Financial Support

Awards, Bursaries and Scholarships

Explore awards, bursaries, and scholarships designed to support your educational journey. The Indigenous Student Services Centre (ISSC) can help you find funding opportunities, understand the application process, and connect you with financial resources to help you succeed. Please carefully review the requirements for funding and ensure that you provide any requested information before submitting your application.
 

The 2026–2027 awards information will be updated in August 2026. To view the most current funding opportunities, visit Awards by Student Group. If you need assistance with your application, we're here to help—simply select Apply for Awards to get started.

Learn about the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP)

OSAP provides students with a combination of loans and grants based on a student’s financial need. Indigenous students may choose to accept the “grant-only” portion of their assessed funding.

Eligibility

OSAP is for Ontario residents only. To qualify for OSAP as an Indigenous student, you must complete the following: 

Self-Identify as Indigenous (First Nation, Inuit, or Métis)

If you choose to self-identify as an Indigenous person (First Nation, Inuit, or Métis) in the Citizenship Status section of your OSAP application, you must upload supporting documentation to verify your identity before you can submit your application.

Important: If you do not currently have your supporting documentation available, do not select the Indigenous self-identification option at this time. You can update your application and upload your documentation later when it becomes available.

Choosing not to self-identify on your OSAP application at this stage does not affect your eligibility to access services and supports offered through the Indigenous Student Services Centre.

Indigenous learners attending a post-secondary institution in Ontario may be exempt from the $3,600 per year, fixed student contribution required from all OSAP applicants. To qualify, you must submit documentation confirming your Indigenous identity 40 days before the end of your study period. 

Your OSAP assistance will not be delayed because of the supporting documentation requirement, but the exemption will not be reflected until the documentation is reviewed.  If accepted, you will be exempt from the fixed student contribution which may result in additional loan and/or grant assistance from OSAP. If you do not meet this deadline, your OSAP assessment will not be updated to include the fixed student contribution exemption. 

How to apply

Apply for OSAP every year through the OSAP website. Note that your application process depends on whether you’re a full-time or part-time student. 

We recommend applying by June 30 to make sure you get your funding by the beginning of September.
Complete the consent to release section of the OSAP application if you would like a parent, spouse or sibling to assist on your behalf.
If you plan on taking courses in both the fall and winter terms, you only need one application. You must fully enrol in both terms before OSAP funding is released. 
Grad students (non-MBA): If your program includes fall, winter and spring/summer courses, you can apply for all three terms using one application.
MBA students: You must apply one term at a time.

The OSAP application requires you to complete the Signature and Consent Declaration pages. You may also be asked for additional documents including income information, transcripts from other colleges/universities, etc. These documents can be uploaded directly to your application by logging into your OSAP account. 

What’s new

The changes to the provincial portion of OSAP that were announced on February 12, 2026 come into effect for programs that start on or after August 1, 2026. Key changes mean that:

•  students will receive more of their provincial OSAP funding as loans rather than grants
• students attending publicly assisted colleges and universities in Ontario and Canada, and private institutions in Ontario, will receive a larger share of their provincial OSAP funding as loans
• students enrolled in career colleges will receive all of their provincial OSAP funding as loans

Common questions about OSAP