Bursaries and Scholarships
Funding Your Education
Bursaries
Our mission as a school is to empower students, and a key part of this mission is ensuring that our courses are accessible to Canadian and international students from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds. Virtual High School is proud to grant bursaries to eligible students who demonstrate a need for financial aid with their educational goals.
Named after a renowned teacher and course developer at Virtual High School, the John Smallwood Bursary is awarded to a deserving Canadian student based on financial need.
| Eligibility |
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| Amount | The bursary covers the full tuition cost for one standard VHS course (up to $589 CAD). |
| Frequency |
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| How to Apply | Complete the application form and submit all required documents. |
| Application Deadline | Applications are due on or before the 15th of the month in which the bursary will be granted. |
| Recipient Announcement | Once the recipient has been selected, all applicants will be contacted on or before the 25th of the month in which the bursary will be granted. |
- John Smallwood is a pioneer in online education who was integral to the creation of Virtual High School and the broader movement toward accessible learning in Canada. He graduated from Western University and the Faculty of Education, and began teaching in Goderich, Ontario. While his teaching career may have begun in the traditional classroom, introducing students to the works of Canadian authors like Laurence, Atwood, and Munro, his innovative thinking led him to pioneer new frontiers with online education.
Driven by a desire to make learning more engaging and accessible, John focused on shaping thoughtful teaching practices—emphasizing detailed feedback, prompt grading, and meaningful student engagement.
In 2001, he was instrumental in the formation of VHS, co-developing one of Ontario’s first fully online Canadian literature courses. His inaugural work laid the foundation not just for VHS, but for the broader movement toward accessible, flexible learning in Canada.
Marking 54 years in education in 2024, John’s contributions were formally recognized when he received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Western University, along with Principal Stephen Baker, acknowledging their role as trailblazers in online education.
The John Smallwood Bursary continues to support Canadian students in financial need who demonstrate resilience, dedication, and a passion for learning. Through this award, we recognize the enduring legacy John is actively building through his commitment to education.
- Ally Makher - Calgary (Bursary Awarded - 2022).
The International Student Bursary was designed to help students outside of Canada overcome financial barriers in order to succeed academically at Virtual High School.
| Eligibility |
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| Amount | The bursary covers the full tuition cost for one standard VHS course, including applicable international student fees (up to $814 CAD). |
| Frequency |
|
| How to Apply | Complete the application form and submit all required documents. |
| Application Deadline | Applications are due on or before the 15th of the month in which the bursary will be granted. |
| Recipient Announcement | Once the recipient has been selected, all applicants will be contacted on or before the 25th of the month in which the bursary will be granted. |
- Sejal Chikhale - Calgary (Bursary Awarded - 2021).
- Pari Patel - Ahmedabad, India (Bursary Awarded - 2023).
Scholarships
To recognize the outstanding academic and extracurricular achievements of our students, Virtual High School offers a selection of merit-based scholarships.
In recognition of a beloved former VHS staff member and incredible artist, the Julie O’Rourke Memorial Scholarship was created to offset expenses for students pursuing post-secondary studies in fine arts or design programs.
| Eligibility |
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| Amount | $1,000 CAD |
| Frequency | One recipient will be chosen each year. |
| How to Apply | Complete the application form and submit all required documents. |
| Application Deadline | August 1 |
| Recipient Announcement | Once the recipient has been selected, all applicants will be contacted on or before August 31. |
- Julie O’Rourke’s artistic creativity and love of life continue to leave an indelible mark on the Virtual High School community. As a gifted artist and scholar, Julie brought a sense of colour, beauty, and connection to every project and interaction she touched. After receiving her BFA from York University, and backpacking through Europe, Australia, and Southeast Asia, she pursued her MFA through Ryerson University, doing major projects in New York City and the George Eastman House in Rochester. Her aesthetic combined Victorian, Art Deco, Industrial, and Post-Modern sensibilities.
Julie worked an entire summer with VHS, matching fine art and photography to short stories. Her work championed the arts not just as an academic subject, but as an expression of the human experience.
Julie passed away in March 2011 at the age of thirty, after a three-year battle with a rare cancer called adenoid cystic carcinoma. Her love of life, people, and adventure never faded during that fight—despite extraordinary pain and persistent bad news—a testament to her remarkable strength of character.
The Julie O’Rourke Memorial Scholarship celebrates students who, like Julie, view the world through a creative and resilient lens. Awarded to students accepted, or conditionally accepted, to a post-secondary program in fine arts or design, this scholarship ensures Julie’s legacy of joyful exploration and deep empathy continues to light the way forward.
- Oishee Ghosh - McMaster University, Hamilton (Scholarship Awarded - 2019).
- Christina Yang - OCAD (Scholarship Awarded - 2020).
- Amelia Flynn - University of Guelph, Guelph (Scholarship Awarded - 2021).
- Isaiah Owens - Toronto Metropolitan University ,Toronto (Scholarship Awarded - 2024).
Awarded in honour of one of Virtual High School’s most tenacious and dedicated teachers, the goal of the Ed Sommerville Memorial Scholarship is to support students pursuing post-secondary studies.
| Eligibility |
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| Amount | $1,000 CAD |
| Frequency | One recipient will be chosen each year. |
| How to Apply | Complete the application form and submit all required documents. |
| Application Deadline | August 1 |
| Recipient Announcement | Once the recipient has been selected, all applicants will be contacted on or before August 31. |
- Ed Sommerville was a deeply respected educator, mentor, and community supporter whose warmth and wisdom left a lasting impact on all who knew him.
Originally from Glasgow, Scotland, Ed brought not only a love of learning but also a spirit of generosity and kindness to every space he entered. Though he trained initially as a geographer, with a minor in geology, Ed’s interests and university work gravitated towards the social sciences. As a teacher, he developed and taught courses in geography, history, economics, and politics. Whether teaching in the classroom or coaching on the soccer (football) field, Ed believed in lifting others up and guiding them to see the best in themselves. His mission was to encourage students to engage deeply with texts, evaluate credibility, and pose insightful questions.
Even after retirement, Ed continued to share his gifts as a course developer and teacher with Virtual High School, where his thoughtfulness and dedication became a pillar of the community. He was admired for his ability to connect with students and colleagues alike. Ed passed away in 2024 after a short illness.
To honour his legacy, the Sommerville Scholarship was established to support VHS students pursuing post-secondary studies. This $1,000 CAD award recognizes students who embody the values Ed lived by: honesty, loyalty, and a commitment to overall academic excellence.
Through this bursary, and in the lives of those he mentored and inspired, Ed’s legacy of tenacity and integrity continues to shine.
- Elie Cantin-Nantel - University of Ottawa, Ottawa (Scholarship Awarded - 2021).
- Sidnel Blessing Longuma - St. Thomas University, Fredericton (Scholarship Awarded - 2024).
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