Ontario Learn and Stay Grant

What you will need

• ✓ Registration for an OSAP (Ontario Student Assistance Program — the province's main financial aid system) account
• ✓ Proof of Ontario residency
• ✓ Proof of Canadian citizenship, permanent residency, or protected-person status
• ✓ Signed Service Commitment Agreement to work in the study region after graduation
• ✓ Confirmation of enrollment in an eligible program at an approved institution
• ✓ Or a paper application taken to your school's financial aid office (the posted paper form is for 2025-2026)

About this award

No fixed dollar amount is posted because this grant covers the actual cost of your tuition, compulsory fees, books, and other direct educational costs like supplies and equipment. As a grant, this money is yours to keep and does not have to be paid back, though it will be converted to a repayable loan if you do not meet the service commitment after you graduate. This is for you if you are an Ontario resident pursuing a career in health human resources and are willing to work in an underserved or growing community in Northern, Southwestern, or Eastern Ontario after your studies. For the 2026-2027 academic year, apply through your OSAP account; you can apply up to 60 days before the end of your study period. The OSAP academic year runs from August 1 to July 31. You will find out your award amount and availability date by checking your application status in your online portal after you submit. You qualify by applying to and enrolling in an eligible program at an approved school and meeting the rules below; the page describes no ranking or competition. After you apply online, your application status shows how much money you'll receive and when it will be available. To keep this funding, you must apply for the grant each year. After you graduate, you must work in the same service region where you studied for at least 180 days (6 months) for every full year of study funded by the grant. If you do not complete this service commitment, your grant becomes a loan you must pay back.

Who qualifies

To qualify, you must be an Ontario resident and a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or protected person (someone with refugee or protected-person status in Canada). You must successfully apply to and enroll in an eligible diploma, undergraduate, graduate, or postgraduate program in the North, East, or Southwest regions of Ontario. You must also commit to working in that same region after graduation and not be receiving funding from the BEGIN Initiative (Bridging Educational Grant in Nursing), Better Jobs Ontario or the Skills Development Fund.

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 certificate, undergraduate or graduate students
• ✓ Resident of Ontario
• ✓ Studying Practical Nursing, Paramedic, Medical Laboratory Technology, Medical Laboratory Science or Nursing

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

• Service CommitmentAvoid ignoring the regional work requirement until after you graduate. Instead, carefully review the map of public health units to ensure you are happy living and working in that specific area for several years. Check the eligible regions list before choosing your school.
• Application TimingAvoid waiting until the last minute to create your account. Instead, register for your OSAP (Ontario Student Assistance Program — the province's main financial aid system) account early. You can apply up to 60 days before your study period ends, but earlier is safer.
• StrategyAvoid forgetting to re-apply in subsequent years. Instead, set a calendar reminder for August 1 each year. If you miss the application but are still enrolled, you must immediately complete the Continuation of Status form to stop your grant from turning into a loan.
• RealismAvoid assuming this covers all your costs. Instead, remember that this grant focuses on direct educational expenses like tuition and books. Apply for OSAP separately to help cover your rent and food.

Questions students ask

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