Financing Your Education Southwood S.S. Mrs. Krawchyk This presentation is designed to give you general information regarding scholarships. 1

Topics Of Discussion Scholarships - definition Types of scholarships Application procedures Tips Useful websites Bursaries and OSAP

What is a scholarship? Money given to a student to help him/her pay for his/her education

Three Types of Scholarships Scholarships requiring a school nomination – complete the required application Scholarships not requiring a nomination – complete the required application Scholarships not requiring an application i.e. entrance scholarships based on marks

Getting Started Check the Guidance section of SSS’s website for recent updates http://sss.wrdsb.ca/ Visit the web sites provided Search the web for other possibilities

A Few More Tips…. Review scholarship opportunities at all Ontario Universities by going to www.electronicinfo.ca Review scholarship opportunities for College at ontariocolleges.ca, click on “colleges”, “choosing a college”, click on “paying for college” Check whether your parents’ place of employment offers scholarships Inquire at local clubs, ethnic organizations, church groups and professional organizations which you are a member of.

Useful Websites www.studentawards.com www.scholarshipscanada.com http://www.wrdsb.ca/programs/secondary-school- information/scholarships/waterloo-region-scholarships https://juno.aucc.ca/wes/hes.aspx?pg=834 www.osap.gov.on.ca www.campusaccess.com www.canlearn.ca

A few pointers when completing an application for a Scholarship: Check to make sure you meet the requirements of the scholarship before applying. Advance preparation is required – do not wait until the last minute to complete your application! Treat applying to scholarships like a part-time job – it takes work! Follow the instructions very carefully and fully complete each application. Have a parent help you (proofreading, work and volunteer experiences, etc.) There are hundreds of scholarships available. If you are planning on applying for scholarships make sure you are selective. Ask yourself - Do I meet the selection criteria? Apply to the scholarships that best suit you. It is important to find a balance here – your marks are important as well. Some of these scholarships target specific groups of people. For example, one of the requirements for the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation Scholarshipis you must be of First Nations, Inuit or Metis Heritage. 8

Applying for Scholarships that Require a School Nomination Carefully complete a student resume form (download form from “Scholarship Info” on SSS website – complete this form electronically) Return the form to Mrs.Krawchyk to be considered for all awards requiring a school nomination. Keep a copy for yourself. Update your student resume forms as your information changes. See Mrs. Krawchyk to update the hard copy of your resume (i.e. if you change the schools that you apply to!)

Remember the importance of……. Volunteering: many scholarships put more emphasis on community service, extra-curricular involvement than on marks Marks: very important for entrance scholarships .5% could cost you thousands of $$$$$

Bursaries Bur-sa-ry n. 1: a monetary grant to a student in need Complete the last page of the student resume Visit the web sites provided Search the web for other possibilities Visit http://osap.gov.on.ca Names of references or letters of recommendations are often required These take time. Do not wait until the last minute to ask for reference letters etc. Some scholarships require essay submissions. 11

Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) Objective: To help the students from lower-income families meet the costs of post-secondary education. You may apply to OSAP (in the spring) for a loan online at http://osap.gov.on.ca or by sending in a paper application. Attend the presentation on how to apply for OSAP in the Spring.

Feeling Overwhelmed?

Fear Not… Start researching early Save all your work and reference letters Pay attention to due dates Check out the Scholarship page on the SSS website Update your resume Volunteer!

-Follow us on Twitter @SSSGuidance For more information: -Follow us on Twitter @SSSGuidance -Join the SSS Guidance Google Classroom -Check our Guidance tab on the Southwood Website