Interior Savings Credit Union encourages students to apply for $500,000 in bursaries

With less than seven weeks left before the application deadline, Interior Savings still has more than half a million in bursary awards to give away. 

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, "it has been a bit trickier to reach students," the credit union says of this year's Million Dollar Bursary Program.

This is the eighth year Interior Savings has offered awards of $1,000 to 1,000 students throughout its service area. Yet, so far, organizers have only received about 500 applications.

"With many feeling the financial pinch due to the pandemic," the credit union says it's "determined to make one final push to reach local students in need of help with tuition."

To qualify, applicants simply need to be 17 to 24 years old, be an Interior Savings member, and provide proof of enrolment and tuition payment to a post-secondary institution. 

“There’s still time for students to become an Interior Savings member to qualify for a bursary and to take advantage of the benefits membership offers,” says Interior Savings CEO Kathy Conway.

As a co-operatively-owned financial institution, Interior Savings shares 22% of profits with its members through dividends and programs like the bursary giveaway. 

The deadline to apply is Feb. 28 at www.milliondollarbursary.com.

Since 2013, the program has surpassed $3.5 million in bursaries, including:

• Vernon: $366,000 awarded to date, typically about 50 bursaries each year
• Kamloops: $689,000 awarded to date, typically just over 100 bursaries each year
• Kelowna: $1.6 million awarded to date, typically more than 250 bursaries each year
• South Okanagan: $125,000 awarded to date, typically about 20 bursaries each year