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Pacific Leaders Scholarships for children of Public Service Employees

Last updated on April 2, 2026

Every year up to 60 scholarships of $2,500 are available to children of BC Public Service employees.

This page is for children of B.C. public service employees who are students and want to learn about eligibility, how to apply and the selection and awards processes for a Pacific Leaders Scholarship.

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Eligibility overview

You must meet all student and parent eligibility requirements to be eligible to receive a Pacific Leaders Scholarship for children of BC Public Service employees.

The application for the 2026 Pacific Leaders Scholarships for Children of Public Service Employees is now available. Submit the application by May 15, 2026.

Student eligibility requirements

Student eligibility

You're eligible to apply if you:

  • Are under the age of 25 on the application deadline
  • Haven't previously received a Pacific Leaders Scholarships for Children of Public Service Employees. You may receive only one scholarship during your lifetime
  • Will be a full-time student at a designated public or private B.C. institution
  • Are accepted or conditionally accepted for admission and plan to study:
    • A trade, technical or vocational program, or
    • An undergraduate (bachelor's) degree

Academic requirements

You must have a minimum B grade average​

  • In high school, grades 10 to 12, a B is 73% or higher
  • At a post-secondary institution, a B is 72% or higher

Parent employment eligibility

At least one of your parents must:

  • Be a full- or part-time BC Public Service employee  (as defined by StudentAid BC policy)
  • Have worked in the BC Public Service for the three years prior to the application deadline
  • Be employed in:

Extended relatives are not eligible.

Who is not eligible (exclusions)

You are not eligible if your parent is:

  • An auxiliary or casual employee
  • A political staffer as defined in the Standards of Conduct for Political Staff
  • Employed in the broader public sector, including:
    • Provincial Health Authorities (such as VIHA)
    • School districts and universities
    • Crown corporations (e.g., BC Hydro, Community Living BC)
    • Municipal or federal governments (e.g., police)

If you're unsure of your parent’s employment status, please have them contact AskMyHR (IDIR restricted) by submitting a service request using the categories My Team or Organization > Employee & Labour Relations > Other Issues & Inquiries.

For employer eligibility questions, email StudentAid BC at DPU.StudentFunding@gov.bc.ca.

How selection works

Scholarship winners are chosen by an independent selection committee of current and retired provincial government employees.

Applications will be graded based on:

  • A student-written essay explaining the contribution that public service employees provide to the people of British Columbia
    • Plagiarism or essays written by anyone other than the applicant will result in disqualification. To ensure a fair and consistent assessment process, candidates must complete this assignment independently
    • Please do not use AI tools to generate your responses. Using AI to create your assignment may result in disqualification
  • Communication skills including grammar and spelling
  • References and citations are required (when necessary)

Application submission

The 2026 application form will be posted at the end of March 2026, and applications will be accepted until May 15, 2026. All parts of the application must be received by this date, to be considered. The applicant (student) must submit the application themselves. Communications from a parent will not receive a response.

Mailing Address
Pacific Leaders Scholarships for Children of Public Service Employees
StudentAid BC, Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills
PO Box 9173, Stn Prov Govt
Victoria BC V8W 9H7

Award process

A selection committee reviews all eligible applications and selects up to 60 recipients to receive scholarships.

Applicants are notified by the end of August.

Scholarships will be awarded once StudentAid BC receives a Confirmation of Enrolment form from your institution, which will be sent to you after you receive your approval letter.

Funds must be used prior to March 31 of the following year and can't be deferred.

Feedback is available upon request.

There's no appeal process for unsuccessful applicants, but you can reapply the next year.

Additional information

The under-25 age limit aligns with other government programs and targets the dependants of public service employees.

This program is intended for undergraduate credentials; graduate students are not eligible.

Only one scholarship per child is awarded to maximize the number of families who benefit. Families with multiple children may have each child apply.

A grade B average is required; higher grades do not increase award likelihood. Communication skills and program relevance are also considered.

Institution and program eligibility

Pacific Leaders programs and StudentAid BC use public funds, so scholarship funding can only be used at B.C. institutions designated for StudentAid BC funding. Programs must also meet StudentAid BC eligibility criteria:

  • All public BC post-secondary institutions are designated
  • Some private institutions receive designation once they are registered and accredited by the Province

The educational or training program itself must also be eligible under the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills' StudentAid BC criteria.

Check the StudentAid BC website to confirm your chosen institution is designated.

Contact information

For more information on Pacific Leaders Scholarships for Children of Public Service Employees:

Email
dpu.studentfunding@gov.bc.ca

Contact information

For more information on scholarship eligibility, please contact StudentAidBC.

Office Toll Free
1-800-561-1818
Victoria Office
250-387-6100