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NationalVery competitive
NUPGE Scholarships for Black, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQIA+, Students of Colour and Students with Disabilities
National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE)
- Amount
- $2,500$2,500 per scholarship. Students may enter every scholarship they qualify for but can win only one per year. Taxable.
- Deadline
- Date not confirmedLast cycle's deadline was July 15, 2026. Check the official page for this year's date. Last cycle closed at 5 p.m. EDT, and winners are announced on the NUPGE website a few months after the deadline.
Go to the official page (opens in a new tab)
Always confirm the details there before applying.
About this award
NUPGE offers $2,500 essay scholarships to students whose parent, grandparent or legal guardian belongs to, or retired from, a NUPGE union such as OPSEU/SEFPO. There are separate scholarships for Black, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQIA+, students of colour and students with disabilities, plus general ones. Students apply in Grade 12 before starting first year at a public Canadian college or university.
Who can apply
- Child or grandchild (including step and foster children and grandchildren) or legal ward of a current or retired member of a NUPGE Component or affiliate (in Ontario, OPSEU/SEFPO)
- Entering first year at a public college or university in Canada, full or part time, with no prior post-secondary credits
- Separate scholarships for Black students, Indigenous students, 2SLGBTQIA+ students, students of colour, and students with a disability (Terry Fox Memorial Scholarship)
What to submit
- Online application form
- Original 750 to 1,000 word essay on the year's topic
- Contact for an official of the family member's union, to confirm membership
- Indigenous identity document or signed self-declaration (Indigenous scholarship only)
Quick facts
Words you'll see- Type
- Scholarship
- Category
- Identity-based and Employer or union
- Program
- University and College
- When to apply
- Grade 12
- Where it applies
- National, Canada
- For
- Black students, Indigenous students, 2SLGBTQ+ students, Students with a disability and Other identity criteria
- Other requirements
- Child or grandchild (including a stepchild, foster child, step-grandchild or foster grandchild) or legal ward of a current or retired member of a NUPGE Component or a Component's affiliate, such as OPSEU/SEFPO in Ontario
- The gap between what school costs and what your family is expected to pay. Bursaries and grants often use it.
- No
- Paid again in later years of your program, as long as you keep meeting its rules, such as a minimum average.
- No, one-time
- Application cycle
- 2025-26
Sources
Last checked against the official site on Oct 2, 2026.
What the official pages say
"Scholarship entry deadline was Wednesday, July 15, 2026, at 5 p.m. EDT."
https://nupge.ca/scholarship-faq/(opens in a new tab)"Each scholarship has the same award amount of $2,500."
https://nupge.ca/scholarship-faq/(opens in a new tab)"You must be planning to enter the 1st year of a public, post-secondary education institution"
https://nupge.ca/scholarship-faq/(opens in a new tab)"a legal ward of a current or retired member of a NUPGE Component or a Component’s affiliate."
https://nupge.ca/scholarship-faq/(opens in a new tab)"are a Black student planning to enter the 1st year of a Canadian public, post-secondary education institution"
https://nupge.ca/scholarship-faq/(opens in a new tab)"Please remember that this person must be an official of the affiliated union."
https://nupge.ca/scholarship-faq/(opens in a new tab)"Each year, the 425,000 member National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) offers 9 scholarships of $2,500 each"
https://nupge.ca/2026/nupge-scholarships-2026-2027/(opens in a new tab)"You must be a child or grandchild (including a stepchild, foster child, step-grandchild, or foster grandchild)"
https://nupge.ca/scholarship-faq/(opens in a new tab)
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