Student bursaries

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Bursaries are awarded to eligible students on the basis of financial need and may, or may not, require an application. Academics are not considered in awarding bursaries. Student must be registered in the current term to be eligible to receive a bursary.

Financial Services Awards Giving to Student Awards
Conestoga College Student Assistance Fund (CCSAF) Bursary

The Conestoga College Student Assistance Fund (CCSAF) Bursary provides financial support to students who demonstrate financial need.     

CCSAF Bursary eligibility:     

  • Be a domestic student enrolled full-time, or part-time if you have a permanent disability and are registered with Accessibility Services
  • Apply by completing the awards application through the Student Portal

Note: Bursary amounts will vary according to your individual assessment. Students who are receiving Better Jobs Ontario funding are not eligible to receive the CCSAF Bursary.     

Student Access Guarantee

Ontario's Student Access Guarantee states that no qualified Ontario student should be prevented from attending college due to a lack of financial resources. Students who are in high-cost programs and have unmet need for tuition, books, and/or mandatory equipment may qualify for additional support.       

Student Access Guarantee eligibility:      

  • Apply for, and be receiving OSAP
  • Be enrolled in full-time, or part-time if you have a permanent disability and are registered with accessibility services

No additional application is necessary. Eligible students will be automatically assessed and will receive a non-repayable bursary toward the end of their academic year.      

Note: Bursary amounts will vary according to your individual OSAP assessment. Any awards you receive from Conestoga College (including scholarships and bursaries) will be deducted from your Student Access Guarantee funding.      

Indigenous Student Bursary

The Indigenous Student Bursary is awarded to domestic students who demonstrate financial need and self-identify as being an Indigenous person. Recipients must complete the General Awards Application in the winter term and be registered with Indigenous Services to be considered for this bursary.      

First Generation Bursary

The First Generation Bursary is awarded to domestic students who demonstrate financial need and whose parents have never attended post-secondary studies, inside or outside of Canada. Students much complete the General Awards Application in the winter term to be considered for this bursary.     

Continuing Education Bursary

The Continuing Education Bursary is designed to help students who are furthering their education by attending a part-time Continuing Education program and are experiencing financial need. Students may receive funding for a maximum one course per term, up to a maximum of $500. The bursary covers only the cost of tuition and does not cover any required books or materials for the chosen course. The chosen course must be approved and funded by the Ministry of College and Universities (MCU). General interest and preparatory courses are not eligible for funding. To access this bursary, please contact awards@conestogac.on.ca.

Emergency Bursary

The Emergency Bursary is intended to support students facing a financial emergency during their study period because of events beyond their control. This bursary is not intended to cover the entire cost of an emergency or replace insurance (health, tenants, automobile, or otherwise), but to assist students to recover from the emergency in the short-term. 

A financial emergency is defined as a crisis which could not have reasonably been budgeted for during your current study period. Examples include: 

  • sudden family breakdown because of mental, physical, sexual, and/or emotional abuse or drug or alcohol addiction
  • emergency medical conditions or events
  • fire, theft, or accident, and
  • other extreme circumstances not foreseen by the student.

Examples of situations that do not qualify for the Emergency Bursary include: 

  • delay of OSAP funds
  • poor budgeting, resulting in a financial shortfall for routine costs such as rent, transportation, food, etc.
  • routine medical expenses not covered by your health insurance (e.g. over-the-counter medications, replacement glasses or contacts, etc.)
  • scams or fraud (phone scams, email scams, etc.)

To be eligible for this bursary you must: 

  • be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, protected person, or international student currently studying in Canada (must be physically located in the country at the time of application)
  • have applied for OSAP (or other provincial student financial aid) OR demonstrated financial need
  • be enrolled in a full-time program or an approved accommodated reduced course load
  • be able to provide supporting documentation regarding your emergency, and
  • submit your application for assistance within 30 days of when the emergency occurred.

Students who are on a co-op term, completing an apprenticeship, or receiving Better Jobs Ontario funding are not eligible to receive this bursary. 

If you are facing a genuine financial emergency and meet the above criteria, please contact Student Financial Services by email at awards@conestogac.on.ca to discuss your situation. 

Additional resources

Below are additional resources which may be of assistance if you are facing hardship: 

Conestoga resources

Off-campus resources