In follow up to the 2022 program in which the University of Waterloo Games Institute secured $50,000 of funding for student scholarships, the Ministry of Colleges and Universities has allocated additional funding to eligible post-secondary institutions in support of scholarships for high-achieving students with financial need enrolled in programs related to the video-gaming industry that may lead to a career in the videogaming or esports fields.
Several scholarships valued at $2,500 - $5,000 each will be awarded in 2024/25 for a total of $25,000.
Candidates must be enrolled full-time in an undergraduate or graduate program in the 2024/25 academic year and be in a funding-eligible video-gaming, game development, game design, or a similar program that may lead to a career in video-gaming and/or esports. Programs include, but not limited to:
- Communication Arts
- Computer Engineering
- Computer Science
- Data Science
- Digital Media Studies
- Economics
- English Language and Literature
- Experimental Digital Media
- Global Business and Digital Arts
- Kinesiology
- Knowledge Integration
- Mathematics
- Psychology
- Public Health
- Recreation and Leisure Studies
- Recreation and Sports Business
- Software Engineering
In support of equity, diversity, inclusion, anti-racism, and supporting Indigenous initiatives (EDII), preference will be given to equity-deserving candidates or to applicants who are addressing underrepresentation issues in the gaming and esports industry.
Check out the funding results from 2023!
The application deadline is January 31, 2025. Learn more about the eligibility criteria on the application form.