Category: Ministry of Education Scholarships

Criteria

The BC Excellence scholarship is awarded to 55 well-rounded high school graduates who have demonstrated service and leadership, both at school and in their communities, and who show aptitude for and commitment to their chosen career paths. You must be nominated by your secondary school to qualify for this scholarship and each school may nominate one student only.

Value

$5000. Students have five years to redeem their BC Excellence scholarship vouchers; an expiry date is printed on each voucher and extensions are not possible.

Dates

Key dates

• February 2, 2025:  WRITTEN STATEMENT AND RESUME due to Ms. Mihic in Student Services or email by 3pm.
  
  If selected as the school nominee:
• February 17, 2025: online applications due by 2:59 pm PST
• Early June 2025: conditional recipients and their schools notified by email
• September 2025: conditional recipients checked against eligibility requirements
• October 2025: paper scholarship vouchers mailed to confirmed recipients

Procedure

Before starting, review all the details for this process outlined here: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/k-12/support/scholarships/provincial-scholarships/bc-excellence-scholarships#eligibility-requirements 

Here are the detailed instructions for how to prepare the required information offline:

1.    Written statement

• Save this written statement template (DOCX) to your computer
• Write your statement in the template, following the instructions provided
• Your written statement may build upon a related experience listed in your resume; keep the marking guidelines in mind
• When you are ready to submit your B.C. Excellence application online, upload your written statement into the online application form where prompted
• The written statement is worth 60% in the overall assessment of the application; all written statements are assessed, and those assessments are used to shortlist applications

2.   Resume (in mandatory online format)

• Save the sample of the online application (PDF) to your computer
• You can reference this as you prepare your information and responses offline
• The resume is worth 40% in the overall assessment of the application; only resumes from shortlisted applications are reviewed

3.   (IF SELECTED) Nomination form completed by your school 

• Save this nomination form (PDF) to your computer
• Ask your principal or school head to sign the form and return it to you
• Save a digital copy
• When you are ready to submit your B.C. Excellence application online, upload your signed nomination form where prompted

4.  ​(IF SELECED AS OUR NOMINEE) – Reference letters (2) – ask potential sponsor and teacher referees ahead of time if they can prepare a letter but this will only be necessary if you are selected as our nominee. 

• Save these reference letter instructions (PDF) to your computer
• Share the instructions with your two referees and have them return signed letters to you
  • One community-related (such as a community leader, coach, instructor, volunteer supervisor, or employer)
  • One school-related (such as a teacher, counsellor, school principal, or vice-principal)
• Save digital copies
• When you are ready to submit your B.C. Excellence application online, upload your two letters into the online application form where prompted
• The marking team does not mark the reference letters but does consider them when scoring resumes
• Some referees prefer to submit a letter directly to the Ministry; in this case you must include a brief note (PDF) from the referee in place of the reference letter
  • This brief note must include the referees email address and confirmation that they will provide a reference letter to the ministry by the deadline