New Northern Learner Entrance Awards – an Incentive for Grade 12 Grads to Attend College in the North

Northwest BC—The CMTN Foundation and Coast Mountain College (CMTN) are excited to announce a new scholarship for top high school graduates.

“Often top students have their choice of many different college and university offers,” says Dr. Laurie Waye, President & CEO of Coast Mountain College, “but students who start their education at a community college are much more likely to finish their degree on time when they transfer to a university.”

For this reason, CMTN is making it more appealing for students to start their post-secondary education in the North. High school grads can attend college in a supportive environment for a couple of years before completing on-line or moving away from their network and coping with living in a new community. The money they save by staying in the North means they will have funds for other priorities like future home ownership, travel, or additional education.

Up to 23 awards are available – one for every school in the region—from Haida Gwaii to Houston, BC—where a student can obtain a Dogwood Diploma, as well as one for a student who completes their diploma through home-schooling.

The 22 high-schools in the area will each be asked to nominate top students with high marks in five academic courses, including math and English, as well as one elective. Home-schooled applicants can apply directly to the CMTN Foundation. The students selected must maintain a minimum 80% average in Grade 12 and take on a minimum 80% course load at CMTN.

The award for each student who accepts the nomination will include up to $3,500 toward tuition, fees, and supplies, as well as a $600 monthly housing supplement for up to eight months. The recipient can use the housing supplement either for a room in Wii Gyemsiga Siwilaawksat (the student housing building on the Terrace campus) or to supplement their living costs off-campus. The total maximum value is $8,300 per award.

The students selected must enroll in a program that is longer than 28 weeks. This includes a number of trades programs such as Hairstylist, Automotive Technician Foundations, and Professional Cook, and a broad range of academic programs in Business, Arts and Sciences, and Health and Human Services.