TORONTO – Telus Friendly Future Foundation on Wednesday is officially announcing the launch of its new $50-million Telus Student Bursary fund, which it says is the largest bursary fund in Canada.
The fund has been created through a $25-million endowment gift from Telus, along with an additional $25-million commitment in fundraising from Telus Friendly Future Foundation. It is intended to support students facing financial barriers impacting their ability to enroll in or continue their post-secondary education.
Telus Student Bursaries will be awarded annually to youth between the ages of 17 and 29 who have been accepted into, or are attending, any undergraduate degree or diploma program at any Canadian college, university or polytechnic institute, according to a media advisory distributed ahead of Telus’s official announcement.
Each year, the Telus Student Bursary program will see more than 400 students awarded a bursary valued at $3,000 (college) or $5,000 (university) to put toward tuition fees at Canadian post-secondary institutions, according to information on Telus Friendly Future Foundation’s website.
“While many student award programs focus on recognizing academic achievement, we will enable those in financial need to have an opportunity to thrive through higher education,” the foundation’s website says. “In addition, the Telus Student Bursary is for students who are driven to make the world a better place by taking on a social impact project.”
Telus Friendly Future Foundation says it is no longer accepting applications for 2023 bursaries, and the next student bursary application window will open in early 2024.
