The January 15 deadline is not the real deadline.
Ontario university applications close January 15. But the major national scholarships close months earlier, and several run through your child's school with even earlier nomination dates. Families who plan around January miss them.
The clock, in order
Exact dates below are from the most recent completed cycle, with the page we checked and the date we checked it. Awarding bodies publish each new cycle's dates in late summer or early fall: always confirm the current date at the source before relying on it.
- Loran Award$100,000 over four years
School nomination or direct pool; check which route applies.
Last cycle's deadline: October 16 · Source · Checked 2026-07-14
Mid-October - TD Scholarship for Community LeadershipUp to $70,000
Applications open in early September.
Last cycle's deadline: October 22 · Source · Checked 2026-07-14
Late October - University of Toronto National ScholarshipFull tuition + residence support
School nomination due even earlier (around October 10).
Last cycle's deadline: October 31 · Source · Checked 2026-07-14
October - Terry Fox Humanitarian Award$28,000 over four years
Applications open November 1: a one-month window.
Last cycle's deadline: December 1 · Source · Checked 2026-07-14
December 1 - Queen's Major Admission AwardsUp to $36,000–$48,000
Requires the separate Major Admission Award application, not just OUAC.
Last cycle's deadline: December 8 · Source · Checked 2026-07-14
Early December - OUAC equal-consideration deadline: January 15
This is the date most families plan around. Notice how much of the scholarship clock has already run out by the time it arrives.
- Schulich Leader Scholarships (STEM)$100,000–$120,000
One nominee per high school (deadline shown); nominee application follows in February.
Last cycle's deadline: January 28 · Source · Checked 2026-07-14
Late January (nomination) - Western National Scholarship ProgramUp to full tuition (four years)
Separate application beyond OUAC.
Last cycle's deadline: February 14 · Source · Checked 2026-07-14
Mid-February
Scholarships aren't the only separate clock
Many competitive programs also require supplementary applications with their own deadlines and rules (for example, McMaster Nursing publishes that its CASPer assessment counts for 20% of the admission decision). Your child's specific programs determine which clocks apply.
The takeaway
For a student entering Grade 12, the scholarship clock starts in September, not January. August is the right month to map which awards and supplementary applications apply, while there is still runway.
Have questions before starting?
We're here to help you understand whether the PathwayPrep report is the right fit for your family.
Email us at info@pathwayprep.ca