Â鶹´«Ă˝

OISE Faculty-wide Awards (Descriptions)

Alexandra & Leonid Semeniuk Award

This award was established to provide financial assistance to a graduate student in financial need who has an area of interest in either of the following fields: Feminist Education Studies, English, or Teacher Development. Preference will be given to a student in, but not necessarily confined to, the Department of Curriculum, Teaching & Learning.

Questions about this award can be directed to oise.financialaid@utoronto.ca.

Open to full-time and part-time registered students.

The value of this award is based on an annual donation ($3,200).

The deadline to apply was December 15, 2024. Subject to renewal of annual funds, this award will be posted each year in October with a deadline in December.

Azim Premji Foundation Fellowship

To be awarded on the basis of academic merit to:(a) an OISE PhD student who wishes to conduct research in India or (b) a Doctoral student enrolled in an Indian University who is registered at OISE as a full or part-time special student.

Questions about this award can be directed to oise.financialaid@utoronto.ca.

Open to full-time and part-time registered students.

The value of this award is based on the accrued annual income (approximately $5,000) which can be divided among multiple recipients.

The deadline to apply for this award was June 30, 2024. Subject to renewal of annual funds, this award is posted in March with a deadline in June.

Bonnie Burstow Scholarship for Research in Violence Against Indigenous Women in Memory of Helen Betty Osborne

To be awarded to an outstanding OISE graduate student whose thesis focuses on the violence itself (or the history underpinning it). Approaches to addressing the aftermath of violence can also be considered if, and only if, they are vested exclusively in Indigenous approaches, that are validated by Indigenous scholars/community members, with neither Western nor mixed approaches qualifying.


For the purposes of this scholarship, violence against Indigenous women, girls, trans, and Two-Spirit people is defined broadly. It includes not only what is conventionally seen as violence, such as murdered and missing, battery, and rape, it also includes such international violence as imprisonment, psychiatrization, and interference by child welfare.


Any current OISE thesis student whose thesis centrally involves research in this area can apply, irrespective of program or department. Preference will be given to Indigenous women and trans students. Candidates must be registered in 2024/2025 to be eligible. The value of this scholarship is based on the annual income (approximately $2400).

This award operates as an entrance award (without application) for LHAE thesis programs. If no recipient is identified by the LHAE Â鶹´«Ă˝ Committee, then a faculty-wide competition will be run that is open to all OISE thesis students.

This award is currently accepting applications. Please submit your application form to oise.financialaid@utoronto.ca by December 1, 2024.

Burstow Scholarship for Research into Antisemitism

This scholarship was established by the late Dr. Bonnie Burstow (1945-2020), Professor in the Department of Leadership, Higher & Adult Education at OISE.

It will be awarded annually to an incoming or current OISE graduate student who is registered full-time or part-time and conducting research into antisemitism. First preference will go to an OISE thesis student whose thesis is focused on antisemitism. Consideration will also be given to OISE students who have completed a term paper or any other major research paper on antisemitism and to OISE thesis students who have  used antisemitism to understand another oppression. Questions can be directed to oise.financialaid@utoronto.ca.

Open to full-time or part-time registered students.

The value of this award is based on the annual income (approximately $1,800).

The application deadline has passed. Subject to renewal of annual funds, this award is posted annually in June with a deadline in September.

Christopher Parker Memorial Fund

The fund was established through a foundation at OISE to provide a one-time grant to support full-time graduate students with disabilities to enable them to continue their studies when financial emergencies occur. Under the terms of the fund, preference is given, but not limited to, students with hearing impairments. Please be advised that students who encounter an unexpected financial emergency should first apply to the OISE Bursary Program. Please contact oise.financialaid@utoronto.ca for information about applying.

Hetty C. Chu Memorial Fellowship

This fellowship has been established in memory of Hetty Chu to assist a student or students who have returned to full-time studies after having worked full-time for a period of time. Recipients must: a) be a resident of Canada, preferably of Ontario, 25 years of age or over; b) hold a Bachelor's degree from an accredited university and be acceptable under OISE's admission policy; c) have been in full-time paid employment for at least two continuous years prior to enrolment at OISE; and d) be in need of financial assistance.

Questions about this award can be directed to oise.financialaid@utoronto.ca.

Open only to full-time registered students.

The value of this award is based on the annual income (approximately $4,500) which can be divided among multiple recipients.

The deadline to submit this award was March 31, 2024. Subject to renewal of annual funds, this award is posted annually in January. 

Indigenous Students Bursary Fund

This emergency bursary is open to all full-time Indigenous candidates (First Nations, MĂ©tis, Inuit and Indigenous Peoples from outside of Canada). Indigenous students in need of funds due to an emergency situation should write a letter outlining their emergency needs and send it to ien@utoronto.ca. Decisions will be made on an ongoing basis, as requests are received.

Keith A. McLeod Bursary

Keith A. McLeod, a professor of education at the University of Toronto for over 25 years, established this award to support a full-time student or students whose studies:

  • Focus on culturally oriented community organizations and their educational endeavours, or who are studying the educational roles of libraries, museums, galleries, conservatories, or voluntary associations.
  • Examine the cultural context of a school community or educational communities; examining how schools, museums, libraries and/or similar community institutions or programs reflect or provide for ethno cultural diversity or multiculturalism, antiracism, human rights, and equity, or Canadian culture.

Adjudication of the applications will be based upon how well the above criteria are reflected in the proposal and on the following: clarity of the intent and focus; coherence of the proposal; relevance and applicability; originality and creativity; contribution to the state of knowledge and practice; evidence of theoretical content and analysis; and feasibility.

Recipients must be registered students in good standing and must have a demonstrated financial need pursuant to the Ontario Student Opportunity Trust Funds (OSOTF) requirements: . OSOTF awards are restricted to Ontario residents.

Questions about this award can be directed to oise.financialaid@utoronto.ca.

Open only to full-time registered students.

The value of this award is based on the annual income (approximately $5,000) which can be divided among multiple recipients.

The deadline to apply was June 30, 2024. Subject to renewal of annual funds, this award is posted annually in March with a deadline in June.

Leithwood Award for OISE Outstanding Thesis of the Year

The Leithwood Award is presented to one recipient annually in recognition of exceptional, cutting-edge research conducted by an OISE student in the last phase of their doctoral work.

Established in 2003, this award is named in honour of Dr. Kenneth Leithwood, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Leadership, Higher & Adult Education and former Associate Dean, Research. Dr. Leithwood’s research on educational leadership and educational change has contributed to shaping theory, policy and practice in most jurisdictions in Canada as well as in England, the United States, and Australia. Over the course of his career, he supervised nearly 90 doctoral students. Funds contributed by Dr. Leithwood’s colleagues and students ensure that this award continues to celebrate the finest scholarly work in educational research in this country.

Eligibility

The annual competition is open to OISE graduates/doctoral candidates who completed their theses between January 1 and December 31 in the year prior to the deadline.

The deadline is 12:00 NOON February 15th, for theses completed between January 1 and December 31 in the previous calendar year. If the deadline falls on a weekend or public holiday observed by University of Toronto, the deadline is 12:00 NOON on the next business day.

Assessment Criteria

  • Research excellence, including innovative conceptualization, design, and execution. Does the approach shift the reader’s consciousness? What new knowledge is being produced?
  • The significance of the problem – the nominee should demonstrate why the research is important, placing the work in a larger context and making a case for the significance of the work.
  • Research impact and external reach – for example, external reviewers’ comments, resulting publications, requests from external groups to present/share results, interest from book publishers
  • Quality of the 6-page written report
  • Strength of the letter of recommendation from the faculty supervisor

Application Process

Download the Application form and instructions for the award.

If this Word document is not accessible, please contact Lisa Smith for assistance at oise.research@utoronto.ca or 416-978-1117.

Please note that applications must be submitted via email to oise.research@utoronto.ca. Hard copy applications will not be accepted.

Margaret I. Hambly Memorial Scholarship

The Â鶹´«Ă˝ established the Margaret I. Hambly Fund in memory of the Institute's first Registrar. The fund is intended primarily for persons over thirty-five years of age who are residents of Canada and who have returned to continue their studies after being out of the work force for a number of years. Criteria for the award will be firstly, demonstrated potential and promise of service to the educational community and, secondly, financial need.

Questions about this award can be directed to oise.financialaid@utoronto.ca.

Open to full-time and part-time registered students.

The value of this award is one or more awards of $800.

The deadline to apply for this award was March 31, 2024. Subject to renewal of funding, this award is posted annually in January with a deadline in March.

Mary Stager Graduate Student Award

To be awarded to a graduate student enrolled in a program in OISE/UT with a focus on urban schooling.  In making the selection the following criteria will be taken into account: financial need, demonstrated commitment to/accomplishment in education in urban schools, and the potential impact of the student's research on urban education. The winner is chosen from students nominated by OISE faculty in the Fall session.

Questions about this award can be directed to oise.financialaid@utoronto.ca.

Open to part-time and full-time registered students.

The value of this award is based on the accrued annual income ($10,000).

The deadline to apply was December 15, 2024. Subject to renewal of annual funds, this award will be posted each year in October with a deadline in December.

Master's Students Inclusive Excellence Â鶹´«Ă˝ Scholarship

The School of Graduate Studies (SGS) aims to diversify academia by supporting the recruitment of underrepresented groups, specifically first-year Black and Indigenous master’s students to Master’s research and professional programs that are commonly a stepping-stone to a U of T PhD program).

These Scholarships were developed in response to recommendations emerging from the Weecheehetowin Final Report of the Steering Committee for the University of Toronto Response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, The Anti-Black Racism Task Force Final Report, and the Scarborough Charter to increase graduate school opportunities for Black and Indigenous applicants whose paths to academia include significant accomplishments that may not be included in conventional graduate admission criteria.

The value of this award is $15,000. For students being offered admission to a funded program, this award will be included in the funding package.

Interested applicants can complete this form to indicate their interest in being considered for this admissions scholarship: 

(the application deadline within the pilot period has passed). 

Applicants may also disclose their wish to be considered for an IEAS under the “Additional Information” section in GradApp, by listing IEAS as an award “applied for” and related to the admission application.

Departments will start to offer this award in April but continue to review requests for consideration as long as there are any awards remaining to be allocated.

If you have further questions about this award, please contact oise.gradfinasst@utoronto.ca.

OISE Alumni Association Doctoral Fellowship

The fellowship has been established for full-time Doctoral students at OISE who have contributed to the OISE Alumni Association through volunteer activities.

A candidate must: a) be enrolled in a full-time Doctoral program at OISE; b) have successfully completed his/her coursework and comprehensive examinations; c) have had his/her dissertation proposal completed and accepted by the candidate’s department and the ethical review committee; d) have contributed to the OISE Alumni Association through volunteer activities; e) not be a member of the OISE Alumni Association Executive Board in the year that the fellowship is awarded; and f) have financial need.

Open only to full-time registered students.

The value of this award is $10,000.

The deadline to apply was March 31, 2024. This award is posted annually in January, subject to renewal of funding.

OISE Scholarship Program for Indigenous Students

The OISE Scholarship Program for Indigenous Students includes two scholarships of $7,500 awarded annually to Indigenous students who are registered on a full-time basis in a graduate degree program at OISE. One scholarship will be awarded to an Indigenous student in a Doctoral program and one to an Indigenous student in a Master's program. This award is open to all Indigenous candidates at OISE (First Nations, MĂ©tis, Inuit and Indigenous Peoples from outside of Canada) with preference given to applicants who have not previously been awarded this scholarship in the past two years. The recipient will be selected on the basis of academic merit and previous and intended contributions to their community. Payment will be made in the Fall 2024 session. Recipients must be registered in the Fall 2024 session to be eligible.

Questions about this award can be directed to oise.financialaid@utoronto.ca.

Open only to full-time registered students.

The value of this award is $7,500 per recipient.

The deadline to apply for this award was April 30, 2024. This award is posted annually in February, subject to renewal of funding.

OISE Scholarship Recognition Award

The Scholarship Recognition Award is awarded to PhD students who have held major external scholarships (equal or greater than $15,000) for all or most of their time in the Funded Cohort. The Scholarship is awarded in the year following the end of their funded cohort status. Students who are eligible for the Scholarship Recognition Award will be notified by the Graduate Funding Office.

More information about this award can be found as part of the information in the pages.

Wilfred Rusk Wees Fellowship

This fellowship was established  in honour of Wilfred Rusk Wees (1899 - 1981), an OISE faculty member, by his wife noted author and educator Frances Shelley Wees. To qualify for consideration the applicant must read Dr. Wees' doctoral thesis entitled and submit a 2,500 work essay on the thesis. The thesis is available from both the OISE Library and Robart's Library. The fellowship is awarded on the basis of academic merit, financial need, and the quality of the essay. OISE is an educational and research institution providing leadership and resources to Ontario's and Canada's diverse communities. As a higher education facility, OISE welcomes scholarly local and international exchange and contributes to the free and inclusive interactions of a multiplicity of national, religious, and ethnic perspectives. OISE not only reaffirms its commitment to unfettered scholarship, but also reaffirms its commitment to combat all forms of discrimination. In keeping with these objectives, applicants for the Wees scholarship are encouraged to attend to the sociological and historical contexts in which Dr. Wees' thesis was submitted and accepted by the University of Toronto in the 1930's. Recipients are also encouraged to submit scholarship applications that consider the implications of racism in education, should this aspect of the thesis prove of interest to the competitors.

Questions about this award can be directed to oise.financialaid@utoronto.ca.

Open to part-time and full-time registered students.

The value of this award is based on the annual income (approximately $2,500 per recipient).

Please submit your and financial need assessment form by January 31, 2025. Details and instructions for submitting the financial need component of the application are available in the application form.

William G. Davis Golden Anniversary Leadership Scholarship

This award was established in celebration of OISE's 50th anniversary and is named in honour of OISE's founder, William G. Davis (at the time Minister of Education, later Premier of Ontario).

It will be awarded to graduate students registered in good standing in the second or third year of a Doctoral program (third or fourth year of a direct-entry Doctoral) at OISE University of Toronto.

Recipients should demonstrate transformational leadership in various settings including Ontario educational organizations and other jurisdictions. Exceptional leadership within OISE, the University and other non-educational settings will be considered. Leaders who can demonstrate experience in producing positive results, through the use of high levels of strategic thinking, commitment to diversity, and action, along with the emotional intelligence required to motivate the collaborative participation of others, will receive close attention.

Importance will be given to the candidate's commitment during their Doctoral program to enhancing the student experience of their peers through extracurricular leadership within OISE, the University and involvement in life on campus. (NOTE: only achievements/contributions during the Doctoral program will be considered).

Questions about this award can be directed to oise.financialaid@utoronto.ca.

The value of this award is based on the annual income (approximately $4,750) which can be divided among multiple recipients.

The deadline to apply has passed. Subject to renewal of annual funds, this award is posted annually in June with a deadline in September.

William Pakenham Fellowship

This award was established through a bequest of the late William Pakenham, who was the University of Toronto’s first Dean of Education from 1907 – 1934.

One or more awards of $5,000 will be made to a full-time student, enrolled in a graduate program in education, who is an Ontario resident, and who holds a Bachelor’s degree and a teaching certificate valid in a Canadian province. This award is open to both new and continuing OISE graduate students who will be registered in September 2024 and who satisfy these conditions.

Questions about this award can be directed to oise.financialaid@utoronto.ca.

Open only to full-time registered students.

Value: One or more awards of $5,000.

The deadline to apply for this award was March 31, 2024. This award is posted annually in January, subject to renewal of funding.

William Waters Scholarship in Urban Education

OISE is offering scholarships to promote excellence in teaching in the urban classroom. The successful candidates will be experienced teachers entering a full-time Master's program with an interest in questions of social justice and school success for students from economically disadvantaged neighbourhoods attending underperforming schools. In addition to the requirements set out by the graduate program, the successful scholarship recipients will be invited to join the Centre for Urban Schooling and participate in the wide variety of activities related to research, professional development, advocacy and teacher education promoted by the Centre over the course of the year.

Questions about this award can be directed to oise.ctlawards@utoronto.ca

Open only to full-time registered students.

The value of this award is $10,000 per recipient.

The deadline to apply was November 15, 2024. Subject to renewal of annual funding, this award is posted annually in October with a deadline in November.