Ontario Graduate Scholarship

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Syed Yusuf Ashraf

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Ontarioa Graduate Scholarships is awarded to graduate level students in Ontario region of Canada. The Ontario Graduate Scholarships is valued at 5,000 CAD per term. All high achieving students pursuing master’s and doctoral degrees in Canada are eligible to receive this scholarship. The OGS scholarships is awarded for 2 academic years of master’s and 3 years of doctoral degree. Universities having 2 terms per year offer a scholarships worth of 10,000 CAD while those with 3 terms per year offer 15,000 CAD annualy. 

  • Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) offers 22 merit-based scholarships to students in all disciplines of academic study.
  • Province allocates OGS awards to Canadian universities, specifying the number of awards to be offered annually.
  • Application process and evaluation of applications are administered by each university’s graduate unit.
  • The scholarship program is awarded for a minimum of two terms and a maximum of three terms.
  • Selections are based on factors like academic excellence, research potential, leadership skills, etc.

Of the total scholarship amount of 15000 CAD per year, the Government of Ontario contributes two-thirds of the award value and the remaining one-third is provided by the university. The Ontario Graduate Scholarship award is non-transferable; it must be held at the institution that awarded it.


Highlights

Scholarship TypeCollege-Specific, Merit-Based
Offered byGovernment bodies
OrganizationProvince of Ontario
Application Deadline Jun 01 ,2023
Number of Scholarships22
Amount₹834,700 ($10,000)
RenewabilityNo
International Student EligibleYes
Scholarship Website Linkhttps://www.sgs.utoronto.ca/awards/ontario-graduate-scholarship/

Eligibility Criteria

The Ontario Graduate Scholarship Program is jointly governed by the Ontario government and the participating Ontario universities. The deadline to apply for the scholarship is established by the Province but varies according to the university.

Citizenship

Both domestic and international students are eligible for the Ontario Graduate Scholarships. As per the guidelines, the applicant must be:

  • A Canadian citizen or permanent resident at the time of the application;
  • An international student studying in an Ontario university with a valid Canadian study permit.

Note: Students protected under subsection 95(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada) are also eligible to apply for this scholarship.

Academic Requirements

To be eligible for the Ontario Graduate Scholarship, applicants must fulfill the following academic requirements:

  • Hold an A– Average (Ontario equivalent of 80%) in both the years of full-time study before being awarded the scholarship.
  • International applicants must be proficient in English by the time of application.
  • Applicant must be registered full-time in a graduate degree program, that is,
    • 60% or more of a full course load as defined by the university
    • 40% or more for students with disabilities.

Eligibility Conditions for Ontario Graduate Scholarships

  • Master’s students are eligible to receive the scholarship for a maximum of 2 years. Whereas, doctoral students may receive the scholarship for 4 years.
  • The lifetime maximum restriction for a government-funded scholarship is six years for any student.
  • No single student can avail two government-funded scholarships concurrently. The restricted scholarships are listed below:

Application Process

The OGS program adjudication takes place at the program level, therefore deadlines and specific processes are determined by an individual master-level program at Canadian universities. However, while applying for the scholarship, students have to submit the following documents:

  • Ontario Graduate Scholarship 2023 application form
  • Confidential Academic Assessment Reports from two academic referees.
  • Academic transcripts from previously attended post-secondary institutions.
  • Copy of photocopy of the proof Canadian citizenship/ permanent resident status or copies of visa documentation.
  • Plan of study (maximum of 3,950 characters including spaces)
  • Previous awards/publications/research experience

Universities Offering Ontario Graduate Scholarships

The universities offering OGS program are tabulated below:


Selection Process

There are three areas of evaluation under which each OGS 2023 application will be evaluated. Respective program departments and faculties determine the weight placed on each of the following criteria:

OGS Selection Criteria for Masters level:

Criteria Description Weighting
Academic Excellence Transcripts; Other academic achievements; Type of program; Course load; Duration of course; Prior scholarships and awards 30%
Research Potential and Statement of Interest Statement of Interest (motivation, creativity, communication skills); Relevance of work experience; Significance and merit of proposed research; Initiative and contribution to research and development 30%
Personal Characteristics/ Academic Assessment from Referees Work experience; Leadership experience; Involvement in academic life; Project management 20%

OGS Selection Criteria for Doctoral level:

Criteria Description Weighting
Academic Excellence Academic records; Scholarships and awards received; Duration of the previous course 30%
Research Potential Plan of study; Judgment and originality; Initiative and autonomy; Interaction with supervisors & peers; Ability to lead and complete projects within the allotted time. 50%
Personal Characteristics/ Academic Assessment from Referees Quality of presentation; Publications; Professional relevant extracurricular interaction and mentoring 20%

Conditions for Acceptance and Continuance of OGS

An Ontario Graduate Scholarship recipient must:

  • Not work for more than an average of 10 hours per week per academic session.
  • Ensure their Social Insurance Number (SIN) is recorded in WebAdvisor as the award cannot be processed without a SIN on file. This requirement does not apply to international students.
  • Not accept research assistantships, part-time teaching positions, or other paid employment that affect their status as a full-time graduate student.

Similar Scholarship


Orange Knowledge Programme


  • International Student Eligible: Yes
  • Amount: Variable Amount
  • Type: Merit-Based
  • Level of Study: Master
  • Number of Scholarships: N/A