Work-integrated Learning (WIL) Bursary
Sixty (60) bursaries valued at $1,000 each have been created for students who are taking part in work-integrated learning as part of their UPEI coursework during the 2025 Fall semester.
Taking part in work-integrated learning projects and placements can sometimes involve additional costs for students (i.e., time off work, travel expenses, purchasing of work uniforms or supplies, etc.) so this bursary is designed to help students cover those costs.
Your work-integrated learning must be:
- Connected to a specific course or program requirement
- With a specific community or industry partner
- Happening between September 1 and December 31, 2025
Applications for this bursary will open on September 15, 2025 and are due Friday, October 10, 2025 by 4:00 pm (AST).
Apply for the Work-Integrated Learning Bursary
Have questions? Email experientialed@upei.ca
This project is funded by The Prince Edward Island Government’s Gender, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion (GEDI) and Community Enhancement Program and administered by UPEI's Experiential Education department.
FAQs
What counts as work-integrated learning (WIL)?
This bursary focuses on four main types of work-integrated learning:
- Applied research or industry project - conducting research for a local company or community group
- Entrepreneurial WIL - designing or starting your own business with support from a partner organization
- Field placement - gaining hands-on experience outside of the classroom, in a setting connected to your field of study
- Service learning - working with a local organization to apply your knowledge
If you have a project for a course where you are doing hands-on work and partnering with a local business or community organization, but it doesn’t fit in those categories, you can contact us at experientialed@upei.ca to see if your project is a fit. (Note: Co-op work terms are not eligible for this funding.)
How does the application process work?
Fill out and submit the application form by Friday, October 10, 2025 by 4:00 pm (AST).
Applications will be reviewed after the deadline, and all applicants will be contacted by October 17 about their results. Successful applicants will be asked to complete and return additional paperwork by October 24. We will not be able to issue funds to students who do not return their paperwork by this date.
Funding will be applied to student accounts of successful applicants mid-November.
How will it be decided who gets a bursary?
Applications will be assessed to evaluate:
- How funding will support the student in the WIL experience
- The impact of the WIL experience on student learning
- How many contact hours students will have in their WIL experience
- If students are members of underrepresented groups in WIL
The following rubric will be used in scoring applications.
| Criteria | 1-3 points | 4-6 points | 7-10 points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Hours | Number of hours is lower than application average | Number of hours is near application average | Number of hours is higher than application average |
| Relevance of WIL | Work-integrated learning experience is minimally related to student learning | Work-integrated learning experience is of average value to student learning | Work-integrated learning experience is of uniquely high value to student learning |
| Under-represented Group Inclusion | Student does not identify in any categories of under-represented students | Student identifies in 1-3 categories of under-represented students | Student identifies in 3+ categories of under-represented students |
| Reduction of Barriers | Student has not indicated how funding would support participation in WIL | Student has indicated how funding would support them in a way that is common to most applicants | Student has described unusually high barriers to their WIL experience that requires financial support |
To increase participation in WIL programming amongst under-represented groups, students who identify within one or more of these categories will be prioritized for funding:
- LGBTQ2S+
- Living in a rural or remote location
- Low socioeconomic status
- Mature student
- Indigenous
- Black Canadian
- Racialized person / Person of Colour
- Newcomer to Canada
- Student from refugee pathways
- Student with a disability
- Woman or non-binary person studying STEM
We aim to distribute these bursaries equitably across campus programs. There may be caps on the number of bursaries going to students from particular programs to ensure that students across campus benefit from this funding support.
Are graduate students eligible for this bursary?
Yes! Graduate students are eligible for this funding as long as they meet the other eligibility requirements for the bursary.
