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Student Aid/Awards

give a gift, make a difference.

Over 60% of Conestoga students qualify for government assistance! By choosing to direct your gift towards an award, bursary or scholarship you will be giving the gift of education to a deserving student and making a significant impact on the regional and national economies and society.  You can either create your own fund or donate to an existing one.

Conestoga Student Excellence Fund

Gifts to the Conestoga Student Excellence Fund allow Conestoga the greatest flexibility in responding to students needs and reacting to changing circumstances.  This endowed fund supports the demonstrated achievements and needs of outstanding potential of all Conestoga’s students, from all programs and years from entrance to graduation. Support this fund now!

Named funds

Choosing an endowed fund allows your contribution to become a permanent part of the College. Endowed funds ensure that awards, bursaries and scholarship live forever.  A minimum gift of $12,500 will establish an endowed fund that may be named for you, or to honour a special person in your life - a family member, friend, or favorite teacher, for example. Each year income will be disbursed to students providing much needed financial support so they can complete their studies. There are many established endowed funds which you may also choose to support through your gift.

Examples of some Student Aid/Awards options:

  • Scholarships are monetary awards based on academic excellence and, in some cases, other forms of earned merit. Scholarships have a specified value in terms of monetary benefit to the recipient. Scholarship categories, include entrance, in-course, part-time, specific achievement (open to all students, usually for achievement in a single course), and graduating students.
  • Bursaries are monetary awards based on financial need as determined by Conestoga, and may also include a minimum expectation of academic achievement or other miscellaneous criteria.
  • Academic Grants are monetary awards based on a combination of merit and financial need. A student may receive an Academic Grant in addition to any other scholarships, prizes, or bursaries for which she/he is eligible.
  • Ontario Trust for Student Support (OTSS) Funds -  In 2005, the Province of Ontario created the Ontario Trust for Student Support (OTSS) to encourage alumni and friends of post-secondary institutions to establish endowments to support Student Aid/Awards at a college or university of their choice.  The OTSS matches endowed funds that provide bursaries and academic grants to Ontario students.  Donors who create their own endowed award could see their gift matched up to 2.5 times through this program!

Please contact us for more information about establishing a student award at Conestoga.