

The Companion of the Centre award was established in 2001. Through this award CCS honours people who have brought distinction and made significant contribution to the Centre for Christian Studies and whose lives and work epitomize the ideals of the Centre.

 

 

 

creative commonsUnless otherwise stated, website content is copyright the Centre for Christian Studies and free for use through Creative Commons. Click here for information on site usage.