DAS - District Authority Scholarships

Purpose of Scholarship Program

The District/Authority scholarship is awarded to 5,500 high school graduates who have demonstrated excellence in their chosen area.

The Ministry of Education and Child Care sets core eligibility requirements and general guidelines; local scholarship committees determine awarding criteria and select their conditional recipients.

The Ministry confirms that the selected students have meet basic criteria and then sends these confirmed recipients a $1,250 scholarship voucher. They may redeem this voucher with the Ministry to be reimbursed for tuition paid after they are attending a post-secondary institution that is designated by the Province of B.C. (i.e., approved for Canada Student Loans) or a program provider that is approved by SkilledTradesBC.  

Students have five years to redeem their District/Authority scholarship vouchers; an expiry date is printed on each voucher and extensions are not possible.

HCOS is awarded an allotment of scholarships through FISA to distribute to applicants each year. Applications will open in late February and close end of April. 

How to Apply

Students in Grade 12 will be emailed when applications open for the DAS awards. They will receive the application form and instructions for submitting the needed materials. Students will need to choose 1 category from the list below to apply in, and will be required to submit a portfolio of their learning, experience or expertise in that area. 

Students will also need to provide one reference, who is not of relation to the student. 

Categories for Scholarships 

Notification of Award Recipients

• Spring: conditional recipients notified by their district/authority
• September: conditional recipients checked against eligibility requirements
• November: paper scholarship vouchers mailed to confirmed recipients

Disbursement Criteria

Students selected as conditional recipients of the District/Authority scholarship must satisfy the following requirements by August 31 of their graduating year to be confirmed as a recipient and receive their scholarship voucher:

• Meet core eligibility requirements
  • Must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident (landed immigrant) and have that on record with the school at which you registered for Grade 12 
  • Be a B.C. resident
  • Be or have been in the school year for which the scholarship is awarded:
    • Enrolled in a British Columbia public school (including online learning schools), or
    • Enrolled in a Group 1, 2, or 4 British Columbia Independent School, or
    • Enrolled in a Continuing Education Centre, or
    • Registered as a homeschooler with an eligible school in British Columbia  
  • Complete all graduation requirements, and be on record as having graduated, by August 31 of the scholarship awards year 
    • Scholarship awards years operate from September 1 to August 31
• Fulfill the graduation requirements of either the B.C. Certificate of Graduation (Dogwood Diploma) or the B.C. Adult Graduation Diploma (Adult Dogwood)
• Meet criteria determined by the student’s local scholarship committee, including demonstration of outstanding achievement in one of the areas listed above.

HCOS will let the Ministry know our award recipients, final award notification will come from the ministry provided all requirements have been met. 

Scholarship Committee

As per the HCOS Scholarship and Bursary policy:

The Scholarship Committee will be composed of a minimum of 3 individuals from the HCOS community, with the majority of members being involved in the Grad program in some capacity. Committee members may include HCOS employees, contractors and/or support personnel. Scholarship committee members will be appointed by the Head of Schools and Chief Operating Officer, based on nominations from the Director of the Grad program. 

Role of a Scholarship Committee Member
Scholarship committee members will: 

• Meet with other committee members at least once in January to confirm the number and type of scholarships to be awarded for that school year. The committee will appoint a chairperson to communicate with the HCOS Director of Grad as outlined below. 

• After the January meeting, the Chairperson will communicate with the Director of the Grad Program regarding application forms, application deadlines, and scholarship award criteria

  • Ensure online application forms are functional and student applications are being forwarded to Chairperson for distribution to all committee members. 

  • HCOS Director of Grad will then communicate the opening of the form to eligible grade 12 students. 

• Meet with other committee members after the closing of the application form to evaluate applications and determine award recipients. 

  • Designate a committee member to communicate this information to the HCOS Director of the Grad Program before May 31st of each calendar year. 

  • Students will be informed of award recipients at HCOS graduation ceremonies. Certificates and letters will be distributed at those events.

• Designate a committee member to communicate names of award recipients to Data Manager for printing of certificates and award letters

  • Ensure certificates and letters are received by HCOS Director of Grad prior to Graduation

  • If a student does not attend, the HCOS Director of Grad will ensure the certificate and letter will be mailed directly to award recipients. 

• Chairperson will track and collect confirmation of enrollment letters and tuition receipts. The Committee Chairperson will communicate with the HCOS Chief Operating Officer when award recipients have provided correct documentation so awards can be paid. 

Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality
Members of the Scholarship Committees operate under the confidentiality expectations outlined in the KCCS confidentiality agreement signed by contractors and employees. In accordance with this agreement, Scholarship Committee members are required to declare any real or potential conflict of interests and to abide by the Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality policies. In the case of an immediate family member  or close associate applying for a scholarship, the scholarship committee member will recuse themselves from having input and voting on the eligibility of that applicant and the decision to award a scholarship to that individual.