Ontario Graduate Scholarship Application Guide for Students (instructions for online application)
Table of Contents
Tips and General Information
Proposed Studies for 2013-2014 at U of T
Applicant Profile
Academic Background
Awards and Financial Aid
Academic Achievements
Plan of Study
Academic References
Review & Confirmation
Tips and General Information
Screenshots of the pages you will see on the U of T OGS online application form along with a blank Academic Reference Report is now available.
Current University of Toronto students may login using their UTORid. If you do not have a UTORid, please create a Blue Account. You will be able to save your working application and return to it later by logging into your account.
You must complete each section in order for you to proceed to the next page. Fields with a red "Required" under them are mandatory. If you need to send your referee requests right away, you may enter draft information and go back later to edit the information. Once you have completed the mandatory fields in each section, you may then navigate through the different pages using the menu on the left hand side.
Please note that clicking "Previous" will not save your work. Be sure to click "Save and Continue" to save each time you make a change. If you are working on a section that is taking a long time, e.g. Awards & Scholarships, be sure to click "Save and Continue" every 10 minutes or so to ensure the system does not timeout and you don't lose your information. You may then click "Previous" to go back to your work.
Proposed Studies for 2013-2014 at U of T
Enter the graduate unit(s)/department(s) at which you intend to hold the award in the 2013-14 academic year (i.e. your current or proposed graduate program). Your completed OGS application will be submitted to the graduate department(s) you indicated for review.
If you are applying to more than one graduate unit or program, click "Add Another" to add the next graduate unit. Be sure that you enter all of your proposed graduate units at this stage since you may not be able to modify this page after your application is submitted and one of the graduate units starts reviewing your application. The graduate units you applied to will review the same application and only one set of references will be requested. You should submit your completed OGS application for the earliest deadline date.
Year of Study:
Enter the year of study that you will be in for academic year 2013-14. For example, if you're applying for admission to the program, enter 1, which means you'll be in first year of the program in 2013-14.
Applicant Profile
The University of Toronto uses the information you provide here to address its correspondence to you.
Name
First Name = Given Name
Last Name = Family or Surname Name
If you use your second or third name as your first (given) name, see the examples below for help in completing.
Example 1: A.J. Paul Moore
If you prefer to have your initials appear before your given name, you would enter:
First Name: A.J. Paul
Last Name: Moore
Example 2: Joanne Francine Mélanie Trudeau (normally addressed as Mélanie)
If you usually use your second or third name as your given name and do not want your initials appearing before your given name, you would enter:
First Name: Mélanie J.F.
Last Name: Trudeau
Email Address
The main method of communication regarding your OGS application is email. For U of T students, enter your utoronto email address. It is the applicant’s responsibility to check the email account they enter for updates and other information regarding their application.
Mailing Address
For international (visa holder) applicants who are not currently residing in Canada, please enter your international mailing address as best as you can in the fields provided.
Citizenship Status
You must indicate your citizenship status by selecting the appropriate drop down option button.
Permanent residents, protected persons, and visa (study permit) holders must specify the date on which they received their status or visa.
International applicants who do not currently hold a visa should choose “No status at time of application”. Note, you must have a valid study permit by March 22, 2013 in order to be eligible to apply for the OGS.
Academic Background
Current Registration
Indicate your current registration, including bachelor's level. If you do not see your program listed, please contact ogs@sgs.utoronto.ca to have it added. This section is designed in a way so the University can easily summarize and analyze applicant registration data.
Current and Previous Studies
Beginning with your degree currently in progress (including any U of T program already listed in the Current Registration section above) or your most recent completed degree, enter degree information in reverse chronological order.
Degree type
Indicate your degree type by selecting it from the choices provided. If "Other", type the degree type in the box provided.
Discipline/Program
Indicate the discipline of your degree. This may be the same as your department or program name, e.g. mathematics.
Expected date/Awarded date
For degrees currently in progress, enter your expected date of completion. For completed degrees, indicate the date all degree requirements were completed, not the date of graduation or convocation.
Institution
Type the full name of the institution or organization that awarded or will award the degree.
Transcripts
Scanned unofficial or student issued transcripts are permitted. If you have online access to your academic history, you may submit screenshots (printscreen/snipping tool). Link pages of your transcript(s) together (e.g. in MSWord), and submit as one PDF file per degree. Each file must be under 4MB. It is recommended that the file is as small as possible while still being legible.
For applicants with multiple degrees from the same university, you may upload one pdf for all degrees from that university and attach it to the most recent degree listed.
Applicants with international transcripts must scan both sides of their transcript so that the associated transcript guide is included.
Although official transcripts are not required at the time of the OGS application, they must be available in your departmental admission file in order for you to accept and hold the award. Official U of T transcripts are not required as departments will be able to verify the authenticity of your submission through ROSI. However, remember to provide the unofficial transcripts/ROSI screenshots in your OGS application.
To remove a transcript, click on the button "remove transcript" beside the "download transcript" link. Downloading a transcript allows you to view the file that is currently attached to your application. Note, you can only have one file attached per degree. If you already have a transcript on your application and you click "Click here to attach a file", you will be replacing the currently attached file on the system.
To maximize efficiency while navigating through your OGS application, it is recommended that you leave uploading your transcripts to the last step, just before you submit your application. This is especially relevant for applicants who have multiple previous degrees and need to upload several transcripts as they may encounter problems with their uploads and cause their application to stall.
Awards and Financial Aid
OSAP Status
Applicants must be in good standing with OSAP in order to be awarded and hold an OGS. You do not need to apply for OSAP in order to apply for OGS. If you have never applied for OSAP, then you are in good standing. However, if you have a Canada Student Loan (CSL) through another province, it must also be in good standing because restrictions on a CSL is attached to your SIN, which used for your OSAP eligibility check. If unsure, contact the Ministry or the U of T Enrolment Services Office to see if there is a restriction on your OSAP file. Students not currently registered at U of T should contact the OSAP office at their own institution.
For those who are not in good standing, aka has a restriction on their OSAP file, depending on the type of restriction, you may be given time to remedy your status. If nominated by your graduate unit for an OGS, you will have 30 calendar days from the date of notification to clear your restriction.
OSAP Loan Overpayment: You reported to OSAP an increase in income and the reassessment concluded that you received too much funding from OSAP; therefore, you must repay the “overpayment”. Please contact the Enrolment Services Office to find out the exact amount owing.
The following are instructions on how to clear your OSAP loan overpayment restriction (U of T students):
- Make your payment at a bank to the National Student Loans Services Centre (NSLSC) as you would other OSAP payments. For details, you may contact the NSLSC at 1-800-815-4514
- Please note that the NSLSC system does not communicate with the OSAP system and your OSAP file will not be automatically updated. Therefore, about a week after you've made payment, call the National Student Loans Service Centre (number above) and ask them to send (email or fax) the Enrolment Services Office (formerly Admissions and Awards) at U of T a "confirmation of payment" on their letterhead, listing the amount(s) you have paid after the overpayment was put in place. Enrolment Services Office at U of T's contact info is http://www.adm.utoronto.ca/adm-awards/html/contactus.htm
- Once Enrolment Services Office receives this confirmation, they will update your OSAP file since they have access to it.
- You may wish to call the Enrolment Services Office a few days later to make sure they got the confirmation and to see if your OSAP file has been updated.
If you previously re-paid your overpayment, please start with step 2 listed above as your OSAP file was not updated.
OSAP – Income Verification Discrepancy: the Ministry found out that you had misreported your income and placed a restriction on your OSAP file for three to five years. Those affected may appeal the decision. For more information on the appeal process, please contact the U of T Enrolment Services Office. You will not be eligible for OGS until the restriction is lifted.
Previous Government Awards
Select “yes” or “no” for all government funded awards listed to indicate whether you have ever received the award at the graduate level and, if yes, for how many years. In order to hold an OGS for the 2013-2014 academic year, the total number of years of government funded awards should be five or fewer.
Academic Achievements
Scholarships and Awards
List scholarships, fellowships, prizes, and other academic awards you have received and think would be most pertinent to the adjudication of your application (most recent first). Limit awards to those received during your postsecondary education. Fill in all applicable fields and click “Add another” to add another award/scholarship. If this is a long section for you, remember to periodically (every 10 minutes or so) click "Save and Continue" so you don't lose your information in case you time-out. You may enter any text under "Research Contributions" as a "holder" and edit it later.
Definitions
Academic Prize: Recognition based on competition or other criteria in an academic/research setting. Example: A poster competition is held and prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places are awarded to students/researchers.
Fellowship: Financial support to reduce the cost of a graduate student's education. Some fellowships include a tuition waiver or a payment to the University in lieu of tuition. Fellowships may include stipends to cover living expenses.
Bursary: Financial support based on demonstrated financial need and satisfactory academic standing. Additional selection criteria may also be used. Bursaries do not have to be paid back to the university. They supplement students' primary sources of funding such as OSAP, bank loans/lines of credit and parental/spousal contributions.
Scholarship: Financial support based on academic achievement or other criteria that may or may not include financial need. The donor of the scholarship sets the criteria for recipient selection. The grantor specifically intends money be spent to defray the costs of study, training, or research. Proceeds of the scholarship offset the cost of the student's education for an upcoming or current academic year, depending on when the student receives the funds.
Honorary Position: A position given as an honor within an organization, for which there are no duties or payment.
Non-Academic Prize: Recognition based on competition or other criteria outside of an academic/research setting. Example: An award given for outstanding volunteerism and/or leadership within a community.
Postdoctoral Fellowship: Funding given to an individual who has received a doctoral degree (or equivalent) and is engaged in a temporary and defined period of mentored advanced training to enhance the professional skills and research independence needed to pursue his or her chosen career path.
Professional Designation: A credential given by a certifying body, warranting that an individual has the skill/ expertise/knowledge necessary for safe and appropriate practice within a specified trade or profession. Annual dues are usually paid to the certifying body in order to continue to have the right to use the designation.
Research Contributions — maximum one page (approx. 500 words)
If applicable, list publications, presentations, posters, or other significant work. List these works in the referencing style of your discipline. If you do not yet have publications or other research contributions to list, enter N/A in the box.
Formatting: What you see in the Research Contribution textbox is what the reviewers will see. For those using MSWord, it is recommended that you copy your MSWord content into a simple text editor, like Notepad, formatting it as best you can, then copying and pasting it into the Research Contribution textbox. You may also wish to disable the 'smart' copy and paste feature on your computer.
Below is a suggested guideline that you may use to provide details, as appropriate, on the contributions you listed:
- In the left margin, identify refereed publications with an "R". A refereed work is assessed:
- in its entirety - not merely an abstract or extract;
- before publication; and
- by appropriately independent, annonymous, qualified experts. "Independent" in this context means at arm's length from the author
- Specify your role in co-authored publications.
- For published contributions, provide complete bibliographic details (including co-authors, title, publisher, journal, volume, date of publication, number of pages, etc.) as they appear in the original publication.
- For publications in languages other than French or English, provide a translation of the title and the name of the publication.
Group your contributions by category in the following order, listing your most recent contributions first:
Refereed contributions: books (where applicable, subdivide according to those that are single authored, co-authored, and edited works), monographs, book chapters, articles in scholarly refereed journals.
Other refereed contributions, such as: conference proceedings, papers presented at scholarly meetings or conferences, articles in professional or trade journals, etc.
Non-refereed contributions, such as: book reviews, published reviews of your work, papers presented at scholarly meetings or conferences, research reports, policy papers, public lectures, creative works etc.
Forthcoming contributions: Forthcoming contributions should be listed if they have been formally accepted for publication. Provide the name of the journal or book publisher and the number of pages.
Notes: Applicants whose research outputs include creative or artistic works (such as novels, videos, films, visual art works, sound recordings, exhibition catalogues) may list them, starting with the most recent, in a separate category: "Literary and artistic works". This category may be followed by the categories shown above, as appropriate.
Plan of Study
Applicants must complete this section themselves. Provide a description of your proposed research project and/or studies for the period during which you are to hold the award. The length of the Plan of Study should be approximately 500 words.
Formatting: What you see in the Plan of Study textbox is what the reviewers will see. For those using MSWord, it is recommended that you copy your MSWord content into a simple text editor, like Notepad, formatting it as best you can, then copying and pasting it into the Plan of Study textbox. You may also wish to disable the 'smart' copy and paste feature on your computer. Although the application page says "Content must not exceed 500 words", the system will not stop you at 500 words. The word limit for the Plan of Study is an OGS guideline.
For students applying to a thesis stream graduate program:
Write your proposal in clear, plain language and avoid jargon. If you have not yet decided on a specific project, you should still provide a description of a research project that interests you. You are not bound by this project. You may change your research direction or activities during the course of the award. You may use your statement of intent from your admission application.
For students applying to a non-thesis based graduate program:
Describe your plan of studies, including proposed course and research work. In addition, outline your rationale behind engaging in graduate level work. You may use your statement of intent from your admission application.
For students currently in a thesis stream graduate program:
Be as specific as possible while writing your proposal in clear, plain language (avoiding jargon). Your plan of study will be read by faculty members at your graduate unit but they may not be familiar with the details of your research. State the objectives and hypothesis and provide background information to position your proposed research within the context of the current knowledge in the field. Clearly state the differences between work already completed for your thesis and the research activities proposed for the award year. You may also check your departmental website or contact your graduate administrator or faculty members in your department to see if there is anything specific the department is looking for since they will be the ones reviewing your application.
For students currently in a non-thesis based graduate program:
Describe your plan of studies, including proposed course and research work. Outline what stage you are currently at in your studies and what remains to be done before you obtain your degree. You may also check your departmental website or contact your graduate administrator or faculty members in your department to see if there is anything specific the department is looking for since they will be the ones reviewing your application.
For students applying to more than one graduate program:
As all graduate units you apply to will review the same OGS application, it is recommended that you write a more generic Plan of Study so that it can be applied to all units. You may speak to your background and your attributes more and how they will make you suitable for the graduate programs. If there are aspects that are similar, then highlight those. Graduate units will be advised that prospective students may be applying to more than one program and are required to submit a more generic plan of study as a result. If you wrote your statements of intent, you may try to merge them together for your Plan of Study.
You may provide a bibliography or citations (no word limit) in the same text box as the Plan of Study section.
The bibliography may contain the following:
- A bibliography for your proposed plan of study/research proposal; and
- Bibliographic details for all citations included in your Plan of Study. Ensure that they are clear and complete to allow reviewers to locate the sources easily.
Academic References
Provide information about the two (2) referees who will each complete an online Academic Assessment Report. Once they submit their reference online, the data will automatically be attached to your online OGS application and the "Referee Submit Status" will be changed to "complete". You will also receive an email notifying you a referee has submitted their assessment However, you will not be able to view the content of the completed Academic Assessment Form. A blank Academic Assessment Report is available for your reference within the "screenshots" link under the tips and information section above.
You are limited to two referees. Referees should be faculty members or individuals who have had sufficient opportunity to assess your academic potential.
If you are currently completing a bachelor's degree or are just starting graduate-level studies, obtain letters from faculty members who have had sufficient opportunity to assess your academic potential.
If you are completing a master's degree, one of the referees should be your Master's supervisor (or equivalent).
If you are currently enrolled in a doctoral degree program and have a supervisor, one of the letters of appraisal should be from your doctoral thesis supervisor. If you completed a Master's degree previously, the other letter should be from your Master's supervisor (or equivalent). If you do not yet have a supervisor, obtain letters from faculty members who have had sufficient opportunity to assess your academic potential, at the bachelor's or Master's level.
If you have changed universities since last year, one of the letters of appraisal should be from a faculty member at the previous university.
In addition to the email that the U of T OGS application sends to your referee, it is good practice that you also send your referee the following information:
• a list of your research contributions;
• a copy of your Plan of Study; and
• a summary of your experiences with the referee that highlight the attributes being assessed in the report.
Deadline date:
Enter the date by which the appraisal must be submitted to your application. This does not need to be the same date as your departmental deadline. In fact, you should ensure you give yourself enough time (e.g. at least a couple of days) to receive the assessment and complete your application before your departmental deadline. Note: You can only submit your OGS application when both references are complete.
Resending a Reference Request or Changing a Referee:
If your original referee would like to make changes, or they did not receive or lost the original email request, you can resend them the request:
• Click on "Remove Referee" under the referee's name on your application form.
• Re-enter the referee's information.
• Click on "Save and Continue" and s/he will receive a new email request.
Please remind them to check their junk mail box. The email should only take a few seconds to arrive. If the email doesn't arrive after a few minutes, ask if they have a personal email address that can receive the request instead. Clicking on "Save and Continue" will only cause an email to be sent to the newly added email address. The other referee, whose information was not changed, will not receive another request.
Review
Review all components of your application for accuracy and completeness before submitting.
Transcripts: Remember to attach your transcripts at this stage if you haven't done so already. The "Download transcript" link indicates that your transcript was attached successfully to you application. You'll notice that if you click on the link, it'll allow you to download a copy of what you submitted. If your academic assessments are incomplete, you will be
able to "Save and Return to Home" on the Review page. Once both assessment reports have been submitted and your application is complete, you will be able to use the "Review & Submit" link on the home page through which you can "Submit" your application. Note: You must click the "Submit" button in order for your application to be submitted.
Confirmation
This page confirms that your application has been submitted to the University of Toronto. It is recommended that you record your confirmation number and print a copy of your application for your records. After submission, the graduate unit(s) that you chose in the Proposed Studies section of your OGS application will have access your application through the system.
Questions?
If you have further questions regarding the OGS application, please contact ogs@sgs.utoronto.ca.