January 24, 2020
Schulich doubles down
The nation’s largest scholarship program doubles in size, now awarding 100 annual Canadian STEM scholarships
This fall, 100 top-ranking high school students across Canada will begin their University journey with the award of a lifetime: a Schulich Leader Scholarship.
Established in 2012 by businessman and philanthropist Seymour Schulich, the Schulich Leader Scholarship is the largest of its kind in the nation, offering $80,000 and $100,000 awards to high-performing high school students pursuing undergraduate studies in science, technology, engineering and/or mathematics (STEM). This year, Schulich has doubled his investment to $200M, increasing the upcoming cohort from 50 to 100. Out of a pool of more than 300,000 potential candidates across Canada, 1,500 high school students are nominated annually, of which only 100 will receive the prestigious honour.
“These future leaders will make great contributions to society, both on a national and global scale,” Schulich says. “With their university expenses covered, they can focus their time on their studies, research projects, extracurriculars and entrepreneurial ventures. They are the next generation of technology innovators.”
The University of Waterloo currently holds the largest average eligible applicant pool for these scholarships. The increase in funding will see 10 incoming Waterloo students get a chance at the honour, versus four in previous years.
“We are delighted to combine the vision of the Schulich Leader Scholarship program with Waterloo’s innovation culture and push for excellence to attract the best and brightest in Canadian talent for the biggest impact,” Feridun Hamdullahpur, president and vice-chancellor says. “These major philanthropic donations are transforming the lives of our most promising STEM students and actively helping Canada retain these vital future leaders and problems solvers of tomorrow.”
The nomination deadline for the 2019/2020 program is January 29, 2020. Additional eligibility and selection criteria for prospective applicants can be found on the Undergraduate Entrance Awards website and on the Schulich Leader Scholarship website.
