Scholarships & Financial Assistance


With education costs on the rise, enhancing student assistance is a top priority for Acadia. Each year, we award more than $4 million to students in the form of scholarships, scholar-bursaries, bursaries, awards, and prizes. By maintaining a strong scholarship and financial assistance program, we are able to attract, retain and support our students.

As a donor to scholarships and financial assistance, you can direct your gift toward: general award funds or awards for specific departments, faculties, research, or athletic teams; any existing named awards; or you can create a personal legacy by establishing a named award yourself. By supporting scholarships and financial assistance, you can help to ensure access to all of the rewards of an Acadia education.

If you would like to give generally to the Scholarships and Financial Aid, please click here.

J M Brown Scholarship

Scholarship | Eligibility: Arts, Politics, Sociology, Graduate

Established in 2022, the J M Brown (’71) Scholarship is awarded in recognition of academic excellence to a full-time graduate student in Politics or Sociology. If there is no eligible graduate candidate, undergraduates majoring in Politics, Sociology, History or Philosophy are to be considered for this scholarship. Financial need may be used as criteria to choose between equal candidates.

Jim Brown was born and raised in Nova Scotia where he attended high school in Brookfield and spent four years at Acadia. Graduating in 1971 with a BSc in Mathematics, he spent two years at McMaster University where he met his wife, writer Dinah Shields, and graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering. Jim started his career in the Ottawa technology industry and, after about 10 years, found his calling as a GPS design engineer. He helped introduce GPS to the aircraft, automotive and cell phone industries and has been enjoying retirement on the shores of Georgian Bay, Ontario since 2015.

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James L. Stokesbury Memorial Scholarship in History

Scholarship | Eligibility: Arts, History, Current 1st year, Current 2nd year, Current 3rd year, Current 4th year

The James L. Stokesbury Memorial Scholarship in History provided by the family and friends of the late Dr. Stokesbury, is awarded annually to a student entering the second or subsequent year of a program leading to a major or honours degree in History, preferably with an interest in European history. Academic performance and need will be the criteria for the awarding of the scholarship. Preference will be given to students who do not already hold major university scholarships.

Dr. James L. Stokesbury (1934 -1995) (BA Acadia, MA Western, PhD Duke) was a long­time member of the Department of History at Acadia University, serving as Head of the Department from 1980-1986. He was an outstanding teacher, and an author of international repute.

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James Snowdon Memorial Scholarship

Scholarship of up to $1,000 | Eligibility: Arts, History, Current 3rd year, Current 4th year, Pursuing an Honours Research Project

Established in memory of Dr. James Snowdon by friends and family, this scholarship is awarded to an honours history major in the 3rd or 4th year of study in recognition of academic excellence. The student will preferably focus their honours work on a topic in Canadian history.

Jim Snowdon, originally from Sackville, New Brunswick, graduated from the University of New Brunswick and joined the History Department at Acadia in the early 1980s where he was on faculty until shortly before his death in 2008. His research area was the history of the Maritime Provinces and material culture. He is remembered well by his colleagues and students. Value: $1,000.

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Jordan Bursaries

Bursary | Eligibility: Arts, Pure and Applied Science, Nutrition

The Jordan Bursaries. Through the will of the late Mrs. Janet C. Jordan, the sum of $520 is available for assistance of needy women. One half is to be used to assist needy women in the Faculty of Arts and the other half to assist students in the School of Nutrition and Dietetics.

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Joyce Foundation Bursaries

Bursary of up to $5,000 | Eligibility: Arts, Professional Studies, Pure and Applied Science, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island

The Joyce Foundation Bursaries, valued at $5,000 annually and renewable, providing a maximum of four years of support per recipient, will be directed in particular to Canadian students preferably from Atlantic Canada or Ontario with demonstrated financial need who have shown exceptionality through a combination of volunteerism, leadership, citizenship, and character.

The Joyce Foundation was created by Canadian entrepreneur Ronald V. Joyce. His philanthropy reflects a deep-rooted sense of responsibility to give back to his community. The Foundation's primary focus is to provide access to education for children and youth with significant financial need or facing other socio-economic barriers to success. Born in Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia in 1930, Mr. Joyce is best known as the legendary Canadian entrepreneur who, in 1964, invested in the first Tim Hortons donut shop in Hamilton, Ontario and then grew the business into one of the most successful food service chains in the world.

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Judith Jane Leidl Award in Visual Art

Award | Eligibility: Arts, Art

Established in 2014 in honour of Judith Jane Leidl’s contributions as an artist and a teacher, the award is presented to a student demonstrating excellence in visual arts as recommended by the Dean of Arts in consultation with the Acadia University Art Instructor(s).

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Contact

Office of Advancement
Rm 225 University Hall
15 University Avenue
Wolfville, NS, B4P 2R6, Canada
General Inquiries: 902.585.1026
To make a donation: 902.585.1912
Toll Free in North America:
1.866.ACADIA (1.866.222.3428)
advancement@acadiau.ca

Charitable Registration #: 106681893 RR0001