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University of Calgary (administered via Indspire) · Institutional

University of Calgary ii'taa'poh'to'p Excellence Awards — Entrance

Reviewed by G Paul · verified April 30, 2026

Distributed annually; specific amount not posted publicly

Total value

Aug 1

Deadline

About this award

Annual entrance award for Indigenous students entering first year of any undergraduate program at the University of Calgary. Confirmed Indigenous affiliation required (any First Nation, Métis, or Inuit identification accepted). Funded through U of Calgary's ii'taa'poh'to'p strategy and administered via Indspire's central application.

The University of Calgary ii'taa'poh'to'p Excellence Awards — Entrance is the entrance-stream award in U of Calgary's ii'taa'poh'to'p Indigenous Strategy. The award is distributed annually to Indigenous students entering their first year in any undergraduate program at U of Calgary, on the basis of a complete application and confirmed Indigenous affiliation. The ii'taa'poh'to'p (pronounced 'eet-ta-pa-toe-pa', a Blackfoot phrase from the Treaty 7 territory U of Calgary sits on) strategy is the institution's commitment to indigenizing the campus and supporting Indigenous student success. Three companion ii'taa'poh'to'p awards exist: this Entrance award (first-year incoming), the Excellence Awards — Continuing Students (for students continuing in undergraduate programs at U of Calgary), and the ASAP Award (entrance/transfer for any year of undergraduate). Application is through Indspire's central Building Brighter Futures Bursaries & Scholarships portal — one consolidated application is evaluated against all 360+ Indspire funding pools, including this one. Three Indspire deadlines per year (August 1, November 1, February 1) provide flexibility.

Can you get it?

Indigenous — citizenship requirement
Undergraduate — study level
Resident of AB — provincial eligibility
Studying any — field of study

How to apply

Review eligibility and gather your documents~1 hour
Read the official award page end-to-end. Confirm you meet every requirement before you start.
Request your official transcript1–2 weeks
Order through your school registrar: allow 1–2 weeks.
Collect reference letters2 weeks
Give your referees at least two weeks' notice and share your résumé.
Draft and revise your essays~10 hours
Use the STAR framework. Be specific, show impact, proofread twice.
Submit by August 1, 2026~1 hour
Double-check every field, save a copy, and submit at least 24 hours early.

More details

Strategy

Apply through Indspire's Building Brighter Futures portal — one consolidated application is evaluated against this and all other Indspire funding pools, so the application effort is amortised across many possible awards.

Strategy

If you're CONTINUING at U of Calgary rather than ENTERING, look at the ii'taa'poh'to'p Excellence Awards — Continuing Students instead (sibling entry).

Strategy

If you're a transfer student, look at the ii'taa'poh'to'p ASAP Award.

Strategy

Three deadlines per year (Aug 1, Nov 1, Feb 1) align with fall, winter, and spring intake — pick the one that lines up with your program start.

Strategy

Document your Indigenous affiliation clearly in the application — Status Card, Métis Citizenship Card, Nunavut Land Claim Agreement Beneficiary card, or letter from your Nation/Band administration are all acceptable forms.

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