SCHOLARSHIP FAQs

Who is eligible? Selected applicants should fulfill all three criteria: Your are a Crown Ward or a former Crown Ward of the Catholic Children’s Aid Society You have met the eligibility requirements of the post secondary or training institution you applied and have been formally accepted You have a social worker, a teacher, or an instructor/professor who can submit a recommendation

How do I submit my application? You will submit your application both electronically and in hard copy.

What do I need to know before I apply electronically? Please complete the request for access to the online application form here. Your login and password information will be emailed to you. Prepare your answers to the questions before you start completing the form. You will NOT be able to save or modify your application once you have submitted it. Review the application form here.

What is the deadline for 2009 application? The deadline is May 29, 2009. If you cannot meet this deadline you need to speak to your social worker or call the Foundation directly at 416-395-1634.

What do I need to include with the hard copy of my application? Completed and signed application form. An offer of admission and/or course registration from the college or university you plan to attend, or a transcript if you are a returning student

Where do I send the hard copy of my application? You send your application to your Social Worker for his/her recommendation & referral. Your application is not complete if we do not receive your social worker’s recommendation.

What if I don’t have a social worker to recommend me? You may obtain a letter of recommendation from a teacher, professor or someone else familiar with your educational background. The letter should include: How long the person has known you What they know about your academic history Your potential to succeed in your chosen program of study Any challenges you have overcome Ways you give back to your community

Where should I send the application form and required documents if I don’t have a social worker? If you do not have a social worker, please mail your forms to: Luz Bascunan, Education Advocate Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto 30 Drewry Ave., Toronto, ON M2M 4C4

Do I have to be a certain age to apply?     No, but the Foundation will give priority to applicants age 25 or younger.

What if I plan to go to college or university only part-time? You may receive funding, but it might be a partial award only.

How many years may I receive scholarship money? Usually no more than a total of 4 years. If your schooling is interrupted, you may be eligible for funding when you return to school.

Can I still receive scholarship money if I am getting financial help from elsewhere? Yes. Work with Financial Aid officers at your college or university to: Ensure they know you are a current or former crown ward, as you may be eligible for government grants from Ontario Access Grant for Crown Wards. Request their assistance in obtaining bursaries specific to your school.

Is my Foundation Scholarship /bursary/grant counted as income for OSAP application? No. As of 2009 academic year, up to $3,500 in bursaries and scholarships granted from children’s aid societies and children’s aid society foundations will be exempt from income in OSAP. Students in receipt of these awards will be assessed for OSAP funding for full time studies without consideration of the exempted amount. Click here for more information.

What happens after I send the application? You may be contacted by the Foundation’s Scholarship Committee if clarification is needed about the information you provided on your application.

What’s the process of scholarship application review? Luz Bascunan, CCAS’ Education Advocate reviews the scholarship applications and makes recommendations to the Foundation’s Scholarship Committee. The Committee makes the final decisions.

When will I find out if I have received a scholarship? If you applied by the deadline, you should receive a written reply by July 15, 2009.

When will I receive the scholarship money? Awards will be presented at the Scholarship Event on August 26, 2009, at The Great Hall, 7 Hart House Circle, University of Toronto.

Do I receive the scholarship money in installments? The awards are paid in 2 installments: in August and January. To receive the second installment, an update on your first semester must be received by the Foundation. Access the update form here.

Do I have to attend the Scholarship Event in August? Yes.

Who attends the Scholarship Event? The Scholarship event is a time to celebrate the successes of our youth. The award recipients, foster families, social workers and donors from the community are invited to attend the event.

Is news media invited to the Scholarship Event? Yes. News media is invited to attend the event, as well as the Foundation’s official photographer. Interview opportunities are prearranged with Scholarship Recipients. Group photos as well as individual photos will be taken for our publications and web site. The scholarship applications has the disclaimer for media release.

I have other questions, how can I contact the Hope for Children Foundation? Please click here to contact the Foundation.

I am ready to fill out the application. What do I do next? Remember the following 4 steps: Please complete the request for access to the online application form here to receive your password. Complete the electronic application form. Print a copy to send it to your worker with the required documents. (If you do not have a worker, send it to Luz Bascunan, Education Advocate, Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto, 30 Drewry Ave., Toronto, ON M2M 4C4) You may print a second copy for your own records. SUBMIT the electronic application. Note: if you do not have a computer or cannot print from your computer, please speak to your social worker or call the Foundation at 416-395-1634.