Student Battlefield Tour

Student Battlefield Tour

Bursary Supports Opportunity of a Lifetime

WHO

Canadian university students with a passion for history.

WHAT

Two-week study tour of Europe’s battlefields, led by Canadian military historians.

WHEN

Applications are accepted starting in January with results released in March. Tour in May or June depending on the itinerary

WHAT'S INCLUDED

Travel from Toronto, accommodations, meals and study materials

Step Into History

What does it mean to truly understand the cost of freedom? For 12 Canadian university students each year, it means standing on historic battlefields, walking in the footsteps of Canadian soldiers and reflecting on the sacrifices that shaped our world.

The Canadian Battlefields Foundation’s two-week battlefield tours take students on an unforgettable journey through sites like Vimy Ridge, Dieppe, Passchendaele and Juno Beach. Led by renowned Canadian military historians, these tours combine education with deep personal reflection.

More Than a School Trip

This is no sight-seeing tour. As part of the educational programming, you’ll be asked to do research and make two presentations. One presentation will be on a historic event and the other is a biography of a Canadian soldier buried or memorialized along the tour.

Past students say that standing beside a headstone—sharing a soldier’s story—and connecting it to their own lives often sparks deep feelings and changes how they see history.

As well as experiencing history at a profound new level, you’ll form bonds that last a lifetime—through shared meals, long discussions and moments of quiet reflection in cemeteries and museums.

You’ll return to Canada a storyteller. Someone who can’t wait to share what you’ve learned and inspire others to look at history differently.

Lauren Innocente

After fifteen minutes of intense searching through thousands of names on the massive monument at Vimy Ridge, Lauren Innocente, a student from the University of Victoria located the etched name of her great uncle, a member of the Black Watch Regiment who fought at the battle of Vimy Ridge in April 1917.

Lauren was surprised at the profoundly emotional rush that overwhelmed her as she realized the magnitude of effort and sacrifice made by these young Canadian soldiers. Wiping away tears, Lauren was moved at the realization that her great uncle was younger than her when he bravely advanced into the teeth of the enemies’ defences at Vimy on the 9th of April, 191

Apply Today!

If you’re a Canadian university student with a passion for history and a desire to make a difference, we invite you to apply.

To apply, you will need to:

  • Submit two reference letters
  • Submit your transcripts
  • Complete the Foundation’s registration form

Successful applicants will receive a bursary that covers part of the cost of the tour, including travel, accommodations, meals and study materials. Please note that you will need to pay for your own travel to Toronto to meet the tour group.

Donate please!

Your Support Helps Us Bring History to Life

Every step we take—from retracing battlefields to supporting students—is powered by the generosity of donors who believe in the importance of remembrance. Your gift supports our student bursary program, preserves memorial gardens, and funds annual commemorative ceremonies. Join us in keeping Canada’s history alive.