Emergency Grants

Undergraduate Emergency Grants

University of Toronto grants assist students with unmet need with respect to their educational expenses (ex., tuition, books and supplies, living costs). University of Toronto grants are not intended to fund non-educational expenses or to repay your debts.  

The COVID-19 Emergency Undergraduate Grant assists current U of T undergraduate domestic and international students impacted by COVID-19 who need immediate short-term financial relief because of unexpected expenses. This grant is open to both part-time and full-time students.  

Each request for emergency aid is considered on its own merits and based on need associated with an educational program and unexpected critical costs incurred by students as a direct result of COVID-19.  Expenses that may be considered include living costs, travel home, moving costs, technology, mandatory Government of Canada hotel quarantine cost and other extraordinary and reasonable needs.  

The grant does not cover expenses that are unrelated to COVID-19, existing debt obligations or non-essential expenses. Examples of ineligible expenses are tuition fees to U of T; summer tuition fees for courses taken elsewhere; support for partner or family expenses; expenses for MCAT preparatory course; mortgage or maintenance fees for secondary residence and other discretionary expenses (e.g., missed car payment, gym membership).  

Current U of T undergraduate students can apply for the COVID-19 Emergency Grant through the Undergraduate Grant portal.

How to Apply for the Undergraduate Emergency Grant

It is expected that prior to applying for this grant, students will have explored all sources of funding such as family support, savings, study period income, OSAP or other government assistance programs, daycare subsidies, and bank lines of credit as appropriate.   

U of T undergraduate students can apply through the Undergraduate Grant Application Portal.

  1. Log in to the Undergraduate Grant Application Portal using your UTORid. 
  1. Select Start New Application to begin your application. 
  1. Complete all sections of the application. You may save the application as a draft and complete it at a later date. 
  1. When complete, at the end of the form, select Submit. If any required fields have been missed, they will be flagged in red. 
  1. Your faculty/division/college will review the application and will forward their recommendation or decision to the University Registrar’s Office.  

You must complete all four pages of the application. Insufficient information and/or documentation will affect the consideration of your application for a grant. 

It may take 4-6 weeks for a decision to be made on your grant application. During the start of each semester during the months of September, January and May, the processing times will be slightly longer. 

To view the status on your grant applications, log in to the Undergraduate Grant Application Portal.

If approved, you will be able to view the grant payment information on ACORN, under the Awards & Financial Aid section of your ACORN account.  

If you have questions regarding the grant application, please contact your faculty, college or campus for assistance. 

Graduate Emergency Grants

Graduate students can access financial support from a variety of sources. It is expected that prior to applying for financial assistance and need-base grants and awards, students will have explored all sources of support such as OSAP or other government assistance programs, bank loans and student lines of credit, family support, personal savings, daycare subsidies, summer and study period income as appropriate. Learn more about funding and resources for Research Stream Students and Professional Degree Students. 

Graduate students who have encountered an unforeseen financial emergency during their program should inquire about the availability of emergency grants. SGS Emergency Grants are not intended to replace or make up a shortfall in OSAP, other funding sources, or serve as routine or long-term support, but aim to provide short-term, immediate relief during a financial crisis and/or unexpected expenses due to COVID-19. Graduate students are encouraged to inquire with their Faculty Registrar’s Office for available resources or the School of Graduate Studies. 

Other Resources

Please contact your faculty, college, or campus for instructions regarding additional grants available.