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.
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 must complete the General Awards Application in the winter term to be considered for this bursary.
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, but to help students 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 the current study period.
To be eligible for this bursary, the unanticipated expense(s) must directly impact a student's ability to complete the term. The emergency must have occurred within the past 30 days.
Examples of situations that do not qualify for the Emergency Bursary include but are not limited to:
- Funding shortfalls:
- Tuition, fees, residence or daily living costs such as rent, transportation, food, etc.
- Domestic students who have declined government student aid (OSAP)
- Delay of government-issued funding (OSAP) or sponsor funding
- Routine medical expenses not covered by your health insurance (e.g. over-the-counter medications, replacement glasses or contacts, etc.)
- Medical expenses when a student has no medical insurance (e.g. international student who arrived in Canada with a pre-existing condition)
- Claims otherwise covered by insurance, including damages sustained to belongings or merchandise
- Past debt or clearing debt, including credit cards, bank loans, educational loans, mortgages. etc.
- Requests to support family members, including parents/guardian or spouses
- Scams or fraud (phone scams, email scams, etc.)
- Funeral service expenses
- Lawyer fees
- Gambling
To be eligible for this bursary you must:
- be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, protected person, or international student on a valid study permit
- be residing in Ontario
- be enrolled in and currently attending a full-time program or have 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 or GCM 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 emergencybursary@conestogac.on.ca and provide your Conestoga student ID along with a description of your emergency.
Additional resources
Conestoga College resources
- Conestoga Students Inc. Food Support (SNAP)
- Conestoga Students Inc. Legal Care Program
- myWellness (Medical Care, Counselling Services and Mental Health Supports)
- myLearning (Accessible Learning and Academic Supports)