University of Winnipeg
PA-8: Affordability and Access

In 2011 the UWinnipeg Board of Regents approved an innovative Community Learning policy that is unique in Canada, with a primary focus on supporting youth from Indigenous and new Canadian families so they may graduate high school and achieve post-secondary success. There are also several programs in place through the Awards and Financial Aid Office at UWinnipeg that assist with costs for low-income students, such as: 1. Opportunity Fund: The Opportunity Fund was created by The University of Winnipeg to help make it possible for youth to dream big. Unique among universities in Canada, the Opportunity Fund has a goal to build a $10 million bursary fund to help ensure access to higher learning, bridge the graduation gap, and transform lives through education. There three levels to the Opportunty Fund - a. Tuition Waiver for Youth-in-Care. This is intended to cover undergraduate tuition fees for students who are under the care (or extension of care) of Child and Family Services in Manitoba, b. Tuition Credits. Tuition Credits allow you to “earn as you learn”. Students as early as Grade 4 can begin to earn their tuition by staying in school, maintaining good grades, graduating and participating in their community. By the time you earn a high school diploma, the support will be there to help cover your tuition costs at UWinnipeg, and c. Bursaries. designed to help students who have financial need and are from under-represented groups such as Aboriginal students, students from war-affected countries, and students from the inner city. The bursaries are intended to assist current students with their direct education costs (tuition and books), and are based on the individual financial need of the applicant. 2. Awards and Bursaries: Over 326 (over 40% of our total awards at UWinnipeg) awards and bursaries directed to students currently attending UWinnipeg that are based on the financial need of the student. The awards assist with paying off direct educations costs, making university accessible to those with little available funding. The values range from $100 to over $12,000. 3. Work/Study: This program provides on-campus part-time job opportunities for eligible full-time UWinnipeg students who have financial need. These jobs are available during the Fall/Winter (September to March). Various faculty and administrative departments participate in this program, giving the program a broad range of jobs from which to choose. This not only assists the student with their financial goals, but also gives them valuable work experience, which will contribute to a higher success rate after graduation.

UWinnipeg has the Transition Year Program (TYP). The transition to a full-time academic study in an urban post-secondary institution may be challenging and difficult for some high-school students and mature adult learners. TYP assists many new students such as Indigenous students, students from low-income families and new Canadians build the academic and personal coping skills that will foster post-secondary success. The program has been running since 2000 and sees approximately 156 students each year.

The Collegiate Model School provides 50 high school students (grades 9 to 12) with the individual attention they need to do well. Students who show potential but need a different kind of learning environment are referred to the Model School by community organizations, high school guidance counsellors, or principals. The Model School provides the environment, programming opportunities, and support for young people and their families to use education as a springboard to maximize their future and potential. We have had 35 students have graduate since 2008 with the majority pursuing post-secondary educations. (Oct 2014). Also, as part of the Opportunity Fund the Tuition Credits Program allow you to “earn as you learn”. Students as early as Grade 4 can begin to earn their tuition by staying in school, maintaining good grades, graduating and participating in their community. By the time you earn a high school diploma, the support will be there to help cover your tuition costs at UWinnipeg. We have approx. X students enrolled in this program.

There are also several programs in place through the Awards and Financial Aid Office at UWinnipeg that assist with costs for low-income students, such as: 1. Opportunity Fund: The Opportunity Fund was created by The University of Winnipeg to help make it possible for youth to dream big. Unique among universities in Canada, the Opportunity Fund has a goal to build a $10 million bursary fund to help ensure access to higher learning, bridge the graduation gap, and transform lives through education. There three levels to the Opportunty Fund - a. Tuition Waiver for Youth-in-Care. This is intended to cover undergraduate tuition fees for students who are under the care (or extension of care) of Child and Family Services in Manitoba, b. Tuition Credits. Tuition Credits allow you to “earn as you learn”. Students as early as Grade 4 can begin to earn their tuition by staying in school, maintaining good grades, graduating and participating in their community. By the time you earn a high school diploma, the support will be there to help cover your tuition costs at UWinnipeg, and c. Bursaries. designed to help students who have financial need and are from under-represented groups such as Aboriginal students, students from war-affected countries, and students from the inner city. The bursaries are intended to assist current students with their direct education costs (tuition and books), and are based on the individual financial need of the applicant. 2. Awards and Bursaries: Over 326 (over 40% of our total awards at UWinnipeg) awards and bursaries directed to students currently attending UWinnipeg that are based on the financial need of the student. The awards assist with paying off direct educations costs, making university accessible to those with little available funding. The values range from $100 to over $12,000. 3. Work/Study: This program provides on-campus part-time job opportunities for eligible full-time UWinnipeg students who have financial need. These jobs are available during the Fall/Winter (September to March). Various faculty and administrative departments participate in this program, giving the program a broad range of jobs from which to choose. This not only assists the student with their financial goals, but also gives them valuable work experience, which will contribute to a higher success rate after graduation.

The Awards and Financial Aid Office has a "Planning Your Finances for Post-Secondary" guide that we hadn out at recruitment events and have posted on our website. It tells people how much university is, when to pay, what types of assistance are out there, and how to make a plan and budget. http://www.uwinnipeg.ca/awards/events-and-resources.html

The Awards and Financial Aid Office holds presentations and sessions on government loans, budgeting, money management and the costs associated with attending university. These are held on asnd off campus for students, parents, as well as the broader community.

The University of Winnipeg is one of the most accessible university's in Canada. The required entrance average for all Faculties (except Education) is a 65%. Entry into each Faculty (except Education) and program is not competitive, meaning that if a student has a dream to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Biology, they simply choose that on their admission application. UWinnipeg does not limit enrollment into programs or Faculties (except Education) and does not have different admission requirements for each Faculty or program - it is all the same, making it easier to understand and access (especially for first generation students). In the admission process, UWinnipeg considers students from all backgrounds and offers several admission status' that take into account the experiences and prior learning that students have completed. There are three status' in particular that are geared toward making university accessible to under-represented students such as Indigenous students and those from low-income families: 1. Mature Access Status: Student does not meet the University’s requirements for admission as Mature or Regular Status. They have not graduated from high school, are 21 years of age and older, and are admitted based on a Statement of Intent that is submitted with the Admission application. 2. Concurrent Status: Student still needs to complete three or less high school credits to meet Regular Status. They are admitted into the University and finish their remaining high school credits at The University of Winnipeg Collegiate while taking a limited number of University courses too. 3. Conditional Status: student has completed the high school courses for entrance requirements with an average between 50-64.99% (below the requirement 65%). The Faculty of Education has also established a policy of expanded admission to aid in the recruitment of students who generally reflect the diversity of the population in Manitoba. Categories of expanded admission include: Aboriginal Peoples of Canada, Visible Persons, and Special Consideration.

All of our awards are available to students based on a definition of full-time at 18 credit hours (or three full courses) over the Fall and Winter Terms, combined. Awards that are specific to part-time students are the Louis Riel Bursary, UWSA Part-time Student Scholarship, and the Waapskhi Pinaysee Inini White Thunderbird Man Bursary.

The University of Winnipeg Student's Union operates a child care facility which reserves spots for staff, faculty and students.