Ontario Graduate Scholarship

Every year, the Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) program awards 2,000 scholarship grants to qualified students. The program is open to all graduate students who want to pursue a Doctorate or Master’s degree in their field of study. The scholarship grant, however, can only be used at any university or college in Ontario, Canada. It fosters excellence and innovation in both education and practice.

To qualify for this student assistance program, applicants must meet a merit-based selection process which is determined by the university where the applicant is enrolled. Unlike other scholarships where you need to demonstrate financial need, OGS is based more on student

The Ontario Graduate Scholarship funds one academic year, meaning it should be comprised of three uninterrupted terms. Applicants are encouraged to enroll as full-time graduate student and finish their Master’s or Doctorate Degrees. The program provides $5,000 worth of scholarship per term. Thus, the student can receive a maximum of $15,000 for a consecutive three term graduate study. Some colleges and universities in Ontario offer additional scholarships to their top graduates. Waterloo, for example, offers the President’s Graduate Scholarship which grants up to $10,000 per academic year. This can help students finish their advanced education.

To be considered for the Ontario Graduate Scholarship, the student must show excellence in an academic field. Remember, the selection board follows a stringent process of selection. The Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, in cooperation with partner universities, has the final decision with regard to your application. The ministry follows a Pass or Fail system which is commonly used in some non-graded courses. An advisory agency, the Ontario Graduate Scholarship Selection Board, makes a report which the ministry uses to evaluate who will be included in the roster of scholars. The eight-member selection board, headed by a chairperson, is broadly represented with one professor from every field of study. The board evaluates OGS applications twice a year and releases a list of successful candidates after thorough deliberation.

Once your application is approved, you are expected to maintain an above average scholastic grade: A- or an 80% cumulative general point average. This scholastic performance must be maintained all throughout the two to three years of graduate studies.

How to Apply?

The Ontario Graduate Scholarship application for the academic year 2011-2012 is now available. Qualified graduate students can send their applications through email or regular mail. Students who wish to apply online are still required to send a hardcopy paper application to their respective department. The online application is exclusive to students with a Social Insurance number. Students who do not have one of these must submit a paper application instead.

Applicants need to read the instructions carefully and follow every step of the application process. If you are interested in this scholarship program you must begin the process immediately. The Ontario Graduate Scholarship has different departments. Make sure that you check the deadline set by your chosen department. Typically, each department follows its own internal schedule, thus they will also have separate deadlines for application.

As part of the application package, the student must enclose copies of all graduate as well as undergraduate transcripts. This is a new rule set by Ontario Graduate Scholarship. Depending on the university you attend, you may need to contact the scholarship coordinator to inform him/her of your interest in applying for the program. The scholarship coordinator will be the one to request the transcripts from the necessary offices. Contact your department’s coordinator to establish the process for requesting transcripts from other schools you have attended.

Applicants are also required to submit two Academic Assessment reports together with their application. Reference letters must be written by faculty members who have had plenty of opportunity to evaluate the student’s performance. Applicants must coordinate with their prospective referees in plenty of time to be able to meet the deadline of the department. A strong letter of support ensures that you will be included in the Ontario Graduate Scholarship roster. Provide your referee with a copy of your Curriculum Vitae, a list of educational merits, research and awards, transcripts, a letter of application for the scholarship, your profile of community involvement and other extracurricular activities. Submit all these documents in one application package/file folder to your respective department for review and edit.

Here are some key points to remember:

• Use only the updated application forms.

• Include a Summary Sheet that shows your proposed or planned level of study.

• Ensure that the package contains all the transcripts.

• Submit your application to your department well ahead of time. The department makes a ranking sheet that is furnished to the Ontario Graduate Scholarship.

• All applications are ranked in three separate levels: current doctoral, current master’s and current undergraduate.

It is essential that you follow and carefully examine every detail of the application process. If you do not meet the requirements of the Ontario Graduate Scholarship, you can try the Ron Brown Scholarship which is offered to all African-American students who want to make significant contributions to society. Both scholarship programs promote student excellence.