Are you looking for National Essay Contest tips? If you are a Canadian student studying in a French program, and you are in Grade 10, 11, 12, secondaire IV, secondaire V, or Cégep 1, then you can enter! Scholarships range from $1,000 and $12,000 at one of these post-secondary institutions:
- uOttawa
- Université Sainte Anne
- Université de Montréal
- Université de Moncton
- Université de Saint-Boniface
- York University – Glendon
- University of Alberta – Campus Saint-Jean
- Université Simon Fraser
- University of Lethbridge
- Collège Boréal
- University of Regina
- Collège de l’Île
- University of British Columbia
Here are some National Essay Contest tips!
How To Apply:
Fill out the entry form and write/submit an essay based on the presented topic. Also, indicate the category that applies to you and the post-secondary intuitions you would like to attend. For more information on how to enter the National Essay Contest, click here.
How To Win:
Firstly, they award 90 National Essay Contest scholarships! In other words, 45 scholarships will be awarded for Category 1 and 45 scholarships will be awarded for Category 2. Secondly, here’s what you need to do to make sure you successfully enter the Contest:
- Complete the entire entry form.
- Place yourself in the correct category so you are not disqualified.
- Write an original 750-word essay based on this year’s topic.
- After that, submit an original 750-word essay in French. It will be disqualified if it’s been exhibited publicly, previously published, or won another contest.
- Number your post-secondary institution choices where #1 is your first choice.
- Read specific requirements for the post-secondary institution you want to attend.
- Review the evaluation grid used for judging.
- Lastly, gauge your odds! Determine how many scholarships the post-secondary institutions are offering in your category.
Selection Process:
Four judges, appointed by the Sponsor, evaluate your essay. They use an evaluation grid to judge each essay accordingly. The judging panel will provide a score for your essay, which will be the average scores provided by each judge.
Scholarships are awarded by 1) your first choice of post-secondary, and 2) your score. However, the first choice of post-secondary institution takes priority. This means that a high global ranking does not automatically grant you a scholarship. In the event that your first choice post-secondary scholarship has been awarded to other entrants with better scores, you may not receive one for that institution. However, the Sponsor can award scholarships for your second or third choices.
What Are My Chances Of Winning?
Basically, the odds depend on the number of participants and the caliber of essays received for your category. However, if there is a tie between essays in the same category, the essay that receives the highest combined score on coherence and clarity from the judging panel wins the higher ranking. If this still leads to a tie, the essay will be re-reviewed by a panel of four different judges.
Moreover, an essay will be disqualified if it is not original (written by the person submitting it) or is illegal, defamatory, or in any way obscene. The Sponsor determines this.
Furthermore, each category will have 5 highest ranked essays that will receive an honorable mention on the French for the Future’s website. To see the number and approximate value of each scholarship, visit french-future.org.
Important Tip:
Read the eligibility requirements set for the schools you list. Not sure where to look? Check here. For more information, check out the 2019-2020 winners of the National Essay Contest. Good luck!