Areas to Support
Ayaka Nomura and Rebekah Garriock, recipients of the Diversity Awareness Award, receive congratuations from Dr. Greg Lee.
Capilano University
For nearly four decades, Capilano has been bridging the needs of the marketplace and the needs of students. Its doors first opened in 1968 thanks to the hard work and commitment of our visionary founders. The inaugural class consisted of just 784 students. Today, the University has evolved into a strong and vibrant community of learning, with more than 7,000 students enrolling in credit programs every year. While the number is impressive, the University's focus is not on quantity but on quality. Excellence and innovation guide the institution.
As it has grown, Capilano University has stayed true to its roots, maintaining a staunch commitment to excellence in the classroom. What makes Capilano great is its ability to attract, retain, and develop outstanding faculty who are outstanding teachers – transferers of skills and knowledge. Without this ability and resources, the University's claim to excellence would quickly dissipate.
Capilano University offers small, intimate classes that engage students in rich discussions and idea exchanges. Faculty and students know each other. This personal contact can make the difference between failure or marginal performance and success. Many students learn better in a small nurturing environment. This is what Capilano University offers.
Scholarships, Bursaries and Awards
According to the Canadian Millennium Scholarship Foundation, over 60% of students graduating from College have acquired debt in order to pursue their education. Almost 20% of graduating students have debt in excess of $30,000.
For most students, accommodation is the single biggest expense. However, some students face additional costs such as child care or special needs related to a disability. In order to manage the financial costs of being a student, one in five make the decision to reduce their course load or temporarily discontinue their studies.
In addition to alleviating the financial costs of attending school, bursaries, scholarships and awards provide important recognition and motivation to students balancing studies with family commitments and part time work.
A bursary is a cash gift issued to a student who meets established guidelines for financial need and possibly other criteria such as their specific program of study or being a single parent.
A scholarship is a cash gift issued to a student who meets established guidelines for outstanding academic achievement and possibly other criteria such as leadership or community involvement.
An award is a gift that does not meet the strict guidelines for scholarships or bursaries. It may be cash, books, membership or another prize. The criteria may include, but are not limited to, academic achievement, financial need, and/or community involvement.
Capilano University's Financial Aid Office receives applications and confidentially provides financial support to students. For a listing of existing awards please click here.
To find out more about establishing a scholarship, bursary or award, please contact Jessica Thoms, Director of Development and Alumni Relations at jthoms@capilanou.ca or 604.984.1765.
back to top