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Supplemental Application
High school
SFU's Beedie School of Business requires all high school applicants to submit a Supplemental Application form as part of their admission application. We want to learn more about you and how your experiences and achievements, in combination with your academics, have prepared you for new and exciting challenges at SFU Beedie. Specifically, your Supplemental Application will be used to assess other factors beyond academics that contribute to your overall preparedness for SFU Beedie’s programs. The following information will help guide you through the supplemental process and how to best prepare.
Note: There is a Supplemental Application Fee of $91.42 CAD that is separate from the SFU Application Fee.
What is Assessed on the Supplemental Application?
Components
The online, Supplemental Application will include:
- A written, short answer response
- An explanation of the activities you've engaged in and achievements you've accomplished within the last 4 years
- Two references, with at least one being academic in nature
- Any additional information in support of your application
*NOTE: One referee must be a high school teacher or counsellor.
Assessment
Race, ethnicity, religion, sex, age and all other protected grounds as defined by section 8 of the B.C. Human Rights Code are excluded from the evaluation.
Multiple qualified assessors, who are part of SFU Beedie’s Supplemental Evaluation Committee, read each application. Assessors evaluate applications blind (i.e. without seeing names, contact information, grades, etc.) and base their assessment on a set rubric. Once assessed, your Supplemental Score is combined with your Academic Performance to produce your overall ranking.
Applicants with hidden or visible disabilities who believe they may need application accommodations are encouraged to contact the SFU Centre for Accessible Learning as soon as possible to ensure that they are eligible, and that approved accommodations and services are implemented in a timely fashion.
What does a strong Application Include?
Strong Academic Performance
While we want to learn more about you through the Supplemental Application, your marks still matter. The courses used in your admission evaluation demonstrate your academic preparedness.
If your current admission evaluation on the required secondary school courses includes courses that are in-progress, make sure to keep your grades up. We review all offers of admission upon receipt of interim and final grades.
Activities and Achievements
Your application should demonstrate experience(s) in one or more of the following areas:
- Athletics
- Arts (performing, visual, music, and/or written)
- Community leadership and/or involvement
- Entrepreneurship
- Work experience
- Other areas
Strong Communication Skills
You should ensure that your communication skills (oral, listening and written) are well developed. Make sure to practice and refine these skills through your courses, such as English, as well as through your extra-curricular activities.
References
You will need to provide contact information for two referees (people who can provide a reference). Make sure to pick referees who can comment about your personal qualities as well as the experiences that you list in your Supplemental Application, including your academics, extra-curricular activities, work, volunteer and/or personal achievements. Be sure to ask your referees for permission to provide their contact information in support of your application.
*NOTE: One referee must be a secondary school teacher or counsellor.
How can I best prepare for the Application?
As you prepare to submit your Supplemental Application, make sure to follow these tips:
- Start thinking about your application now, including who will provide your 2 references.
- Make sure to reach out to your referees early; don’t wait until the last minute to ask someone.
- Read through the whole application first before starting to respond.
- Review the section above on what makes a strong application. Before you start writing, spend time reflecting on how your experiences – both challenges and achievements - have helped prepare you for SFU's Beedie School of Business.
- Be authentic. Ensure you are presenting your unique voice and individual story. We want to learn about you, not an idealized person that you might think we want to learn about.
- Save your written responses in a word processor (ex. Microsoft Word) as you work. While you can save responses in the application itself, the form will close after 20 minutes of inactivity and any unsaved information will be lost.
- Accuracy counts. Make sure to review all information provided, as SFU's Beedie School of Business will verify information. We take any falsification of information and/or plagiarism very seriously.
- Plan ahead and be prepared for any logistical considerations, such as applying before the deadline to minimize the risk of missing it, having a method of payment ready for the application fee, and providing information to your referees ahead of time.
Frequently asked questions
I am applying for a Fall Entrance Scholarship. Can you use my Undergraduate Scholars Entrance Scholarship (USES) Application in lieu of the Beedie Supplemental Application?
Yes. All Fall applicants with a complete and eligible USES Application (including all transcripts, references and any additional documents required for admission) are not required to submit the Beedie Supplemental Application. Applying to both does not enhance the chance for admission*. For more information on eligibility criteria and how to apply please visit SFU's Financial Aid & Awards page.
*NOTE: If your application is ineligible for the USES due to missing required information or documents, or you no longer meet the minimum admission evaluation for the USES, you will need to complete the Beedie Supplemental Application form instead.
I am applying through the Undergraduate Admission Policy for Indigenous Students (UAPI). Can I use the Supplemental Form for Indigenous students in lieu of the Beedie Supplemental Application?
Yes. Applicants with a complete and eligible Supplemental Form for Indigenous students are not required to submit the Supplemental Application. Connect with SFU's Indigenous Student Recruitment team for details on the application process.
How do I access the application?
In order to access the application you need wait at least 24-hours after applying to SFU through EducationPlannerBC. Business must be your 1st choice program. For details on how to change program options, click here.
NOTE: You will need your 9-digit SFU Applicant/Student Number (ie. 301 - - - - - -) and the email address you used to apply to SFU in order to log-in to the application.
What browser is recommended for accessing and completing the application?
Using Firefox or Chrome is recommended.
I am having trouble logging into the supplemental application. What should I do?
First, take a look at the following list of common reasons and see if there is a solution:
- It has been less than 24 hours since you applied to SFU. Wait 24-hours, and try again.
- You have just changed your 1st choice program to Business and it has not been 24-hours yet. Wait 24 hours, and try again.
- You used a different email address than the one you used to apply to SFU. Use the email account you have provided to SFU.
- Your student number is incorrect. Make sure it is your SFU, 9-digit Applicant/Student Number (i.e. 301- - - - - -)
- There are extra spaces in required fields of the application. Make sure to type out your information, rather than using copy-and-paste.
If you are still unable to log-in after ensuring it is none of the reasons above, please contact: bsb_admit@sfu.ca. Please make sure to include your full name, 9-digit SFU Applicant/Student Number and the email address you used to apply to SFU.
What happens if I do not complete the supplemental application form?
If you choose not to complete the Supplemental Application form you will be denied admission and assessed for your 2nd choice program, if you indicated one.
Am I allowed to use ChatGPT or any other large language models for assistance with completing my supplemental application?
At the SFU Beedie School of Business, we believe marks matter, but so do your experiences, achievements, and communication skills. That’s why we’re asking you to submit your original work, without the assistance of ChatGPT, etc. Large language models such as ChatGPT and others reduce your voice and creativeness in your responses. We’re not looking for a perfect response. We’re looking to learn more about you, your experiences, and why you want to study at the SFU Beedie School of Business.
Can I log in and out of the form and save my responses?
You will have the ability to go into the application form as many times as you like before the deadline. You can also save your responses directly within the application. While you can save responses in the application itself, it is recommended that you draft responses in a word processor (ex. Microsoft Word) as the form will close after 20 minutes of inactivity and any unsaved information will be lost.
Can I edit my responses once I submit my application?
Once you submit your completed application, you will not be able to make edits. Be sure to double-check your application before submitting the application form.
Can I include more than one area of activity in the ”Extra-curricular Activities and Achievement“ section of the application?
Yes, you can include multiple areas of activity (i.e. arts, athletics, etc). It is up to your discretion as to how many areas of activity you want to include. Note that you are not expected to have involvement in each area.
Please be sure to utilize the "+Add Another Activity" button within each activity type (ie. athletics) to describe your experience in each, individual activity that you have participated in (ie. soccer, basketball, swimming etc). Make sure to include details on each individual activity including your role(s), duration of involvement, awards and/or recognition etc.
I cannot submit the Supplemental Application form; an error message appears. What should I do?
It is likely that you do not have a green checkmark in all of the sections of the form. Review each section to ensure all required components are complete.
How do I know my form has been successfully submitted?
You will know that you have successfully submitted the Supplemental Application when the green bar appears at the top of your application with the successful submission message. You will also receive a confirmation email.
My “To-Do List” on my Student Service’s Centre is showing that my Supplemental Application is incomplete, but I’ve received my 2 emails confirming that it was successfully submitted and paid for. What should I do?
If you have received both confirmation emails (one for successful submission, the other for successful payment), it may be that your browser timed out and the update to your Student Services Centre failed.
Don’t panic! Just contact: bsb_admit@sfu.ca, for assistance. Please make sure to include your SFU, 9-digit Applicant/Student Number and your two email receipts.
When will my references be contacted?
Applications are reviewed on a continual basis. In turn, your references will be contacted in a timely manner as your application is assessed. We recommend that you let them know to keep an eye out for our email.
How soon can I expect to know the outcome of my application?
Supplemental Application forms are assessed on a continual basis and the speed of decisions is impacted by the size and competitiveness of the applicant pool. We endeavour to provide timely admission decisions.
What do I do if my application payment was not successful?
You can try again. Log back into the system and either use:
- the same credit card, if you believe you previously entered details incorrectly
- a different credit card
- or, a pre-paid credit gift card (ex. VISA, Mastercard)*
*Make sure that your pre-paid card can be used for Canadian transactions by checking the details of the card’s terms and agreement.
What do I do if I don’t have a credit card?
You can purchase a pre-paid credit gift card (ex. VISA, Mastercard) that would allow you to cover the application fee in Canadian dollars, as well as any fees that might be associated with using the card itself.
Living outside of Canada? Make sure that your pre-paid card can be used for Canadian transactions by checking the details of the card’s terms and agreement.
What do I do if I am denied admission to SFU Beedie School of Business?
Reflect on why you may have been denied:
- Did you satisfy SFU Beedie Admission Evaluation requirements for your curriculum and/or country?
- Did you miss the deadline or decide not to complete the Supplemental Application?
- Do you have limited experiences, or did not articulate them?
Once you have reviewed your application and the questions above, think about whether or not you can improve on elements of your application. If yes, and you are eligible for admission to another SFU Faculty other than SFU Beedie (your 2nd choice program), you can apply to SFU Beedie again through an Internal Transfer.
Review the requirements for an Internal Transfer and make sure to speak with an SFU Beedie Undergraduate Advisor about next steps.
*NOTE: Should you apply again, you will be asked to explain what has changed since you last applied.
If I am not admitted to SFU Beedie School of Business will my fee be refunded?
We cannot refund the application fee as the work required to assess your application has already been completed.
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