Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) Program: Terms of Reference/ Guidelines

Award Announcement


To: Graduate Coordinators; Graduate Administrators
From: Kerri Huffman, Associate Director, Student Services: Graduate Awards & Financial Aid
CC: Heather Kelly; Director, Student Services, Luc De Nil, Vice-Dean, Students
Date: 28/09/2012

Re: Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) Program: Terms of Reference/ Guidelines

Further to the memo from Brian Corman, Dean of Graduate Studies and Vice-Provost, Graduate Education dated September 28, 2012; the following provides details with respect to the administration of the Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) Program.

For award eligibility please refer to Decanal memo dated Sept. 28, 2012: SGS #001, 2012-2013

Beginning with the 2013-14 year, the University of Toronto will become responsible for the intake, processing, adjudication and awarding of the Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) on behalf of the Province of Ontario. Although the OGS awards will be administered by the University of Toronto, it is still considered to be an external award.

Allocation for Domestic Student Applications

The School of Graduate Studies will provide each graduate unit with an allocation of domestic OGS awards. The allocation is calculated based on an 85% weighting of previous OGS success rates (a 3-year average) combined with a 15% weighting of overall graduate population. Allocations will be provided to units on Oct. 1st.

Quota for Visa Student Applications

A competition for the visa student OGS applications will be centrally adjudicated by SGS in the winter session. Deadlines and quota information will be provided in an Award Announcement.

Value and Matching

The value of the OGS Award remains at $10,000 for a 2-term award and $15,000 for a 3-term award. Graduate units remain responsible for contributing 1/3 of the overall award value.

Application Process

• The School of Graduate Studies will develop a centralized on-line OGS application available to prospective and returning students in November 2012.

• Graduate units will have the flexibility to develop their own local deadlines for the submission of OGS applications from applicants.

• Prospective students may submit a single application to multiple U of T graduate units.

• Graduate Units will be able to view all OGS applications made to their unit (including both prospective and returning students).

Adjudication

Individual units will now be responsible for adjudicating their OGS awards and selecting eligible students based on academic excellence; giving equitable consideration to prospective and current students in Masters, Doctoral and Professional Masters programs.

• Units will assess OGS awards based on academic excellence.

• Graduate units will follow their internal scholarship committee guidelines (or may establish new guidelines for OGS award committees).

• OGS awards may be awarded for a minimum of 2-terms to a maximum of 6-terms.

• Units are encouraged to balance single year awards and renewable awards to provide flexibility in OGS adjudications in subsequent years.

• Graduate units will ensure OGS recipients meet eligibility criteria (with exception of OSAP eligibility which will be verified by the Graduate Awards Office (GAO)).

• Graduate units will forward award decisions to the GAO no later than June 1st of each year, including both selected recipients as well as a reversion list in the event that candidates within the unit’s allocation do not meet OSAP eligibility or decline the award offer.

Award notification/ Payment process

• The Graduate Awards Office will notify award recipients on behalf of the Province of Ontario following central OSAP checks.

• Students will be required to complete an on-line notice of award acceptance and agreement to the terms and conditions of the award.

• Units will be required to confirm students’ OGS approval (e.g. commitment to contributing 1/3 of award value, student’s eligibility).

• Students will receive award payments via ROSI.

• All OGS award allocations are to be used within the fiscal year (i.e. summer – winter sessions).

• There is no carry-forward of OGS allocations permitted.

Leaves of Absence/Interruption of Award

• Students may be granted a leave of absence of up to 18-months, for reasons including:

o Parental leave

o Family or medical leave

o Compassionate leave (e.g. bereavement)

• Students who withdraw without completing 14 weeks of full-time study in any term will be asked to repay the installment received during that session.

• Students returning from a leave are eligible to resume their OGS award upon full-time registration; however, as no carry-forward of OGS awards are permitted, this award must be granted from a unit’s future allocation.

Reporting

• Units are to report to SGS:

• Name of student, student number, year of study

• Program and normal program length

• Value of scholarship

• Whether it is a new award or a renewal

• Whether the recipient is on a leave/returning from leave (as applicable)

• Reports are to be submitted to SGS no later than Aug 15th each year (starting 2014) and reporting back to the fall, winter, summer session of the previous year.

• Reports will be forwarded to the Province of Ontario by the GAO on behalf of the graduate units.

International OGS Awards

• Given the small number of awards available to international students, the Graduate Awards Office will hold a centralized adjudication of OGS awards for Visa students.

• New admits and returning students are eligible to apply.

• Units will receive a quota for number of submissions from the GAO in late fall.

• Award Adjudication will take place through the GAO in the winter session.

• OGS Awards for Visa students are tenable for one year only (i.e. they are not renewable).