York University
$5,600 for first-generation undergraduate students in Ontario entering their second year with a 6.00 GPA.
Published by G Paul · last checked September 26, 2026
You get $5,600 for this award. As a scholarship, this money is yours to keep — there is nothing to repay. It is designed to support you through your second, third, and fourth years of study. This is for you if you are the first person in your immediate family to go to college or university and you have a strong record of volunteering in your community. Complete your Student Profile and a Fall/Winter Need Assessment in York's FAAS App by October 1, 2026. Then fill in the Community Service and Extra-Curricular Activities sections and your personal statement in the FAAS App by October 31, 2026. When you apply, ask how and when you'll hear back — email, portal, or phone. Selection criteria aren't published — ask York University how winners are chosen and roughly how many applicants they typically receive so you can judge your odds. Ask York University during your application how the money will reach you — some awards pay students directly, others apply funds to tuition. Note that for some renewable scholarships, funds are applied directly to your account by September 1. Confirm this so you can plan your cash flow. To keep this award in years three and four, you must maintain certain conditions. These typically include a minimum course load, a specific grade point average (GPA), or participating in a mentorship program to help other first-generation students. Your record is automatically reviewed at the end of each academic year.
You must be a full-time undergraduate student entering your second year at York University. To qualify, you must have completed a minimum of 24 credits and achieved a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 6.00. You must be the first member of your immediate family to pursue post-secondary education. Additionally, you must be a resident of Ontario and a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or have refugee or protected-person status in Canada. You must also demonstrate financial need and show a commitment to community service, whether that happened inside or outside of the university.
This is what the award's official page said when we last checked. Rules change, so confirm on the award's official page before you apply.
Check you meet every requirement, and note each document they ask for.
Be specific about what you did and what changed because of it. Proofread it twice.
Save a copy, and submit at least a day before the deadline shown above.
Use the Apply on the official site button on this page: it opens the official application page in a new tab.
Applications close on October 1, 2026. Submit a day or two early: application sites get busy at the end.
No. You need to be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or protected person.
FundMyCourse.ca · checked Sep 26, 2026
fundmycourse.ca/scholarships/judith-and-marshall-cohen-leadership-award-for-first-generation-students