Awards & Scholarships
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Be One of Our Recipients!
RDP provides more than $1 million in awards and scholarships to our students each year. Make sure to check back often as the awards on this page will be updated frequently.
See list of awards below and apply today!
Award & Scholarship Opportunities
Red Deer Polytechnic's General Awards Application
The deadline to complete RDP’s General Awards Application has passed. Thank you and best of luck to all applicants! Award winners are selected and notified over the spring, summer and fall months. Be sure to monitor your RDP email to ensure you do not miss out!
The General Awards Application will reopen in March 2025.
Red Deer Polytechnic Building on Excellence Academic Award
Who said there is no such thing as free money? If you are a current high school student planning to attend a credit program at Red Deer Polytechnic next fall, with an average of 80% or higher in five 5-credit grade 11 or grade 12 subjects, you could get $1,000 awards towards your tuition. It’s easy to apply!
Fall 2025 Applicants: Beginning October 1, 2024, email your transcript or Detailed Academic Report to the Student Connect Centre and be sure to provide an up-to-date email address and phone number.
There are limited scholarships to be awarded. Be sure to apply early!
Jason Lang & Louise McKinney Scholarships
Eligibility Criteria:
- Must be continuing in full-time post-secondary studies
- Must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or protected person
- Must be an Alberta resident
- Must have completed 24 credits with a minimum GPA of 3.2 (to meet Jason Lang eligibility) or 30 credits with a minimum GPA of 3.7 (to meet Louise McKinney eligibility) over the previous two terms (not including Spring)
- Students can only receive one of these scholarships per academic year
- A maximum of 3 Jason Lang and/or Louise McKinney scholarships can be acquired in a student's academic lifetime
Current Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) students meeting the above criteria will be notified via email to their Red Deer Polytechnic email addresses over the summer months. Nominees are required to complete the application linked in this email in order to be considered for the awards.
Students who have transferred to other institutions (including those currently enrolled in collaborative programs at RDP) must contact the Financial Aid Office at their current institution in order to discuss their Jason Lang and Louise McKinney Scholarship process.
Indigenous Careers Award
If you are an Indigenous student attending full-time studies at Red Deer Polytechnic, you may be eligible for the Indigenous Careers Award. This award provides support to Indigenous Albertans in their pursuit of post-secondary studies in certificate, diploma, and degree programs. The award is valued at $2,000 per term, with a maximum of $4,000 per year.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Must be of Indigenous ancestry
- Must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
- Must be a resident of Alberta
- Must be a Red Deer Polytechnic student (collaborative students must apply through their institution)
- Must be enrolled in at least 60% of a full-time course load. If you are a student with a documented permanent disability, you are considered full-time if you are enrolled in at least 40% of a full-time course load.
- Must have attended a post-secondary institution in the most recent major (Fall or Winter) term. If you attended a post-secondary institution other than Red Deer Polytechnic, you must submit a statement of grades or transcript with your application.
- Must have a minimum GPA of 1.7. Applicants will be selected based on highest GPA.
There are two application windows for the 2024-2025 Indigenous Careers Awards:
- Fall 2024 Award: Apply between September 1 and October 15, 2024.
- Winter 2025 Award: Apply between January 1 and February 15, 2025.
Eligible students enrolled in both terms are able to apply once per term and could receive the award for both terms.
Complete the Indigenous Carreers Award Application to be considered.
Health Sciences Rural Practicum Bursary
Students enrolled in and required to travel to practicum placements outside of the City of Red Deer for the Practical Nurse Diploma, Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree or the Occupational and Physical Therapist Assistant Diploma programs may be eligible for the Health Sciences Rural Practicum Bursary! This bursary is intended to offset the financial burden of traveling to a distant practicum location.
Before applying, you must:
- Have a confirmed practicum placement at least 100km from Red Deer Polytechnic
- Know the practicum/clinic dates and location
Complete the Health Sciences Rural Practicum Bursary Application to be considered.
Deadline to apply for a Fall 2023 practicum: October 31, 2024
Deadline to apply for a Winter 2024 practicum: March 1, 2025
Red Deer Polytechnic Athletics Awards & Scholarships
Current and prospective Red Deer Polytechnic student-athletes may be eligible for athletic awards and scholarships. Connect with the Red Deer Polytechnic team’s head coach to discuss your athletic award eligibility.
Canadian Western Bank Continuing Education & Corporate Training Scholarship in Honour of Jack Donald
If you are enrolled in any Red Deer Polytechnic Continuing Education & Corporate Training Business and Leadership Certificate Program and have demonstrated community involvement and leadership, you could be eligible to recieve this $2,500 scholarship. Complete the Continuing Education & Corporate Training Scholarship Application* to be considered.
*By completing this application you will also be considered for the Nina Dary Memorial Scholarship.
Deadline to apply: September 15, 2024
Nina Dary Memorial Scholarship
This scholarship, valued at $1,000, supports female students enrolled in any Red Deer Polytechnic Continuing Education & Corporate Training Business and Leadership Certificate Program. Complete the Continuing Education & Corporate Training Scholarship Application* to be considered.
*By completing this application you will also be considered for the Canadian Western Bank Continuing Education & Corporate Training Scholarship in Honour of Jack Donald
Deadline to apply: September 15, 2024
Red Deer Polytechnic Tenants’ Association Building Community Scholarship
Do you reside on campus? Would you like to organize an event, project or initiative for the betterment of your fellow Red Deer Polytechnic students? If so, you need to apply for this scholarship! There are two scholarships to be awarded in the Fall term, and two to be awarded in the Winter term. The selected recipients will receive $200 to make their event, project or initiative a reality. Simply complete the Red Deer Polytechnic Tenants' Association Building Community Scholarship Application in order to be considered. Please note applications will be considered on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Deadline to apply for a Fall 2024 project/event/initiative: November 15, 2024
Deadline to apply for a Winter 2025 project/event/initiative: March 15, 2025
External Award Opportunities
Searching for scholarships can be like hunting for treasure – it takes time, but the rewards are worth it. Maximize your scholarship potential by browsing the following list of external award and scholarship opportunities. Criteria and deadlines will vary, so be sure to check year-round.
Alberta Student and Scholarships
- Alberta Student Aid's Academic Scholarships
- Alberta Student Aid's Athletic Scholarships
- Alberta Student Aid's Citizen/Leadership Scholarships
- Alberta Student Aid's Indigenous Scholarships
- Alberta Student Aid's Language Scholarships
- Alberta Student Aid's Technology Scholarships
Business Awards & Scholarships
Science & Health Sciences Awards & Scholarships
- Agricultural Service Board Bursary
- Association of Science and Engineering Technology Professionals of Alberta (ASET)
- Bethany Care Foundations Scholarships
- Health Care Aide Tuition Bursary Program
- Parkland Airshed Management Zone (PAMZ) Dr. Martha Kostuch Environmental Education Fund
- Professional Vegetation Managers Association (PVMA) Student Scholarships, Bursaries and Awards
- Red Deer Regional Health Foundation Scholarships
- Spruce Grove and District Agricultural Heritage Society Student Grant
- Tier 1 Scholarship Program
Awards for Students with Disabilities
Awards for Newcomers to Canada & International Students
- Queen Esther Education Foundation
- The award(s) listed here are specific to newcomers to Canada and international students, however; you are encouraged to review the other opportunities listed on this page as they too may accept applications from international students.
Indigenous Student Awards
- Aboriginal Futures
- Indigenous Bursaries Search Tool
- Indspire
- Primary Indigenous Student Bursary
- The awards listed here are specifically for Indigenous students, however; you are encouraged to review the other opportunities listed on this page to maximize your scholarship potential. Additionally, you may also be interested in visiting rdpolytech.ca/indigenousfunding for information on Indigenous funding resources.