Students who become Uggla Family Scholars will demonstrate strong academic and leadership potential. The scholarship program supports 10 exceptional students per year to study at SFU who may not otherwise be able to afford an education. The program reserves scholarships for those who identify as Indigenous, are Black or a person of colour, are living with a disability or are a member of the LGBTQIA2S+ community. The Uggla Family Scholarship is open to all Canadian/Domestic students and is designed to significantly reduce financial and other barriers to participation in post-secondary education.

Not only are the costs for tuition, fees, books, housing and expenses covered, but students also will:

• participate in a robust orientation to support a successful journey at SFU
• receive leadership programming, mentorship, experiences and other opportunities for personal growth and development
• be supported by a program manager as well as wellness, residence, student, academic and career and co-op/internship advisors
• share in ongoing networking and engagement to connect them during their studies and as alumni

The Uggla Family Scholarship was made possible by a visionary commitment from SFU alumnus and business leader Lance Uggla (BBA ’85) and his family.

The Uggla Family Scholarship program was created in perpetuity to:

• Remove barriers to post-secondary education for high achieving students
• Ensure successful transition to university learning and life
• Build confidence and develop skills
• Foster academic achievement
• Position students for career and leadership success
• Build an international community of mutual support in partnership with LSE
• Foster networks for life through a dynamic alumni cohort

Students and future graduates of the program will also inspire and challenge each other as they build connections through a common experience and their individual perspectives. 

A GLOBAL COMMITMENT

The Uggla family’s commitment is the largest ever received in SFU’s history and the largest gift of its kind to a Canadian university. The family has established a similar initiative at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), where Uggla earned his master’s degree, and also supports the university education of graduates from the Shitima School in Zambia. Once fully rolled out, these three scholarship programs will enable a university education for 100 talented students across the world in any one year.

Both SFU and LSE welcomed their first student cohorts in fall 2021.