Applying For Ontario Scholarships
Unlike loans, scholarships are based on academic merit. If you think your marks won’t meet the requirements for a scholarship, consider taking upgrade courses to improve your grades before the application deadline.
Presented to students who have demonstrated leadership and commitment in extracurricular activities. Applicants must also have a strong academic record and financial need.
Overview
Scholarships are a great way to pay for university. They can reduce the costs of tuition, living expenses, visa applications and excursion trips. They can even help students cover their entire study abroad fees. However, scholarships aren’t always easy to come by. The key is to do your research and apply for as many as you can.
The Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) program encourages excellence in graduate studies at publicly funded universities across the province. It offers merit-based scholarships for master’s and doctoral degrees in all disciplines of academic study.
The government funds two-thirds of the value of the awards, while the universities contribute one-third. At Waterloo, students are considered for OGS and the Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology (QEII-GSST) through a single application.
Other sources of funding include provincial and regional scholarships. These can be offered by the school, the government or private organizations. These are often based on cultural or professional affiliations, and may have a smaller monetary value. For example, some universities offer scholarships for students of specific racial or ethnic groups.
Eligibility Criteria
As a student, you might think your chances of winning an Ontario Scholarship are slim to none. However, with a bit of thorough research and careful preparation, you can dramatically increase your odds of securing the funding you need to pursue your education.
The first step is to understand the criteria that each scholarship will use to evaluate candidates. Some scholarships are awarded based on academic merit, while others are geared toward students with specific needs or demographics. Once you know which criteria apply to your situation, it’s time to start searching for opportunities!
There are tons of scholarship options available, so you shouldn’t have trouble finding one that fits your qualifications. Start by reviewing the resources on the official Government of Ontario website. Then, check out the Scholarships Canada and Scholarships & Bursaries Canada websites for more options.
Requirements for Applicants
Students wishing to apply for the Ontario Scholarship should ensure that their application package is complete, and submitted before the deadline. The package consists of two confidential references (please note that family members cannot provide references) and the completed application form. Applicants should also include a letter confirming acceptance and continuance in their program of study.
Depending on the scholarship, additional supporting documents may be required, including academic transcripts, personal statements or essays, and proof of financial need. Taking the time to carefully review and prepare these materials will help increase your chances of being awarded an entrance scholarship.
In addition, students are encouraged to consider the many other scholarships available to them. These are based on factors such as academic merit, extracurricular involvement, field of study, demographics and more.
Students who are awarded a provincial scholarship will be contacted by the Student Awards and Scholarships Office to advise them of the award.
Application Procedures
If you have the good fortune of receiving an entrance scholarship, it will be awarded on the basis of a combination of your high marks, grades in the specific programs you’ve applied to and any other requirements that may apply, such as English language test scores, a personal essay, an interview or a portfolio.
As a result, it’s best to apply for scholarships liberally. There are also bursaries, which are typically given out to students who can’t afford to pay for university, and it’s worth exploring those options as well.