Financial Aid

Awards, Prizes and Scholarships

Each year, Carleton and the Department of French offer a variety of Awards and scholarships to undergraduate students in the French programs. Some of them require an application (see details for each below).

We are very grateful to the generous donators that have endowed these scholarships. We want to extend special thanks to the families of Eldon Kaye, Odette Condemine, Bill Fraser, Catherine Normandin, Colette Osborne, Renato Galliani and Rose Shentow for the memorial bursaries created in the honour of their loved ones (professors in the Department of French or alumni of Carleton).

For official versions of award descriptions and for a full list of awards available to students,  please consult the Undergraduate Awards Database.

Departmental Awards

These bursaries and scholarships are awarded directly by the Department of French who selects the recipient(s).

Bourse d’échange du Département de français

Awarded annually to students in the B.A. or B.A. Honours program who have applied to go on exchange through the International Students Services Office.

Application must be submitted to the Department in January (before the exchange). Information is send out to students that are going on exchange each year.

Bursaries for Postsecondary Studies in French as a Second Language

Value $3000. A yearly bursary program created in 2019 by the Department of Canadian Heritage and administered by the Association des collèges et universités de la francophonie canadienne (ACUFC) to encourage English-speaking students to pursue their studies in French. Awarded annually to two students entering or continuing the BA or BA Honours French program. Priority is given to 1st and 2nd year students. This bursary can only be received once during the degree.

Applications must be submitted to the Department in the fall (the application form is send to all eligible students through email).

Eldon Kaye Memorial Scholarship

Awarded annually, on the recommendation of the Chair of the Department of French, to a student in the French program who has demonstrated the most promise in French literature.

Endowed in 1989 in memory of Eldon Kaye, who was a professor in the Department of French.

No application needed.

Odette Condemine Scholarship in French Literature

Awarded annually on the recommendation of the Chair of the Department of French to outstanding undergraduate students continuing in a Bachelor of Arts degree in French who are studying French and Francophone Literature. Preference will be for students who demonstrate an interest in French Canadian Literature.

Endowed in 1995 by Professor Odette Condemine, who taught French Canadian Literature at Carleton University until her retirement in 1992.

No application needed.

Travel Bursary for French Studies (Bourse de la présidente)

Awarded annually on the recommendation of the Chair of the Department of French to an undergraduate student in good academic standing who is continuing in a French program at Carleton University and requires financial support to assist in defraying the costs of conference or research-related travel.

Endowed in 2011 by Dr. Roseann O’Reilly Runte, former President of Carleton University.

Other scholarships and bursaries

These scholarships and bursaries are awarded by Carleton’s Awards and Financial Aid Department to students enrolled in the French programs (the Department of French is not selecting the recipients directly).

Bill Fraser Memorial Bursary

Awarded annually to a deserving student entering or enrolled in a French program who is in need of financial assistance in order to attend or continue studies at Carleton University.

Donors: Colleagues and friends in memory of Bill Fraser who was a faculty member within the Department of French from 1966 to 1995. Endowed 1995.

All undergraduate students are considered by completing a bursary application. Bursary applications are made available to all registered undergraduate students in early September for the Fall/Winter session and early May for the Summer session through the Undergraduate Online Application forms system (Bursary and Award Applications) on Carleton Central. For information, please visit: carleton.ca/awards/bursaries/returning/

Catherine Normandin Memorial Bursary in French

Value $1,000. Awarded annually to undergraduate students in demonstrated financial need who are entering or continuing in a Bachelor of Arts in French.

Established in 2025 by Kaitlin Normandin BHum/10 and Rene Normandin BA/72 in loving memory of Catherine Normandin BA/70.

All undergraduate students are considered by completing a bursary application. Bursary applications are made available to all registered undergraduate students in early September for the Fall/Winter session and early May for the Summer session through the Undergraduate Online Application forms system (Bursary and Award Applications) on Carleton Central. For information, please visit: carleton.ca/awards/bursaries/returning/

Colette Osborne Scholarship

Awarded annually to an outstanding student proceeding from second to third-year of a Bachelor degree majoring in French.

Endowed in 2017 by John Osborne in loving memory of his wife, Colette Osborne BA/74.

All undergraduate students who meet the academic and course load requirements for awarding a scholarship and who are proceeding from one year to the next are automatically considered. 

No application needed.

Renato Galliani Scholarship in French

Awarded annually to outstanding undergraduate students entering or proceeding from one year to another who are pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in French, or a Bachelor of Global and International Studies in French and Francophone Studies.

Endowed in 2019 through the Estate of Renato Galliani.

All undergraduate students who meet the academic and course load requirements for awarding a scholarship and who are proceeding from one year to the next are automatically considered. 

No application needed.

Rose Shentow Scholarship in French

Awarded annually to outstanding undergraduate students entering or continuing in a Bachelor of Arts in French.

Endowed in 2023 through the estate of Rose Shentow BA/59, MA/73.

All undergraduate students who meet the academic and course load requirements for awarding a scholarship and who are proceeding from one year to the next are automatically considered. 

No application needed.

External Prizes

These awards are directly awarded by the Department. Awarded students receive a prize in the form of books.

Award of the Embassy of France

For excellence in the study of French, two book awards are offered annually by the Embassy of France in Canada. Donor: Embassy of France. Established in 1978.

Award of the Ambassador of Switzerland to Canada

For excellence in the study of French, German, and Italian, book awards are offered annually by the Ambassador of Switzerland to Canada. Established in 1953.