Posts Tagged ‘canadian bursaries’

Canadian Scholarships and Bursaries

December 8th, 2017
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Canadian Scholarships Bursaries

Students in Canada in need of financial assistance often turn immediately to the bursary system much more then Canadian scholarships, seeking funds through provincially offered programs. While this system is useful to an immense number of students, these Canadian bursaries may sometimes leave gaps in funding that cannot be closed by other bursary offerings. Some students in this situation may then turn to student loans, a direct method to find funding. Before turning to student loans, however, students should sincerely consider various Canadian scholarship programs, many of which are open nationally to students and provide a decent amount of funding which could potentially cover holes not filled by the Canadian bursary systems.

Canadian scholarships are offered all over the country, a lot of them on a merit-based system which considers academic achievement and community involvement as eligibility metrics. Further, international students who may not be able to apply for a wide swath of bursaries should consider looking into Canadian scholarships, as they often do not have citizenship requirements, making it easier for foreign students to find additional financial aid. While scholarships for Canadian students are not nearly as sure a thing as are bursaries, a student who has planned capably and left enough time before college starts should be able to fill out Canada scholarship applications before they are forced to consider loans. Since scholarships are typically offered as free money for college, they certainly beat getting loans with high interest rates which students will later have to pay back after graduation.

Two of the more popular scholarship programs offered in Canada are funded by the Canadian Merit Scholarship Foundation. They offer both the Bourse Loran Award and the Garfield Weston Award Canadian scholarships which are highly sought after because they provide a generous amount of funds to selected students. The Loran Award program provides students with an $8,000 Canadian government scholarship to 30 selected students every year which can be renewed in the following academic cycle. On top of this, they also provide 80 non-renewable awards to students who are freshly entering college. While an academic transcript will be necessary when applying to this Canadian scholarship, the program notably looks beyond the simple numbers provided by academic grading. Specifically they consider character elements such as community service, leadership roles, interest in extra-curricular activities, and individuality. Students who are not citizens of Canada but can show legal residency may apply for the Canada scholarship, and all applicants must show an 85% average in their academic scores. Deadlines for the Loran Canadian Scholarship are October 20 for sponsored applications and October 27 for all others. Similar to the Loran program, the Garfield Weston Awards are offered every year to students who display great character and dedication to their pursuits. This Canadian university scholarship awards $8,000 as a renewable award as well as a tuition waiver from eligible institutions for 25 first-year students and then 25 additional awards are also given to students already enrolled in studies. Residents of Canada are eligible for the program and must be either enrolling for the first time as students or already be studying in college while maintaining a 75% average in all required courses. The deadline for the Garfield Weston Canadian Scholarship is set at March 29, 2011.

It cannot be overstated what importance Canadian scholarships have for students. The two programs spoken about in this article are, while heavily competitive, great sources of financial aid for any student who has the chops and passion to win an award. These two Canadian college scholarships should not be the end of a student’s search, however, as there are many other nationally available programs in the country offering their own great awards.

The more Canadian scholarships and bursaries a student applies to, the greater their chances are of receiving an award, but quantity is not going to do all the work. Applicants to these programs must have a great zeal for what they do, having been involved in the community and displaying a great capacity to lead others in many different situations. Often these programs are looking for students who are great not only in the classroom but in their communities or student organizations, so be sure to step up to the plate lest you let these opportunities slide past you.

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Canadian Bursaries in Canada simply Explained

November 4th, 2010
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Canada Bursaries

If you are seeking funding to pay for your college education, and you live in Canada, you may have seen various grants and Canadian bursaries in Canada that you can apply for. While you probably know that a grant is money that you can be awarded, and do not have to pay back, you may need help in taking the confusion out of a Canadian Bursary. Canada bursaries really aren’t that confusing once you understand what they are.

A Canada bursary works much like a grant, and for all intents and purposes, it is a grant – with a few differences. You have to apply for it, and win it, and then use the funds for a specific purpose – like paying towards your college education. Grants are not taxable, but Canadian bursaries are. Grants do not have to be repaid, but a Canadian bursary may. In most cases, however, if a portion of a bursary must be repaid, it is done through the student work program. Work study involves working at a job on campus, in most cases. These jobs are awarded on a first come, first served basis, so you must apply for them early through the financial aid office at your school.

Unlike grants, bursaries in Canada are taxable. Like grants, they are awarded based on financial need. Typically, you must submit documentation proving your income, savings, and expenses. Applying for Canadian bursaries is quite easy. First, you do not have to determine which bursaries in Canada you are eligible for. For example, when you apply for funding through the OSAP Ontario, using the information that you provide on the initial application form, the OSAP will determine your eligibility for additional grants, Canada bursaries and scholarships, and will then direct you to fill those forms out as well. The OSAP is the Ontario Student Aid Program.

The Canadian bursaries that are available through the OSAP include the Aboriginal Bursary, the Bursary for Students with Disabilities, the Bursary for Students with Disabilities Attending Out-of Country Postsecondary Institutions, the Child Care Bursary, the First Generation Bursary, and the Ontario Special Bursary Program.

Bursaries may also come from sources outside of the Canadian Government. For example, some corporations and organizations also have scholarship and bursary programs. In some cases, a portion of the bursary must be repaid by working for the company after graduation, or while attending school. If the bursary comes from an organization, you may need to be a member of the organization, or volunteer for the organization. You will need to seek out these potential bursaries on your own – as they are not made available through the OSAP.

Each Canadian bursary will also have its own eligibility criteria. This criterion may be different than the criteria for OSAP funding in general. You can visit the OSAP website at to see a listing of the Canadian bursaries, grants, and scholarships that are available through the OSAP, and you can click the Canada bursaries that you are interested in to read more about it. When you do this, you will be able to learn the purpose of the bursary, the amount, eligibility requirements, how to apply, the documents that you need to provide, and how the Canada bursary will be distributed to you if you are awarded the funds. You can also visit your schools financial aid office for information, or visit the Ontario Student Aid Program helpful information website and their programs at OSAP.

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Ontario Bursaries and Scholarships in Canada Differences

November 3rd, 2010
Ontario bursaries and scholarships

Ontario Bursaries and Scholarships

Understanding the difference in Ontario bursaries and scholarships in Canada isn’t difficult. If you understand that college funding can come from a wide range of sources you naturally will apply for student loans and scholarships, as well as grants. A Canada or Ontario bursary is essentially the same thing as a grant or scholarship except it is taxable, and a portion of it may have to be repaid. Usually, repayment is made through student employment or work study programs, but this isn’t always the case.

Whether you are applying for Ontario bursaries through OSAP or other sources, such as your financial aid office at your school, there are certain things that you need to pay attention to. This starts with the purpose of the Canadian bursary, as this will describe who may or may not be eligible for the Canada bursary. For example, the purpose of the Aboriginal Postsecondary Education and Training Bursary is to provide ‘targeted financial aid to Aboriginal students with financial need’ according to the information on the OSAP website.

The amount of the aid will be important to you as well, but not all Canada bursaries will list their award amounts. In these cases, it is an indication that the award amount will not exceed your financial need after all other sources of funding have been accounted for. Remember that some portion of your Ontario bursary may have to be repaid, and interest may be charged. Some bursaries must be repaid in full with interest, but this is not the same as a student loan, because you must meet certain eligibility requirements for a Candian bursary.

You need to pay attention to the information concerning how the Canada bursary is applied for as well. In most cases, you will apply for Canada bursaries through your financial aid office, but a few bursaries can be applied for through OSAP as well. This does not mean that OSAP or your financial aid office makes the final decisions concerning who will and will not get a Canadian bursary. You must also give special consideration to the documents that are required. Some documents will be required at the time your application is submitted, while others will be required later.

Canadian bursaries are available through the provincial government and the federal government, as well as through private organizations and corporations. Each Canada bursary will have its own requirements and deadlines. Ontario bursaries are generally to be used only at Ontario colleges, but some can be used in other colleges as well. Along with certain eligibility requirements, most bursaries in Canada will also have terms and conditions that must be met while you are attending school, and possibly after you finish school.

Those Canada bursaries offered by the government can be applied for through your financial aid office or OSAP, but outside Canadian bursaries must be applied for differently. You can usually obtain information about those bursaries through your financial aid office. You should definitely check with trade organizations that represent the field that you will be studying for to find Canada bursary opportunities as well. All bursaries are awarded based on financial need, regardless of where they are obtained.

For more information, or to apply for certain Ontario bursaries, visit OSAP at: Ontario bursaries and fill out the OSAP application form. You will then be notified as to which Ontario bursaries and scholarships that are administered by OSAP that you may be eligible for, and instructed to fill out those applications, if separate applications for those Ontario bursaries are required.


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