FAQ’s

A bursary is a monetary award that is granted on the basis of financial need. Bursaries do not have to be repaid.

Carleton University offers bursaries to undergraduate students who are in receipt of some type of loan funding from either government student financial assistance (OSAP or other province) or from a financial institution and continue to demonstrate financial need in order to finance their studies.

If you are applying for a bursary be prepared to present a budget estimating your expenses and sources of funds, including such things as your personal savings, family support and government assistance.

By law, the Canada Revenue Agency requires Carleton to report bursaries, scholarships, awards, prizes, and tuition waiver amounts provided to students. These amounts are shown as income in Box 28 of the T4A. Your T4A will be mailed to your address listed on Carleton Central in February and reflects the amounts you have received from Carleton during the calendar year (January 1 to December 31). For income tax purposes and preparing your T4A slip, your Social Insurance Number (SIN) is required.

Visit the Canada Revenue Agency website for more information on students and income tax.

Bursaries are posted to your student account and then applied to any outstanding tuition balances. If your tuition is already paid and the bursary has created a surplus on your account, you can contact Student Accounts to request a refund.

Bursaries are awarded to students based on the financial need they demonstrated for the current academic session. Therefore, if you are not able to attend in a given year you may not defer the bursary for use in subsequent years. However, you may re-apply for a bursary in the following term/year when you are registered at Carleton. Your financial need will be evaluated on the basis of your circumstances at that time.

Prospective Students
Entrance Bursaries for incoming first-year students are assessed on an on-going basis until the June 30 deadline. If you are awarded an entrance bursary, you will receive a letter shortly after the date we received your application and an admission decision has been made. Candidates who have not been awarded a bursary will not receive a letter.

Current Carleton Students
If you are a current registered undergraduate student, you will be able to access the online Applications for Bursaries/Awards system on Carleton Central at the beginning of September for the Fall/Winter session. The deadline to complete and submit a bursary application is late October.  The Bursary Committee will review your application and you will be advised of the decision sometime in December.

You and your family will bear the greatest responsibility for funding your education. To be fair to all, we base our student financial assistance decisions on ability and not willingness to pay. Consequently, Carleton’s need-based assistance will be used to help those students in the greatest financial difficulty.

Because the bursary program is need-based, funding is directed to those students with the greatest need who have the fewest options for securing sufficient funding to finance their education. Generally, students who receive a bursary are also in receipt of some type of loan funding from either government student financial assistance (OSAP) or from a financial institution and continue to demonstrate financial need.

Prospective Carleton Students
If you have been given an offer of admission to Carleton you will receive information on the various forms of financial assistance available to help you finance your studies. To be considered for a Carleton University Entrance Bursary, simply apply online by the end of June.

Current Carleton Students
If you are a current registered undergraduate student, you will be able to access the online Applications for Bursaries/Awards system on Carleton Central at the beginning of September for the Fall/Winter session. The deadline to complete and submit a bursary application is late October. The Bursary Committee will review your application and you will be advised of the decision sometime in December.

Scholarships are merit-based and are awarded for scholastic achievement. Bursaries are need-based and are granted on the basis of financial need. Both are non-repayable.

Bursary decision appeals or requests for a reassessment will be considered only if there is new financial information or extenuating circumstances not included on your original bursary application. A Bursary Appeal / Reassessment Request Form must be completed and supported by sufficient information and documentation. Please contact the Awards Office by the deadline dates listed on the form to arrange a personal interview for reviewing your request and the new financial information or extenuating circumstances.

All appeal decisions made by the Bursary Committee are final and are subject to the availability of funds.

If you are married/common-law, you can be considered an Ontario resident if:

• your spouse has always lived in Ontario or
• your spouse has lived in Ontario for the last 12 months in a row without being a full-time post-secondary student or
• All of these statements are true:
  • you now reside in Ontario
  • you’ve lived in Canada for less than 12 months in a row
  • your spouse has lived in Canada for less than 12 months in a row

If you qualify as a dependent student, you’re considered an Ontario resident if:

• Ontario is the last province in which your parent(s) have lived in for at least 12 months in a row or
• All of these statements are true:
  • you now reside in Ontario
  • you’ve lived in Canada for less than 12 months in a row
  • your parent(s) have lived in Canada for less than 12 months in a row