Most funding advice for university students is aimed at Grade 12 seniors choosing a school. That's half the story. Once you're enrolled, a second layer of funding opens: in-course scholarships, continuing-student bursaries, faculty awards, research stipends, and co-op premiums. It is easy to miss these if you only look at entrance awards, so start checking in first year.
Who this page is for
You're a Canadian undergraduate student, first year through fourth year, at a university or college, full-time or part-time, domestic or international-with-eligibility. You're looking past the entrance-scholarship window for the awards that refill your bank account every year you're enrolled.
The three undergraduate funding tracks
- In-course academic merit. Your university probably auto-assesses you for renewal of any entrance scholarship you won (conditions apply, often a minimum average and full-time status). On top of that, most faculties run Dean's List and faculty-specific merit awards that are auto-considered based on your GPA at year-end, you don't apply. Check your student portal every September for new awards you became eligible for over the summer.
- Need-based bursaries. Every Canadian university runs a continuing-student bursary program, usually through the Financial Aid office. Apply once per academic year (typically September to October); eligibility is based on demonstrated need (the same calculation your province uses for student loans). Amounts are usually $500 to $5,000 per year. You only get it if you apply, so don't skip it.
- Named and endowed awards. Your university has hundreds of them, often funded by alumni gifts targeting specific programs, home regions, intended careers, or life circumstances. They're listed in your university's scholarship search, use it. Some are restricted (one program, one year, one county of residence); these are open to a smaller group of students.
Funding you can combine
- OSAP (or provincial equivalent) plus scholarships. In every province, scholarship awards don't reduce your student-loan entitlement unless they push you over full-cost-of-attendance. Don't skip scholarships just because you think you'd lose your OSAP. Apply for both.
- Co-op earnings + continuing-student bursaries. Co-op tuition is often funded differently (you pay a co-op fee not a full term's tuition). Your co-op semester salary does NOT disqualify you from the next academic-year bursary if spent on tuition + books.
- Tax credits you can transfer or carry forward. Tuition credits, interest paid on student loans, moving-for-school deductions. A first-year who files a tax return even with $0 income starts accumulating credits you'll use, and potentially transfer to a parent, later.
- Research assistantships + program-specific stipends. Available from second year in most STEM faculties, third year in most humanities. Check your department's undergraduate research opportunity program (NSERC USRA, etc.).
The application rhythm
Undergraduate funding follows a different rhythm than high school:
- September: continuing-student bursary applications open at most Canadian universities.
- September–November: new endowed awards assigned for the academic year by faculty committees.
- January–February: NSERC USRA applications for summer research (STEM).
- Rolling: corporate and external awards (RBC, TD, Sun Life, Manulife, industry associations). These often accept applications year-round and announce across the spring.
Set a calendar reminder for the first Monday of September every year. Log into your student portal, search your faculty's scholarship page, submit the continuing bursary application. It takes about 30 minutes and can pay off.
The OSAP 2026 context
If you're an Ontario student, the OSAP grant maximum falling from 85% to 25% (in effect for programs starting August 1, 2026 or later) makes every scholarship dollar worth more. You'll be servicing significantly more loan after graduation. Read our "OSAP 2026 Changes" guide (linked below) for seven concrete steps to protect your funding.
What this page lists
Below: undergraduate-accepting awards our editors have reviewed, including entrance, in-course, and continuing-student. Use the "Read next" links for strategy pieces (including RESP draw-down planning and post-OSAP-cut playbooks).