The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees revealed that by the end of 2021, 89.3 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide as a result of persecution, conflict, violence or human rights violations, and this includes 27.1 million refugees.
Although they had to flee their countries due to hardships, among them are individuals that have ambitions of studying further.
Fortunately, the MPOWER Refugee Scholarship is a scholarship that is specifically awarded to refugees.
Most scholarships are awarded based on merit or need, however, this one is one of many scholarships that is designated for specific groups of people (such as women, minorities, veterans) or those with certain interests or talents.
Through this scholarship, students will receive financial support that will be used towards tuition fees, books, supplies, housing, food, or other expenses related to higher education.
However, for an individual to be recognised and granted refugee status, they need to have received legal protections such as being allowed to stay and work legally in the host country.
Here's the eligibility criteria for the scholarship:
- Be accepted at or enrolled in a full-time degree program at a U.S. or Canadian school that MPOWER supports, and
- Be an international student allowed to legally study in the U.S. or Canada, as applicable through one of the following:
- Be a refugee or asylee from any country (or pursuing such status)
- Have Temporary Protected Status
- Be a beneficiary of Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) status
- You do not need to apply for a loan with MPOWER but are welcome to.
American and Canadian citizens/permanent residents and those with other immigration statuses are not eligible for this scholarship.
These Documents Are Required When Applying For A Study Permit in Canada:
Proof of Acceptance: This will be an acceptance letter from your school, college or university.
Proof of Identity: a valid passport or travel document, also two recent passport-size photos with the name and date of birth of the student at the back of each photo.
Proof of Financial Support: You will need to prove your funds using a student loan from a bank, or proof of funding paid from within Canada, such as a scholarship or a Canadian-funded educational programme.
