Financing College and University

Information about the costs of college in Ontario: Paying for College

Information about the costs of university in Ontario: University Tuition and Fees

 

Students can learn about the Ontario student loan program by visiting Learn About OSAP

To get a sense of what funding you may be eligible for, use the OSAP Estimator

Applications typically open in the spring, however students can register anytime. The application can be accessed at OSAP Login Page

Institution-Based Scholarships, Bursaries and Awards
Every post-secondary institution has a financial aid office which distributes monetary support to students. Automatic entrance scholarships are based on grades, other scholarships and awards are based on grades plus other criteria, and bursaries are based on financial need. Students are encouraged to apply for all possible scholarships/awards/bursaries for which they are eligible. Here are the links to the three local post-secondary school’s financial aid websites:

Employer and Community Group Sponsored Awards
Many community groups and employers offer scholarships to students in their final year of high school. Students should check the websites of their own part-time jobs, their parent’s workplaces, and any community group they have had involvement with in the past.

Scholarship Databases
There are several different scholarship databases that organizations can use to post their award information. No single database is perfect and there are both legitimate scholarships and more contest-based posts on all of them. Most sites have students create a profile and then match them to potential awards. Here are some of the most popular in Canada:

Local Scholarships/Bursaries/Awards
Many local groups and businesses have allocated money for a yearly award to Notre Dame’s graduating students. This means that one of our graduates is guaranteed to be a recipient. Some of these awards require a separate application which will be available from the school. However, most of them are decided by Notre Dame’s Graduation Committee, comprised of teaching and non-teaching staff. Graduating students are required to submit a Mandatory Graduation Form in the spring and this is their chance to submit details about all of their extracurricular activities, part time work, volunteering, etc.