The Senate of the University of Guelph is charged with the responsibility "to deal with all matters arising in connection with the awarding of fellowships, scholarships, bursaries, medals, prizes and other awards" (University of Guelph Act) and the administration and oversight of these functions has been delegated to Student Financial Services. In carrying out these responsibilities, Senate has established various policies regarding awards and scholarships, and approves the terms and conditions attached to such awards.  Each College has a College Awards Committee, which is responsible for the awarding of scholarships and prizes in the programs under its authority. In addition, Student Financial Services is responsible for evaluating the financial need component for awards requiring the demonstration of financial need, the selection of bursary recipients, the selections for awards that are not college-specific, and the selections for entrance awards. 

Some scholarships and bursaries are open to all students regardless of degree or diploma program and others are restricted to students in particular programs. Also refer to Section VII – Undergraduate Degree Regulations and Procedures, Academic Misconduct, Penalties, for additional regulations regarding scholarships and bursaries.

A full listing of available awards can be found on the Student Financial Services website: https://www.guelphhumber.ca/sfs/scholarships-and-bursaries/.

Eligibility

Eligibility for Entrance Scholarships and Bursaries:

To be eligible for entrance scholarships and bursaries, you must be entering the 1st semester of post-secondary studies for the first time. 

Eligibility for In-course Scholarships and Bursaries:

To be eligible for in-course scholarships and bursaries, you must be registered in an academic term and meet the criterion stipulated in the award terms and conditions. A minimum of 70% cumulative average is required to be eligible for and to receive a 'scholarship'; whereas, there is no minimum average requirement to apply for or to receive a 'bursary'. Bursaries are awarded strictly on the basis of financial need as determined by Student Financial Services. Where applications are required, it is the student's responsibility to follow the method of application listed in the award description. Non-Canadian citizens or non-permanent residents are not eligible to apply for in-course bursaries; however, after the completion of one full year of studies, are eligible to apply for an International student bursary.

Eligibility for Travel Grants:

To be eligible for travel grants, students must be participating in a curriculum-embedded travel opportunity and meet the additional criterion stipulated in the award terms and conditions.

Eligibility for Prizes and Medals:

To be eligible for prizes and medals, you must demonstrate completed achievement as stipulated in the award terms and conditions with no requirement to further engage in study.

Eligibility for ACCESS Awards:

The University established an endowment fund through generous donor contributions and has been matched by the provincial government's Ontario Student Opportunity Trust Fund (OSOTF) program and the Ontario Trust for Student Support (OTSS). The income generated from these endowments will be used to support financial aid programs. The awards created will be used to assist Canadian citizens or permanent residents who meet the Ontario residency requirements as mandated by the OSOTF/OTSS program. Students must complete a Financial Need Assessment Form in order to be considered and meet the following Ontario Government Mandated Terms for an OSOTF/OTSS Award:

1. be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident;
2.  be a Ontario resident as defined by a) have lived in Ontario for a period of at least 12 consecutive months up to the beginning of full-time post-secondary study; or b) the student's spouse has lived in Ontario for at least 12 consecutive months up to the beginning of the current year full-time post-secondary study period; or c) the student's parent(s)/stepparent(s)/legal guardian/official sponsor has lived in Ontario for at least 12 consecutive months up to the beginning of the current year full-time post-secondary study period;
3.  financial need as determined by the University of Guelph-Humber's Financial Need Assessment procedures.

Full-time registration is required for eligibility for all scholarships and awards unless otherwise stated in the eligibility clause of the award.

Definitions

Awards

Generic term used to refer to a type of award that is not a scholarship. This category includes bursaries.

Bursary

An award provided to a student on the basis of financial need. Financial need is determined by the University of Guelph-Humber (Student Financial Services) after an evaluation of the Financial Need Assessment Form has been submitted by the student. Academic merit is not a consideration in awarding a bursary. You must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada to be considered for bursaries. International students are eligible to apply for the International Student Bursary only.

Scholarship

Awarded on the basis of academic performance and given for further study. Given that the merit component is normally academic, it may include such non-academic aspects as leadership, extracurricular activity, volunteerism, and community involvement. Scholarships can be monetary, prizes, or medals. Financial need is not a consideration of scholarships.

Scholarships with Financial Need

These are awarded based on the same criteria as scholarships, but financial need is a consideration.

Prize or Medal 

An award based on completed academic achievement that does not require the recipient to engage in further study. Most often awarded at graduation.

Travel Grants

These grants are provided to students who wish to travel as part of their program of study. Travel grant applications are accepted in advance of the travel opportunity and not as a reimbursement after the fact.

Procedures

Award Payments: Awards will be applied directly to the student's financial account and can be viewed on WebAdvisor.

Award recipients who withdraw or drop courses: Students who receive an award and who withdraw from the semester in which the award is received, or change the number of credits in which they are registered, may have their award cancelled or value adjusted. This adjustment will be calculated up to the twentieth class day according to the refund schedule in effect for that semester, as well as the published terms and conditions for the award. Bursary recipients will be reassessed to determine their eligible bursary value.

OSAP Students: Do not report University of Guelph-Humber awards on your OSAP application. The University will report awards to OSAP on your behalf. If you believe there is a discrepancy, contact Student Financial Services. It is the responsibility of each OSAP applicant to ensure their OSAP application is correct.

Notice of Disclosure: It is understood that merit award winners' names will be released to donors and may be published as a condition of the award.

The University reserves the right to amend awards subject to the availability of funds.