Ontario’s student-funding landscape is the most complex in Canada, and the most consequential right now. The Fall 2026 OSAP grant cut (from 85% to 25% grant share for most students) changes the funding math for every family entering post-secondary that year. If you’re an Ontario student starting in 2026 or later, you’ll carry significantly more debt per year than the cohort ahead of you did, which makes every scholarship dollar mathematically more valuable, not less.
Who this page is for
You’re an Ontario resident (or planning to become one via school) applying for post-secondary in Ontario or elsewhere. You’re looking at the full provincial funding stack: OSAP, provincial merit programs, bursaries, tax credits, and institutional awards at Ontario universities and colleges.
The 2026 OSAP reset
Starting Fall 2026, the OSAP grant share shifts from 85% of assistance to roughly 25%. Practical meaning for most students:
- The same “funded” dollar amount comes through, but it’s mostly repayable loan now, not grant.
- Students entering in 2026 will graduate owing materially more than the 2024 or 2025 cohort.
- Interest accrues starting six months after graduation on the federal portion; Ontario’s provincial portion is separate.
Our detailed coverage (OSAP 2026 Changes Explained, How to Apply for OSAP in 2026, and 10 Ways to Close Your Funding Gap After OSAP Cuts) is linked below. The most useful moves: apply for every entrance scholarship you’re eligible for (not a selection), maximize RESP + CESG withdrawals in year one, and claim every tax credit available.
Provincial merit + targeted programs
Ontario runs several province-specific funding programs independent of OSAP:
- Ontario Learn and Stay Grant: eligible students in nursing, paramedic, and practical nursing programs at select Northern, Eastern, and Southwestern Ontario institutions who commit to working in the same region for at least 6 months per year of study funded. Covers full tuition + books + direct educational costs upfront. Typical amounts $5,000 to $10,000+ per year depending on program.
- Bursary for Students with Disabilities (BSWD): additional grant-only funding on top of OSAP for students with verified disabilities, covering disability-specific education costs.
- Ontario Tuition Grant: need-based grant portion of OSAP; replaced the older 30% Off Tuition Grant and is itself being reshaped under the 2026 OSAP grant-share cut.
- Indigenous bursaries: beyond Indspire + federal supports, Ontario runs targeted bursaries for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students through the Ministry of Colleges and Universities. Confirm current program names with your school’s awards office, provincial Indigenous programs have been renamed multiple times in the last decade.
(Note: the Queen Elizabeth II Aiming for the Top Scholarship, which older guides still mention, was discontinued in 2011 to 12 and has not accepted new applicants since. If a guide tells you to apply, the guide is stale.)
Institutional + local
Ontario has 22 publicly funded universities and 24 community colleges, each running its own scholarship + bursary ecosystem. The largest scholarship budgets sit at:
- U of T: Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship (for international students, full ride), National Scholarship ($10K/year × 4), in-course continuing awards.
- Waterloo: President’s Scholarship, co-op earnings, engineering-specific Schulich Leader + Loran candidacy referrals.
- Queen’s: Chancellor’s Scholarship, Principal’s Scholarship, tri-colour suite.
- Western: National Scholarship, Dean’s Entrance, in-course awards.
- McMaster: Chancellor’s Awards, Iron Ring-stream engineering scholarships.
At every Ontario school: the continuing-student bursary application opens in September and closes in October. Missing this deadline is one of the most common funding mistakes we see students make.
Community + industry
- Ontario community foundations (Toronto Foundation, Ottawa Community Foundation, Kitchener-Waterloo Community Foundation, London Community Foundation, etc.) collectively disburse tens of millions of dollars annually in named scholarships.
- Industry associations with Ontario presence (Ontario Trucking Association, Professional Engineers Ontario, Ontario Veterinary Medical Association) run trade-specific awards.
- Employer programs: RBC, TD, BMO, Loblaw, Rogers, Bell, OPG all run scholarships or match-your-parent’s-employer programs.
What’s next
Our “Complete Guide to Student Funding in Ontario (2026)” (linked below) covers this stack from start to finish: OSAP calculations, all provincial programs, tax credit stacking, and post-cut strategy. Below the fold on this page: every Ontario-eligible scholarship in our directory, filterable by level.