海角社区

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Scholarships and Support

Support for Indigenous students is key to their success.听 The Indigenous Health Professions Program (IHPP) realizes that many aspects of support are unique for Indigenous students.听 Support programs are currently in place for some of the schools (see below) and we are developing more support programs to help students achieve their goals.听 These programs include or will include:

  • Indigenous health professional student welcoming event, workshops and conferences offered annually
  • Indigenous health听student gatherings hosted by the IHP Program throughout the school year
  • Partnership with First Peoples' House of 海角社区
  • Mentorship
  • Student scholarships

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The Elaine Kilabuk Award

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Please note that applications for the 2026 award closed on March 5, 2026 at 11:59 pm. Applications for the 2027 award will open in Winter 2027.听

This award, named after Dr. Elaine Kilabuk, an Inuk medical graduate from Nunavut, is intended to help support the training of an Inuit student from Nunavut in medicine at 海角社区.

The听2026听award recipient will be selected as per the听following ranked criteria:听

  1. An Inuk听student from Nunavut in Medicine听

  1. An Inuk student from anywhere else in Canada studying听Medicine听

  1. An Indigenous student in Medicine听

  1. An Indigenous student in the听Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine听& Health Sciences, School of Human Nutrition,听the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology听(School/Applied Child Psychology Program, School of Counselling Psychology),听or听the听School of Social Work.听

  1. If there are no Indigenous students in any of these schools,听then the award听may be given to a non-Indigenous student in the Faculty of Medicine听and Health Sciences.听

For the purposes of this award, Indigenous refers to the following:听

  • Recognized听Inuk person,听

  • Status First Nations,听

  • M茅tis听person听registered with one of the five provincial M茅tis organizations听recognized by the M茅tis National Council (M茅tis Nation of Ontario, Manitoba M茅tis Federation, M茅tis听听Nation of Saskatchewan,听M茅tis听 Nation听of Alberta, M茅tis Nation听of听British听Columbia).听

Please note that this is an in-course award, and to be eligible, you must have completed one year of training (and will be continuing your training) in a post-secondary institution. First-year students are therefore not eligible to apply.听

How to apply

To apply for this award, please send the following documents to听indigenous.health [at] mcgill.ca:听

  • Cover letter听telling us about yourself,听including听your background,听which听School听or听Faculty听you are in, your year of study,听your听past and current involvement with Indigenous communities and your long-term goals, including plans to work with Indigenous peoples.听听Feel free to add any听additional听information you feel is important (i.e.听financial need, academic standing听etc.).听

  • CV/Resum茅听

  • Documents confirming your Indigenous identity (copy of status card, beneficiary听letter听or card from your M茅tis organization)听

Award听Amount:听$4000.00听听

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Scholarship听Opportunities听administered through the Scholarships and Student Aid Office:

Class of Medicine 1978 Bursary

Established in 2015 by the Class of Medicine 1978 on the occasion of their 35th Anniversary reunion. Awarded by the Scholarships and Student Aid Office to students in the M.D., C.M. program on the basis of demonstrated financial need and good academic standing. Preference will be given to students from under-represented groups, in particular Indigenous students.

Note: These are in-course bursaries administered through the Scholarships and Student Aid Office; please refer to this website to apply for financial aid. The annual disbursement is approximately $5000, which could be awarded to one or more students:

Dr. John H. Burgess Distinguished Scholarship (海角社区)
Established in 2011 by John H Burgess, B.Sc.'54, M.D.,C.M.'58. Awarded by the Faculty of Medicine to one or more students from Indigenous communities in Canada on the basis of academic merit, with preference given to students of Inuit, M茅tis or First Nations heritage or to one or more students nominated by the Widening Participation Committee that attends to diversity and equity in recruitment and admission to Medicine at 海角社区. For over three decades Dr. Burgess demonstrated his commitment to serving the Inuit in Canada's North as a consulting cardiologist. Dr. Burgess wishes to continue his legacy of service by supporting the training of future physicians from underserved regions in Canada.
Scholarship value: varies. May be renewed.

Dr. John G. Cassils Major Entrance Scholarship (海角社区)
Established in 2015 by Dr. John G. Cassils, B.Sc.'61, M.D.'66 (University of Alberta) for one or more students in the M.D.,C.M. program from Indigenous communities in Canada on the basis of academic merit. Preference will be given to students of First Nations, Inuit or M茅tis heritage. Awarded by the Faculty of Medicine's Scholarships Committee on the recommendation of the Office of Admissions.
Scholarship value: varies.

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Financial support for Indigenous health professions program students- administered through the IHPP

The Indigenous Health Professions Program is inclusive of everyone who self-identifies as an Indigenous person. Some scholarships, reserved seats for admissions and other programs are restricted to status First Nations, registered Inuit and M茅tis registered with one of the five provincial M茅tis organisations recognised by the M茅tis National Council (M茅tis BC Nation, M茅tis Nation of Alberta, Manitoba M茅tis Federation, M茅tis Nation of Saskatchewan and the M茅tis Nation of Ontario).

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The IHPP earmarks a portion of its operating budget to provide financial support for Indigenous students in the health professions programs, including medicine, dentistry, nursing, occupational therapy, communication sciences and disorders, social work, human nutrition, and counselling psychology.

These funds are provided for material support such as the purchase of textbooks, program-specific equipment, and conference attendance fees, among other expenses.听

The amount available per health professions student through the IHPP is $1000.00 per fiscal year.听

Please contact us by email at indigenous.health [at] mcgill.ca for more information about having eligible expenses reimbursed.听

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Other support units on campus

The IHPP can connect students to various other support units on campus that provide further information on financial support opportunities available across campus. Examples of other support units include:

Additional Faculty or Unit specific opportunities can be discovered through the provided by Indigenous Services Canada.

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Externally administered financial support opportunities

:听Indspire offers Bursaries and Scholarships for full and part-time studies in college, university, skilled trades, apprenticeships, and technology programs.

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Mentorship for Indigenous health professions program students

There are many mentorship and support initiatives for Indigenous students within the Faculty of Medicine.听Indigenous students have access to a range of services and support to ensure success in their respective programs and to flourish in the community. Looking forward, interprofessional mentoring programs are in development.

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