Government-sponsored financial aid bursaries and funding

Financial Need Bursary

The Financial Need Bursary provides aid to full-time post-secondary students with financial need who are attending publicly assisted colleges and universities in Ontario. The bursary is available each year in the Winter and Spring semesters.

Not all eligible students who apply will receive this bursary. There are limited funds available to Loyalist College. If applications for this bursary exceed the funds available, bursaries will be awarded to students with the most financial need, as determined by the application.

Eligibility:

• You are enrolled in a full-time certificate, diploma, or graduate certificate program.
• You are not receiving assistance through the Better Jobs Ontario program for your studies.
• You meet the citizenship and Ontario residency requirements as outlined on the OSAP application for full-time students.
• You must demonstrate financial need.

Ontario First Generation Bursary

The Ontario First Generation Bursary provides aid to post-secondary students with financial need who are attending publicly assisted colleges and universities in Ontario. This bursary is specifically for students whose parents did not attend or complete post-secondary studies. If you are First Generation student with financial need, you may be eligible to receive a bursary. The bursary is available each year in the Winter and Spring semesters.

Not all eligible students who apply will receive this bursary. There are limited funds available to Loyalist College. If applications for this bursary exceed the funds available, bursaries will be awarded to students in the most financial need, as determined by the application.

Eligibility:

• Your parent(s) have never participated in post-secondary studies on either a full or part-time basis, anywhere in the world.
• You are enrolled in a first-entry undergraduate program; graduate certificate programs are not eligible.
• You do not already have a post-secondary degree, diploma or certificate.
• You are not receiving assistance through the Better Jobs Ontario program for your studies.
• You meet the citizenship and Ontario residency requirements as outlined on the OSAP application for full-time students.
• You must demonstrate financial need.
• A signed First-Generation Attestation is required.

Ontario Indigenous Student Bursary

The Ontario Indigenous Student Bursary provides aid to post-secondary Indigenous students with financial need who are attending publicly-assisted colleges and universities in Ontario. The bursary is available each year in the Fall, Winter and Spring semesters.

Not all eligible students who apply will receive this bursary. There are limited funds available to Loyalist College. If applications for this bursary exceed the funds available, bursaries will be awarded to students in the most financial need, as determined by the application.

Eligibility:

• You are enrolled in a full-time Certificate, Diploma, or Graduate Certificate program.
• You are not receiving assistance through the Better Jobs Ontario program for your studies.
• You meet the citizenship and Ontario residency requirements as outlined on the OSAP application for full-time students.
• You must demonstrate financial need.

A signed Declaration of Status is required.

Other sources of funding for Indigenous students

First Nations

Students who are planning to pursue post-secondary education should contact their First Nation post-secondary education office for information and to obtain an application form. Students may be eligible to receive financial support with their tuition fees, books, and living allowances. 

Métis

The Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) Métis Student Bursary Program provides bursaries to registered students who are verified Métis citizens of the Métis Nation of Ontario. Applicants will be required to consent to a citizenship verification check to confirm eligibility for these awards. Funding amounts of the bursaries are determined by the MNO, based on funding availability. If you have any questions, please direct all inquiries to psesupport@metisnation.org.  

Students can complete the application between August and December of each year. The MNO reviews and selects candidates from confirmed citizens and provides the award amounts for each student based on the available annual funding. To apply for the MNO Metis Student Bursary Program: MNO Student Bursary Application. 

Inuit

Inuit students who have resided in Canada for 12 consecutive months, but who reside outside their territory and are no longer eligible to be funded by their territory, may apply to the Post-Secondary Student Support Program through Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada. For more information, consult your CIRNAC regional office. 

Indigenous students at Loyalist are encouraged to learn more about the following funding opportunities:  

• Indspire 
• ONECA (Ontario Native Education Counselling Association Scholarship) 
• Indigenous Bursaries Search Tool 

Ontario Stay and Learn Grant

The Ontario Learn and Stay Grant provides funding for students studying in priority postsecondary programs in underserved and growing communities in Northern, Southwestern and Eastern Ontario. This grant covers tuition and fees, book, and other direct educational costs (supplies and equipment).

This program:

• requires you to work in the region where you studied
• responds to labour market needs, including in health care
• helps underserved and growing communities get the workers they need for in-demand professions

Eligibility:

• You are enrolled in the Practical Nursing or Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.
• You are an Ontario resident.
• You are a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or protected person
• You commit to working in the same region where you studied after you graduate
• You are not receiving funding from the BEGIN Initiative, Better Jobs Ontario, or the Skills Development Fund.

Crown Ward Incentive Tuition Bursary

Loyalist College is committed to supporting youth in extended care access post-secondary education. The Crown Ward Bursary covers tuition only (not ancillary or other compulsory fees). If you are in a high demand program, your tuition may be higher than the amount covered.

Eligibility is limited to one (1, 2, 3 or 4-year) undergraduate program per person. Graduate certificate programs will be considered if the student has not previously received this funding.

Eligibility:

• You are a Crown Ward or Previous Crown Ward in the province of Ontario.

• You are enrolled in a full-time undergraduate program (distance programs are ineligible).
• You maintain a 60 percent average in at least 60 percent of the full program each semester for continued eligibility. One unsuccessful semester will be permitted; a second unsuccessful semester will make the student ineligible.
• You provide transcripts from previous post-secondary schools, if applicable.
• You apply for OSAP and complete the required Crown Ward document or a provide a letter confirming your status as a previous/current Crown Ward.

Ontario-Ukraine Solidarity Scholarship

In response to the Russian military invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the provincial government announced the creation of a $1.9 million Ontario-Ukraine Solidarity Scholarship to support students attending Ontario’s publicly assisted colleges and universities. The scholarship will be awarded to individual students through their college or university based on merit and financial need. There will be a total of four scholarships, each valued at $10,000, awarded to Loyalist College students in the 2024 – 25 academic year. This scholarship is available in the Winter semester.

The scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis using academic, financial need and community engagement criteria. The scholarship program will prioritize eligibility for students impacted by the conflict in Ukraine first, followed by support for students impacted by other conflicts.

This scholarship is available to both domestic and international students.

Eligibility:

• Enrolment: You are enrolled as a full-time or part-time student in an approved program.
• Financial need: Applicants must demonstrate financial need.
• Academic achievement: A minimum GPA of 70% is required for students who have completed at least one term of study at Loyalist College.
• Community involvement: This could include volunteering, participation in informal activities in the community, or participation in formally organized clubs, training courses, or other activities.
• Perseverance of dedication to applicant’s education: Applicants should identify any notable obstacles or challenges they overcame or currently face, as well as explain why it is important for them to continue their education.

Students must submit a 500-word essay describing how they have been impacted by the Ukrainian conflict; or their personal conflicts that they have overcome to attend postsecondary education.

Recipients who withdraw, or fail to complete the academic term, are no longer eligible for the scholarship and must return the full scholarship funds to the institution.

Ontario Remembrance Scholarship

On January 8, 2020, a Ukrainian airliner crashed near Tehran, Iran. Victims of the crash included 57 Canadians. Among the victims, 34 people were employed at or studying in universities and colleges in Ontario. In remembrance of the victims and to commemorate the talent that has been lost, Ontario will provide publicly assisted postsecondary institutions with funding for dedicated scholarships for the 2024 – 25 academic year. The value of each scholarship is $10,000 and Loyalist will be awarding one scholarship. This scholarship is available in the Winter semester.

This scholarship is available to both domestic and international students.

Eligibility:

• Enrolment: You are enrolled as a full-time or part-time student in an approved program (diploma or degree program).
• Financial need: Applicants must demonstrate financial need.
• Academic achievement: A minimum GPA of 70% is required for students who have completed at least one term of study at Loyalist College.

Students must submit a letter from a faculty member supporting their application. Students must also submit an essay outlining their community involvement, academic objectives, and how this award will assist in obtaining their career goals.

Institution-Funded Special Bursary: College Prep/Upgrading

New for Fall 2024!

The Institution-Funded Special Bursary Program (ISBP) offers financial assistance for educational costs to pursue a postsecondary program for the first time. ISBP is awarded to students in financial need enrolled in Academic Upgrading in Loyalist College Prep Program.

Eligibility:

• You are pursuing Academic Upgrading (AU) through the Career and College Prep program.
• You a Canadian citizen, a Permanent Resident, or a Protected Person/Convention Refugee within the meaning of subsection 95(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada) prior to the application deadline date.
• You must demonstrate a financial need.
• You are not receiving other student financial assistance during your study period (OSAP, Better Jobs Ontario or Out-of-Province funding).
• Ontario Works/Ontario Disability Support Program recipients are not eligible for book allowances.

Please review the information below to ensure you have all supporting documentation to support your application. You will be required to upload electronic copies of all your documentation.

• Proof of spouse’s income: Notice of Assessment (NOA) or other proof of income if you did not live in Canada in the last year. T1 General and T4 are not accepted.
• Proof of citizenship status: Protected Persons Status document, Verification of Status document, or Notice of Decision document
• Proof of marital status: marriage certificate, separation agreement, divorce judgment, legal affidavit, or court order
• Proof of dependent children: birth certificate, passport, or Permanent Resident Card
• Proof of income: Notice of Assessment (NOA) or other proof of income if you did not live in Canada in the last year. T1 General and T4 are not accepted.

Better Jobs Ontario

The Better Jobs Ontario (formerly Second Career) program is an application-based grant program that provides unemployed individuals with vocational skills training. This program aims to help workers rejoin the workforce quickly by focusing on training programs that take 52 weeks or less to complete.

Funding covers up to $28,000 for tuition and expenses such as books, supplies, transportation, and basic living costs. This cost-sharing grant is provided based on need, so applicants may be asked to contribute to their education.

Eligibility:

• You have been laid-off and have not been working or are working a temporary job just to cover costs.
• You have not been laid-off but have been unemployed for six months or longer and are part of a low-income household
• You can still apply if you receive Employment Insurance (EI), Ontario Works (OW), or Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP).

Steps to secure Better Jobs Ontario funding:

1. Meet with an employment counsellor, such as Loyalist Community Employment Services or Agilec Integrated Employment Services to see if you are eligible for this funding.
2. Apply for a full-time Loyalist College program that is one year (52 weeks) at ontariocolleges.ca.
3. Once you have been accepted to your program, send an email to info@loyalistcollege.com to request your detailed Better Jobs Ontario acceptance letter. When you have been approved for funding, you will sign your contract with a Ministry of Colleges and Universities representative. A copy of this signed contract or a tuition deposit is required to secure your seat in the program. If you have not received your contract by the deposit deadline, you must pay your deposit or risk losing your seat in the program.