Bursaries and Grants

Full-time Victoria College students (3.0+ full credits in fall/winter, 1.5+ in summer) with financial need

• Must be pursuing first undergraduate degree
• Bursaries are not intended to fund non-educational expenses or repay debts.
• Students registered with Accessibility Services and have an approved reduced course load accommodation to study on a part-time basis are also eligible to apply. Contact vic.awards@utoronto.ca to request access to the bursary application.

Students are expected to contribute up to $3,600 towards their education.

• Fixed-rate of $3,600 should be met before applying for college bursaries
• This commitment is often met through pre-study period employment or part-time employment during the academic year.

International students

• Eligible to be considered for grant assistance
• Because Immigration Canada requires international students to have adequate resources before starting their studies, bursaries are approved only with evidence that their financial circumstances have changed unexpectedly since arrival.
• Priority is given to students in upper years.
• For high-needs circumstances, you must book a financial counselling appointment to check eligibility. Please contact the Victoria College Office of the Registrar & Academic Advising at 416-585-4508 (ext.0).
• Bursary funds are NOT sufficient to cover a student’s total university costs.

Part-time students

• Noah Meltz Program of Financial Assistance (administered by the University Registrar's Office, UofT) or Part-Time OSAP
• APUS Bursary

Bursary assessments are based on the full academic session.

• Fall/Winter: September-April (eight months)
• Summer: May-August (four months)

Students may apply for one bursary per academic session. Second bursaries within the same academic session are rarely granted.

• Requires a significant change in financial circumstances.
• Priority is given to first-time applicants.

Eligibility criteria to enter the online application:

• You are a registered Victoria College student in the Faculty of Arts and Science
• You are pursuing your first undergraduate degree and enrolled in full-time studies (3.0+ total credits) for the fall/winter session.
• You are a domestic student (i.e. Canadian citizen or permanent resident) or an international student with a small shortfall in your academic budget.
• Students receiving government-financial aid, or First Nations band funding must first apply for UTAPS prior to applying for a college bursary.
• Students who are registered with Accessibility Services and have an approved reduced course load accommodation to study on a part-time basis are also eligible to apply. Contact vic.awards@utoronto.ca to request access to the bursary application.

Submitting an online bursary application:

• Review the Tip Sheet below prior to filling out the online form.
• Your UTORid and password are required for authentication.
• Responses should be drafted ahead of time; entries are not saved in the online application.
• Include a detailed personal statement explaining your financial circumstances (refer to the Tip Sheet below).
• All financial values may be rounded up (no decimal values).
• Upload a screenshot of your OSAP/government assessment, receipts or rental/lease agreement.
• Incomplete applications will result in a delay in assessment.
• Print a copy of the application for your records prior to submission.
• Please submit only one completed application. To make corrections after submission, please email vic.awards@utoronto.ca and include your student number.
• First-time applicants will be given priority.

Tips for Filling Out Bursary Application (PDF)

• The fall application has a deadline of November 1, 2023. (now closed)
• The winter application has a deadline of March 1, 2024, for students who did not already apply in the fall. (now closed)
• The summer bursary application deadline is July 15, 2023 (now closed until the start of the 2024 summer session in early May).
• Note that only one bursary is granted per academic year.
• Apply early to allow sufficient time for review and assessment (up to 3-4 weeks).

APPLY FOR A VIC BURSARY - now closed

• Decisions are usually made within 3-4 weeks of submission, provided that OSAP and/or UTAPS amounts have been verified.
• A notification email will be sent once the application has been assessed.

Invalid mailing addresses on ACORN could prevent processing of payments

• Setting up Direct deposit on ACORN is strongly recommended for faster processing – Direct Deposit Tutorial (under Finances).

Students who are assessed by OSAP as requiring maximum assistance may automatically qualify for a UTAPS grant to cover their unmet need:

• Students should not apply for a Vic Bursary until their UTAPS eligibility has been verified by the University Registrar's Office (formerly Enrolment Services). This could mean applying in during the winter term.
• If applying in advance, submitted applications will be held pending until the UTAPS assessment is available in early November.
• Also applies to out-of-province students and those receiving First Nations band funding.

• Approved bursary funds are first applied to any outstanding tuition, incidental, or residence fees in the ACORN student account.
• Any credit amount remaining will be issued as a refund by the UofT Student Accounts Office.

Payment Method:

• Direct deposit is strongly recommended – Direct Deposit Set Up Tutorial.
• If there is no direct deposit information recorded on ACORN, refunds will be sent to the current mailing address. Ensure your mailing address is kept up-to-date at all times to prevent any processing delays. An expired mailing address will block payment processing.
• Refund cheques are mailed only to local Canadian addresses. Refund cheques for students with international mailing addresses will not be mailed. Refer to UofT Student Accounts - Request a Refund for full details.
• May take up to 2-3 weeks for funds to be processed to the student account on ACORN.  Direct deposits will then take up to 3 business days after that point.

Students receiving OSAP/government aid must report any awards or scholarships received during academic year to the University Registrar's Office (formerly Enrolment Service).

• Funds may be subject to OSAP exemption.
• Students are responsible for verification through the University Registrar's Office.

The Office of the Registrar and Academic Advising is your information and counselling centre. To make an appointment with our financial counsellor, email vic.awards@utoronto.ca or call 416-585-4508 (ext. 0).

Students may apply for general bursary funds and/or bursaries with specific terms (some are listed below).  Also see the Bursary section of Student Awards and Benefactors. Students who would like to be considered for a specific bursary should indicate the award name in the personal statement of the online bursary application.

• The Academy of Lifelong Learning Bursary: Awarded to mature students to allow them to continue their studies at Victoria College.
• The Anne Christie and William Robins Bursary:  Awarded to international students with financial need at Victoria College. Preference will be given to students who come from the African continent.
• The Counselling Foundation of Canada Bursary for Volunteer Services: This bursary was established to encourage volunteer activities and the development of leadership skills. Several bursaries are given annually to Victoria College students who can demonstrate financial need and who are involved in voluntary activities (including the Victoria College Vic Reach and Mentor programs).  
• The Edward Gladstone Schafer Memorial Bursary: Awarded to students enrolled in programs in Actuarial Science or Commerce.
• The Ernest G Clarke Bursary: Awarded to students who have financial need and who live in a Victoria University residence
• The Freda M Eickmeyer Bursary:  Awarded to Victoria College students with demonstrated financial need to provide the opportunity to live in residence with preference given to residence in Annesley Hall.
• The General Motors Bursary for Students with a Disability: Awarded to students with a disability.
• The General Motors Bursary for Indigenous Students: Awarded to Indigenous students with demonstrated financial need.
• The K. Margret Morgan Residence Award: Awarded to an outstanding Second or Third Year student to provide the opportunity to live in a Victoria University residence. Financial need must be demonstrated. 
• The Margaret Hallman Memorial Bursary: Awarded to women students over 25 years of age to enable them to engage in full-time degree studies at Victoria College.
• The Class of 1935 Bursary: Awarded to students with financial need with preference given to Indigenous students.
• The William and Margaret Wilson Bursary: Awarded to Victoria College students with demonstrated financial need.  Preference will be given to students enrolled in the Vic One program.

1. Students should apply early for government assistance such as OSAP (i.e., no later than May 31 for Fall-Winter for returning students, June 15 for new students) as it may take up to 8 weeks for a complete OSAP application to be assessed and funding disbursed.
   
   An OSAP application is incomplete until the student has uploaded forms using OSAP’s online system – Signature Pages, Supporting documentation, and Master Student Financial Assistance Agreement (MSFAA) consents.
   
   An early OSAP application means that students can:
   • begin their financial planning early and be ready to concentrate on their studies when classes begin
   • begin their financial planning early and be ready to concentrate on their studies when classes begin
   • register by deferring their tuition fees using the Student Web Service
   • access their OSAP funds at the start of classes
   • receive first consideration for UTAPS grants
   
   
2. Students need to prepare a reasonable and responsible budget prior to beginning their studies. A budget will help students to ensure that they live within their means and make informed decisions based on available resources. Students who bring with them outstanding debt from credit cards and lines of credit when beginning their studies will have difficulty servicing these obligations while maintaining full‐time enrolment.
   One‐time only financial support may be available from the University for students who have encountered an unexpected exceptional expense, but the financial support is not intended to be a source of continued funding. The University’s resources can only assist registered students. There are not funds available to support a student’s partner or relatives.
   
   
3. Students should make every effort to remain in good standing academically. They should consult with their Registrar’s Office about program and course selection to complete their degree in the normal time period to save themselves unnecessary tuition and debt. If a student drops courses, he/she should consult their Registrar’s Office and/or the University Registrar's Office (formerly Enrolment Services) about the possible impact on OSAP and other funding.
   
   
4. Students should determine the impact on their fall resources if they study in the summer, and if summer study is optional in their program. They should be aware of the effect on their resume after graduation if they have no summer work experience as the result of studying twelve months of the year throughout their university studies.
   
   
5. Students must ensure their continued eligibility for OSAP by meeting OSAP’s standards of academic progress, reporting their income to OSAP, maintaining their government student loans in good standing, and updating their address.
   
   
6. Students should maintain a good credit rating by borrowing responsibly and limiting the use of credit cards relative to their current ability to repay.
   
   
7. Students should explore all other avenues of financial support before applying for need‐based grant assistance from the University. Other avenues of support can include family, OSAP appeals, work study, savings, part-time employment, summer employment, external awards, daycare subsidies, lending institutions.