Undergraduate Scholarships & Financial Aid

Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) provides funding in terms of grants and loans to Ontario residents who are Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or protected persons, based on the financial need assessment. 

The loans are interest-free and non-repayable as long as you are enrolled in full-time university study. More information and applications can be found on-line at the OSAP website or via the University of Toronto Registrar.  

It is recommended that returning students apply for OSAP assistance by May 31 and that new students apply for OSAP assistance by June 30. 

Students who are Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or protected persons from outside of Ontario may be eligible for financial assistance from their provincial or territorial governments. 

Applications are usually available in late May or early June. More information is available at https://registrar.utoronto.ca/finances-and-funding/provincial-territorial-student-aid-programs/ 

Students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and are in need of financial aid can explore various programs.

Further information available at: https://registrar.utoronto.ca/finances-and-funding/us-student-aid/ 

University of Toronto financial aid programs fill the financial gap for full-time students who receive the maximum amount of government financial aid available, but whose funding doesn’t cover all university costs.

To be eligible for UTAPS funding, you must:

• Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or a protected person (recognized convention refugee); and
• Be enrolled in full time studies for the fall and winter session; and
• Be receiving the maximum amount of OSAP, other provincial/territorial government student aid, or First Nation’s band funding but this funding doesn’t cover all of your university costs (i.e., you have unmet need); and
• Be enrolled in an eligible program.

Note: International students and part-time students are not eligible.

For more information on UTAPS eligibility: University Registrar's Office

Students can apply for UTAPS via the Need Navigator. 

Bursaries (also called grants) are non-repayable sums of money designed to assist students who have first explored all other avenues of financial assistance such as family support, summer savings, study period income, OSAP or other government assistance programs, and who still encounter financial difficulties or are experiencing a sudden change in their financial situation. 

Bursaries are a source of help in covering modest and often unexpected shortfalls of income rather than as a principal resource. These grants are intended to assist domestic students with unmet financial need with respect to their educational expenses. 

Each request for assistance is considered on its own merits and based on need associated with an educational program and unexpected critical costs incurred by students. These grants are not intended to fund non-educational expenses or to repay your debts.  

There are 2 rounds of bursaries; one during each term.  Applications are due November 1^st and February 1^st. 

When applications become available, students login to the University of Toronto Grant Application Portal at   https://www3.adm.utoronto.ca/Grant/index.php. 

The Faculty of Music provides supplementary support to undergraduate students for expenses related to collaborative pianists (accompanists, coaches). Students in any undergraduate program and year of study are eligible to apply. The funding can be used to support the use of pianists in any curricular activity (e.g., applied lessons, juries, recitals, performance classes). Students may receive up to a maximum of $400 in support per year. There are two rounds of applications administered by the Performance Office. November 1st is the deadline for fall applications, and February 1st for winter applications. Students will be notified when applications become available online. 

Applications for Graduating Awards will become available in early February. 

Carolyn and Robert Lake Graduating Award

To be awarded to one outstanding graduating student at the Faculty of Music, in the undergraduate, graduate, diploma or certificate program, specializing in classical Music Composition or classical Performance. Applicants must submit a well-considered statement of intent on how they intend to advance their professional development, in the year immediately after graduation. Those pursuing further study at either the University of Toronto, or another university are ineligible to apply.

Value: one award at $7,500 (approximate value) 

Deadline: May 1st; Incomplete applications will not be considered.

William and Phyllis Waters Graduating Award OR Tecumseh Sherman Rogers Graduating Award

To be awarded to a graduating student who is deemed to have the greatest potential to make an important contribution to the field of Music. As part of the application, candidates must outline how this award will assist in financing their career development following graduation.

Value: two awards at $25,000 each

Deadline: May 1st; Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Applications for the Summer Study Awards will become available in early February. 

Summer study awards are intended to assist students at the Faculty of Music to continue their musical study outside of the academic year. 

Completed application forms with the required supporting documentation must be submitted to the Registrar's Office by May 1st.

Summer Study Awards Overview

David and Marcia Beach Summer Study Awards 

Established 2004 

To be awarded to promising upper-year students in all undergraduate and graduate music programs who are Ontario residents demonstrating financial need to provide support for continued study outside the academic session. This could take place through summer programs in Canada and abroad or through private study. Applications would be reviewed on the basis of academic standing, reasonable budgeting and the impact the studies will have on the students’ professional development. 

Plotényi Békássy-Tassonyi Award for Music Undergraduate Study Abroad

The purpose of the award is to assist one undergraduate student to pursue a program of study, internship, research or exchange outside of Canada.

Jean A. Chalmers Award 

Established 1967 

To assist one or more exceptionally promising students of the Faculty of Music in taking master classes or lessons from a distinguished performing artist not on the staff of the Faculty of Music or the Royal Conservatory of Music, either one visiting the Faculty or RCM for the special purpose of giving such classes or lessons, or one giving such classes elsewhere in Canada. In making the award, consideration is given to the financial need of the student.

Carolyn and Robert Lake Foreign Study Award

The purpose of the award is to assist one student in the Classical Performance or Composition program pursue intercultural study abroad, focusing on the performance of another of the world’s musical traditions.

Strings Summer Study Award

The purpose of this award is to assist one or two undergraduate strings students continue their musical study outside the academic session.

The purpose of the award is to assist students to participate in activities such as summer academies, competitions, performances/recitals, research, internships, and field courses in France, between May 2024–April 2025. The award will cover all expenses necessary to participate in a learning or performance opportunity in France, including travel, accommodation, registration fees for courses, programs, or competitions, and performance-related expenses such as accompanists, transporting instruments, rehearsal time, venue expenses, and coaching and lessons. 

These awards are open to domestic and international students. Adjudication of applications will be based on the applicant’s academic and professional achievements, the relevance of the proposed project for their career development, and the impact of the award on their educational and professional development.

If you have any questions about this award, please reach out to Dr. Carolyne Sumner at carolyne.sumner@utoronto.ca 

Click here for the application: France-Canada Cultural Exchange Experience France Award

The Government of Ontario is providing funds again for the Ontario-Ukraine Solidarity Scholarship to support undergraduate and graduate students. To qualify, students must: be impacted by the Ukrainian conflict or other conflicts around the world, be registered in full-time or part-time studies at U of T, be studying at the undergraduate or graduate (research stream) level, be physically present in Ontario for the 2023-24 academic year, have financial need, and demonstrate academic merit.

Amount: Four awards of $10,000 each

Application link: https://registrar.utoronto.ca/finances-and-funding/awards-scholarships-bursaries-grants/ 

The Government of Ontario is providing funding for the Indigenous Student Bursary. This award is provided to self-identified Indigenous students in Canada (for the purposes of this bursary, an Indigenous person in Canada is anyone who states that they are an Indigenous person, that is, First Nations, Inuk (Inuit) or Métis), be registered in full-time or part-time studies, be studying at the undergraduate or graduate (research stream) level at U of T, demonstrate financial need, and meet Canadian citizenship and Ontario residency requirements.

Amount: Awards will be between $1,000 to $3,500

Application link: https://registrar.utoronto.ca/finances-and-funding/awards-scholarships-bursaries-grants/ 

Deadline to apply: Friday February 16, 2024 (11:59 pm)

Please note: This bursary is separate from the U of T Indigenous Tuition Grant and students receiving the Grant are also eligible to apply for this bursary.

Who can apply: Undergraduate student(s) registered in Year 1 of the degree program at the Faculty of Music who self-identify as Black and/or Indigenous and demonstrate excellent musical and academic potential at the Faculty of Music.

Value: Varies

Deadline: November 8, 2024; applications must be sent to registrar.music@utoronto.ca. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

The application for the Iranian Student Memorial Scholarship is now open. These needs-based awards are for international students from Iran who have been admitted to U of T in an undergraduate or graduate program or domestic or international students studying Iranian studies at U of T. This award was established in 2020 in honour of the victims of Flight PS752. 

The application deadline is November 30, 2023. We will notify recipients in January 2024.