Other Funding

York has special funding options for those facing various life challenges and experiences.

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First-Generation Students

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Indigenous Students

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Students with Disabilities

Because students who are the first in their families to attend postsecondary studies can face significant challenges and barriers, we have dedicated funding to help these generational pioneers reach their goals and start a new tradition in their family.

To be considered for this funding, identify yourself as first-generation student on your sessional Student Financial Profile.

We promote the success of our Indigenous students with a variety of campus initiatives, including dedicated funding.

The Indigenous Student Bursary is for Indigenous students with financial need who are attending postsecondary programs and/or training programs at either Ontario publicly assisted colleges and universities or approved Indigenous postsecondary education and training institutions. For the purpose of this bursary, “Indigenous” is defined as identifying with First Nations (Status/Non-Status), Métis, Inuit cultural and/or ancestral background.

You must also be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or protected person, and an Ontario resident.

How to apply

Submit the online Student Financial Profile by October 15, noting that you are Indigenous. 

Funding is limited. The University allocates it based on financial need and/or study level. You may be asked to provide documents confirming your eligibility.

Successful applicants are notified by email in December.

Indspire provides financial support to First Nations, Inuit and Métis students.

How to apply

You can apply for most Indspire bursaries, scholarships and awards through the same application. The Indspire Bursaries and Scholarships page has information about eligibility requirements and application deadlines.

Find information about donor-funded awards in our Award Search module: use keywords such as "Indigenous," "Aboriginal," "Métis," "Metis," "Inuit" and "First Nations."

How to apply

Submit the Student Financial Profile by October 15, noting that you are Indigenous.

Use the Indigenous Bursaries Search Tool to find aid offered to students by governments, universities, other organizations, and individuals.

Funding from the Provincial and Federal Government

The Ontario Bursary for Students with Disabilities (BSWD) and the Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment – Students with Disabilities (CSG-DSE) is a government program that assists students with financial need to meet disability-related educational expenses.

To receive BSWD/CSG-DSE funding you must:

  • must register with York’s Student Accessibility Services
  • have applied and been deemed eligible for financial aid through one of the following financial aid programs
    • OSAP for Full-Time Students,
    • OSAP for Part-Time Students; or
    • the Institution-Funded Special Bursary; and
  • have self-identified as having a permanent disability or a persistent or prolonged disability and your status has been verified through required documentation of a Disability Verification Form for OSAP purposes.
  • be a registered student with the same course load you indicated on your financial aid application; and
  • have received your first OSAP instalment; and
  • have started classes.

To be eligible for CSG-DSE (Federal) funding through the program, a student must have at least $1 in calculated federal need.

To be eligible for BSWD (Provincial) funding through the program, a student must have at least $1 in calculated provincial need.

Set up Electronic Transfer of Funds: Login using your passport York account to update your banking information on the Student Address Module. For more information, please visit the Refunds page.

Maximum Funding

If the student has a permanent disability (PD) or persistent or prolonged disability (PPD) and has applied and is eligible for

Eligible to apply for... 

Full-Time (OSAP) loan and/or grants from Canada AND Ontario 

Up to $22,000 
Full-Time (OSAP) loan and/or grants from Canada only
 

Up to $20,000 
Full-Time (OSAP) loan and/or grants from Ontario only

Up to $2,000 

Part-Time Canada Student Loan and/or grants and Ontario Part-time grant

Up to $22,000 
Part-Time Canada Student Loan and/or grants only

Up to $20,000 
Institution-Funded Special Bursary

Up to $2,000 

The bursary assessment is based on funding maximums for each service/technology category.

If you applied for full-time OSAP but did not receive any assistance because your calculated resources were higher than your allowable expenses, you may still qualify for BSWD/CSG-DSE funding. Please ask your York accessibility counsellor for more information.

This funding is only for the specific academic session or term as indicated on your application. You can only use it for the items and/or services that were approved on your bursary application.

You must repay any unused portion of the bursary and you cannot carry it forward to another term. Students can make a payment to their York student account and email bswdaid@yorku.ca once the payment has been made. Make sure to include your student number in your email. Contact Student Support and Advising for more information.

  1. Set up Electronic Transfer of Funds - Login using your Passport York account to update your banking information in the Student Address Module. For more information, please visit the Refunds page.
  2. Submit a financial aid application and self-identify as a student with a disability -
    • Submit your application for full-time OSAP, part-time OSAP, or the Institution-Funded Special Bursary.
    • You must indicate that you have a permanent disability or a persistent or prolonged disability on your application.
  3. Complete the BSWD/CSG-DSE application with your York accessibility counsellor - Once your financial aid application is submitted, complete the BSWD/CSG-DSE application with your accessibility counsellor. Your counsellor will identify the specific disability-related services or equipment needed to assist you.
  4. Submit the application - Your accessibility counsellor will submit the BSWD/CSG-DSE application along with any necessary documentation to Student Support and Advising by the application deadline.
  5. Application review - Student Support and Advising will check your eligibility by ensuring you:
    • are progressing well in your academic program. 
    • have no outstanding disability bursary or OSAP overpayments.
    • have no outstanding receipts for purchased disability-related equipment or services.
    • are not in default of previous OSAP funding.
    • are not submitting duplicate requests.
  6. Application processing - It usually takes two to three weeks to process your application. The processing of applications is dependent on the release of OSAP funding for the applicable term.
  7. Decision Notification - You will receive an email informing you of the approval or denial of your application. If approved, the email will detail the approved items and/or services, along with the maximum amounts allocated for each.

Deadline to submit a BSWD/CSG-DSE application is 60 days before the end of your current study period.

Deadline to submit receipts is the end of your approved study period for which the bursary was issued.

You must discuss any changes to the items and/or services on your BSWD/CSG-DSE application with your accessibility counsellor. We do not accept receipts for items and/or services that were not approved on your BSWD/CSG-DSE application.

All receipts must be submitted in PDF format to bswdaid@yorku.ca by the end of your approved study period.  Make sure to include your student number in your email.

For one-time purchases such as equipment and software, receipts must be submitted no later than 30 days after the funding is received.

  • the date of purchase
  • the item purchased
  • vendor’s information
  • method of payment
  • must confirm payment made in full

For on-going expenses such as tutors, note-takers academic strategist/coach should be submitted as soon as services are provided. Recommendation would be at the end of every month.

Receipts for service providers must be submitted with the form below:

Service Provider Receipts (Bursary for Students with Disabilities) Form

Unpaid invoices, quotes and credit card statements are not acceptable proof of payment.

If receipts are not provided or received by the applicable deadline, the Ministry considers the student to have been over awarded, and the student will not be eligible for any further assistance under any OSAP program until receipts are submitted or the overpayment is repaid.

Your eligibility for BSWD/CSG-DSE changes when you drop courses, change your academic program or withdraw from studies.

Receipts dated after you dropped courses might not be accepted.

Stop using your funds and immediately contact Student Support and Advising.

Always keep a copy of receipts from your service providers for your records.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. Please inform Student Financial Services if you wish to cancel your OSAP.

Yes, if you also apply for the associated financial aid application every year.

No. You must return the unused portion. Contact your accessibility counsellor to discuss submitting another application for eligibility.

Make a payment to your York student account and email bswdaid@yorku.ca once the payment has been made. Include your student number and the amount you have repaid in your email.

It is your responsibility to pay expenses that exceed the approved amounts for an item or service. For example, if an item is approved for a $150 maximum cost, and you pay $200 for it, then you are responsible for covering the $50 difference between the approved and actual cost.

It is also your responsibility to pay the entire cost for any unapproved item or service you purchase.

No. Ministry guidelines states that family members should not be hired for any approved services.

Other Disability Awards

A number of donor-funded awards are reserved for students with:

  • physical, sensory and/or medical disabilities
  • learning disabilities
  • mental health and psychiatric disabilities.

Preference is typically given to students registered with a recognized York service provider, which is verified during the selection process.

Submit the online Student Financial Profile by October 15, noting that you have a permanent disability. Indicate the nature of your disability in your personal statement.

You also have the option of submitting a paper version of the Student Financial Profile and/or the Awards for Students with Disabilities application form. Paper copies of both applications are available at the Student Accessibility Services office.

Successful applicants are notified in writing in March.

Scholarships, Awards and Bursaries

Although the words scholarship, award and bursary are often used interchangeably, they are not identical.

Aid Type

Criteria for Aid

Will it Appear on Your Transcript?

Scholarship

Scholarships are based on merit. They recognize exceptional talent/promise or academic excellence.

They are generally awarded based on some set standard (for example, a certain grade point average) or by comparison among academic peers (for example, the highest academic performance in a program).

Some scholarships also consider financial need and/or residency status.

Yes

Award

Awards are based on a combination of academic factors and non-academic criteria such as community service, leadership and financial need.

Yes

Bursary

Bursaries are primarily for students in good academic standing who have financial need.

No, for privacy reasons

Our Undergraduate Bursary Program aims to supplement, not replace, a student’s primary sources of funding such as OSAP, government assistance from other provinces, employment and parental/spousal support. To be considered, applicants must be Canadian citizens, permanent residents or protected persons, who are enrolled in full-time undergraduate studies. Priority for the distribution of financial-need-based awards and bursaries goes to OSAP students who have ‘unmet’ need as defined through the Student Access Guarantee.

The Institution-Funded Special Bursary (IFSB) offers financial aid to help cover your eligible educational costs, such as tuition, books, travel and child care.

You can receive a maximum of $2,500 per academic year from the IFSB.

Your continued eligibility for IFSB funding depends on the successful completion of all IFSB-funded academic sessions.

You may be eligible for an IFSB if:

  • you are a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or protected person as defined in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act 
  • your family income is below the threshold for a given family size
  • you are not receiving grant or loan funding from:
    • the Ontario Student Assistance Program
    • a student financial assistance program from another province, territory or country
    • the Canada Student Loans Program 
    • the Better Jobs Ontario program (formerly called the Second Career program)
  • you are registered for English as a Second Language at the York University English Language Institute
  • you are taking courses at York:
    • on a part-time basis for a postsecondary program that leads to a degree, diploma or certificate; or
    • on a full- or a part-time basis to upgrade your academic skills.

Check with Student Support and Advising to find out which programs are approved.

  • your study period is at least four weeks in length.

You are considered part-time if you are enrolled in less than 60% of a full course load (see Calculating Course Load for more information).

If you have a permanent disability and have between 40% and 60% of a full course load, you can choose to be treated as full- or part-time. If you choose to be considered part-time, you are eligible to apply for a Special Bursary through IFSB.

In some cases, factors other than courses or credits can be used to determine course load. Contact Student Support and Advising if you cannot determine your own course load.

If you leave school or drop a course, you may be required to repay a portion of the IFSB. You may not be entitled to the full amount of the Special Bursary if you do not finish the course(s) as planned.

IFSB funding is taxable. In February we will issue you a T4A tax slip showing the total amount of bursary assistance.

Submit your completed IFSB application form to Student Support and Advising.

If you are married or in a common-law relationship, both you and your spouse must complete the form.

The table below explains how to complete certain sections of the application. Contact Student Support and Advising if you need more information or help.

Section

Item

Guidance

1

Address

All correspondence will be sent to the address you enter on the application.

1

Marital Status

Your marital status as of the last day of the month when your academic program begins.

If you are in a common-law relationship, check “Married/Common-law.” For IFSB purposes, a common-law relationship exists when:

  • you and your spouse have been living together in a conjugal relationship for at least three years; or
  • you and your spouse are raising children of whom both of you are the birth or adoptive parents.

1

Citizenship Status

If you are a protected person as defined in subsection 95(2) of Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, you must provide a photocopy of your valid Protected Persons Status Document and a photocopy of your temporary Social Insurance Number card.

If you are a permanent resident, you must provide a photocopy of your Canada Immigration Record or a photocopy of the front and back of your Permanent Resident Card.

2

Type of income you expect to receive during your program of study

Check all boxes that are relevant to you.

If you check “Other,” give details about the type(s) of aid you expect to receive on a separate sheet and attach it to your application form.

3

Type of income you expect to receive during your program of study

2 and 3

Estimated gross income

Include income from all sources except:

  • GST/HST rebates
  • Child Tax Benefits
  • assistance from the federal Universal Child Care Benefit
  • funding from BSWD/CSG-PDSE.

Do not include pain and suffering awards (including WSIB non-economic loss awards) unless they exceed $100,000. Any amount over $100,000 is considered income in the period it was received. If multiple payments are made for different incidents, the payments related to each incident are exempt up to $100,000.

6

Proof of marital status

Indicate the name and address of your spouse (if any).

If you are married, provide a copy of your marriage certificate. If you do not have one, you must provide a jointly signed legal affidavit confirming you are married.

If you are in a common-law relationship, provide a jointly signed legal affidavit confirming this.

If you are separated, provide a copy of your legal separation agreement or court order. If you do not have one, you must provide a legal affidavit indicating the date of separation.

If you are divorced, provide a copy of your divorce judgment or order.

If you are a sole-support parent and have never been married, provide a signed legal affidavit confirming this.

If you are widowed, provide a copy of your spouse’s death certificate.

If you have dependent children, provide proof of your child(ren)'s date(s) of birth, such as a Canada Child Tax Benefit statement.

6

Proof of the income/benefits you have entered on your application

You must provide proof of your income and your spouse’s (including common-law) income, if applicable.

This includes:

  • copies of pay stubs
  • letters from employers confirming gross monthly income
  • pay stubs from Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) or Ontario Works (OW) or a letter from your ODSP/OW caseworker
  • pay stubs from other government income such as Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefits, Loss of Earning Benefits or Employment and Training Allowance.

If you are unemployed and supported by a third party, you must submit a signed and dated letter from them confirming support.

York University provides one-time, emergency bursary funding to students facing a crisis or unanticipated circumstances. This financial support aims to help students facing unexpected, emergency situations successfully complete their term.

The following emergency funds are available:

  • Undergraduate domestic students can apply through the Scholarships and Bursaries team by emailing bursary@yorku.ca. Details on the application process can be found below.
  • Graduate students can apply for assistance through the Faculty of Graduate Studies Emergency Bursary. Contact fgseb@yorku.ca to request an online application.
  • If you are a part of Schulich or Osgoode, submit one application through the following processes:
  • International students can apply for assistance through the International Student Emergency Bursary.
  • Many Faculties also provide emergency bursary funding. Students can contact their home Faculty’s Office of the Dean to inquire about available supports.

Students may apply for bursary support through various departments, but any funding that is issued will be taken into consideration on future applications.

Information for Undergraduate, Domestic Student Applicants

 

Students should apply if they are faced with:

  • An unexpected circumstance that has a widespread impact on a student’s livelihood. (Examples include, but are not limited to, domestic violence, family breakdown, sudden or impending loss of housing, food insecurity, loss of property due to theft or fire or natural disaster etc.) 
  • An emergency that impacts the student financially in a quantifiable manner (e.g. the amount of aid being requested can be justified).
  • A sudden situation that affects the student’s ability to successfully complete their semester.

To be eligible for emergency bursary consideration, a student must:

  • Be actively registered in an undergraduate program of study at York University.
  • Provide a detailed written statement outlining the nature of the emergency including relevant timelines.

Note: An application for an emergency bursary does not guarantee that students will receive funding. York University reserves the right to determine if funding will be provided and the level of support that will be awarded.

Applicants may be ineligible to receive emergency funding if:

  • They have declined to receive available loan funding via government student aid.
  • They have received another emergency bursary from York University.

The emergency bursary is not meant to address funding shortfalls where government financial aid (OSAP, out-of-province funding, government social assistance, savings, or employment income) is insufficient to cover educational expenses. This bursary can only be received once and may not cover a student’s entire unmet financial need.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to provide supporting 3rd party documentation with their request and may be asked to do so later. This can include, but is not limited to, police reports, emails, bank statements, invoices/receipts, eviction notice, etc. Documentation should support the emergency at hand, as well as the aid being requested.

  1. Complete the Undergraduate Bursary Application, if you have not already done so.
  2. Email the Scholarships and Bursaries team at bursary@yorku.ca with the subject line “Emergency Bursary Request” to submit your request for emergency support.
    The email must include:
    • first and last name
    • student number
    • a detailed statement outlining the nature of the emergency
    • the amount of financial aid that is being requested
      Applicants are strongly encouraged to provide supporting 3rd party documentation with their request and may be asked to do so later. This can include, but is not limited to, police reports, emails, bank statements, invoices/receipts, eviction notice, etc. Documentation should support the emergency at hand, as well as the aid being requested.
  3. Be available for a virtual meeting (via Zoom or Microsoft Teams), if requested.
  4. Final decisions will be shared by email. All decisions are final.

All applicants to the emergency bursary will receive a decision by email within 3 business days. The amount of funding issued will depend on the situation as assessed by the Scholarships team.

Students who have not already done so will be asked to provide the university with their banking information.

Eligible emergency bursary recipients will receive their funds via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) and the university will directly deposit funds into the recipients’ personal bank account (within 5 business days). Disbursement of funds may be delayed if banking information is not set up accordingly.

OSAP Recipients

York University reports all awards, scholarships and bursaries issued by York University to the Ministry on your behalf.

Students will not need to report funding received through the bursary on their OSAP application. A student’s OSAP will not be impacted if they are a successful bursary recipient as funding issued as an emergency bursary is exempt as study period income.

If York-issued funding was reported on a student’s OSAP application, York can update the application on the student’s behalf. Please complete the Income Change Request Form.

Financial challenges may accompany other personal struggles students are facing. Below are several resources available at York:

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Contact us

Ways to connect with Student Support & Advising

  • In-person
  • Virtually
  • Phone
  • Email

Visit the Contact SSA page for more details on hours of operation.

Email: rscheck@yorku.ca (Please remember to include your name and reference or student number in your email.)