initiatives

RBC Awards for Diversity and Innovation in Technology

Applications are now closed for 2023. Thank you for your interest.

Overview

The RBC Awards for Diversity and Innovation in Technology will support members of equity-deserving groups studying at the University of Toronto, including Black and Indigenous students and/or women, interested in a career at the intersection of technology and financial services. Applicants will be evaluated based on their academic achievements and innovative accomplishments.

The awards will support up to six eligible students annually over a two-year period:

  • Each award will be valued at $15,000 per year
  • Renewable for a second year so long as the recipient remains enrolled full-time at U of T and maintains a minimum GPA

Details

  • Recipients must be third-year undergraduate students enrolled full-time at the University of Toronto at the time of the award payment (Fall 2023). 
  • Eligible candidates should identify as Black or Indigenous students and/or women enrolled full-time in the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering, or the Departments of Computer Science, Math or Physics at the Faculty of Arts & Science, UTSC or UTM.
  • Recipients must remain full-time students for the entire academic year (2023–2024) in order to retain the award payment.
  • Students from equity-deserving groups who are in other technology-focused disciplines or who can demonstrate technology-focused experience will also be considered.

Equity-deserving groups at U of T include:

GroupFaculty/Department
Black studentsAll
Indigenous studentsAll
First-generation Canadian studentsAll
Refugee studentsAll
Students registered with Accessibility ServicesAll
Women studentsFaculty of Applied Science and Engineering and/or the
Department of Computer Science, Math or Physics at the Faculty of Arts & Science, UTSC or UTM.

April 10

Applications open

May 31, 5:00 pm

Deadline to apply

Summer

Adjudication process

Fall

Award recipients announced

All award applications will be reviewed and assessed by an adjudication committee comprising of RBC representatives, entrepreneurship and innovation staff and faculty members, researchers and directors, and will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

  • Demonstrated interest in exploring a future career in technology
  • Experience working on an innovative solution and evidence of an entrepreneurial mindset
  • Academic achievement

Please direct all questions regarding the RBC Awards or application process to:

Kay Martinez
Program & Business Services Coordinator, University of Toronto Entrepreneurship
kay.martinez@utoronto.ca
Subject line: Questions: RBC Awards

Past recipients

Mouaid Alim  (2022)

Faculty of Arts and Science 
Program: Bioinformatics & Computational Biology Specialist, Physiology Major and Computer Science Minor
Campus: St. George 
Year: 3rd 

Sana Hashim (2022)

Faculty of Geography, Geomatics and Environment 
Program: Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Major and Sustainability and Business & Entrepreneurship Minors 
Campus: UTM 
Year: 3rd 

Yara Nassar (2022)

Faculty of Applied Sciences and Engineering 
Program: Engineering Science 
Campus: St. George 
Year: 3rd 

Muhammed Yakubu (2022)

Faculty of Applied Sciences and Engineering 
Program: Electrical and Computer Engineering 
Campus: St. George 
Year: 3rd