Nova Scotia Community College
PA-8: Affordability and Access

Student Awards program: The NSCC Student Awards program recognizes achievement in the areas of academic performance, leadership, community involvement, and career advancement. Awards are funded by employees, current students, board members, service clubs, corporations, small businesses, foundations, and alumni. The program also mitigates financial barriers by offering many awards which contain a financial need component. For these awards, students are asked to complete a needs assessment detailing their expenses and revenues, allowing for proper and consistent assessment in this area. For awards that include financial need, the component is weighed differently – some awards are granted based on 100% financial need, while others may include other components outlined above. In 2022, approximately $3 million was awarded to 1,000+ NSCC students through this program.
Urgent Aid Program: Urgent Aid funding is available at each campus to help students who find themselves facing unanticipated financial challenges that may affect their ability to remain in college or who have financial need and have nowhere else to turn. Urgent Aid may come in the form of a gift card, cheque, or cash, depending on the individual student's personal circumstance. Students must have demonstrated financial need in a needs assessment to be eligible. While the campus will make every effort to meet the needs of its students, the total value received by a student will not exceed $500 and may normally only be accessed once per academic year.
Cost of Living Bursaries: from time to time, NSCC opens up cost of living bursaries to further support those experiencing financial hardship and need support to remain in school. This has come in the form of internet support bursaries, indigenous cost of living bursaries, black and African Nova Scotian cost of living bursaries, etc.
Job Readiness Funds: specific funding opportunities to support students who, due to financial need, may experience challenge in purchasing necessary educational items to ensure success in their program or to transition to a career.
Work Integrated Learning bursaries: provides support for students from under-represented areas of the community with financial support in participating in their mandatory, unpaid, Work Integrated Learning (WIL) programs as part of their NSCC program.

NSCC offers a number of awards to support those who might not otherwise be able to attend post-secondary without financial support. Many of these awards are offered to prospective students (those who do not yet have an offer of admission to the College) – however accessing the award is conditional on admission. Some prospective awards include:
• Arnold D. Johnson Sr. Award for Water Resources - $3,600 value (one award distributed annually)
The Arnold D. Johnson Sr. Award for Water Resources supports Indigenous African Nova Scotian students entering Civil Engineering Technology, Environmental Engineering Technology, Electrical Engineering Technology, Plumbing, Steamfitting/Pipefitting or Mechanical Engineering Technology programs at the Ivany campus. Preference will be given to students in Environmental Engineering Technology or Mechanical Engineering Technology.
• Children of Promise Bursary - full tuition value (one award distributed annually)
The Children of Promise Bursary has been established to support students who were children under the care of the Cape Breton Victoria and Inverness-Richmond Children's Societies, or the Nova Scotia Department of Community Service and any successor organizations.
• jipuktuk etli apatua'timk Award - $4,000 value (one award distributed annually)
The jipuktuk etli apatua'timk Award supports First Nations, Métis and Inuit students entering the Civil Engineering Technology, Environmental Engineering Technology, Electronic Engineering Technology, or Mechanical Engineering Technology Programs.
• Morton Simmonds Educational Scholarship - $3,000 value (one award annually)
The Morton Simmonds Educational Scholarship supports African Nova Scotian and Indigenous students interested in the Criminal Justice program.
• NSCC Post Care Free Tuition Bursary - $4,000 value (10 awards distributed annually)
The NSCC Post Care Free Tuition Bursary supports those who have lived in care in the Nova Scotia child welfare system – including Mi’kmaw Family and Children's Services of Nova Scotia and the Nova Scotia Home for Colored Children – or have been in receipt of services through the Department of Community Services, Services for Youth Program.
• Project Hero Award - full tuition value (waiver, no cash value)
Project Hero was co-founded by Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel Kevin Reed and Retired General Rick Hillier to provide support to children of fallen Canadian soldiers. The waiver covers regular tuition rates for certificate, diploma and advanced diploma programs as outlined on our tuition and fees page for a period not exceeding the normal program duration. The waiver does not cover incidental, ancillary and/or administrative fees. Please express your intent to apply by emailing the Student Awards Office. Please use "Project Hero" as the email title.
• The Sobey Award Program - $6,000 value (80 awards distributed annually)
The Sobey Award Program, generously provided by R.G. Sobey and Family, supports 80 students entering NSCC on a full-time basis each year. This award is renewable for students enrolled in multi-year programs.

NSCC does not have data available regarding the percentage of students that are classified as low income. Regardless programs are implemented to support student experiencing financial difficulty.