100% Tuition Subsidy: VST Student Bursaries and Tuition Support Plan
VST offers a number of Bursaries as part of its Tuition Support Plan that can help defray the cost of studies. Tuition support can be requested by students registered in VST degree or diploma programs, for 25%, 50%, 75% or 100% of tuition, based on the student’s amount of financial need and registration status as indicated on the Tuition Support Application Form.
Deadlines for Bursary Applications and Updates for 2011-2012:
- September 15, 2011 for Fall Term
- January 14, 2012 for Spring Term
- April 1, 2012 for Summer Term and 2012/2013 work-study applications
A Bursary and Tuition Support Plan Application Form form can be downloaded from Student Forms.
Master of Divinity by Extension students are also eligible for VST student aid. Please contact the office for details by phone at 604-822-9480 or email the Native Ministries Program Office.
Applicants are expected to supply a detailed budget as part of their application for VST bursaries. Applicants must demonstrate that they have searched for other possible sources of financial support including congregational and denominational assistance.
VST Scholarships
Scholarship Application Deadline – March 15th
1. Relocation Bursary
Qualifications: Awarded on the basis of financial need, relocation costs and residential expenses.
Benefit: $2,500.00 CAD
2. Promise for Public or Pastoral Leadership Scholarship
Qualifications: Awarded on the basis of demonstrated leadership, a promise of future ministry (lay, ordained or alternative), and given regardless of financial need.
Benefit: Full-tuition for a student’s entering year (up to a maximum of 30 credit hours).
A student’s first academic year runs from May – April, and begins with Summer Term.
Part-time option: Students who will not be studying full-time in their entering year at VST may elect to receive a total of $6000 in tuition credits to be applied against their account over the course of up to 3 consecutive years of part-time study.
3. Academic Promise Scholarship
Qualifications: Awarded on the basis of past academic achievement and demonstrated potential for academic studies at VST, and given regardless of financial need.
Benefit: Full-tuition for a student’s entering year (up to a maximum of 30 credit hours).
A student’s first academic year runs from May – April, and begins with Summer Term.
Part-time option: Students who will not be studying full-time in their entering year at VST may elect to receive a total of $6000 in tuition credits to be applied against their account over the course of up to 3 consecutive years of part-time study.
4. Indigenous Student Scholarship
Qualifications: Awarded on the basis of demonstrated leadership potential, demonstrated academic potential, demonstrated financial need, and demonstrated Indigenous heritage and affiliation. Recipients will also demonstrate a firm commitment to use studies at VST for ministry and/or leadership that benefits his/her community. Priority is given to Indigenous Peoples of Canada and the United States. At least one of the two available Indigenous Scholarships will be reserved for a student in the NMP M.Div program, and this recipient will be chosen by the Native Ministries Program Committee.
Benefit: Tuition fees for a minimum of one full-time year of study (maximum 30 credit hours). May be renewable up to a maximum of 5 years of study.
For recipients in the NMP M.Div (extension) program: This scholarship will be made available to students in the M.Div (extension) program only after the successful completion of a minimum of 3 courses.
5. International Student Scholarship
Qualifications: Awarded on the basis of demonstrated leadership potential, demonstrated academic potential, and demonstrated financial need. Recipients will have citizenship in a country that is economically less advantaged. Recipients will demonstrate a firm commitment to use studies at VST to the benefit of his/her country of origin.
Benefit: Tuition fees for the maximum number of credit hours required in the degree program in which the student has been admitted, or the first 5 years of study, whichever comes first.
Scholarship eligibility, Academic Performance and Student Conduct:
In order to maintain the scholarship, the student must show evidence of satisfactory academic progress. Students disciplined under VST’s policy regarding inappropriate behaviour may be at risk of losing their scholarship. All scholarship recipients will be reviewed by the Faculty/Student Review Committee (FSRC) in January and May of each year. For more information on the FSRC, academic performance and student conduct policies, see the Supplementary Calendar/Student Handbook.
Scholarship Application Procedures:
Applicants who would like to be considered for a scholarship are required to submit a Scholarship Application Form (available on the VST Financial Aid webpage), along with a 300-500 word statement describing their qualifications for the scholarship(s), their goals for their studies at VST, and their vision for their public and pastoral leadership after graduation.
Good candidates for the scholarships possess authentic faith, imagination, vision, maturity, capacity for critical thinking, a keen sense of curiousity, and good communication skills.
Applicants agree that should they be granted a scholarship for studies at VST, that all or part of their statement may be published, along with their photograph, on the VST website and/or other VST publications.
Where appropriate, an applicant may request an oral interview in lieu of a written submission.
The Admissions committee (of either VST or the NMDP) will be the body to designate recipients, through the Registrar.
Up to two of each Scholarship will be offered annually, pending the availability of funds.
NOTE: Recipients are responsible for all student fees, living expenses, textbooks and incidental fees, and thus will need to raise considerable additional support for their program at VST.
