Post-secondary funding for First Nations, Inuit and Métis students in Canada

Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) funds PSSSP. ISC’s page says it is delivered by First Nations or First Nations-designated organizations, such as your First Nation or its education organization. That means you usually apply there, not to the federal government.

What to know, from ISC’s page:

• It is for First Nations students. Each First Nation or First Nations-designated organization decides who it funds, within its funding agreement and the national guidelines, so ask your First Nation or education organization. ISC’s page has the program’s own details.
• ISC says Inuit students should look at the Inuit Post-Secondary Education Strategy below.
• Because each First Nation or organization handles applications, selection rules, funding and due dates can differ from one community to the next.
• ISC lists tuition, books, travel support and living allowances among the costs that can be covered.
• Funding is limited. The page says not all students may be funded and partial funding may be provided.
• An application is valid for one school year, so plan to apply again each year.
• The page does not give one national deadline. It tells you to contact your local office or your ISC regional office to find out when to apply.

Source: ISC, Post-Secondary Student Support Program.

ISC describes the Inuit Post-Secondary Education Strategy. It is delivered through Inuit organizations. For 2026 to 2027, ISC names these organizations as initial recipients: Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, Makivik Corporation, Nunatsiavut Government, Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated and Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (which coordinates nationally). Each one decides how funds reach students.

The ISC page does not list application steps or deadlines. It says to contact Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami or your Inuit land-claim organization. Start there. Source: ISC, Inuit Post-Secondary Education Strategy.

ISC also describes the Métis Nation Post-Secondary Education Strategy, delivered through Métis Nation governments and organizations. The organizations ISC lists to contact are the Manitoba Métis Federation, Métis Nation British Columbia, Métis Nation Saskatchewan, Otipemisiwak Métis Government (formerly the Métis Nation of Alberta) and the Métis Nation of Ontario. ISC says to contact the appropriate organization from this list to ask about how to access funding and the eligibility criteria. The page does not list an application deadline.

If your region is not listed, the ISC page does not say who to contact. Start with Indspire and your school. Source: ISC, Métis Nation Post-Secondary Education Strategy.

Indspire is a national Indigenous charity, not a government department (Indspire, About). Its Building Brighter Futures bursaries and scholarships are for First Nations, Inuit and Métis students in college, university, skilled trades, apprenticeships and technology programs, full or part time, according to its page.

• Indspire’s page says one application covers its bursaries and scholarships, with a few exceptions.
• Indspire’s page lists deadlines, which it calls consideration dates, of August 1, November 1 and February 1 at 11:59 p.m. EST for the September 2026 to August 2027 academic year (checked November 15, 2026). The November 1 date has passed; the next one listed is February 1, 2027. Dates change by year, so confirm on Indspire’s page before you apply.
• Indspire says it is not able to fund every student who applies.
• Indspire’s pages describe what you may need to show to apply; read them first.
• A few awards on Indspire’s site, such as the Indigenous Education Award from PowerCo Canada, are only for students from named First Nations. Read the eligibility on each award page before you spend time on it (PowerCo award page).

Source: Indspire, Bursaries and Scholarships.

ISC’s pages for PSSSP, the Inuit strategy and the Métis Nation strategy each say that getting that funding does not affect your eligibility for the Canada Student Financial Assistance Program or the Canada Education Savings Program. That does not mean you will get both. Each program, and your province or territory, decides for itself. It is still worth looking at regular student aid.

Canada Student Grants and Loans are applied for through your province or territory’s student aid office. They are not available in Quebec, Nunavut or the Northwest Territories, which run their own student aid programs, so if you live there, start with your own territorial or provincial office (canada.ca, How funding works).

Read Canada Student Grants, explained, or your province’s guide:

• British Columbia
• Alberta
• Saskatchewan
• Manitoba
• Ontario (OSAP)
• New Brunswick
• Nova Scotia
• Newfoundland and Labrador

1. Find the education contact for your First Nation, Inuit organization or Métis Nation organization. Check its website or call the main office. If you are not sure who to ask, or you are not connected to a community or organization, ISC’s PSSSP page names your ISC regional office as a place to start, and your school’s Indigenous student centre, if it has one, may be able to point you to the right office.
2. Ask: “Do you fund post-secondary students, and who can apply? What is the application process and due date? What documents do you need? Is there a limit on funding or a waiting list?”
3. Write down the answers and the date, and ask when you will hear back.
4. If your school has an Indigenous student centre or a financial aid office, ask about school awards and help with applications. See talking to the financial aid office.
5. Keep your due dates in one place so you can apply to each funding source in time.

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WealthNutz is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by Indigenous Services Canada, Indspire, the Government of Canada, or any First Nation, Inuit or Métis government or organization. This guide is our own summary, not an official page, and it is general information only, not legal or financial advice. Check the official pages and your community’s education office for current rules, dates and amounts.