[caption id="attachment_12475" align="alignnone" width="570"] Do a Google search to look for local businesses in your area that might be offering scholarships.[/caption] Want free money? Then it’s time to take a closer look into how to find (and win) a scholarship for college and university in Canada.

Here are 5 tips to get you started

1. Use Family Ties

You’ve lost jobs to nepotism, now it’s time to use it to your advantage. Make a list of the companies that the members of your family work for. A lot of major companies (Tim Hortons, for example) offer scholarships and bursaries to the spouses and family members of their staff.

2. Think Local

Do a Google search to look for local businesses in your area that might be offering scholarships and bursaries. Smaller, less visible opportunities yield a better chance of getting it.

3. Read the Terms Carefully

If you see an ad for a scholarship or bursary, read it carefully. They’re telling you exactly what you need to do to get it. If they say they want an essay about your past, don’t focus your essay on what you hope to do in the future. Don’t lose thousands of dollars to someone who followed their instructions more carefully.

4. Always Apply

Never pass on an opportunity because you think too many other people will apply for it. It doesn’t cost you anything to try and your efforts might pay for a semester or two of school.

5. Don’t Wait

Don’t leave your application to the last minute. You don’t want your efforts to come across as rushed or poorly thought out. Again, this might be worth thousands of dollars. Take the time to do it right.