Scholarships

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Scholarships

At St. Jerome’s, we are proud to offer a variety of scholarships and bursaries, to ensure your university education is as accessible as possible.

The deadline for 2025 Entrance Scholarships has passed. The deadline for 2026 scholarships will be posted soon.

Entrance scholarships and bursaries

Each year, St. Jerome's University offers several entrance scholarships to students who are co-registered students at St. Jerome's and are entering their first year of undergraduate studies directly from high school. Incoming students who have accepted their offer of admission to St. Jerome's University at the University of Waterloo will automatically be assessed for entrance scholarships that do not require an application (President's Scholarship of Distinction, President's Scholarship, and Merit Scholarship).

Bursaries are awarded based primarily on financial need.

Entrance Scholarships and Bursaries
Name of Scholarship Criteria Value Application Required
Board of Governors’ Scholarship Awarded to the highest achieving incoming Faculty of Arts student at St. Jerome’s University. Up to $5,000 Not applicable

Founders’ Scholarship

 Awarded to the highest achieving incoming Faculty of Arts student at St. Jerome’s University from each of our partnering Roman Catholic High Schools. $1,000 Not applicable
John Sweeney Memorial Scholarship Awarded to one student from a Waterloo Catholic District School Board high school or continuing education site. $1,000 Not applicable
Bishop Reding

Awarded to the highest achieving incoming Faculty of Arts student from a high school in the Diocese of Hamilton.

- Student must be OSAP eligible.

 $2,000 Not applicable

CEFO Catholic Student Awards

 Awarded to students beginning studies at St. Jerome's University in the Honours Arts or Honours Arts and Business program in fall 2026; or beginning studies at the University of Waterloo and living in residence at St. Jerome’s University beginning in fall 2026. $500 Not applicable
Roslyn and Hubert Dietrich Memorial Scholarship Awarded to an incoming co-registered St. Jerome’s University student who has completed or is completing high school and is beginning full-time first year studies. The student must demonstrate an understanding of, and commitment to, the principles of Catholic Social Thought (CST): respect for the dignity of all persons, a commitment to social justice, and thoughtful contribution to the common good of society, and identify how the funds will help them achieve their long-term goals and aspirations. $10,000 Application required see form below
Suzanne Forth Bursary

Awarded to an incoming co-registered St. Jerome’s University student from a secondary school within any of the Ontario Catholic District School Boards (4 total scholarships available).

- The student must be nominated by a teacher or guidance counsellor from their respective high school.

- Student must be OSAP eligible.

 $5,000 Application required see form below

Entrance scholarship deadlines by term

Term Date
Fall 2026 Term March 31, 2026

Other Entrance Scholarships Application Form
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Incoming St. Jerome’s students may also apply to additional scholarships and awards via this webform. These awards range in value from $1500 -$2500.

Applications are due by March 31, 2026.

Have you applied for OSAP?

 

Application Essay Instructions:

Applications are due by March 31, 2026.

  1. In a minimum 500 word essay, critically reflect on your community, leadership, and learning experiences both in and outside of high school, and the impact that they have had on you. What have you learned about yourself, your values, your communities, and/or social justice?
  2. What barriers or challenges have you faced in your life? What have you done to overcome these challenges? Please also identify how this scholarship will help you to overcome any challenges you are currently facing.

Scholarship and bursary essays are used by committees to get to know you, your experiences, and your views. To that end, we discourage the use of GenAI tools especially where those tools distort your authentic voice. You don't have to be a flawless writer to win a scholarship but evidence that the submission is not your own reflection could jeopardize your application.

One file only.
25 MB limit.
Allowed types: gif, jpg, png, bmp, eps, tif, pict, psd, txt, rtf, html, odf, pdf, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, xls, xlsx, xml, avi, mov, mp3, ogg, wav, bz2, dmg, gz, jar, rar, sit, svg, tar, zip.

Please attach your resume to this application form as well. Instead of listing the points and accomplishments that are captured in these documents, consider the impact they have created.

Students will be scored on the variety of interests / activities described what they have learned about themselves, and the impact of their personal contributions to the community.

Students will also be scored on the quality of their written responses. Students’ responses should be thoughtfully crafted, well-written, reflective, persuasive, organized and clear. 

One file only.
25 MB limit.
Allowed types: gif, jpg, png, bmp, eps, tif, pict, psd, txt, rtf, html, odf, pdf, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, xls, xlsx, xml, avi, mov, mp3, ogg, wav, bz2, dmg, gz, jar, rar, sit, svg, tar, zip.

Apply to the Roslyn and Hubert Dietrich Memorial Scholarship
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The Roslyn and Hubert Dietrich Memorial Scholarship is an entrance scholarship valued at $10,000, that will be provided to one selected recipient who has completed or is completing high school and is beginning full-time first year studies. The student must be co-registered with St. Jerome’s University. The student must demonstrate an understanding of, and commitment to, the principles of Catholic Social Thought (CST), and identify how the funds will help them achieve their long-term goals and aspirations.

Applications are due by March 31, 2026.

Criteria:

  1. The student demonstrates an understanding of, and commitment to, the principles of Catholic Social Thought (CST) in the following areas:

    • Common good

    • Dignity of the human person

    • Ecological responsibility

    • Economic justice

    • Participation

    • Peace

    • Preferential option for the poor

    • Rights and responsibilities

    • Solidarity

    • Subsidiarity and the role of the government

  2. Student identifies their long-term goals and aspirations, challenges they may have faced, and communicates how the funds will support their plans.
  3. Student presents a record of extra-curricular activity, community contributions, and/or leadership experiences that show how they have positively contributed to the community (locally and/or globally).
  4. Student provides a letter of reference from a school counselor, a coach, a teacher, or a school Chaplain.

Scholarship and bursary essays are used by committees to get to know you, your experiences, and your views. To that end, we discourage the use of GenAI tools especially where those tools distort your authentic voice. You don't have to be a flawless writer to win a scholarship but evidence that the submission is not your own reflection could jeopardize your application.

  1. Share with us your most notable leadership experiences, extra-curricular involvement, community service, and how you have contributed positively to the community (both locally and globally). Please include specific dates of your involvement, and the name of the organization(s) you were involved with.
  2. As you reflect on the themes of Catholic Social Teaching (CTS) listed at the top of this application form, how have your experiences and contributions reflected an understanding and commitment to living these 10 principles?
  3. As you look to the future, what are your long-term goals and aspirations? How do you imagine your education at St. Jerome’s University playing a key role in your achievement of those goals? 
  4. What barriers or challenges have you faced in your life? What have you done to overcome these challenges? Please also identify how this scholarship will help you to overcome any challenges you are currently facing.
  5. How will you contribute positively to the common good, show respect for the dignity of all persons, and be a champion for social justice during your time at St. Jerome’s University?

 

You must provide a letter of reference from a school counselor, coach, teacher or Chaplain to support your candidacy for this scholarship. This letter must be submitted no later than March 31st, 2026. Staff can email their reference letter to Armaan Dattani, St. Jerome’s University Manager of Outreach & Recruitment, at SJUoutreach@uwaterloo.ca.

One file only.
25 MB limit.
Allowed types: gif, jpg, png, bmp, eps, tif, pict, psd, txt, rtf, html, odf, pdf, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, xls, xlsx, xml, avi, mov, mp3, ogg, wav, bz2, dmg, gz, jar, rar, sit, svg, tar, zip.

Apply to the Suzanne Forth Bursary
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Terms and Conditions
By submitting this application, you are providing consent for this application to be shared with St. Jerome’s University and confirm that the information included is accurate and correct.

Upper-year scholarships, awards, and bursaries

Fall applications for upper-year scholarships, awards, and bursaries are currently open. Please use the link below to access the application page. The deadline for applications is Monday, October 19, 2026 at 11:59 p.m.

DRAGEN Lab Black or Indigenous Scholarship Application Form
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One award valued at $2,500 will be provided annually to a deserving Black or Indigenous student enrolled in a full-time studies degree program at the University of Waterloo/St. Jerome’s University and who is simultaneously completing a Dragen Lab Internship. Candidates must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or a protected person in Canada. Selection is based on the application statement wherein students are asked to describe the impact this award will have on their pursuit of postsecondary studies.

This award is for Black students as well as for Indigenous students. For the purpose of this award, Black students may include African, Caribbean, Black Canadian, Afro-Latine, African American, or other African descent. Indigenous person is a person who self-identifies as First Nations (Status/Non-Status), Métis, or Inuit/Inuk as defined in the Canadian Constitution Act 1982. You will be considered for this award criteria and your responses to the application questions.

Application deadline: May 1st, 2026.

Questions: If you have any questions about specific award requirements, completing the form, award decisions, or the collection of information on this form, please contact the St. Jerome's University Registrar's Office at sjuoutreach@uwaterloo.ca

I am a Canadian citizen, permanenet resident, or a protected person in Canada.
Black identity

For the purpose of this award, Black students may include African, Caribbean, Black Canadian, Afro-Latine, African American, or other descent.
Indigenous identity

For the purpose of this award, an Indigenous person is a person who self-identifies as First Nations (Status/Non-Status), Metis, and/or Inuit.

To protect the integrity of Indigenous candidates, students are required to provide documentation confirming their Indigenous identity. This supporting documentation will be verified by the Indigenous Relations Office at the University of Waterloo.

Examples of acceptable documentation include Status card, Band membership card, citizenship card issued by a Métis National Council governing member or the Manitoba Metis Federation, land claim beneficiary card, a letter from an Indigenous organization or community, an affidavit in which the applicant self-identifies as Indigenous.


One file only.
25 MB limit.
Allowed types: gif, jpg, png, bmp, eps, tif, pict, psd, txt, rtf, html, odf, pdf, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, xls, xlsx, xml, avi, mov, mp3, ogg, wav, bz2, dmg, gz, jar, rar, sit, svg, tar, zip.

Provide a statement/essay to explain what receiving an award would mean to you in your pursuit of postsecondary studies.

Your statement should be 500-1,000 words in length.


One file only.
25 MB limit.
Allowed types: gif, jpg, png, bmp, eps, tif, pict, psd, txt, rtf, html, odf, pdf, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, xls, xlsx, xml, avi, mov, mp3, ogg, wav, bz2, dmg, gz, jar, rar, sit, svg, tar, zip.

Provide a statement/essay describing your involvement in extracurricular or volunteer activities at school and/or in the community. If possible, focus on involvement you’ve had within Black or Indigenous communities.

Your statement should be between 500-1,000 words in length.


One file only.
25 MB limit.
Allowed types: gif, jpg, png, bmp, eps, tif, pict, psd, txt, rtf, html, odf, pdf, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, xls, xlsx, xml, avi, mov, mp3, ogg, wav, bz2, dmg, gz, jar, rar, sit, svg, tar, zip.
Declaration and consent

All boxes must be checked to be eligible for this scholarship.

University of Waterloo awards, financial aid, and entrance scholarships