Financial Aid
Domestic Students
It is the policy of the University of Toronto that no student admitted to a program at the University of Toronto should be unable to enter or complete the program due to lack of financial means.
For undergraduate students, a large part of financial aid comes in the form of government student loans such as OSAP (Ontario Student Assistance Program). It is further augmented by awards (please refer to Fellowship & Awards section of the site) and Grants/Bursaries. For graduate students, in addition to these, teaching assistant (TA) and research assistant (RA) positions are available.
Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP)
This government student loan program is the primary source of financial assistance for full-time undergraduate students. The OSAP Application Form is available online. Students are encouraged to apply at least two months before their program begins in order to allow adequate processing time.
For information and counseling on eligibility, appeals and the status of your application, you may contact:
Enrolment Services
172 St. George Street
Toronto, ON M5R 0A3T. (416) 978-2190
Also see Enrollment Services, Student Financial Support for information on resources to consider, budgeting tips and more. Non-Ontario students may also access information on other provincial programs from this web page.
Undergraduate Grant/Bursary Applications
The Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing offers assistance to undergraduate students with unmet financial need. This funding is limited, and it is therefore expected that applicants have explored all other avenues of financial support available to them (e.g., family support, OSAP) before applying. Grants are intended to provide emergency assistance, or support for costs not considered by other programs. Funding is not adequate to allow these grants to be considered as a major source of assistance for tuition or living expenses.
Please note that applications will not be considered until November.
The grants are normally available three times a year:
- November 15
- February 1
- April 1
Students are notified about the deadlines accordingly.
Graduate Emergency Grant / Bursary Applications
The School of Graduate Studies administers an emergency grant program for all graduate students at U of T. Graduate students may download the Graduate Emergency Grant Application Form (PDF).
Teaching / Research Assistantships
Teaching/Research assistantships are available to qualified graduate students. A number of master’s students are hired as a TA or clinical instructors for undergraduate programs. Doctoral students are hired as TAs for undergraduate and graduate courses. Refer to Join the Faculty section of this website for a listing of available positions.
Doctoral Funding Guarantee
Eligible doctoral students are provided with a funding package of $15,000 plus fees for a maximum of four years (years one to four). Please refer to the Funding Policy for Doctoral Students 2012-2013 in the financial resources section of this website.
Funding Policy for Doctoral Students, 2012-2013
- The minimum annual funding package for eligible, full-time doctoral students (see item 4) in the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing is $15,000 plus tuition and incidental fees. This amounts to an annual income of at least $22,000 and is composed of a combination of i) internal awards and fellowships, ii) external awards and fellowships and, iii) Teaching and/or Research Assistantships.
- Eligible full-time doctoral students (see item 4) who receive a competitively-reviewed external award or fellowship valued at or over $15,000 per annum (e.g., CIHR/SSHRC/HCTP, OGS) will receive a Faculty of Nursing “bonus” award of $1,000.
- Full-time doctoral students are guaranteed a minimum funding package for a maximum of four (4) years if employment restrictions are adhered to and satisfactory annual progress toward degree completion is maintained. (Normally students in years one to four are eligible for funding.)
- The exclusion criteria are:
- Students in full-time employment,
- Students who are on a paid leave of absence, or who are financially supported by an employer/agency,
- Students who work on average more than 10 hours per week (520 hours per year) regardless of income.
- Students in a Flex-time PhD program.
- Students who do not qualify for a minimum funding package for any reason or who are excluded from this policy may apply to the Awards Committee on an annual basis for a partial tuition and incidental fees waiver, which will be available pending funds availability.
- It is the expectation of the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing that all students and their supervisors apply for external student funding each year. Funding sources include external competitive studentship awards such as CIHR, NCI, SSHRC, CNA, RNAO, OGS, and independent foundations. Other sources include Hospital/Research Institute Awards. The Student Services office will make every effort to notify students and supervisors of competitions and will support application processes.
- Those receiving departmental awards must abide by all the terms and conditions of the award. They include updating the department on their financial situation, attending Awards Night ceremony, acknowledging the donor support, if applicable, and providing a brief biographical statement (further information is included in the award letter that each student will receive, notifying him/her of receipt of an award).
International Students
International students are eligible to be considered for grant assistance. However, because Canada Immigration requires all international students to show that they have adequate resources before admitting them to Canada, a grant will normally be awarded only if there is evidence that the student’s circumstances have changed since his/her arrival. In no instance will the amount sufficient to cover a student’s total university costs.
For more information on costs and resources for international students, please read Financial Aid Information for International Students.