Scholarships, Awards and Bursaries

Scholarships, awards, and bursaries

What is the difference between scholarships, awards, and bursaries?

Scholarships

Scholarships are merit based and recognize exceptional talent/promise or academic excellence as defined by:

  1. A minimum grade of 80% for students entering from secondary school; or
  2. A minimum undergraduate grade point average of 7.5; or 
  3. A minimum A average for graduate studies; or
  4. Top academic performance, when an award evaluates students’ marks in comparison with their peers.

In some instances scholarships may also include non-academic criteria such as financial need and residency. All York scholarships appear on a student’s transcript.

Awards

Awards combine academic criteria (minimum grade of 70% for students entering from secondary school, undergraduate grade point average of 6.0, or graduate average of B) and non-academic criteria such as community service, leadership, and financial need. Awards are also reflected on a students’ transcript.

Bursaries

Bursaries are primarily designed to assist student with financial need. Students must be in good academic standing to be considered for bursary assistance (minimum undergraduate grade point average of 4.0). For privacy reasons, bursaries do not appear on a student’s transcript or in the convocation program.

There is an expectation that the student (and where applicable his/her family or spouse) will participate in financing his/her post-secondary education. Should additional financial support be required the students must seek assistance through the Ontario Student Assistance Program first.

The intention of the Undergraduate Bursary Program is to supplement, not replace, a student’s primary sources of funding such as OSAP, government assistance from other provinces, employment, and parental/spousal support. 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.

Reporting Funding to OSAP

Some York University scholarships, awards and bursaries must be reported to OSAP. Please visit our OSAP website for more information.

Student Financial Profile

The Student Financial Profile (SFP) is the multi-purpose online application form used to apply for scholarships, awards, bursaries and on-campus employment at York University. Refer to the Student Financial Profile page for additional information, including submission deadlines. If you are ineligible for OSAP or out-of-province funding, then don’t forget to list your resources on your SFP! If you report zero resources, your application will not be given consideration.

Award Search Tools and Additional Information

Click the titles below for more information:

Note: Student Financial Services is responsible for approving all new awards at York University in accordance with guidelines established by Senate and with the Ontario Human Rights Commission's Policy on Scholarships and Awards.