A lot of scholarship advice is written for university applicants, which can make it look as if the money is not meant for college students. Wrong conclusion. Many awards are open to college students too. The stakes went up in Fall 2026: OSAP capped the grant share of aid packages at 25%, down from 85%. As an example, on a $10,000 package the grant share drops from $8,500 to $2,500, shifting $6,000 a year to loan. A two-year diploma student who skips awards season may end up borrowing to cover that gap. Applying for awards can shrink it. This page collects the funding that accepts college students: entrance bursaries from your college's own foundation, in-course awards, retraining funds like Better Jobs Ontario (up to $28,000, or up to $35,000 for programs between 1 and 2 years), the Canada Training Credit if you are 26 or older, and private awards that say "post-secondary" and mean it. CEGEP students in Quebec run on a separate system, AFE prêts et bourses rather than OSAP, and many CEGEP programs are AFE-funded.
Who this page is for
You are in, or applying to, a Canadian college program: a two- or three-year diploma, an advanced diploma, a CEGEP program in Quebec, or a career college program. You might be coming straight from high school, transferring out of university, or retraining after a layoff. If your program is a short certificate or a professional designation, the certificates hub under Browse by level covers that stack; it works differently.
Where college money actually comes from
- Your college's own awards office. Every public college runs entrance bursaries and in-course awards through its foundation, and most take a single application through the student portal. Smaller awards are worth applying for, and you can apply again every year you are enrolled.
- Provincial student aid and retraining funds. Full-time diploma programs at public colleges are covered by provincial aid (OSAP and its equivalents). If you were laid off in Ontario, or unemployed 12 weeks or more with household income under the program thresholds, Better Jobs Ontario pays up to $28,000 toward tuition, books, transportation, and living costs, up to $35,000 for programs between 1 and 2 years. One hard rule: get written approval before training starts. Enrolling first permanently disqualifies that program from funding.
- Federal money inside your aid package. The Canada Student Grant (up to $4,200 a year, income-tested) rides inside your provincial aid application; you do not apply separately. From age 26 to 66 you also accrue Canada Training Credit room at $250 a year, up to $5,000 lifetime, claimable on eligible tuition on your tax return.
- Private and community awards. Community foundations and employer or union programs run awards that say "post-secondary" without naming universities. College students can apply for these too. If the eligibility text does not say degree-only, apply.
Quebec runs on AFE
CEGEP students fall under AFE (Aide financière aux études) and the Programme prêts et bourses, not OSAP or Canada Student Loans. Many CEGEP programs are AFE-funded. The Quebec page under Browse by province covers AFE in detail.
What this directory indexes
Below: every college-accepting award currently in our directory, each with a direct provider link. Trades students at colleges should also read the trades and apprenticeship hub; apprenticeship loans and employer incentives are a separate stack from the awards on this page. For the OSAP math after the 2026 cuts, the funding gap guide in our blog runs the numbers.