The Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS): A Complete Guide

Is OGS Open to Indian and UAE-Based Applicants?

Generally yes, but with a real caveat worth understanding before you plan around it. International students studying in Ontario with a valid student study permit are eligible for OGS, but only for a limited, separately allotted quota of international student awards at each university, not the same open pool domestic applicants compete in. More importantly, some universities restrict this further: at the University of Waterloo specifically, prospective (not-yet-enrolled) international students cannot apply for OGS at all, only current international graduate students already studying there are eligible. Other universities appear to allow new international applicants to apply. Confirm the specific international eligibility rules at your target university before assuming OGS is available to you as an incoming student, this is genuinely one of the most institution-dependent scholarships covered in this guide.

What Is the Ontario Graduate Scholarship?

OGS recognises academic excellence broadly across all fields of graduate study, it isn't tied to a specific subject, research theme, or career path the way several other scholarships in this guide are. Funding is split between the Province of Ontario (typically covering roughly two-thirds of the award value) and the host university (covering the remaining third), though the exact split can vary slightly by institution.

Who Is Eligible for OGS?

According to common criteria across participating Ontario universities:

• Canadian citizens, Permanent Residents, or Protected Persons under the relevant Canadian immigration legislation, at the time of the application deadline
• Enrolled, or intending to enrol, full-time in an eligible graduate program at a publicly-assisted Ontario university
• Strong academic performance: applicants entering their first or second year of graduate study need at least an A- average (or equivalent) in each of their last two completed years of full-time study; applicants in their third year or beyond need an overall A- average across all completed graduate coursework
• Not exceeded the lifetime maximum of government-funded graduate award support, capped at six years total across OGS and related federal programs (SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR) combined, with separate per-level caps of two years for Master's students and four years for doctoral students specifically under OGS

International students studying in Ontario with a valid student study permit are eligible for the university's allotted international student awards specifically, a separate, generally smaller quota than the main domestic competition

Some universities allow discretionary exceptions for highly meritorious applicants who fall just below the required GPA, cases might include documented medical issues, family care responsibilities, a change in career path, or mature students with significant professional experience, though this is at the individual graduate unit's discretion, not a guaranteed exception.

What Does OGS Cover?

• $5,000 per term, up to a maximum of three terms, for a maximum annual value of $15,000
• Must be held for a minimum of two consecutive terms, meaning the smallest possible award is $10,000, not a single $5,000 term in isolation
• Payments are issued directly to your student account at the start of each term, automatically applied toward tuition and any outstanding fees first, with any remainder refunded to you

How Do I Apply for OGS?

1. Because OGS has no single national application, the process runs entirely through your specific university:
2. Apply for admission to your chosen graduate program first, if you're not already enrolled, since most universities require a complete admission application before or alongside your OGS application, and this can take considerable time to prepare
3. Confirm your specific university's OGS application deadline and process. These vary meaningfully, some universities set one central deadline, others delegate different deadlines to individual departments or graduate units
4. Complete the OGS application form through your university's specific system (examples include ACORN at the University of Toronto, Carleton Central at Carleton University, or dedicated OGS portals at other institutions)
5. Secure two academic reference or assessment forms, submitted directly by your referees through your university's specified process, reach out to potential referees well in advance
6. Submit your transcripts, either as part of your application admission package or separately, depending on your specific university's process
7. Submit before your program's specific deadline. Late applications are generally not accepted under any circumstances, so confirm the exact date directly rather than assuming a general pattern applies to your program

Can I Hold OGS Alongside Other Funding?

Generally no. OGS cannot typically be held concurrently with other government-funded awards, including SSHRC, NSERC, and CIHR funding, and if you have a pending decision from one of these agencies while holding an OGS offer, most universities advise accepting the OGS first and adjusting later if the other award comes through. There's also a related but separate award, the Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology (QEII-GSST), often processed through the same application at many universities, but this one is explicitly restricted to domestic students only, international students are not eligible for QEII-GSST even where they are eligible for OGS itself.

FAQs About the Ontario Graduate Scholarship

Are Indian and UAE citizens eligible for OGS?

Yes, generally, provided you hold a valid Ontario student study permit and your specific university's international quota is open to your situation. Confirm directly with your target university, since some, like Waterloo, restrict OGS to current international students only, not new applicants.

Is there one single OGS application for all of Ontario?

No. You apply separately through each specific university where you're enrolled or applying, with different deadlines and processes set at the institutional or even departmental level.

How much is OGS worth?

Up to $15,000 a year, paid as $5,000 per term for a maximum of three terms, with a minimum holding period of two consecutive terms.

Can international students receive the related QEII-GSST award too?

No. QEII-GSST is restricted to domestic (Canadian citizen, PR, or Protected Person) students only, even at universities where international students are eligible for standard OGS funding.

Is there a lifetime limit on how long I can receive OGS?

Yes. Two years total for Master's students, four years for doctoral students, and an overall lifetime cap of six years across OGS and related federal government-funded graduate awards combined.

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Sources: Official Ontario Graduate Scholarship pages from the University of Toronto, University of Waterloo, University of Guelph, Western University, Queen's University, and Toronto Metropolitan University, cross-referenced for consistent and institution-specific eligibility details.