Awards Requiring Individual Applications

Ten renewable awards of $12,000 per year.

Mentorship and Advising for Commitment Scholars

Students will be connected to dedicated advisors who will provide one-on-one guidance on:

• Academics
• Financial planning
• Career preparation

Students will also receive support from peer advisors, and connections to other networks.

Celebrating Student Scholars – Queen's Gazette, September 29, 2022

Queen's Welcomes First Commitment Scholars - Queen's Gazette, August 3, 2021 

Students must meet the following criteria: 

• Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or a protected persons of Canada  
• Applicants must be entering full-time studies in the first year of a first-entry undergraduate degree program at Queen's in September 2023 
• Self-identification as a member of an underserved or underrepresented group, including Black, Indigenous* and other racialized students, Persons with Disabilities, and 2SLGBTQ+ individuals  
• Demonstrated leadership in, and commitment to, racial justice, or EDII initiatives in their high school or their local community 
• Given the value of this award, candidates who receive this award will not receive other merit-based awards 

Queen's University offers a number of bursaries and awards specifically for students who are Indigenous to communities from the territory now referred to as "Canada." To be included for consideration of this funding, Queen’s University requires that you submit supporting documentation to accompany your Indigenous identity self-identification. Students wishing to access financial awards are required to submit documentation demonstrating their connection to a recognized Indigenous community as listed under Queen’s Indigenous Student Identity Verification Policy.  

Indigenous-identifying students who have collected the required documentation listed on this page can submit that documentation for verification on our secure. Documentation will be reviewed within 5 business days and Four Directions staff will reach out should there be any concerns. 

For more information on self-identification or identity verification please contact the Four Directions Indigenous Student Centre at 4direct@queensu.ca or 613-533-6970. 

1. Apply for admission to Queen’s University
2. Complete the Commitment Scholars application on the SOLUS Student Centre

Deadline

The 2025-26 Commitment Scholars application is now available via your SOLUS Student Centre. Navigate to the Financial Aid tile and select Online Award Applications to access the application.

The deadline to submit the 2025-26 Commitment Scholars application is February 15, 2025. 

The practice application is located on the forms page.

Application Process

1. The online application includes 3 questions. It is recommended that you prepare your responses in advance and copy and paste them into the form before submitting
2. The practice application contains the questions that will appear in the online application form. There will not be any additional questions
3. The application must include contact information for a verifier who is able to validate and confirm the information in the application
   • The verifier should be knowledgeable of accomplishments and personal attributes that make the applicant a strong candidate for consideration of this award
   • In addition to confirming the information in this application, the verifier should be able to speak to the impact of the applicant’s actions, and level of community engagement
   • The selection committee may contact your verifier during the selection process. A verifier should be an adult and should know the applicant well. Verifiers cannot be family members 

Established in January 2013 by Queen's University and awarded on the basis of demonstrated academic achievement to students who are the dependants of Canadian Police or Peace Officer personnel who have died in the line of duty. The student will be entering the first year of any first-entry undergraduate degree program. The award is renewable for three subsequent years provided a satisfactory academic average is maintained each year. Applications must be supported by a letter of nomination including confirmation of funding and continued eligibility each year from the Police and Peace Officers' Memorial Ribbon Society.

Established by the class of Science 1948 1/2 on the occasion of their 50th reunion in 1998. Awarded by the Dean of Smith Engineering on the basis of financial need to a mature student entering the first year program in Smith Engineering. Applicants must have been out of a traditional system of education for at least three years and demonstrate the potential for academic success to the Dean of Smith Engineering. The bursary is renewable for three more years provided that a GPA of 2.0 is maintained and that financial need remains evident. Recipients of the bursary, who will be known as The Science 1948 1/2 Scholars, must be Canadian citizens. Application should be made to the Office of the University Registrar, Financial Aid and Awards by February 15.

Apply for this award via The Science 1948½ Mature Student Entrance Bursary application.

Established in 1987 by John R. McCarthy, B.A.'43, LL.D.'67, former Deputy Minister of University Affairs and Deputy Minister of Education for the Province of Ontario. Awarded to a student who has graduated with at least second-class standing from either a three-year or four-year degree program in the Faculty of Arts and Science at Queen's University who is normally domiciled in Ontario and will be enrolling in the Faculty of Education at Queen's University in the fall session immediately following graduation. The student selected will have displayed leadership in student government and student affairs, made a personal contribution to the life of the University, shown a fondness and aptitude for sports and displayed leadership and sense of fair play in athletic endeavours. A letter of application, a resume, and two letters of reference must be submitted to Student Services at the Faculty of Education by January 15. Reference letters should be sent directly by the referees, to the Faculty of Education. All documents can be submitted either by mail or email.