Scholarships and awards | Earth and Environmental Sciences

Opportunities that support your studies

A variety of scholarships and awards are available to students in Earth and Environmental Sciences.

Whether you’re heading into your first year or moving through your degree, consult this list to see what you qualify for.

Entrance scholarships

Scholarships valued at up to $2,500 are awarded annually to outstanding students entering first year in Earth and Environmental Sciences.

Conestoga-Rovers & Associates Entrance Scholarships (no application required, past recipients)
Gwilym Roberts Memorial Scholarship (no application required, past recipients)
Faculty of Science Entrance Scholarships (no application required)

University-wide entrance scholarships and bursaries

Waterloo offers entrance scholarships based on academic achievement and bursaries based on financial need. Both the Faculty of Science and the Earth and Environmental Sciences department may supplement entrance scholarships depending on available resources in any given year.

In-course scholarships and awards

These awards are available specifically for students in Earth and Environmental Sciences. Check application deadlines

Duncan F. McIvor Memorial Award (application due February 15, past recipients)
J.P. Bickell Foundation Mining Awards (application due February 15, past recipients)
David M. Forget Memorial Award in Geology (application due June 15, past recipients)
Andre Vorgauer Memorial Award (application due February 15, past recipients)

These awards do not require an application. Recipients will be contacted.

Ron Kellerman Memorial Scholarship (awarded early September, past recipients)
Dr. Brian D. Bornhold Scholarship (awarded in fall, past recipients)

External scholarships and awards

Many awards are offered by outside agencies, organizations, and foundations. These award opportunities are listed below. Check application deadlines.

Student Industry Field Trip (SIFT) program (application due end of January)

The Canadian Energy Geoscience Association (CEGA) designed the Student Industry Field Trip (SIFT) program as an intense two-week immersion program based out of Calgary to provide an introduction to the oil and gas industry and establish links between industries and universities. It includes lectures and seminars, visits to the ERCB core repository, and project work to test and reward the candidates. Dr. Martin Ross is our department's SIFT representative and will provide annual information on the award and application process. Applications are due the end of January. View past recipients.

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) (contact for application deadline)

Every year, we receive funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Undergraduate Student Research Awards. This allows us to fund undergraduate research for a term. Check NSERC eligibility requirements. Each eligible institution sets its own deadline dates for receiving NSERC applications. For information about these dates, please contact Sue Fisher.

Young Mining Professionals Scholarship Fund (YMPSF) (application due end of August)

The Young Mining Professionals Scholarship Fund (YMPSF) was created to support and promote mining-related education in Canada, helping to develop the next generation of mining leaders.

We welcome applications from students who are:

Enroled in or have been accepted to a mining-related post-secondary program (undergraduate or graduate) at a Canadian institution, or
Pursuing studies in earth sciences or a related field with the goal of a career in mining.

Deadline to apply is the end of August.

CIM Foundation scholarship opportunities

The CIM Foundation (CIMF) came to life in 1972 sponsored by a group of enlightened CIM members. These members recognized the need to encourage students to be involved in the mining industry, facilitate ongoing education, and educate the general public on how mining sustains our way of life. A variety of scholarships are available:

The Alex and Gillian Davidson Family Endowment supports Indigenous students in Canada pursuing technical or university studies in the mineral extraction and processing industries with two multi-year grants. Technical program students receive $4,000 x 2 years and degree program students receive $5,000 x 3 years.
The Caterpillar Inc. and its Canadian Dealers Scholarship is granted to an outstanding third-year undergraduate mining engineering student in Canada and is valued at $2,000.
The Dr. David S. Robertson Memorial Scholarship for Geology supports students pursuing careers in mining and related industry with one $4,000 award granted annually to a third-year undergraduate geology student studying in Canada.
The Jim Popowich Memorial Mining Endowment, Geology Scholarship grants $3,000 annually to a full-time third-year undergraduate geology student studying in Canada.
The Reno Pressacco Geology Scholarship grants $2,000 annually to a full-time, third-year Canadian undergraduate geology student studying in Canada.
The Scotiabank Scholarship Fund recognizes outstanding third-year undergraduate students pursuing mining- or minerals-related studies at a Canadian university. One scholarship of $2,000 award is granted annually to a full-time Canadian student.
The Peter and Kitty Green Scholarship supports students pursuing careers in mining and mineral-related fields with one $2,000 award granted annually to an outstanding full-time Canadian undergraduate student in their third year at a Canadian university.

These awards do not require an application. Recipients will be contacted.

Brantford Lapidary and Mineral Society Awards (awarded early September)

The Brantford Lapidary and Mineral Society provides four awards of $500 each to two second-year and two third-year students enroled in an Earth Sciences program in the Faculty of Science at Waterloo. This fund is made possible through the generosity of the Brantford Lapidary and Mineral Society, a long-time partner and friend of the Faculty of Science. Recipients must have achieved a minimum overall average of 75%. Preference is given to students enroled in mineralogy courses. View list of past recipients.

Mineralogical Association of Canada Award (awarded in February)

The Mineralogical Association of Canada Undergraduate Award is given annually to an undergraduate student (second year of study or higher) at a recognized Canadian university or institute of higher education and recognizes excellence in one of the specialties supported by the Mineralogical Association of Canada (mineralogy, crystallography, geochemistry, petrology, and mineral deposits).

This award includes:

a one-year membership to the Association (including electronic access to The Canadian Mineralogist, a subscription to Elements, 20% discount on MAC publications, discounted registration fee at our annual meeting), and
a $100 gift certificate redeemable on any MAC publications to be selected from our Short Course, Special Issue of The Canadian Mineralogist or Special Publication series.

If you would like to be nominated for this award, please contact Luke Balch. The nominating officer must be an instructor of a course involving one of the specialties supported by the Mineralogical Association of Canada. Only one nomination per institution per year is granted.

Geological Association of Canada, Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada Logan Student Prize

The GAC^®-PDAC Logan Student Prize is awarded annually to one undergraduate student at each CCCESD-member department. The prize consists of a monetary award, one-year memberships in both GAC^® and PDAC, and an electronic certificate affirming that the student won the GAC^®-PDAC Logan Student Prize. View list of past recipients.