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Student Awards (Financial Aid)

Academic Programs

Support and Resources

 

Laurentian University would like to provide you with an online resource guide.  The goal is to promote awareness of education opportunities, financial assistance, and student services that are available to you at Laurentian University.

Financial Assistance

Ontario Crown Ward Postsecondary Application Fee Reimbursement Program

Current or former Crown Wards may apply for application fee reimbursement for first full-time degree diploma or certificate programs. Crown wards may receive reimbursements of up to a maximum of $210 in fees for application in up to two categories which are: Up to $180 for Ontario Universities Application Centre (OUAC), $85 for base fee Ontario Colleges Application Service (OCAS) and/or up to $100 in application fees for OSAP approved programs offered by private or out-of-province postsecondary institutions.

Contact your social worker or Transition worker to get the appropriate documentation required.  The Reimbursement application form can be printed from http://www.tcu.gov.on.ca/eng/students/ocwp.html

Ontario Access Grant for Crown Wards

The Government of Ontario offers Ontario Access Grants for Crown Wards to assist current and former Crown wards with their tuition costs.

For current and former Crown Wards in programs of two or more years in length, the Ontario Access Grant for Crown wards will cover 50% of your tuition, to a maximum of $3,000 for each year of your program to a maximum of four years depending on the length of your program.  For current and former Crown Wards in one year programs, the Access Grant for Crown wards will cover 100% of your tuition, to a maximum of $3,000. The value of this grant also cannot exceed the Ontario portion of the Canada-Ontario student Loan assistance you are eligible to receive.

To be eligible for this grant, you must:

  • Be a current or former Crown ward;
  • Be a full-time student and meet all eligibility requirements for a Canada-Ontario Student loan;
  • Have never received a postsecondary degree, diploma or certificate;
  • Be enrolled in an undergraduate, "first-entry" program (second entry programs like Law or Medicine, or graduate programs are not eligible);
  • The program is at an institution approved for purposes of the Ontario Student Loan.

You are eligible to be considered for only one Ontario Access Grant for Crown Wards, Millennium-Ontario Access Grant or Ontario Access Grant per year.  Go to https://osap.gov.on.ca/OSAPPortal/en/PostsecondaryEducation/OSAP/WhatisOSAP/WhatAidProgramsAreAvailable/index.htm for more information.

Ontario Textbook and Technology Grant

Ontario's annual Textbook and Technology Grant helps full-time community college and university students pay for textbooks and computer costs.  In the 2008-09 academic year, this grant is $150 per student.  The amount of the annual grant will increase to $300 a year when fully implemented.

Students receiving OSAP do not need to apply for the grant.  Full-time students not receiving OSAP can apply for the grant online at https://osap.gov.on.ca/OSAPPortal/en/A-ZListofAid/UCONT004355.html

Children's Aid Society (CAS) Bursaries

Bursaries are available to youth with Crown Ward status from the Children's Aid Society of the Districts of Sudbury and Manitoulin, or youth with former Crown Ward status who are on Extended Care and Maintenance. Bursaries are awarded to young people who are pursuing Postsecondary education (university, college or technical institutions) or who are completing other training opportunities (apprenticeships).  With the help of their Child Protection Worker, youth in care may apply to the Sudbury/Manitoulin Bursary Foundation annually.  If approved, payments by the Foundation are made in two installments throughout the academic year. 

Other Bursaries, Awards & Scholarships Available to Crown Wards

Clark Awards

The Clark Bursary Fund was established in to assist youth in care and former wards to achieve their academic and career goals.

The Clark Bursary Award is available to youth in care and former wards pursuing post-secondary education.  Students attending university will receive $4,500 per year for up to four years and students attending college will receive $3,000 per year for two years (or three years depending on program). Upon completion of their studies, Clark Bursary recipients are eligible to receive the Clark Graduation award - a monetary gift of $1,000.

The Clark Grants Award is a one-time grant of $1,000 offered to young people who are pursuing educational, employment or skills development programs and require financial assistance.  The grant is available for tuition, equipment, tools or other requirements. 

Nominations for the Clark Bursary and Grant must be submitted by a CAS. The nominees are the selected candidates from their agency and will have secured a personal reference to support their application.  An agency may nominate one youth for the bursary and one youth for the grant. 

For more information check out the Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies web site http://www.oacas.org/childwelfare/awards.htm

Ken Dryden Scholarship

Each year Ken Dryden Scholarships are awarded to young people, currently or formerly in the care of the Canadian child welfare system, who demonstrate great achievement and promise.  Each scholarship covers up to $3,000 or 80% of the cost of tuition and fees, whichever is less, and is renewable annually.

The scholarship is administered by the National Youth in Care Network.  For more information including guidelines, application forms and deadline(s) check out their web site http://www.youthincare.ca/work

Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP)

OSAP is a program run by the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities and funded by the provincial and federal governments.

OSAP is a needs based program.  This means that it provides loans, grants, scholarship and bursaries based on a formula that compares your educational costs to expected contributions from your parent/guardian or your spouse (if applicable) and your own income and assets.

OSAP provides eligible Ontario students with financial assistance to help pay for their tuition, books, mandatory fees, living costs and transportation.

OSAP offers a variety of loan, grant, bursary, and scholarship programs. Each program has its own rules and guidelines. The OSAP web site https://osap.gov.on.ca/OSAPPortal helps you by providing information about all of these programs in one place, making it easier to apply, receive funding and repay loans.  Through OSAP, you may qualify for:

  • A full-time student loan;
  • A part-time student loan;
  • A grant, scholarship or bursary;
  • An Ontario Student Opportunity Grant that limits the amount of student loans you are required to pay.

OSAP loans remain interest-free while you remain a full-time student.  OSAP offers non- repayable grants and bursaries through their financial assistance.

To apply for OSAP, you must fill out and submit an OSAP Application for Full-Time students.  You can use the online application available from the OSAP web site or fill out a papare application which you can print from the OSAP web site.  There is no application fees for on-line applications and you get an on-the-spot estimate of the amount of funding you may be eligible to receive.  There is a $10 fee to apply using a paper application.

You should submit your OSAP online application at least 10 weeks before your classes begin, to allow sufficient time for verification and processing.  Applications for the upcoming academic year are typically available in late spring.  It is better to apply early.

For further information about financial assistance check out the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities "Access Window- Postsecondary Planning Tool" at: https://osap.gov.on.ca/OSAPPortal/en/OSAPStarttoFinish/FullTimeStudents/Step1FillOutanApplication/TCONT003555.html

How do I apply for OSAP as a "Youth with Crown Wardship status"?

On the OSAP Application for Full-time Students, you will be asked to disclose your Crown Wardship status. Under the "Current Status" section of the OSAP Application, indicate that "I currently have Crown Wardship status or I had Crown Wardship status at the time of my eighteenth birthday." only if no statement above this one describes your current status. For example, if you formerly had Crown Wardship status and have been out of high school at least four years, select this as your current status, not that you are a former crown ward.

Under the Grants and Scholarships section of the OSAP application, students wishing to be considered for an Ontario Access Grant for Crown Wards are asked whether they ever were a Crown ward.  If you currently have Crown Wardship status or ever have had Crown Wardship status, regardless of your current status, answer yes to this question.

If you disclose your Crown Wardship status on the OSAP application, you will be required to provide a letter from your Children's Aid Society confirming that you are currently have or have had Crown Wardship status.

Certain Exemptions from OSAP Income Assessments

If you receive Extended Care and Maintenance or bursaries or scholarships from a Children's Aid Society or Children's Aid Foundation, you must report the full amount of this income on your OSAP application. You may request to have up to $3,500 on eligible bursaries and scholarships exempt from your OSAP assessment. If you are attending a college or university in Ontario, contact the financial aid office at the school you are attending for more information. If you are studying outside Ontario contact the Student Support Branch, Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, PO Box 4500, 189 Red River Road, 4th Floor, Thunder Bay, ON  P7B 6G9 (Tel: 1-877-OSAP-411 (1-877-672-7411).

If you have savings from the Ontario Child Benefit Equivalent program, you are not required to report those savings as assets or income on your OSAP application.

Children's Aid Society Districts Sudbury and Manitoulin

705 566 3113 ext. 2310

 
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