ICCA-NS Youth Bursary Program 2025
The Italian Canadian Cultural Association of Nova Scotia (ICCA-NS) is proud to support and invest in the next generation through our 2025 Post-Secondary Bursary. This program recognizes young individuals of Italian descent who demonstrate academic achievement, cultural pride, creativity, and a commitment to community service.
2025 ICCA Bursary Overview
Total Award Value: $1,500
Number of Recipients: 3 recipients (shared amount)
Application Deadline: July 15, 2025
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible, applicants must:
Be under 25 years of age.
Be of Italian descent (through a parent or grandparent).
Be a current ICCA member in good standing OR a dependent in a family membership held for at least 12 months.
Have a minimum 80% average or GPA equivalent.
Be accepted into a post-secondary program for Fall 2025.
Submit a résumé and a letter of acceptance.
Demonstrate past or future volunteer involvement with the ICCA.
Submission Requirements
Part A – Creative Component
Choose ONE topic from the list below, and present it in ONE of the following formats:
Formats (Choose One):
A written essay (approx. 500 words)
A video (approx. 5 minutes)
An artistic creation (e.g., painting, poster, diorama, etc.)
Topics (Choose One):
How has being of Italian heritage influenced you as an Italian Canadian youth? Share both positive and challenging experiences.
Tell us about your family's heritage in Italy. What do you know about the region they are from - its culture, traditions, or landscape? Have you visited (or would you like to visit)? If so, what would you like to see or experience? You may also reflect on why your family may have chosen to leave that region to come to Canada.
Share the story of a family member’s immigration to Canada. What challenges did they face, and how would their experience differ today?
Part B – ICCA and Youth Engagement
Please provide 2–3 detailed suggestions on how to encourage more young people to volunteer and contribute to the ICCA.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: JULY 15, 2025
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Submit your entry as follows:
Essay: Email to office@iccans.org. Use the subject line:
"Bursary Application – [Your Name] – [Essay Title]"Video:
If the file is too large to email, send it via a Google Drive or Dropbox link, or submit as a zip file.Artistic Entry:
Must be dropped off at the ICCA office by appointment only. Contact us in advance to arrange a time.
Judging Criteria
Our panel of 3 judges, consisting of ICCA members and educators, will review applications and choose the top 3.
Judges will be given entries separately and will not be able to discuss them during the judging process. Each judge will rank each submission based on the criteria listed below and send in their final scoring to the ICCA Secretary, who will then share it with the ICCA Board of Directors to review the final decisions on the top 3 recipients.
Submissions will be evaluated by a panel based on the following criteria:
Award Distribution and Minimum Application Requirement
If fewer than three eligible applications are received, the ICCA-NS reserves the right to:
Award fewer bursaries,
Adjust the distribution of the total bursary amount, or
Withhold the bursary if minimum eligibility criteria are not met.