OISE Summer Bursary Program
Introduction
The OISE Bursary Program offers non-repayable financial aid to full-time OISE students demonstrating financial need beyond what is covered by OSAP or their home province's student financial aid program. The bursary is intended to be a last-resort financial support option; it is for students who have exhausted all other avenues of financial assistance, including OSAP, other university grant programs, government assistance programs, personal savings and resources, financial institution loans, etc.
Master of Teaching and Master of Arts in Child Study and Education students can make a Summer application through the OISE Bursary portal.
Please read the website carefully before applying, and then scroll down to the bottom of the webpage to access the online application.
Eligibility Requirements
You will receive funding if you apply and:
Are a full-time domestic student in the following programs for the Summer term.
Master of Teaching (MT) or
Master of Arts in Child Study and Education (MA-CSE)- Have applied for and been assessed for government student aid through your home province or territory for the session in which you are applying. For Indigenous students who do not apply for government financial aid, be receiving educational funding for Indigenous students.
- Have exhausted all other avenues of financial assistance, both outside and within the University, including, but not limited to: scholarships and awards, student employment, student lines of credit, and government benefit programs.
- Submit an online application successfully via the OISE Bursary portal during the application open period.
- You demonstrate financial need through the application process.
Students who are ineligible for government student aid for reasons such as defaults on previous government loans, the under-reporting of previous income, disqualifying credit histories, or reaching maximum lifetime OSAP limits: Students in this category should have a solid financial plan in place as the bursary program will not replace funds that government financial aid and other University of Toronto grants otherwise may have provided.
Each application will be assessed on a case-by-case basis to determine the level of support that is appropriate and feasible.
To explore consideration from the OISE Bursary Program as a student who has an OSAP or Out-of-Province restriction, please contact us via email at oise.financialaid@utoronto.ca during the Summer term application period in which you are registered and seeking consideration. You are required to provide proof of your ineligibility to be considered. This can be a document, screenshot, or email from OSAP or your home province's student aid program stating that you are ineligible for assistance in the current academic year and the reason(s) for the ineligibility.
International students are not eligible for support since they must demonstrate sufficient financial resources in order to be approved to study in Canada.
In very rare and exceptional circumstances, they may be considered for emergency assistance if their financial needs are urgent and the result of unanticipated circumstances recognized by the OISE Bursary Program. If you are an international student experiencing an unforeseen financial emergency, please contact oise.financialaid@utoronto.ca during the Summer term application period in which you are registered and seeking consideration.
Summer 2026 Application Deadline
The Summer 2026 OISE Bursary application period will open on May 4, 2026 and will close on June 12, 2026.
Application Process
Provincial/Territorial Government Student Financial Aid
All applicants are required to first apply for financial aid through their home province or territory's government student aid program. Students are expected to utilize the full amount of loans and grants available through their government aid program.
If you are an Ontario resident, visit https://www.registrar.utoronto.ca/finances-and-funding/osap/ to learn more about OSAP at the University of Toronto.
If you are an out-of-province student, visit https://www.registrar.utoronto.ca/finances-and-funding/provincial-territorial-student-aid-programs/ to learn more about other provincial and territorial student aid programs in Canada.
A thorough review, including a financial need assessment, will be conducted to determine your eligibility.
The OISE Bursary Program expects that all students have planned for their full-time graduate education. The purpose of the program is to supplement, not replace a student's resources. In general, students are expected to contribute towards their educational costs. The minimum contribution for the current academic year is $3,600.
After applying, the OISE Bursary Committee may reach out to you if they require additional information. It is the student’s responsibility to respond promptly and to provide the necessary details for the application to proceed. Failure to respond by the application deadline may result in the denial of the application.
Decisions and Payment
Decisions will be communicated via the OISE Bursary portal to eligible recipients after the application deadline.
- For Summer term applications, expect a decision by the end of June.
Grant payments are normally applied to outstanding fees in students' ACORN accounts first. Thereafter, any remaining balance is refunded to the student via direct deposit to their personal Canadian bank account. If no banking information is available on ACORN, payment will be issued by cheque and sent by Canada Post to the personal mailing address listed on ACORN.
To avoid delays with receiving payment, please ensure direct deposit is set up and that your current mailing address on ACORN is not expired.
Successful applicants are expected to remain registered in the session the bursary is awarded. Students who cancel their registration in the same session that they receive a bursary may be required to return the bursary funds.
Allowable Expenses
Your educational expenses such as tuition fees, books, housing & utilities, food, transportation, communication, household and personal supplies, recreation, clothing, and entertainment are automatically considered. A monthly allowable amount for living costs is assigned to every applicant based on their reported living arrangement.
Ineligible Expenses
The OISE Bursary Program will not consider the following expenses:
- Debts, such as arrears, income taxes, and outstanding tuition fees.
- Obligations, such as court-imposed fines and payments.
- Vacations and gifts.
- Support for non-dependents, including expenses belonging to family, friends, or relatives.
Resources
Applicants must fully disclose their assets and income from all sources for the assessment period.
For Summer term applications, open to MT and MA-CSE students, disclose your resources for the May - August period (4 months).
Examples of income and assets which must be disclosed for the assessment period include:
- Provincial/territorial student aid or educational funding for Indigenous students
- Funds from other university grant programs
- Graduate funding package, including fellowships and assistantships
- Internal and external awards and scholarships
- Net employment income
- All government benefits,including Employment Insurance, Child Benefits and Ontario Disability Support Program of yourself and partner (if applicable).
- Gifts and financial support from family, friends, and relatives
- Savings and investments in all bank accounts, e.g., chequing accounts, TFSAs, foreign bank accounts, GICs, bonds, stocks, etc.
Financial Emergencies
Graduate students are expected to begin their studies with a solid financial plan in place. The OISE Emergency Bursary provides short-term financial relief when those plans are disrupted and a student is facing an immediate and unexpected financial crisis. A student's inability to budget or secure employment does not qualify as grounds for an emergency bursary application. The Bursary is not intended to cover shortfalls in OSAP, other financial aid, graduate funding, or personal resources.
Applicants are still required to meet the standard eligibility criteria, which include full-time registration, demonstrated financial need, and use of the bursary as a last-resort option. Applicants are expected to contact us via email immediately after encountering an emergency; circumstances from previous sessions or years cannot form the basis of an emergency application in the current or future session(s).
Emergency applications are generally unavailable during the final two weeks of the Summer semester.
What is a Financial Emergency?
Within this context, an emergency is an unanticipated expense or event that disrupts your planned budget and demands an immediate financial need to cover essential expenses. The unanticipated expense or event must meet the following criteria:
- It is recognized by the Bursary Program as an eligible expense or event for emergency support consideration.
- It disrupts your planned budget, which would otherwise have been adequate for the academic year, immediately resulting in serious and urgent financial need (e.g., inability to afford rent and/or other immediate necessary living expenses).
- It threatens your ability to continue in the current academic session, in which you are registered, are in good academic standing, and have made academic progress.
- Documentation can be provided for the emergency, such as official copies of paid receipts for expenses.
Application Process
If you are experiencing a financial emergency, please email oise.financialaid@utoronto.ca with the subject line "Financial Emergency.” In your email, describe the following:
- Your budgeting plan for the academic term.
- The nature and timeframe of the emergency, i.e., the unforeseen expense or event which disrupted your budget.
- Your current financial status, i.e., how the disruption has resulted in a serious and urgent financial need (e.g., inability to afford basic living expenses).
Please provide all relevant supporting documentation, such as official paid receipts for expenses.
Apply Now
Click on the OISE Bursary Portal button below to apply. Please ensure you have thoroughly reviewed this website before submitting your application.
Application Criteria or Process Questions
For non-technical inquiries, please contact OISE's Office of Student Financial Support at oise.financialaid@utoronto.ca.