Applications closed
Applications to use the grant for our programs can no longer be accepted as we have now reached capacity.
Students throwing biodegradable confetti in the air

StrongerBC future skills grant

Toss your limits, embrace your potential!

Are you looking to advance your professional development and succeed in the competitive job market? Continuing Studies at UVic is proud to be supporting the StrongerBC Future Ready Action Plan to help you reach your full potential. The StrongerBC future skills grant, created by the Government of British Columbia, is designed to help eligible BC students progress in their careers and fill in-demand jobs. You could receive up to $3,500 to be put towards short-term skills training at BC public post-secondary institutions. This grant will build a future-ready workforce of 8,500 newly trained professionals over the next three years, which will help fill the skill gap. Don’t miss your chance to take your career to the next level!

StongerBC logo

What's new for 2024

We are pleased to confirm there will be funded programs available in the fall (September) 2024 semester. This funding will be available for new learners who have not yet accessed future skills grant (FSG) funding, and for those who have already accessed future skills grant funding with remaining funds still available to them from their $3,500 lifetime maximum.

Seats for 2024-2025 programs are very limited. Program applications and course registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

  • Funding for all FSG approved programs will be charged at the time of program registration and will go towards the $3,500 lifetime maximum FSG funds used. Funding will not be charged for individual courses, but for all program and tuition fees. All fees are non-refundable towards the $3,500 lifetime maximum past the initial withdrawal deadline for your program.

  • Students must start their program prior to February 28, 2025 (or earlier, depending on program scheduling) in order to complete within the approved FSG timeline. If students are unable to complete the necessary requirements or cannot meet the scheduling requirements of the required courses, students are responsible for taking these courses without further FSG funding at a later date.

Students will have until February 28, 2025 to register in all required courses for their program and will have until August 31, 2025 to complete all program requirements. Students are responsible for registering in appropriate courses themselves and will not receive a reminder from program staff.

*The above details may be subject to change. Please consult StrongerBC future skills grant for the most up to date information. 

Eligibility, what's covered and limitations

To be eligible for the StrongerBC future skills grant, you:

  • must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or protected person entitled to study in Canada
  • are a B.C. resident and currently live in BC
  • must be 19 years or older or have graduated high school by the start of your course/program
  • need to provide consent for the University of Victoria to disclose your information to the province of British Columbia
  • should not be receiving duplicative and/or overlapping funding to cover eligible costs (i.e. grants, loans, scholarships or other funding that covers the same program costs as the StrongerBC future skills grant)
  • commit to completing your program by August 31, 2025 and pay remaining program fees if applicable

You should also understand that:

  • FSG benefits may have tax implications
  • the FSG is subject to a lifetime maximum of $3,500
  • if you are receiving any federal or provincial benefit, such as Employment Insurance (EI) or BC Employment Assistance (BCEA), you must seek approval from the appropriate government body before participating in a program
  • the amount of FSG funding you receive is subject to review and audit
  • Your entire grant will become non-refundable after the withdrawal date for the first course of your program

Funding from the future skills grant covers all costs associated with your micro-credential program including:

  • program or application fee
  • tuition fees
  • program/course materials such as textbooks, required program software and tools

Note: This grant can't be put towards childcare, living allowances and transportation.

Registrations are very limited for 2024-25, are by full program, and are by first come first serve. This means all fees noted above will be charged to the students’ future skills grant $3,500 lifetime maximum fund at the time of registration in the program. If a student has already used some part of their $3,500 future skills grant fund, they are responsible for paying the difference in cost at the time of registration in the program. All fees are non-refundable towards the $3,500 lifetime maximum past the initial withdrawal deadline for your program.


How to apply for the future skills grant

  1. Review your eligibility above and on WorkBC.
  2. Find a program you are interested in from the list below and make sure you meet any additional admission requirements.
  3. Ensure that you can complete the program prior to August 31, 2025. Learners must understand that they are committing to a full program in order to receive the FSG funds for all program expenses, and are responsible for ensuring they can complete all required courses. Limited course selection may apply, however, and published schedules of winter (January) or summer (May) 2025 term courses may not be available at the time of committing to program completion. Course selection may be limited, and learners should plan ahead to ensure that they access the courses needed to complete based on availability. Learners must register in all courses prior to February 28, 2025
  4. Ensure that you can cover all remaining costs yourself. For example, If you have $1,800 in StrongerBC Future Skills Grant funding available, and the costs for your program include a $20 program fee, $1,815 in tuition and $180 in textbooks, totalling $2,015, you will be billed an additional $215 immediately to complete the program.
  5. Note that the grant cannot be applied retroactively – do not register in courses or apply to a program until you are able to do so using your funding.
  6. If you have already taken courses toward an approved program, but have not previously used grant funding toward that program, you can apply for the grant via the process below to use toward your remaining requirements. However, while the grant cannot be applied toward courses already completed, you will be charged for the cost of the full program.
  7. If you received grant funding last year, you will still need to re-apply through the process below. You are not automatically approved for 2024-25.
  8. If you are a learner currently in-progress within a program for which you used StrongerBC Future Skills grant funding 2023/24, please contact uvcsreg@uvic.ca to register in your next course. As noted above, you will still need to re-apply for funds through the process below.
  1. You must apply/register through both Continuing Studies and the StrongerBC future skills grant application system. Your application will not be considered complete until through both systems.
  2. UVic FSG applications open August 6, 2024. Seats are limited and are first-come, first-served (though both UVic and confirmation of approval through the StrongerBC Future Skills grant application system).
  3. You will need a BC Services Card Account to register for the StrongerBC future skills grant. If you don’t have one, please keep in mind it can take several days to process.
  4. Click on the program from the list below to register or apply for the program and complete the FSG eligibility form. Please note some programs require an application to the program prior to course registration, while most allow for immediate registration in courses.
  5. Once you have applied to the program, you may register for any courses that are open for registration. Please note if you select a program with a required program application, you will be notified once accepted, and can register for courses after that time. It is the responsibility of learners to register in the courses required to complete their program.
  6. When registering for the courses that make up the program, simply select the StrongerBC future skills grant tuition program fee type. 
  7. Once in your shop cart, you will be asked to declare that you meet the eligibility for this grant.


Future skills grant fee type on sample course page

 

Look for StrongerBC Future Skills Grant Tuition Program in Registration Details

Look for the "StrongerBC Future Skills Grant Tuition Program" tab on eligible programs

 

Eligible programs

The following programs are approved for FSG funding:

  • Administrative Technology
  • Applied AI for Administration
  • Business Communication
  • Business Intelligence and Data Analytics
  • Change Resilience in the Workplace
  • Climate Action Planning
  • Collections Management
  • Crisis Communication for Public Relations Professionals
  • Ecological Restoration
  • Emergency Management for Organizational Continuity
  • Environmental and Occupational Health
  • Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
  • Essential Soft Skills Training
  • Fire Ecology for Environmental Restoration
  • Fundamental Leadership Skills
  • Inclusive Leadership Strategies
  • Indigenous Cultural Stewardship
  • LiDAR Fundamentals for Climate Change Risk Analysis
  • Mapping with Drones
  • Marketing Communication
  • Palliative Care Pharmacy
  • Practical Leadership for Technology and Engineering
  • Professional Communication in the Workplace
  • Strategies and Actions for Independent Living (SAIL)
  • Teaching the Holocaust
  • Wound Care for Clients Experiencing Inequities
  • Wound Management for Health Professionals Level I
  • Wound Management for Health Professionals Level II