2008-2009 Queen Elizabeth II Aiming for the Top Scholarship - Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to have been officially accepted by a postsecondary institution before applying for the Queen Elizabeth II Aiming for the Top Scholarship?

No, you do not need to have been officially accepted by a postsecondary institution prior to the June 20, 2008 scholarship application date in order to apply and be considered for the Queen Elizabeth II Aiming for the Top Scholarship. (You can submit more than one OSAP application if your are unsure which institution you will attend. If you decide on this option, you should complete a separate OSAP application for each institution to which you are applying for admission.)

What sections of the OSAP online web application must I complete in order to be considered for the scholarship?

If you want to be considered for this scholarship you must complete the entire 2008–2009 OSAP online web application for full-time students, including your confirmation that you want to be considered for the scholarship.

In the Personal Information section of the OSAP online web application you will be asked the following question, “Did you attend an Ontario high school in 2008?” If you answer yes to that question on or prior to the June 20, 2008 scholarship application deadline, the web application will give you access to Queen Elizabeth II Aiming for the Top Scholarship application section of the OSAP web application. You must then fill out that section of the application.

If you want to apply for the basic merit amount of $100 only, you do not need to complete the entire 2008-2009 OSAP application but you must fill out the Queen Elizabeth II Aiming for the Top Scholarship Application for Basic Merit Amount.

How will you get my marks?

If you are applying to attend a publicly assisted university or college of applied arts and technology, we will receive your high school marks from the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre or the Ontario College Application Services. The OSAP application form will ask you to fill out your OUAC reference number or OCAS application number to be considered.

If you are applying to an approved institution other than a publicly assisted university or college of applied arts and technology, you must contact your high school guidance office by June 6, 2008 and ask them to send your high school transcript for consideration. For detailed instructions on how to provide your marks, please check the High School Marks Transmittal Instructions.

Can I be considered for this scholarship if I am going to a private career college?

The ministry approves some Ontario private postsecondary institutions for purposes of this scholarship. To be approved, private institutions have to meet various ministry requirements. To find out whether the private institution that you are planning to attend is approved, please check School Search.

Do I need to apply to have my scholarship renewed? 

No. Previous years’ recipients will be automatically considered for renewal.

If I change my program of studies or transfer to a different institution will this affect my eligibility for renewal?

Changes to your program of studies will generally not affect your eligibility, provided that you meet the academic conditions for renewal and that you continue to be enrolled full-time at an Ontario postsecondary institution and program that are approved for purposes of the scholarship.

If you decide to transfer to a different postsecondary institution you are responsible for promptly notifying the financial aid office at both your original and receiving postsecondary institution of your transfer, to ensure that you continue to receive the scholarship.

Richard studies journalism at La Cité collégiale. After two years of study, he transfers to the University of Ottawa’s journalism program and under the agreement between La Cité and the University of Ottawa; he receives a B.A. in journalism. He can continue to receive the scholarship while at the University of Ottawa.

If my marks drop below 80 per cent can I get my scholarship renewed? 

Students who drop below this academic requirement will lose their entitlement to the scholarship.

For example, if you received the scholarship in 2007-2008 and do not meet the renewal requirement in the 2007-2008 academic year, you will not be eligible to receive the scholarship in 2008-2009.  You will also not be eligible to receive the scholarship in subsequent academic years.

However, if the drop in your marks resulted from exceptional circumstances, such as illness, you may be able to appeal through your university or college of applied arts and technology. If you find yourself in this situation, please contact your financial aid office for more details.

Can I defer my scholarship? 

You can defer your scholarship one time and the deferral can be for up to one year. If you decide to defer receipt of the scholarship you are responsible for notifying your financial aid office and receiving their approval. To defer your scholarship you must ensure you contact the financial aid office prior to the “Deferral Deadline” indicated on your “Scholarship Details” page of the letter that will be sent to you by the ministry if you are a successful candidate for the Queen Elizabeth II Aiming for the Top Scholarship.

What if I applied to start in September but I now would like to start in January? 

If you are a scholarship recipient and you start your postsecondary program in January, the scholarship can be applied against your tuition at that time. You must ensure you contact the financial aid office prior to the “Claiming Deadline” indicated on the “Scholarship Details” page of the letter that will be sent to you by the ministry notifying you if you are a successful candidate for the Queen Elizabeth II Aiming for the Top Scholarship. For students attending a publicly assisted Ontario university or college of applied arts and technology in regular (non-co-op) programs the “Claiming Deadline” is January 31, 2009.

My parents’ income is high. Should I still apply for the Queen Elizabeth II Aiming for the Top scholarship?

If you are one of the best students in your graduating year, you should definitely apply regardless of your family’s financial circumstances. This scholarship is intended to celebrate academic excellence and hard work. Receiving a scholarship will recognize your outstanding academic achievement.

Tom’s father is a cook and his mother is a systems analyst. Their joint income is $70,000/year. Tom decides to apply for the Queen Elizabeth II Aiming for the Top Scholarship and qualifies for a scholarship of $350. He also adds this scholarship to the achievements listed on his resume.

My parents don’t want to fill out the sections of the OSAP application on family income. Can I still apply? 

If you wish to be considered for the full scholarship, all sections of the OSAP application must be filled out, including sections on your family’s income. However, if you elect to simply be considered for the basic merit amount of $100, you can apply through the Queen Elizabeth II Aiming for the Top Application for Basic Merit Amount.

This abbreviated application form does not request information on you or your parents’ financial situation. It must be received by the financial aid office at your college or university by the scholarship’s application deadline in order to be considered.

If my circumstances change and I need more money, can my scholarship be increased?

No. The size of your scholarship is set when you apply for it and the amount will not be changed in subsequent years, even if your circumstances change. However, other programs such as OSAP or student assistance offered by your university or college may respond to such changes in your situation. 

Bruce has his full $1,900 in tuition and fees at St. Lawrence College paid through his Queen Elizabeth II Aiming for the Top Scholarship. Later, when he transfers to Queen’s University, tuition is higher. The size of Bruce’s scholarship does not change. 

If my circumstances change and I have less need, will my scholarship be decreased?

Generally the size of the scholarship will not be reduced even if your circumstances change over time. In rare circumstances, students changing from a high-tuition program to a low-tuition program may find their scholarship is affected because the scholarship is capped at actual tuition plus compulsory fees. The value may also be reduced and a student may be required to repay some or all of the scholarship where his or her application underreported family income.

What if the estimate of income in my application turns out to be wrong? Will my scholarship be reduced? 

A student may be required to repay some or all of the scholarship where his or her application under-reported personal or family income, or in a situation of early withdrawal. Situations of early withdrawal will be handled in a manner consistent with the treatment of other scholarships.

What if I don’t understand why I was not selected for the scholarship? 

Students can request information from their financial aid office on why they were not a successful candidate. 

The application form says that names of winners will be publicized. Can I request that my name be withheld?

Yes, this information can be withheld on request. You must notify the ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, in writing, by September 5, 2008 at:

Queen Elizabeth II Aiming for the Top Scholarship
Student Support Branch
Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities
PO Box 4500
189 Red River Road, 4th Floor
Thunder Bay, ON P7B 6G9

or by fax to the attention of:

Queen Elizabeth II Aiming for the Top Scholarship, 
Privacy Request 
Fax: (807) 343-7278.