Scholarships

Scholarships

Scholarships are non-repayable monetary awards issued based on criteria such as merit, musical achievement, financial need, community engagement, leadership and athletic performance.  

The Faculty of Music awards a large number of  Entrance Scholarships each year. All applicants are considered automatically for the Faculty of Music Entrance Scholarships. Criteria for these awards include academic achievements and/or musical abilities based on your audition or a combination of both. See the Faculty of Music Academic Calendar for scholarship listings

A number of these awards are reserved exclusively for Ontario residents who are able to demonstrate financial need. Applicants who are Ontario residents are, therefore, strongly encouraged to complete the University of Toronto Advanced Planning for Students (UTAPS) application online in order to determine their eligibility for these awards.

In addition, the University of Toronto also offers awards on the basis of financial need, academic merit, demonstrated leadership and other specific criteria. To be considered for awards on the basis of one or any of these criteria, complete the Awards Profile by logging into JOIN UofT and following the Awards Profile link. These awards are open to Canadian citizens, Permanent Residents and Protected Persons. A small number of these awards also require additional letters or documentation. Please contact see the award explorer for details.

  • A Scholarship or Prize is awarded to a student for high academic and/or musical achievement. Applications are not normally necessary for scholarships, but those that require an application are listed below in the Awards by application section. There are a number of scholarships which require the student to be an Ontario resident and demonstrate financial need. Financial need for current students is based on whether or not the student qualifies for OSAP.  For incoming students, financial need determination for Entrance Scholarships/Admissions Scholarships is determined through an application to UTAPS and the Awards Profile on Join U of T. Prospective students are encouraged to complete the UTAPS application by February 28 and complete the Awards Profile by the date indicated on Join U of T, to increase their chances of being considered for the need-based awards.

    Entrance Scholarships

    These are awarded on the basis of your entrance audition and academic achievement, on admission. Students normally receive notification of scholarship(s) with the offer of admission or shortly thereafter. Scholarship recipients can expect to receive an official letter detailing their scholarship in July/August.

    A comprehensive list of the scholarships is available in the Academic Calendar.  

    In-Course Scholarships

    The Faculty of Music awards a significant number of scholarships to returning students. Students are notified in late-June regarding any scholarships that they are eligible to receive for the upcoming academic year. 

    In-Course scholarships do not require applications and are based on a combination of academic and/or musical achievement, depending on the specific award. 

    A comprehensive list of the scholarships is available in the Academic Calendar. 

    The scholarships are credited to a student’s ACORN account in early October. It will first be applied to your outstanding tuition fees to help you pay down your outstanding balance. If the value of your scholarship is greater than your outstanding balance, the remaining credit will be refunded to you via direct deposit if you have opted-in to this option on ACORN.

  • Student Awards (scholarships and grants) are non-repayable monetary awards issued based on criteria such as merit, financial need, community engagement, leadership and athletic performance.  The University of Toronto offers centrally administrated  awards throughout the university.  Admission awards are for newly admitted students entering the University of Toronto in year one of their undergraduate studies. Students are automatically considered for a variety of admission awards when they apply to U of T. There are also admission awards that require students to complete a separate application or awards profile. 

    Some of the centrally awarded scholarships for Music Students in the past years have been the National Scholar, Arbor Scholar, Lester B. Pearson International Scholarships, University of Toronto Scholars Program and the President's Scholars of Excellence Program.

     See the future students website for details on these, and other centrally awarded scholarships and grants.

  • A number of entrance/admissions scholarships, are awarded to domestic Ontario residents who are able to demonstrate financial need.  Some of these scholarships are renewable awards.  In order to assess your eligibility for these awards, applicants should complete the UTAPS Financial Need application through the Need Navigator tool by the posted deadline in February of each admissions cycle.

    The Need Navigator tool is an online HUB site hosted by the University Registrar’s Office that incoming and current University of Toronto students can access to complete a UTAPS application for determination of financial need.

    The UTAPS application will ask questions to help determine a student’s category and status, such as whether they are still financially dependent on their parent(s). Students will also be asked to provide income details for either themselves, or their parent(s), or spouse – depending on their status – to help determine their financial situation.

    Once an applicant submits the application, the information will be used to help determine a student’s eligibility for our Faculty of Music awards which are needs based.

  • The Awards Profile makes it possible for U of T applicants in Canada to be considered for admission awards based on financial need, academic merit, leadership, and other criteria.  

    Find out more about the Awards Profile.

Bursaries

Bursaries (also called grants) are non-repayable sums of money designed to assist students who have first explored all other avenues of financial assistance such as family support, summer savings, study period income, OSAP or other government assistance programs, and who still encounter financial difficulties or are experiencing a sudden change in their financial situation. Bursaries are a source of help in covering modest and often unexpected shortfalls of income rather than as a principal resource. These grants are intended to assist domestic students with unmet financial need with respect to their educational expenses. 

Each request for assistance is considered on its own merits and based on need associated with an educational program and unexpected critical costs incurred by students. These grants are not intended to fund non-educational expenses or to repay your debts.  

There are 2 rounds of bursaries; one during each term.  Applications are due November 1st and February 1st. 

When applications become available, students login to the University of Toronto Grant Application Portal at   https://www3.adm.utoronto.ca/Grant/index.php. 

Awards by Application

The following awards require an application to be considered. All awards in this section are given out by the Faculty of Music. Applications will be posted as they become available.

  • Carolyn and Robert Lake Graduating Award

    • To be awarded to one outstanding graduating student at the Faculty of Music, in the undergraduate, graduate, diploma or certificate program, specializing in classical Music Composition or classical Performance. Applicants must submit a well-considered statement of intent on how they intend to advance their professional development, in the year immediately after graduation. Those pursuing further study at either the University of Toronto, or another university are ineligible to apply.
    • Value: one award at $7,500 (approximate value) 
    • Who can apply: Students who are intending to graduate in June 2024 or who have graduated in November 2023, specializing in Classical Music Composition or Classical Performance. Only applicants with a Cumulative GPA of 3.3 or B+ will be considered. Those pursuing further study at either the University of Toronto, or another university are ineligible to apply.
    • Application Process:
      • The following documents need to be submitted as one package by the 1st of May to the Faculty of Music Registrar’s Office.

                1. Graduating Award Application: https://forms.office.com/r/A3mNT3S6xi 

                2. Statement of Intent (as an attachment, in part of the above)

                3. Resume

                4. Two letters of nomination from faculty members who have known you for at least two years, sent directly to registrar.music@utoronto.ca. The referees should provide an appraisal in terms of the criteria of the award.

    • Deadline: May 1st, 2024 Incomplete applications will not be considered.
     

    William and Phyllis Waters Graduating Award OR Tecumseh Sherman Rogers Graduating Award

    • To be awarded to a graduating student who is deemed to have the greatest potential to make an important contribution to the field of Music. As part of the application, candidates must outline how this award will assist in financing their career development following graduation.
    • Value: two awards at $25,000 each
    • Who can apply: Undergraduate or Graduate Students who are intending to graduate in June 2024 or who have graduated in November 2023. Only applicants with a Cumulative GPA of 3.3 or B+ will be considered. Applicants must be an Ontario resident* and be able to demonstrate financial need.
    • Application Process:
      • The following documents need to be submitted by May 1st, 2024:​​​

                a. Graduating Award Application: https://forms.office.com/r/VGVUyD4Y6c 

                b. Statement of Intent (as an attachment, in part of the above)

                c. Resume (as an attachment, in part of the above)

                d. Two letters of nomination from faculty members who have known you for at least two years. The referees should provide an appraisal in terms of the criteria of the award. They must be sent to registrar.music@utoronto.ca by the deadline.

    • Deadline: May 1st, 2024; Incomplete applications will not be considered.
    • *Ontario Residency:
      • To be eligible, students must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents and satisfy one of the following criteria: 

                1. student has always resided in Ontario or

                2. Ontario is the last province that the student has resided in for 12 consecutive months without being a full-time post-secondary student or

               3. Student who is considered married for OSAP purposes can be considered an Ontario resident if the student’s partner has resided in Ontario for at least 12 consecutive months immediately before the last day of the month in which classes began for the student’s most recent period of full-time post-secondary studies and during this time, the student’s partner was not enrolled in full-time postsecondary studies or

               4. a single dependent student can be considered an Ontario resident if the student’s parent(s), step-parents(s), legal guardian(s), or official sponsor(s) has resided in Ontario for at least 12 consecutive months immediately before the last day of the month in which classes began for the student’s most recent period of full-time postsecondary studies. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

    • **Demonstration of Financial Need
      • If you have incurred no debt, but still wish to be considered for these awards, include a statement that clearly outlines how you were able to meet your post-secondary expenses, without incurring a debt. It is in your interest to be as detailed as possible. In addition, include a budget that highlights the costs associated with the career development plans, you intend to pursue. The Scholarships & Awards Committee will use this statement to determine if you are eligible to be considered for these awards.

    • Summer study awards are intended to assist students at the Faculty of Music to continue their musical study outside of the academic year. 
    • Completed application forms with the required supporting documentation must be submitted to the Registrar's Office by May 1st.
    • New this year! There is one application form for all five summer study awards:
    • Summer Study Awards Overview
    • Summer Study Application Form 2024
    • Statement of Intent Form 2024 (complete one for each program you wish to attend)
    • The five awards have different goals and eligibility criteria beyond what is listed below so be sure to read the Summer Study Awards Overview carefully before applying. Please contact registrar.music@utoronto.ca with any questions.
    • David and Marcia Beach Summer Study Awards 
      • Established 2004 
      • To be awarded to promising upper-year students in all undergraduate and graduate music programs who are Ontario residents demonstrating financial need to provide support for continued study outside the academic session. This could take place through summer programs in Canada and abroad or through private study. Applications would be reviewed on the basis of academic standing, reasonable budgeting and the impact the studies will have on the students’ professional development. 
    • Plotényi Békássy-Tassonyi Award for Music Undergraduate Study Abroad
      • The purpose of the award is to assist one undergraduate student to pursue a program of study, internship, research or exchange outside of Canada.
    • Jean A. Chalmers Award 
      • Established 1967 
      • To assist one or more exceptionally promising students of the Faculty of Music in taking master classes or lessons from a distinguished performing artist not on the staff of the Faculty of Music or the Royal Conservatory of Music, either one visiting the Faculty or RCM for the special purpose of giving such classes or lessons, or one giving such classes elsewhere in Canada. In making the award, consideration is given to the financial need of the student.
    • Carolyn and Robert Lake Foreign Study Award
      • The purpose of the award is to assist one student in the Classical Performance or Composition program pursue intercultural study abroad, focusing on the performance of another of the world’s musical traditions.
    • Strings Summer Study Award
      • The purpose of this award is to assist one or two undergraduate strings students continue their musical study outside the academic session.

    • The purpose of the award is to assist students to participate in activities such as summer academies, competitions, performances/recitals, research, internships, and field courses in France, between May 2024–April 2025. The award will cover all expenses necessary to participate in a learning or performance opportunity in France, including travel, accommodation, registration fees for courses, programs, or competitions, and performance-related expenses such as accompanists, transporting instruments, rehearsal time, venue expenses, and coaching and lessons. These awards are open to domestic and international students. Adjudication of applications will be based on the applicant’s academic and professional achievements, the relevance of the proposed project for their career development, and the impact of the award on their educational and professional development.
    • If you have any questions about this award, please reach out to Dr. Carolyne Sumner at carolyne.sumner@utoronto.ca 
    • Click here for the application: France-Canada Cultural Exchange Experience France Award

    • The Government of Ontario is providing funds again for the Ontario-Ukraine Solidarity Scholarship to support undergraduate and graduate students. To qualify, students must: be impacted by the Ukrainian conflict or other conflicts around the world, be registered in full-time or part-time studies at U of T, be studying at the undergraduate or graduate (research stream) level, be physically present in Ontario for the 2023-24 academic year, have financial need, and demonstrate academic merit.
    • Amount: Four awards of $10,000 each
    • Application link: https://registrar.utoronto.ca/finances-and-funding/awards-scholarships-bursaries-grants/ 

    • The Government of Ontario is providing funding for the Indigenous Student Bursary. This award is provided to self-identified Indigenous students in Canada (for the purposes of this bursary, an Indigenous person in Canada is anyone who states that they are an Indigenous person, that is, First Nations, Inuk (Inuit) or Métis), be registered in full-time or part-time studies, be studying at the undergraduate or graduate (research stream) level at U of T, demonstrate financial need, and meet Canadian citizenship and Ontario residency requirements.
    • Amount: Awards will be between $1,000 to $3,500
    • Application link: https://registrar.utoronto.ca/finances-and-funding/awards-scholarships-bursaries-grants/ 
    • Deadline to apply: Friday February 16, 2024 (11:59 pm)
    • Please note: This bursary is separate from the U of T Indigenous Tuition Grant and students receiving the Grant are also eligible to apply for this bursary.

    • Who can apply: Undergraduate student(s) registered in Year 1 of the degree program at the Faculty of Music who self-identify as Black and/or Indigenous and demonstrate excellent musical and academic potential at the Faculty of Music.
    • Value: Varies
    • Application Process: Applicants must self-identify as Black and/or Indigenous on the application and submit a statement (maximum of one page) that highlights their musical interest and goals for their degree program.
    • Deadline: November 1st, 2023; applications must be sent to registrar.music@utoronto.ca. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

    • The application for the Iranian Student Memorial Scholarship is now open. These needs-based awards are for international students from Iran who have been admitted to U of T in an undergraduate or graduate program or domestic or international students studying Iranian studies at U of T. This award was established in 2020 in honour of the victims of Flight PS752. 
    • The application deadline is November 30, 2023. We will notify recipients in January 2024.

U of T’s Award Explorer tool can also help students explore the diverse U of T funding opportunities that recognize student achievements and financially support their studies.

Other Sources of Funding

External Awards

  • In this section we will provide information on external awards available to undergraduate students as they become available.
  • We also encourage students to seek external awards and scholarships on websites such as yconic.com and scholarshipscanada.com for further funding options.