Student Initiative Fund

Receive up to $500 for your choice of professional development opportunity.

Learn More!

Student Competition Fund

Receive funding to represent BCIT at competitions.

Learn More!

Annual Achievement Awards

Receive a prestigious financial reward for your contribution to student life at BCIT.

Learn More!

BCITSA Funds

Student Initiative Fund

Every year, the BCITSA Student Initiative Fund (SIF) sets aside $15,000 in funding for professional development opportunities. SIF offers financial support to initiatives that enhance students’ experience and further their professional development. Students must be enrolled full- or part-time and can only be approved for one initiative, once per academic year, for up to $500 (please note that SIF reimburses the student 75% of their total cost, up to $500).

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Funding is only available for the registration costs (we do not cover travel, hotel, etc.).
  • Funding is only available for initiatives that are directly related to your field of study/current program at BCIT.
  • Funding is available for initiatives that focus on professional development.

Examples of professional development initiatives include, but are not limited to:

  1. Conferences and events (both in person & online)
  2. Webinars
  3. Industry insight & leadership training (e.g., 3-month subscriptions to online learning platforms like MasterClass, Udemy , Coursera, LeetCode , etc.)
  4. Virtual networking (e.g., 3-month subscriptions to LinkedIn Premium)
  5. Initiatives pertaining to communication skills, time management, studying tools, effective teamwork, etc.

Funding is not available for the following requests:

  1. Competitions, co-ops, or internships
  2. Professional memberships, associations, or club fees
  3. Certifications or accreditations (course/exam fees)
  4. First Aid/CPR, Foodsafe, etc.
  5. Personal development initiatives (hobbies) or other initiatives unrelated to the applicant’s field of study
  6. Textbooks or course materials
  7. Courses for credit; courses offered by BCIT or other post-secondary institutions (credit or non-credit)

Application and Approval Process

  1. Submit your application by 4 PM on the deadline for your chosen intake.
    *If you submit your application late, it will be processed in the following intake.
  2. After submitting your application, you will be prompted to fill out and submit your FOI form. Follow the instructions in the email you receive. If we don’t receive your FOI form, your application cannot be processed.
  3. All applications are reviewed by a committee, which meets the week after the application deadline.
  4. If your professional development initiative meets the criteria, the committee will approve it and you will be notified via email. If your application is not approved, you will also be notified via email. You can expect to receive these emails 10-12 days after the application deadline.
  5. Once you receive notice that your initiative has been approved, you will be prompted to submit documents to us, including your T4A (tax document), bank details/void check for direct deposit, and receipt(s) showing your proof of payment. You will have two weeks to submit these documents (unless your initiative is a 3-month subscription, in which case you must submit all the receipts together once your payments are complete).
  6. At the end of this two-week window, we will process your documents and you will be reimbursed via direct deposit. This reimbursement will be for 75% of the total amount shown on your receipt, up to a maximum of $500.
    * Please note that if you are late submitting your documents, your payment will not be processed until the following SIF intake, which means your reimbursement will be delayed by 2+ months.
  7. If you are late submitting your documents by 8 weeks or more, we will consider your application to be expired and we will be unable to issue payment.
SIF program example timeline

Deadline to Apply:

September 30, 2024,
by 4:00 pm

November 11, 2024,
by 4:00 pm

January 13, 2025,
by 4:00 pm

March 3, 2025,
by 4:00 pm

April 14, 2025,
by 4:00 pm

May 19, 2025,
by 4:00 pm

Apply here

BCIT Student Competition Fund

The BCIT Student Association (BCITSA) allocates funds on behalf of BCIT to support student clubs with their participation in competitions. Funding is available for student clubs that aren’t from the School of Business.* BCIT provides the funding, and a committee allocates it. Decisions are made based on the availability of funds, and if the clubs met the criteria. Clubs can only apply once per academic year. Please note, at this time, funding is quite limited, and all requests may not be able to be accommodated.

Eligibility Requirements

Funding is to be used for competition costs such as travel expenses, registration fees, accommodation costs, and competition materials. As a BCIT student, you MUST be:

  • Enrolled as a part-time or full-time student
  • Attending the competition within your attending year(s)

Funding is NOT available for:

  • Costs incurred for hosting a competition
  • Meal expenses
  • Competitions against only BCIT Students
  • School of Business Students and/or competitions*

*Funding is available for School of Business students/clubs through their school directly. Contact your Program Head or Associate Dean for more information.

Deadline to Apply:

September 30, 2024,
by 4:00 pm

November 11, 2024,
by 4:00 pm

January 13, 2025,
by 4:00 pm

March 3, 2025,
by 4:00 pm

April 14, 2025,
by 4:00 pm

May 19, 2025,
by 4:00 pm

Apply here

BCITSA Awards

SA Champion Award

The mission of the Student Association of BCIT is to be an advocate for students and provide student-centred, responsive, and proactive services that support and enhance the quality of student life.

The SA Champion award recognizes BCIT students who have made a strong contribution to promoting the services and membership benefits of the Student Association to BCIT students. At the end of each academic year, five (5) students from across BCIT campuses will be awarded $500 including one recipient from each of BCIT’s five campuses: Aerospace Campus (ATC), Annacis Island Campus (AIC), BCIT Marine Campus (BMC), Burnaby Campus (BBY), and Downtown Campus (DTC).

The BCITSA Champion award recognizes BCIT students who have made a strong contribution to the mission of the SA and is designed to encourage leadership amongst students.

The Set Rep program is a great way to get involved with your program and is also a great way to work towards the SA Champion Award.

Application Deadline

April 22, 2024, by 4:00 pm

Application Process - read first
Application Form

Laurie Jack Award

Laurie Jack was a BCIT student and the President of the BCITSA from 1971 – 1972. He tragically died in an airplane crash in 1975. His parents and the BCITSA have together sponsored two (2) annual awards of $500 in his honour. These awards are given to two (2) students in their graduating year who have contributed to life at BCIT, and who have been nominated by another BCIT community member (staff, faculty, or student).

Application Deadline

April 22, 2024, by 4:00 pm

Application Process - read first
Application Form

Distinguished Representative Award

Classroom representatives are eligible to apply for the Distinguished Representative Award. The award will be given to a deserving representative that has gone above and beyond their duties. Each school will give out one award of $500 per year to selected representatives.

Application Deadline

April 22, 2024, by 4:00 pm

Application Process - read first
Application Form
Awards

BCITSA, as a registered charity, can accept donations (either cash or gifts-in-kind) from individuals and/or companies. We are always looking for prizing and giveaways at our events. Additionally, the BCITSA works on several initiatives each year that help us invest in our students.

BCITSA Donations Policy governs the solicitation, acceptance and stewardship of all donations to BCITSA and BCITSA Student Clubs. Its purpose is to ensure that all facets of BCITSA remain compliant with the Income Tax Act and Revenue Canada-established practices and standards.