The Ontario Graduate Scholarship supports merit-based graduate study in any academic discipline at participating publicly assisted universities in Ontario. The Province of Ontario funds two thirds of each award, and the university offering it funds one third.
Recipients study full-time at the university that grants the award, for two or more consecutive academic terms. Applications, deadlines, ranking criteria and award decisions are administered by each participating university.
Benefits & funding
- C$10,000 for two consecutive academic terms.
- C$15,000 for three consecutive academic terms.
- One award runs for at least one academic year (two or three consecutive terms) and at most two years (up to six consecutive terms).
- Universities run the competition every year, so continued support means applying again.
- OGS support is capped at two academic years for master’s students, four for doctoral students and six years across counted government-funded graduate awards.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be entering or enrolled in full-time master’s or doctoral study for at least two terms at a participating Ontario university.
- All academic disciplines are eligible, but the university assesses and ranks applicants on merit under its own published criteria.
- Domestic and international applicants can be eligible. Participating universities may require Canadian status for the domestic competition or a valid Canadian study permit for the international competition.
- Applicants must meet their chosen university’s academic, registration, award-history and OSAP-standing rules; requirements can differ by institution and graduate unit.
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Education required
Bachelor Enrolled · Bachelor · Master Enrolled · Master · PhD Enrolled
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Application process
- 1Choose the participating Ontario university and graduate unit where the scholarship would be held.
- 2Check that unit’s OGS eligibility rules, application route and deadline; applications are normally made available in October.
- 3Complete the university’s OGS form and prepare the requested academic records, study or research plan and referee assessments.
- 4Submit a separate application to every university where consideration is requested.
- 5Wait for the university to communicate the result.
Program timeline
Participating schools normally make OGS applications available.
October
Waterloo’s 2026–2027 intent-to-apply deadline.
Jan 14, 2026
Waterloo’s final accepted date for 2026–2027 application materials and references.
Feb 2, 2026
Mid-July 2026
University of Toronto’s published results period for its 2026–2027 competition.
Fall 2026
Waterloo expects to publish information for the 2027–2028 competition.