
Aboriginal Services

As a part of Okanagan College’s commitment to enhancing the participation of Aboriginal learners, the College provides Aboriginal support services at each of the four campuses.
Our goal is to provide culturally relevant support including:
Book and appointment through our online booking system. Need Assistance? Contact us.
Have questions about how Aboriginal Services can support you? Fill out this short survey and we will contact you shortly.
Explore program information and decide which program and campus interests you. Review program requirements, admissions, and minimum grades needed.
Our dedicated Aboriginal Transitions team is here to help you plan out your application, review admission requirements and provide guidance on available funding. They can also help you explore your options if you are unsure of which program to pursue. If you have detailed questions about programs, transfer credits or laddering to another program, please see Education Advising to contact an OC Education Advisor.
Talk with your First Nations or Métis Associations Education Coordinator, college Financial Aid staff, college Aboriginal Transitions Planners or community employment counsellors.
To submit an application you can apply online. There is a $30 non-refundable application fee. If you have detailed questions about programs, transfer credits or laddering into another program, please see Education Advising.
Once you apply, you will receive a student number and login information for myOkanagan. You can then see the status of your application and check on required documents. The College will email you about your application status.
The following are a few things to consider when applying:
Okanagan College is committed to increasing the access to, and completion of education for students with Aboriginal ancestry. The College will annually set aside a predetermined number of spots specifically for students with Aboriginal ancestry; this number being commensurate with student interest, available classes and learning support resources. While the number may vary from program to program, it will not normally exceed six percent of the intake capacity for any given program in a particular year.
Once in the Academy, students work with an Aboriginal Services staff member to create an achievement plan based on their own needs. Students will work through their plan for the duration of the year.
It’s important to us that we enhance your experience according to your diverse needs. Being a student at Okanagan College is not just about academics, but also about addressing physical, emotional, and spiritual needs as well. The Academy of Indigenous Scholars will help students enhance their experience in all these areas.
The medicine wheel means different things to different Indigenous communities but what they all share is the concept of balance.
The following provides examples of what types of supports are available to students depending on their needs and their own achievement plan.
Indigenous students are encouraged to apply regardless of grade point average. To be eligible for the Academy you must:
Interested students can take full advantage of the Academy of Indigenous Scholars by applying to the Academy. Students will receive an email from an Aboriginal Transitions Planner to arrange a meeting after they have submitted their application.
Each student will receive a log book that is meant to help students carry out their own achievement plan. It’s up to the student to carry out the plan’s recommendations.
If you are sponsored by your First Nation, Aboriginal organization, employer or government agency, your sponsor must provide a signed letter to Okanagan College. The letter will be used to bill your sponsor. The sponsor letter should contain the following:
The sponsor should also send a copy of the letter to you, so you have a copy on file if you need to show it to the Registrar's office or Bookstore.
All sponsorship letters and documentation can be faxed or mailed to (regardless of the campus the sponsored student will be attending):
All sponsorship letters and documentation can be emailed to (AccountsReceivable@okanagan.bc.ca), faxed or mailed to the address below (regardless of the campus the sponsored student will be attending). All sponsorship letter should be submitted into Finance prior to the fee payment deadline. Your sponsor will be billed at a later date.
Note: Information will not be released to your sponsor without an information release form signed by you. You can add the sponsor's name under "Consent to Release Information" on your myOkanagan student page. To learn how to release your information look under the Other Information page.
Mailing Address:
Finance
Okanagan College
1000 KLO Road
Kelowna, BC, V1Y 4X8
Fax:
250-862-5479
Okanagan College offers up to $75,000 annually to support Aboriginal Students.
Find out more about awards available through Financial Aid and Awards.
AANDC Aboriginal Bursaries Search Tool
The Aboriginal Bursaries Search Tool is a searchable list of more than 750 bursaries, scholarships and incentives across Canada.
Indspire Awards
The Indspire awards used to be known as the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation (NAAF) has grown into the largest non-governmental funding body for First Nations, Inuit and Métis post-secondary students across Canada.
Bursary and scholarship awards are provided to over 600 First Nations, Inuit, and Métis students in a range of areas. The Indspire awards have given over $32 million to over 8,400 recipients since its beginning.
Indspire offers financial aid (scholarships and bursaries) through three major categories: Post-Secondary Education, Fine Arts and Cultural Projects, and Health Careers.
Irving K. Barber BC Aboriginal Student Award
The B.C. Aboriginal Student Award was established in 2008 as part of the Provincial Government's strategy to improve Aboriginal access and achievement. Its purpose is to support Aboriginal people in getting post-secondary education by reducing financial barriers.
The Scholarship Society administers the program in partnership with the Victoria Foundation. Awards of $1,000 - $3,500 are available for Aboriginal people pursuing post-secondary education that is at least nine weeks long.
Provincial Tuition Waiver Program
Starting in September 2017, students who are attending or planning to attend a BC public post-secondary institution may be eligible for this tuition waiver program. Click on the link above for more information on eligibility criteria and application form.
Youth Education Assistant Fund
Full-time students who were adopted or in foster care as children may be eligible for this grant. Click the link above for more information on the eligibility criteria and application form.
The UBC Okanagan's campus (UBCO) and Okanagan College (OC) Aboriginal Education Council (Council) provide OC and UBCO with advice, recommendations and guidance to improve the participation and success of Aboriginal students in OC and UBCO programs. Through collaborative and inclusive engagement, the Council assists OC and UBCO in identifying educational needs and goals of Aboriginal peoples, while also enhancing Aboriginal cultural understandings within the respective institutions.