UTAPS
UTAPS stands for the University of Toronto Advanced Planning for Students program. It is the University of Toronto’s largest need-based support program and covers the financial gap between a student’s actual education costs and the costs recognized by their provincial/territorial government student financial aid program. In other words, UTAPS covers unmet financial need.
Through UTAPS, U of T provides non-repayable grants to students to help cover this financial need gap, or unmet need.
UTAPS is Now Open for Applications
All students who would like to be considered for UTAPS for the 2025-26 Fall/Winter school year must complete and submit an application through the Need Navigator, along with any supporting documentation required as stated on the student’s application by the deadline. These dates will be updated in Spring 2025, for the upcoming academic year.
UTAPS Eligibility
- Meet citizenship requirements:
You must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or protected person (recognized convention refugee).- Students registered under the Indian Act who don’t meet the citizenship requirement may still be eligible if they provide the required income and student aid information on their UTAPS application.
- Apply for government student aid:
You must have applied and been assessed for student financial assistance from your Canadian home province/territory for the same academic terms as your UTAPS application (e.g., OSAP, StudentAid BC).- Indigenous students who do not apply for government financial aid must be receiving Indigenous educational funding (i.e., PSSSP, Métis or Inuit, post-secondary funding).
-
Have your enrolment confirmed by U of T with your home province/territory’s aid program before the UTAPS deadline.
-
Have remaining unmet financial need after government financial aid and/or Indigenous sponsorship funding is considered.
- Be enrolled in a UTAPS‑approved program.
- Be registered as a full‑time student based on OSAP’s full‑time course load rules for the Fall and/or Winter terms.
- Visit OSAP for full-time course load requirements.
Summer students: UTAPS is only available to UTSC students who are registered in a full‑time course load from May to August (per OSAP rules).
You are not eligible for UTAPS if you are:
- An international student
- A part-time student (based on OSAP’s full-time course load rules for Fall and/or Winter terms)
- Enrolled in co-op, internship, or Professional Experience Year (PEY) work term(s), even if you’re also enrolled in a full-time OSAP course load during that term
- Restricted from receiving funding from your home province/territory’s government student aid program
- Provide false or misleading information to UTAPS, OSAP, or your home province/territory’s government student aid program
- A single student less than six years out of high school who choose to not provide parental information
- Enrolled in a professional graduate or second-entry undergraduate program (see Students in Professional or Second-Entry Programs for details)
Students in professional graduate or second-entry undergraduate programs are not eligible for UTAPS.
However, you must still complete a financial need application in the Need Navigator to be considered for any departmental need-based awards that may be available to you.
For full details, see Students in Professional or Second-Entry Programs.
The following are UTAPS-approved undergraduate, doctoral-stream masters, and doctoral programs.
Note: If you do not see your program of study in this list, contact your faculty, college, or campus Registrar’s Office.
Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering
- All undergraduate programs
- Master of Applied Science (MASc)
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Faculty of Arts and Science – St. George
- All undergraduate programs including:
- Academic Bridging (Full-time Option)
- Computer Science
- Humanities
- Life Sciences
- Physical and Mathematical Sciences
- Rotman Commerce
- Social Sciences
- All doctoral-stream masters and doctoral programs
John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design
- Bachelor of Arts in Visual Studies
- Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies
- Master of Forestry
- All Doctoral programs (Ph.D.)
Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE)
- All Doctoral programs (Ph.D. and Ed.D.)
- Other Master of Arts Programs (excluding Master of Arts, Child Study & Education)
Faculty of Information Studies (iSchool)
- Bachelor of Information
- Bachelor of Arts – Interactive Digital Media (joint with UTM)
- Ph.D. in Information Studies
Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education
- Bachelor of Kinesiology (BKIN)
- Master of Science in Exercise Sciences
- Ph.D. in Exercise Sciences
Faculty of Law
- Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD)
Temerty Faculty of Medicine
- BSc in Medical Radiation Sciences
- Bachelor of Science – Physician Assistant
- All course-based masters, doctoral-stream masters, and doctoral programs
Faculty of Music
- Bachelor of Music
- All Ph.D. programs
Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN)
- Collaborative Master of Nursing/Ph.D. programs
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Dalla Lana School of Public Health
- Master of Science in Biostatistics
- Ph.D.: Biostatistics
- Ph.D.: Epidemiology
- Ph.D.: Occupational and Environmental Health
- Ph.D.: Social and Behavioural Health Sciences
Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work
- Ph.D. in Social Work
University of Toronto – Mississauga
- All undergraduate programs
- Doctoral-stream masters programs – contact your program area for further information
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
University of Toronto – Scarborough
- All undergraduate programs
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Some programs at U of T are not eligible for UTAPS.
- Programs not approved for OSAP:
- UTAPS follows OSAP program eligibility. Visit OSAP for the list of U of T programs that are not OSAP‑approved and therefore not UTAPS‑approved.
- Programs or courses approved by OSAP but not approved for UTAPS:
-
- All conjoint programs offered through the Toronto School of Theology.
- Pre‑requisite or qualifying-year courses taken to prepare for admission into a graduate program.
- Professional graduate and second-entry undergraduate programs. (See Professional or Second-Entry Programs for more details.)
-
How Does the University of Toronto Determine Financial Need for UTAPS?
To determine financial need for UTAPS, the University uses a formula that compares a student’s education and living costs with expected contributions and resources from the student’s home jurisdiction financial aid program.
The Formula
The formula is: UTAPS allowable education and living costs (MINUS) Resources from expected contributions and financial aid program (EQUALS) Financial need a student may have for UTAPS consideration.
What Qualifies as Financial Need?
- This is when an eligible student’s resources are less than their costs.
- They could qualify for UTAPS grants.
What is Not Considered to be Financial Need?
- This is when an eligible student’s resources are more than their costs.
- They would not qualify for UTAPS grants.
Application Deadlines
If you would like to be considered for UTAPS for the 2025-26 Fall-Winter terms, you must complete and submit your application through the Need Navigator, along with any applicable supporting documentation, by the deadline dates below.
Ontario Students
Ontario domestic funding is classified as funding from OSAP.
We recommend applying by September 16, 2025. If you qualify for UTAPS, your payment will be issued by early October 2025.
The latest date you can apply is October 6, 2025. If you qualify for UTAPS, your payment will be issued by late October 2025.
We recommend applying by January 19, 2026. If you qualify for UTAPS, your payment will be issued by early February 2026.
The latest date you can apply is February 19, 2026. If you qualify for UTAPS, your payment will be issued by early March 2026.
We recommend applying by September 16, 2025. If you qualify for UTAPS, your first payment will be issued by early October 2025.
The next two application deadline dates are October 6, 2025, for payment by the end of October 2025; and, January 19, 2026, for payment by early February 2026.
The latest date you can apply is February 19, 2026. If you qualify for UTAPS, your payment will be issued by early March 2026.
Out-of-Province Students
Out-of-province funding is classified as funding from provinces/territories other than Ontario. Ex. StudentAid BC, Alberta Student Aid, etc.
The latest date you can apply is November 3, 2025. If you qualify for UTAPS, your payment will be issued by early December 2025.
The latest date you can apply is February 5, 2026. If you qualify for UTAPS, your payment will be issued by early March 2026.
We recommend applying by November 3, 2025. If you qualify for UTAPS, your first payment will be issued by early December 2025.
The latest date you can apply is February 5, 2026. If you qualify for UTAPS, your payment will be issued by early March 2026.
Indigenous Sponsorship Funding
For UTAPS, Indigenous sponsorship refers only to funding from the federal government provided by a/an:
- First Nations band (i.e., Post-Secondary Student Support Program)
- Inuit organization (i.e., Inuit Post-Secondary Education Strategy)
- Métis organization (i.e., Métis Nation Post-Secondary Education Strategy)
The latest date you can apply is November 3, 2025. If you qualify for UTAPS, your payment will be issued by early December 2025.
The latest date you can apply is February 5, 2026. If you qualify for UTAPS, your payment will be issued by early March 2026.
We recommend applying by November 3, 2025. If you qualify for UTAPS, your first payment will be issued by early December 2025.
The latest date you can apply is February 5, 2026. If you qualify for UTAPS, your payment will be issued by early March 2026.
Application Timing
-
You only need to submit one application for UTAPS per academic year.
-
Each term may have multiple deadline dates to give students another chance to apply if they miss the first one.
Example: If an OSAP recipient misses the September 16 deadline, they can still apply by October 6 and be considered for UTAPS.
Applying for UTAPS
How Do I Apply for UTAPS?
Step One: Check your eligibility
Make sure you review the Eligibility section above to confirm you meet the requirements for UTAPS.
Step Two: Ensure you are within the deadline for application
See Application Deadlines above to ensure you apply within the UTAPS deadlines.
Step Three: Complete and submit an application
Ready to Apply? Go to the Need Navigatorand complete all required sections to submit your application.
You can save your progress at any time and return later if you’re not able to finish the form in one sitting.
I Applied for UTAPS – What Happens Next?
You will receive an email at your utoronto.ca address within 4-5 weeks of the applicable deadline, if you are eligible for UTAPS grants and depending on when you submitted your application through the Need Navigator.
UTAPS grants are first used to pay any outstanding balance on your ACORN account for the academic year.
- September-November payments: applied to outstanding Fall fees.
- December-March payments: applied to outstanding fees for both Fall and Winter.
- If there is still a credit balance after your fees are paid, the remaining amount will be deposited into your bank account.
To Receive Your Deposit Faster
Make sure the following information is up to date on ACORN:
- Banking Information
Set up direct deposit to receive funds quickly.
You can follow the instructions in the Direct Deposit section of ACORN, or watch the instructional video.
- Canadian Mailing Address
Ensure your mailing address is correct and that the valid-from/valid-until dates are updated.
If you need to make changes, follow the steps in the Add/Change Address section on ACORN.
Make Sure Your Government Student Aid Application Is Not on Hold
Before your UTAPS assessment can be completed, your home province or territory’s student financial aid application must be in good standing.
Applications can be placed on hold for reasons such as:
- Academic progress issues
- Missing or unverified income information
- Overpayments
- Other documentation or eligibility concerns
If Your Application Is on Hold
-
Non‑OSAP recipients:
Contact your provincial or territorial student financial aid office directly. -
OSAP recipients:
Submit an inquiry through the OSAP Service Portal.
UTSC Summer UTAPS
Students at the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) who are registered full‑time from May to August may be eligible for Summer UTAPS.
- If you are receiving OSAP in the Summer term, you are automatically considered for UTSC Summer UTAPS – no separate application is required.
- The financial need assessment for Summer UTAPS is different from the Fall/Winter process.
- Eligible students will receive a grant to cover their unmet need, as determined by OSAP’s assessment for the Summer term.
Am I Eligible for UTSC Summer UTAPS?
- Be enrolled in a UTSC undergraduate program
- Be studying full-time from May to August (the entire summer session)
- Visit the Summer OSAPpage for full-time course load requirements
- Not be enrolled in a co-op work term
- Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or protected person (recognized convention refugee)
-
Students registered under the Indian Act who do not meet the citizenship requirement may still be eligible if they provide the required income and student aid information on their UTAPS application
-
- Provide parental income to your government student aid program if you are a single student less than six years out of high school
- Have applied and been assessed for government student financial assistance from your home province/territory (e.g., OSAP, StudentAid BC); or, if you are an Indigenous student who does not apply for government student aid, you must be receiving Indigenous sponsorship funding (e.g., Post-Secondary Student Support Program, Métis Nation Post-Secondary Education Strategy, etc.)
- Have your summer enrolment confirmed by U of T to your home province/territory’s student aid program
- Have remaining unmet financial need that is not covered by government aid or Indigenous sponsorship
- Not be restricted from receiving government student aid at the time of the UTAPS assessment
How to Apply
Step One: Ensure you meet the eligibility requirements
Read through the eligibility requirements above, and make sure you meet them before moving forward with your Summer UTAPS application (if applicable).
Step Two: Verify your ACORN details
Confirm that the valid-from and valid-until dates are up to date and have not expired.
Step Three: Complete and submit the application by the deadline
OSAP Students
If you are an OSAP student and meet the eligibility criteria above, you are automatically considered for UTSC Summer UTAPS.
You do not need to complete this application.
All Other Students
If you are not receiving OSAP, you must submit the UTSC Summer UTAPS Application and all required documents through the Out‑of‑Province Request Portal by: Monday, June 16, 2025
Follow These Steps
- Login to the Out‑of‑Province Request Portal
- Go to Start New Request and fill in the following:
- Province/Region
- Form Request Type: UTSC Summer UTAPS Application
- Academic Year
- Complete Step 1: Cover Letter to the best of your ability
- Complete Step 2: Documentation
- Upload the following:
- Your UTSC Summer UTAPS Application
- Your 2025 Summer Government Student Aid Loan/Grants Assistance Summary; or, your funding letter from your First Nations band, Inuit organization, or Métis Nation organization
- Complete Step 3: Submit
- Review and accept the Privacy Statement, then submit your application for review
After You Apply
The University Registrar’s Office – Financial Aid team will notify you of the result of your financial need assessment by the end of July.
Students with Offers of Admission
If you have received an offer of admission to the University of Toronto, the UTAPS process works a little differently for you.
To learn how UTAPS applies to incoming students, please visit the webpage linked below.