The Jamaican Canadian Association (JCA) is a registered non-profit committed to identifying and responding to the needs of the Caribbean and African communities. This includes cultural programming, advocacy, education support and outreach on a range of issues. In 2002, a Scholarship Program was established to respond to the educational needs of these communities. The purpose of the Program is to recognize excellence and support access to post-secondary education for students of Caribbean and African heritage who are pursuing studies at an Ontario college or university.
Over 40 unique student scholarships to be awarded.
A complete list of available scholarships and bursaries along with their individual requirements is available on the JCA website.
The minimum award value of each available scholarship is $1000 CAD.
The minimum value of awards noted as bursaries is $500 CAD.
How to Apply
- Eligibility
- Application
- Judging
- Terms
All applicants for scholarships/bursaries:
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- Must participate in the JCA’s Scholarships Awards Recognition Event to receive your award, if selected as a recipient. This is an in-person event. As a result of COVID-19 the event also takes place online/in a hybrid format.
- Must provide proof of status in Canada.
- Domestic students of Caribbean/African background must provide proof of either Canadian citizenship or permanent residency (e.g. copy of birth certificate, passport, PR card).
- International students of Caribbean/African background must provide proof of student status in Canada (e.g. copy of study permit/visa).
- Must be enrolled as a full-time student at an Ontario university, college or other post-secondary institution. Proof of enrolment is required (e.g. acceptance letter; current course confirmation document).
- Must demonstrate your academic performance by providing a copy of your most recent transcript.
- If you are a graduating high school student, you must provide a copy of your most recent report card for the current semester or your final high school report card.
- If you are already enrolled in college or university, a copy of your most recent college or university transcript is required. Unofficial transcripts/grade summaries will be accepted – your name, the name of your school and the year of study must be visible. The Scholarship Committee reserves the right to ask for official verification later.
- Must demonstrate financial need by providing an Income and Expenses Statement for the upcoming school year. In addition, applicants can also provide details of their lived experiences in their essay if they choose. Download the Income and Expenses Statement Template here.
- Must demonstrate involvement and leadership in school and/or community activities.
- Must include a minimum two-page double-spaced essay that describes why you are applying for this scholarship, your academic goals, your career goals, any life experiences that you feel are relevant to your application and how you plan to pay it forward if you are selected for a scholarship. Please also provide information about your volunteer roles and/or leadership activities, whether at school or in your community. This should include how your volunteerism and leadership activities will help you achieve your goals.
- If you have experienced any hardships that have impacted your academic performance and/or life circumstances, you can provide these details in your essay.
- Must provide two reference letters that speak to your character, performance, potential as a student, leader, employee or volunteer. Letters of recommendation can be attached by applicants as part of their application package. See below for instructions.
- Must provide a digital photograph (JPEG or PNG format).
- Please note that these photographs become the property of the JCA and may be used for purposes related to the Scholarship Program specifically (e.g. announcing scholarship winners).
TO APPLY, PLEASE REVIEW THE FULL LIST OF AVAILABLE SCHOLARSHIPS ON THE WEBSITE AND AIM TO PICK ONE SCHOLARSHIP THAT BEST MATCHES YOUR STUDENT PROFILE.
All mandatory documents are to be uploaded into the JCA application portal before you submit your application. Once you submit your application, you cannot go back and change it.
Mandatory documents that must be uploaded to your application package are:
- Proof of status in Canada
- Proof of enrolment in an Ontario post-secondary institution (e.g., current acceptance letter, copy of current enrolment document)
- Your two-page essay
- Students completing their final year of high school: a copy of the most recent high school report card or transcript
- Students already in university or college: a copy of your most recent transcript. Unofficial transcripts/grade summaries are accepted – your name and the name/logo of your school must be visible
- Income and expenses statement (download Income and Expenses Template here)
- Applicant photograph and applicant summary (instructions are provided in application form)
- Any required documents that may be specific to the scholarship you are applying for
Reference Letters:
Two reference letters are required (employment, school, or volunteer-related). Reference letters must contain contact information for your reference. The individuals giving you a reference can provide their reference letter to you directly so that you can upload the letter to your application form.
If you have questions please contact scholarships@jcaontario.org
A recipient will be selected for each scholarship based on the criteria below. Please review the sections on ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA and REQUIRED DOCUMENTS for more information.
- Academic achievement (transcript required; unofficial transcripts/grade summaries are accepted)
- Involvement in school and/or community leadership activities and volunteerism
- Financial need (financial statement required; see Eligibility Criteria section for more information)
- Applicant’s personal essay and any other essay/material that may be required for a particular scholarship
- Significant personal achievements beyond academic ability, which may include personal accomplishments in spite of adversity
- Two references demonstrating the applicant’s accomplishments
- Commitment to career goals and to giving back
The decisions of the JCA Scholarship Selection Committee and the Scholarship Donor are final.
Only successful applicants will be notified about their application outcome. Notification will take place in mid-late August.
Completed applications must be submitted via the JCA online application portal by 11:59 p.m. on July 10, 2023. Late applications will not be accepted.