How can I use scholarships to pay for school?

School can be very expensive. Aside from loans, there are ways to fund your education without having to pay the money back!

Paying for post-secondary education can be expensive and may leave you with a lot of debt after you graduate. Aside from loans, there are ways you can get money for school that you don't have to pay back.

What are scholarships?

A scholarship is an award given to students based on their academic performance, extracurricular achievements, community involvement, or leadership skills. 

Who is eligible?

Different types of students are eligible for different scholarships. For example, some are only awarded to first-generation students, while others may require applicants to have a certain grade point average (GPA). To find out if you’re eligible, check the requirements for each scholarship you apply for.

What are some of the different types of scholarships?

  • Entrance Scholarships: automatically given to incoming students based on their grades
  • Community Service Scholarships: awards that recognize extracurricular activities 
  • Travel and Exchange Awards: scholarships that help students study abroad
  • Specialty Scholarships: may be granted to women, people of colour, or other groups that face barriers to accessing education

Besides scholarships, how else can I get money to pay for school?

  • OSAP: loans and grants that the government gives to eligible students 
  • Private loans: money you can get from banks that you have to pay back, with interest, after you graduate 
  • Grants: monetary “gift” usually awarded for a specific purpose, like to do research or study abroad
  • Bursaries: money granted to students based on financial need 

Where can I find scholarships to apply to?

Universities and colleges have many scholarships that students can apply to once they’ve been accepted into the school. There are also external websites that compile lists of scholarships from different organizations and groups. Check them out below and start applying!

Universities Scholarships:

Algoma University

Brock University

Carleton University

Lakehead University

Laurentian University

McMaster University

Nipissing University

OCAD University

Queen’s University

Royal Military College

Toronto Metropolitan University

Trent University

University of Guelph

University of Hearst

University of Ontario Institute of Technology

University of Ottawa

University of Toronto

University of Waterloo

University of Windsor

Western University

Wilfrid Laurier University

York University

College Scholarships

Algonquin

Cambrian

Canadore

Centennial

College Boreal

Conestoga

Confederation

Durham

Fanshawe

Fleming

George Brown

Georgian

Humber

La Cite

Lambton

Michener Institute

Mohawk

Niagara

Northern

Ridgetown Campus

Sault

Seneca

Sheridan

St. Clair

St. Lawrence College

External Scholarships

Scholarships Canada

Student Awards

Scholar Tree

Yconic

Disability Awards