Because no grants are available to young gifted students, the Ontario government takes the initiative by having a gifted program in provincial schools that aims to identify and challenge students who are gifted academically. The main goals are to keep students engaged academically and get them involved in extracurricular activities in preparation for post-secondary education. With this program Ontario aims to put gifted students in the best position to make successful applications for scholarships, grants and bursaries to help fund their continuing education.
The Ontario Student Assistance Program is run by the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. It is the program of choice for students searching for grants, bursaries and scholarships in Ontario. Grants and bursaries are awarded based on financial need and do not need to be repaid. Scholarships are awarded to students with strong academic merit and also do not need to be repaid. Eligibility for OSAP hinges on the school a student plans to attend as well as the specific program in which he is enrolled. The program must lead to a degree, diploma or certificate and must last at least 12 weeks.
Scholarships Canada is an educational site that organizes information on scholarship, student awards and bursaries across Canada for students. The scholarships are awarded through a combination of academic achievement, extracurricular activities and financial need. Many of the awards are handed to students who are involved in the community as well. High-ranking academic students will be eligible to receive scholarships upon their entrance to certain schools or programs. ScholarshipsCanada.com allows students to filter awards to Ontario and to specific schools, making it a useful tool to find awards for which they are eligible.