Indigenous Applicants

The Department of Physical Therapy and the Master of Physical Therapy program has a dedicated policy regarding applicants that self-identify as Indigenous:

  • Seven seats of the Master of Physical Therapy entering class of 120 students are reserved for qualified applicants of Indigenous descent.

In order to be eligible for one of the seven reserved seats, applicants must:

  • Meet all of the admissions requirements.
  • Be a Canadian citizen who self-identifies as Indigenous (Indigenous refers to non-status & status Indians, Treaty, First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples of Canada.
  • Provide proof of ancestry at the time of application.

Acceptable proof of ancestry includes:

  • A photocopy of an Indian Status Card or Tribal Enrolment Card, Métis Membership/Citizenship Card, Inuit or Inuvialuit Tribal Corporation Number or Inuit Registry
  • A letter from an official representative of the applicant’s First Nations band, treaty, tribal, or traditional council, Inuit land/territory organization, Métis settlement or community organization, or a recognized Indigenous organization
  • Another form of identification is deemed acceptable with consultation from the Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Health at UBC.

Applicants who do not have the proof of ancestry listed above must contact the Department’s Indigenous Initiatives Manager, Shannon Field, no later than December 15 by emailing shannon.field@ubc.ca


Indigenous Awards, Scholarships, and Bursaries

Financial support is available, and there are people and resources to help you manage your money and develop a financial plan. If you’re not sure where to start, we recommend that you read through the UBC Financial and Awards Planning website and watch this very insightful Awards 101 video produced by the Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Health.

Center for Excellence in Indigenous Health
The Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Health offers several awards and grants to Indigenous students at UBC training to become health care practitioners and health researchers.

Indigenous Graduate Fellowships

Each fellowship provides a stipend of $16,175 per year for Master’s students, including students in professional and coursework-only Master's programs. IGF recipients are eligible to receive tuition funding. Tuition funding will not exceed the current value of standard doctoral or Master's degree tuition fees.

The Irving K. Barber BC Scholarship Society

The Society offers three Award programs for students pursuing post-secondary education in BC. They are available to students who identify as Indigenous, defined as First Nations (status or Non-Status), Métis or Inuit. All are renewable in order to provide sustained funding over multiple years.

Indspire Scholarships & Bursaries

Full and part-time studies in college, university, skilled trades, apprenticeships, and technology programs. Only one application will be considered for all applicable bursaries, scholarships, and awards.

Canadian Physiotherapy Association Indigenous Student Award

The Indigenous Student Award is an educational grant open to all Canadian Indigenous students (First Nations status or non-status, Inuit, or Métis) enrolled in an accredited Canadian post-secondary physiotherapy program. Eligible programs include accredited diploma programs and graduate degrees of at least two academic years.

The RBC Indigenous Student Awards Program

The RBC Indigenous Student Awards Program was launched in 1992 to assist Indigenous students in completing post-secondary education and provide an opportunity for RBC® to strengthen its relationship with the Indigenous community. Selected students are awarded up to $4,000 each academic year for two to four years to use towards tuition, textbooks, supplies and living expenses.

BC Housing Education Awards Program

The Education Awards Program helps residents in a household directly receiving subsidy from BC Housing, or receiving rental assistance through the Rental Assistance Program (RAP). The bursaries and awards are for post-secondary education and training programs. BC Housing offers five education awards and bursaries.

The New Relationship Trust Foundation

Post-secondary scholarships and bursaries are available to all First Nation students from BC who plan on attending an accredited post-secondary institution full-time.

HSA Bursaries for Indigenous Students

The Health Sciences Association provides two $1,500 bursaries to Indigenous students from BC who are continuing or proceeding in any HSA-related field.