The annual scholarship program of up to $125,000 offers awards of $2,500 for full-time students and $1,500 for part-time students. Scholarships are funded by member’s dues.  

Apply for a BCGEU Scholarship online here  
Apply for a BCGEU Indigenous Scholarship here

Eligibility: 

• A BCGEU member in good standing, or related to a current, retired or deceased BCGEU member or staff; and 
• A student or prospective post-secondary or higher learning student enrolled, registered or planning to attend an eligible educational institution in 2025. 

[1] Eligible relatives include spouses, (same or opposite and common law spouses); parents; and children and grandchildren (including foster, adopted, and stepchildren and step-grandchildren). 
 [2] Eligible educational institutions must be recognized by Employment and Social Development Canada. A list can be found here.) 

Previous BCGEU scholarship recipients are not eligible to apply. 

For eligibility requirements for the Indigenous Scholarship please see below.

Essay 

In addition to personal information and details about your education plan, you will be asked to answer two short personal questions, and a longer essay in response to the questions below.

Part 2 can be in essay format, or a creative submission such as a video, infographic, or song. Infographics must be submitted in a PDF format. Videos must be submitted via a link to the video uploaded to YouTube. 

Select one of the topics below for your submission: 

a) Public protests and counter protests are becoming a more common occurrence in British Columbia. Reflect on an experience that has impacted you. How does it align with your values and that of the labour movement? 

b) Indigenous peoples are the keepers of the land and essential to governing climate change. What does "land back" mean to you? How does that align with the values of the labour movement? 

c) The current state of the world poses many challenges. What inspires you towards making a positive change? How can the BCGEU drive that change? 

d) Communication and outreach methods have evolved greatly. What communication and outreach strategies would you employ to effectively engage our diverse membership base? How would your strategies differ for urban versus rural areas and how do they align with the values of the labour movement? 

We encourage you to base your answer on an interview with a BCGEU member, personal experience, or original research. 

Submissions suspected of plagiarism or being written by artificial intelligence (AI) will be disqualified. 

Submissions will be assessed on the following criteria: 

• Did the application answer the question? 
• Did the answer seem original, creative or include interview/research? 
• Did the answers show evidence of understanding the importance of the labour movement in Canada? 

For more information and to apply, visit: https://www.bcgeu.ca/2025_bcgeu_scholarship_program_now_open#:~:text=Our%20annual%20scholarship%20program%20of,the%20dues%20of%20our%20members