Student Bursary & Funding

The SMUSA Experiential Learning Fund provides financial support to Saint Mary’s University students participating in unpaid experiential learning opportunities, including Community Service Learning (CSL), internships, placements, research, and volunteer roles. Qualifying students may be eligible for up to $500 per student per academic year. 

Eligibility: 

• Must be actively enrolled as a student at Saint Mary’s. 

• Must be participating in unpaid experiential learning opportunities related to their academic, personal or career development. For CSL related experiential learning, the CSL component of the course must be optional and not a mandatory requirement of the course. Ensure to identify your CSL component as optional in your application. 

How to apply: 

1. Complete the SMUSA Experiential Learning Fund online application form on the SMUSA website.
2. Provide details about your experiential learning opportunity.
3. Submit a short statement outlining how this funding opportunity will support your learning or academic goals. 

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted. 

The CSL Accessibility Bursary provides financial support to Nova Scotia students with a registered disability who are participating in CSL opportunities at SMU. Funded through the Student Employment Initiative (SEI) Program, this bursary helps remove financial barriers to participation and promotes equity, diversity and inclusion within CSL experiences. Funding amounts can vary. 

Eligibility: 

• Must be an NS resident with a registered disability (through Nova Scotia Student Assistance) or eligible to register. 

• Must be a current undergraduate or graduate student at SMU. 

• Must be registered in a CSL course and participating in a CSL experience coordinated through the CSL office. 

• Must submit the online application. 

How to Apply: 

1. Access the bursary application form through your course’s CSL module on Brightspace and download it to your device.
2. Complete the form and submit it to service.learning@smu.ca.  

Timeline for application: 

Students can apply up to two times per calendar year, based on CSL course credit, for a maximum eligibility of $250 per bursary, or they can apply one application per calendar year, based on CSL course credit, for a maximum eligibility of $500. 

The CSL Accessibility Bursary is available term over term on a rolling basis, with the number of selected candidates varying based on available funding and applications. Applications for the bursary open to the individual student once they have been notified of their acceptance into the CSL program for the current term. 

Applications are reviewed together by the CSL and SEI offices prior to the study break. All applicants will be notified on the results of their application by email before the scheduled study break for the current term.