BLACK LOYALIST BURSARIES
The Black Loyalist Heritage Society Bursary Program is an annual program that is dedicated to supporting and promoting the achievement of academic excellence by Black youth by supporting the education and development of our future Black Leaders. The program awards a one-time $500.00 bursary for students enrolled in full-time at an accredited post-secondary institution.
2026 Eligible Applicants:
To be eligible for the BLHS Bursary, you must:
- Be a member of the Black/African Canadian community; and/or identify as a person of Black/African descent.
- Be a Canadian citizen, or permenant resident of Canada.
- Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment at an acredited post-secondary instutition in the 2026-2027 academic year.
- Be under 30 years old at the start of the academic year.
- Certify that all information provided on your application form and in all accompanying documents is true, accurate and complete to the best of your knowledge.
Required Documentation:
Applicants must submit:
- Online application form (found below) including a single PDF attachment with the following:
- Your resume
- A photograph of yourself (hi-res with a clear background; portrait/headshot – not a ‘selfie’)
- A personal essay
- One letter of recommendation
- High School/Post-Secondary Transcript (official/unofficial transcripts will be accepted).
Personal Essay - What We're Looking For
Tell Us Your Personal Story: (approximately 1000 words)
This essay gives you a chance to make a case for a BLHS Bursary. Think carefully about the bursary selection criteria and develop a strategy for focusing your arguments on the factors that matter.
- Do you want to emphasize your community service, student leadership records and the awards you have been given?
- Are there extra-curricular activities, service and/or volunteerism in the Black community, examples of role model and leadership behavior in your home, school, and community?
- Have you excelled in your academics and have been recognized by your school, or other agencies?
- If you were involved in a project, did you initiate it, did you lead it or was role that of a participant? Did that project relate to work in the Black community?
Letter of Recommendation - What We're Looking For
Do not submit more than one (1) recommendation letter. Those writing a letter on your behalf should know you well, and be able to describe your achievements, character, challenges encountered, commitment to your community and your special personal attributes. This letter is very persuasive in convincing the Board of Directors of your eligibility for a bursary. Therefore, it’s best to ask people who are willing to make the effort to write an impactful letter. Letters should be addressed to the President, Black Loyalist Heritage Society and should be uploaded with your application.
Submit a letter of recommendation from ONE of the following:
From a Teacher:
- This letter should be written by your current school teacher; however, a letter from your guidance counsellor, principal or vice-principal who knows you well is acceptable. If you recently changed high schools and prefer a letter from your former high school, this is also acceptable.
- Ensure that you request a letter from your teacher in time to meet the BLHS Bursary Application deadline.
From a Member of the Community:
- This letter should be written (on letterhead if possible) by someone outside your school but within your community. This person may be an employer, coordinator of volunteer community services, someone from the faith community, a member of the Black community or a leader of an organization to which you belong. Ideally, this person should know you well enough to write about your record of community service, your family situation, challenges you have faced and to make your case for a bursary.
From an Athletic Director or Coach of Extracurricular Activities:
- This letter should be written (on letterhead if possible) by the Coach, Director, Leader or Organizer of the activity or team.
- Ideally, this person should know your record of participation and involvement, including your strengths and abilities.
2026 Deadline to Apply:
Applications for the BLHS Bursary will be accepted until June 30, 2026 11:59 ADT.
Applications will only be received through our online form. If you experience technical difficulties with the form, please contact us at blackloyalist@blackloyalist.com
Evaluation Process:
Each applicant will be evaluated by members of the Black Loyalist Heritage Centre Board of Directors on the following criteria:
- High academic achievement
- Recognized contribution to the Black Community. This is based on information presented in your resume, personal essay and letter of recommendation.
Notifcation of Results:
Successful applicants will be officially advised of their award by July 31st, 2026. Award of the bursary is dependant on conditions and requirements of the bursary being met.
As a courtesy, applicants who are unsuccessful in the 2026 scholarship program will also be notified by e-mail.
Due to the number of applicants, we cannot grant a bursary to everyone. We encourage unsuccessful applicants to re-apply in the next academic year.
APPLY NOW
Use the below form to apply to the Black Loyalist Heritage Society Bursary.
Do not provide any material not requested.
Submissions are final, please review and ensure they are complete and correct before submitting.
By submitting, you are certifying that all information provided within is true, accurate and complete to the best of your knowledge.
COMMUNITY GRANTS
The grants and funding opportunities shared in this section are not organized by the Black Loyalist Heritage Centre.
If you have a community grant you wish to share with us, please e-mail blackloyalist@blackloyalist.com and include the details as well as a poster to include on our page.
TRIBE NETWORK AND ST. MARY’S UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIPS
Tribe Network, in collaboration with Saint Mary’s University, is announcing the launch of two new scholarships and an internship program. This partnership is designed to develop pathways for Black and Indigenous undergraduate and graduate students in fields involving commerce, computer science and analytics. All applicants must self-identify as Black (African Nova Scotian, African Canadian or Black Immigrants) or Indigenous (First Nation, Métis, Inuit).
The three key areas helping to create pathways for Black and Indigenous are:
Undergraduate Award: applicants must meet undergraduate admission requirements to a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Commerce program, with an intended major in Computer Science or Computing and Information Systems. Recipients of the Undergraduate Tribe Network Award will receive $5,000 annually upon meeting the academic criteria. Students must maintain good academic standing (GPA 2.0) to maintain the scholarship, which is renewable for up to 3 years, and must be enrolled in a minimum of 3 courses per academic term (Fall/Winter).
Graduate Scholarship: applicants must be a graduate student of Saint Mary’s University in any discipline involving computing and analytics. Recipients will receive $10,000 annually, which can be applied towards tuition reduction and/or support for student internships with external partners (e.g., companies, non-profits).
Internship Placement: Saint Mary’s University and Tribe Network will assist in matching scholarship recipients with internship opportunities that align with their academic and career aspirations. The internship component aims to provide real-world experience and networking opportunities to complement the students’ academic studies.
A committee comprising representatives from Saint Mary’s University and Tribe Network will review applications. The committee includes: Dr. Adam Sarty (Associate Vice-President, Research), the Indigenous Student Advisor, the Black Student Advisor, and Alfred Burgesson (Founder and CEO) with Tribe Network.
For more information on the Tribe Network Graduate Scholarship and Internship program, and the Tribe undergraduate award, or to apply, please visit explore the following pages on the Saint Mary’s University’s website: