Scholarships and Bursaries
Frequently asked questions
Scholarships are awarded for scholastic achievement. Bursaries are awarded on the basis of financial need.
We invite you to browse Online Scholarships and Bursaries, also accessible via InfoWeb and explore the multitude of scholarships and bursaries available. We have developed a search engine to help you find what you are looking for, and you can even apply online.
Yes some scholarships and bursaries may be taxable. Before the end of February each year, the University of Ottawa will mail you a T4A slip for all scholarships and bursaries you received during the previous year (January to December). Information about your T4A will be posted on InfoWeb.
If you have applied for government financial aid and are waiting for your loan certificate and\or a bursary cheque to arrive at the Financial Aid Office, you may be eligible to apply for an emergency loan of up to $500 to go towards books, food or rent. Certain conditions apply. Please contact the Financial Aid and Awards Service for details.
Please note that emergency loans are not authorized to students who are waiting for funds to be deposited into their bank account.
The Chancellor's and President's Scholarships are the most prestigious scholarships the University of Ottawa offers. Applicants with an admission average of 92 percent or more and a record of exceptional extra-curricular or community activities are invited to apply for these scholarships. They are renewable and are offered in the faculties of Arts, Engineering, Health Sciences, Science and Social Sciences, and in the Telfer School of Management.
The French Studies Bursary is awarded automatically to students who enroll in a French program, in French Immersion Studies or in the Extended French Stream. The amount is in addition to the amount of any other bursary you may receive except for the Education Bursary.
Please consult the General admission scholarships - 2012-2013 section to view the eligibility and renewal criteria of the French Studies Bursary.
Financial aid bursaries are available to undergraduate and graduate students. They were created to help students in need complete their session or academic year. The value of each bursary depends on the level of financial assistance required and on the availability of funds. These bursaries are meant to supplement other sources of funding such as government financial aid, the student's own resources and/or the resources of the student's parent(s) or partner. Bursaries are non repayable but are taxable.
Education bursaries are admission bursaries offered by the University of Ottawa to students who demonstrate financial need. The value, eligibility and renewal criteria may vary, based on the faculty you have been admitted to.
Faculty of Arts, Engineering, Health Sciences, Law section Civil Law, Science, Social sciences, Telfer School of Management:
- Apply by the deadline;
- Have Canadian citizenship, permanent-residency or protected-person status;
- Be registering for the first time either in a direct-entry faculty (Arts, Engineering, Health Sciences, Science, Social Sciences, Telfer School of Management) or at the Faculty of Law, Civil Law Section for full-time studies through the fall and winter sessions (September to April);
- Demonstrate financial need.
Value: $4,000 ($1,000/year)
Application deadline: March 31
st 2013
Apply online using
Online Scholarships and Bursaries.
Please consult the
Bursaries section to find out about the renewal criteria of the Education Bursary.
Faculty of Common Law and Medicine:
- Have Canadian citizenship, permanent-residency or protected-person status;
- Be registering as full-time students for the fall and winter sessions;
- Have applied for government financial aid and pick-up their funds*.
Please consult the Bursaries section to find out about the value, the eligibility and the renewal criteria of the Education Bursary for Medicine and Common Law students.
Online Scholarships and Bursaries is compatible with the following browsers:
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Online Scholarships and Bursaries is not compatible with Google Chrome, Windows 8 and the Apple products such as Safari. Should you be experiencing technical difficulties even though your system is compatible with the above indications, please use our
troubleshooting guide for additional assistance.
You can follow the evolution of all your scholarship & bursary applications by using our online tool My Financial Portfolio, accessible through your InfoWeb account.
No, it is not required. By clicking the “submit” button, you accept to transmit your application form and agree with the conditions of use and restrictions written in the form. Your signature is not required.
You could have to provide supporting documents with your award or loan applications.
For each document, please specify:
- your last name, first name and student number;
- the application number assigned by Online Scholarships and Bursaries;
- a short description of the document where necessary
You can submit documents::
- by e-mail to loansandawards@uOttawa.ca,
- by mail or in person at Financial Aid and Awards Service – 55 Laurier St. E (3156)– Ottawa, Ontario K1N6N5,
- or by fax to 613-562-5155.
Note: if your documents are not clearly identified, your application will not be processed.
It is normal. It is actually impossible to submit documents electronically with online applications through Online Scholarships and Bursaries. You must use one of the means previously identified.
My Financial Portfolio, accessible through your InfoWeb account, will clearly identify if your document has been received or not. Please note that due to the large number of supporting documents we receive, it could take up to 14 days for your documents to be scanned.
It remains your responsibility to make sure that you submitted all required documents to the Financial Aid and Awards Service by the deadline date.
Admission scholarships/bursaries
All admission scholarships and renewals, with the exception of the Education Bursary and the French Studies Bursary*, will be credited to student accounts as of Mid-July. The money will be credited in two equal instalments, in September and January of the upcoming academic year, and will be applied towards your tuition fees.
*The Education Bursary and the French Studies Bursary will be credited to your student account (in two equal instalments) about four weeks after the beginning of the Fall and the Winter sessions.
For students registered in the Common Law and Medicine programs, please consult our Education Bursary (Common Law and Medicine students) section to know about the terms of payment.
In-course scholarships and bursaries
In-course scholarships and bursaries have various deadlines and the recipients’ selection takes place throughout the academic year. For these reasons, recipients may receive their funds at different times during the school year. Consult My Financial Portfolio to obtain more details about the expected date of decision of the scholarship/bursary you have applied for.
You may have a credit in your student account when you receive a scholarship after having paid your tuition fees. In this case, you have to contact Financial Services to get information on the next steps.