Living and Learning Grant (Former Crown Wards)

What you will need

• ✓ Submit an OSAP Application for Full-Time Students
• ✓ Provide supporting documents to confirm eligibility as outlined during the application process
• ✓ For those not receiving Ready Set Go support: contact the financial aid office at your postsecondary institution for details on the review process

About this award

No fixed dollar amount is posted — contact Government of Ontario (via OSAP) to confirm the value for your specific award before you apply. As a grant, this money is yours to keep and you do not have to pay it back. It provides additional funds above the regular full-time OSAP (Ontario Student Assistance Program — the province's main financial aid system) funding limits. This is for you if you have experienced life in society care or were a former crown ward in Ontario. No deadline is posted publicly — before you start the application, check Government of Ontario (via OSAP)'s program page or call their office to confirm when applications open and close this year. If you received Ready Set Go program financial support, you are automatically considered for this grant when you submit an OSAP Application for Full-Time Students; supporting documents may be required to confirm your eligibility. If you are not receiving Ready Set Go support, contact the financial aid office at your school for details on the review process to be considered for this grant. Ask Government of Ontario (via OSAP) during your application how the money will reach you — some awards pay students directly, others apply funds to tuition. Confirm this so you can plan your cash flow. Renewal conditions aren't listed — if you're counting on this for multiple years, confirm with Government of Ontario (via OSAP) whether it's one-time or renewable and what you need to maintain.

Who qualifies

You may be eligible if you fit one of these groups: 1. You are 23 to 26 years old, you left the care of an Ontario Children’s Aid Society, and you received Ready Set Go program financial support. 2. You are 18 to 26 years old as of the start of your study period, you are currently or were formerly in the care of an Ontario Children’s Aid Society, and you are not receiving Ready Set Go program financial support. This includes people who are currently or formerly in extended society care in Ontario, subject to a customary care agreement in Ontario, subject to a protection custody order, or receiving support under a Voluntary Youth Services Agreement. 3. You were formerly in care and were adopted on or after August 1, 2013.

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.

• ✓ Canadian citizen, permanent resident or protected person
• ✓ Open to post-secondary students
• ✓ Resident of Ontario

How to apply

1. 1

   Read the award's official page

   Check you meet every requirement, and note each document they ask for.

2. 2

   Check this year's deadline

   We don't have a confirmed date for this round. The award's official page will have it.

Tips for applying

• ApplicationAvoid assuming the automatic process handles everything. Instead, proactively gather your supporting documents early. Check the specific document list provided during your OSAP submission to ensure nothing is missing.
• SupportAvoid waiting until the funds arrive to ask about the amount. Instead, contact your school's financial aid office immediately. They can help you understand how this grant changes your overall funding package.
• StrategyAvoid treating this as a separate application. Instead, focus on completing your OSAP (Ontario Student Assistance Program) application accurately, as that is the primary gateway to being considered for this grant. If you are not receiving Ready Set Go support, also contact your school's financial aid office about the review process.
• RealismAvoid relying on this grant as your only source of funding. Instead, look into other OSAP options or the Ontario Postsecondary Application Fee Reimbursement Program if you are still in the application phase.

Questions students ask

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