Financial Need Assessment Forms (NAFs)

This form is used by students applying for any financial need-based assistance from the University of Guelph. Normally, one NAF is submitted per study period (one for fall/winter and one for summer) and may be used for multiple financial aid programs.

Is this the right form for ME?

This is the form for me if:

• I am or will be registered in a minimum of 1.5 academic credits, or 1.0 academic credits for students with a permanent disability (PD) or persistent or prolonged disability (PPD) on their OSAP profile, for the study period for which I am applying for assistance.

And one of the following is true:

• I have a complete and error-free full-time OSAP application on file and am receiving OSAP funding for the study period for which I am applying for assistance.
• I have a complete and error-free full-time OSAP application on file but am not receiving any OSAP funding for the study period for which I am applying for assistance.

This is NOT the right form for me if one of the following is true:

• I CANNOT apply to OSAP or to my home provincial/territorial student assistance program because I am on restriction. Complete the Financial Need Assessment Form for Non-OSAP Students. (However, students who have a full income variance restriction on file with OSAP are not eligible to apply for U of G financial assistance until this restriction is resolved with the Ministry.)
• I am an out-of-province student and am receiving funding from my home province/territory. Complete the Financial Need Assessment Form for Non-OSAP Students.
• I am an International student. Complete the Financial Need Assessment Form for International Students.

Access the Financial Need Assessment Form for Fall/Winter OSAP Students.

Application deadlines:

• Bursaries: October 7
• Work Study: January 19

This form is used by students applying for any financial need-based assistance from the University of Guelph.
Normally, one NAF is submitted per study period (one for fall/winter and one for summer) and may be used for multiple financial aid programs.

Is this the right form for ME?

• I am or will be registered in a minimum of 1.5 academic credits, or 1.0 academic credits for students with a permanent disability (PD) or persistent or prolonged disability (PPD) on their OSAP profile, for the study period for which I am applying for assistance.

This is the right form for me if one of the following is true:

• I am an out-of-province student and have a complete and error-free student assistance application on file with my home province/territory. Complete this application and attach a copy of your government aid entitlement summary.

• I cannot submit an OSAP application because I have an OSAP restriction.
  Students who are restricted from applying to OSAP for the following reasons are eligible to apply for U of G financial assistance:

  • Non-degree or Academic Transition students
  • Code 65 OSAP academic restricted students
  • Applied to OSAP, but were denied due to academic edits
  • An HRSDC-CSFA OSAP restriction

  Complete this application and attach a letter explaining the OSAP restriction.

• I cannot submit an out-of-province government assistance application because I have a restriction on file with my home province/territory. Complete this application and attach a letter explaining the restriction and include a document that proves the restriction.

This is not the right form for me if one of the following is true:

• I have a full income variance restriction on file with OSAP. (You are not eligible to apply for U of G financial assistance until this restriction is resolved with the Ministry.)
• I completed a part-time student OSAP application. (You must complete the full-time OSAP application to apply for U of G financial assistance.)
• I am an International student. (You must complete the Financial Need Assessment Form for International Students.)

Access the Financial Need Assessment Form for Fall/Winter Non-OSAP Students.

Application deadlines:

• Bursaries: October 7
• Work Study: January 19

This form is used by international undergraduate students applying for any financial need-based assistance from the University of Guelph. Normally, one NAF is submitted per study period (one for fall/winter and one for summer).

Students are eligible to apply when the following criteria are met:

Work Study and Need-Based Scholarships

• Have completed a minimum of 5.0 credits
• Registered in a minimum of 2.0 credits
• Demonstrated financial need

Bursary

• Financial need because of a financial emergency or an unexpected and unpredictable event leading to an inability to pay tuition, fees, housing, or food during their current study period
• Have completed a minimum of 5.0 credits
• Registered in a minimum of 1.5 credits
• Demonstrated financial need

Access the International BURSARY Financial Need Assessment Form for Fall/Winter.

Access the International WORK STUDY Financial Need Assessment Form for Fall/Winter.

Application deadlines:

• Bursaries: November 1 for Fall and March 1 for Winter
• Work Study: January 19

Important Information

This form is used to determine if an applicant satisfies the financial need requirement for participating in our Undergraduate Research Assistantship (URA) Program in the Summer 2025. The URA program provides full-time summer research opportunities to undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need. Students are expected to work full-time during Summer 2025 and not register for more than 1.0 credits. Not all students who satisfy the financial need requirement will be offered a URA position. There are 150 positions available across all colleges and administrative units. Students who pass the financial need requirement can review these positions on Experience Guelph from January 27 to February 24, 2025. Students must submit a cover letter, resume and unofficial transcript, along with a copy of their URA approval email from Student Financial Services by February 24, 2025, through Experience Guelph.

Once you submit this form (and any required supporting documentation), you will receive an email notification regarding your financial need eligibility within 5-7 business days.

Please note the following:

• You can only submit this form once.
• You cannot save and edit your answers at a later date.
• The deadline to submit this NAF student application and include any paper documents that are requested as part of completing this form is February 21, 2025 11:59 p.m. (EST).
• Late applications will not be accepted.
• If you are restricted from applying to OSAP or your provincial/territorial student assistance program, make an appointment with a Financial Aid counsellor to discuss your eligibility by calling 519-824-4120, x58715.

Applications are no longer being accepted for the Summer 2025 URA Program.

Application deadline: April 15 at 4:00 p.m. EDT

To complete this application, you must:

• Have applied to the University of Guelph or the University of Guelph-Humber for the fall entry. An offer of admission is not required to complete this application;
• Be a Canadian citizen or Permanent Resident of Canada or a Protected Person (convention refugee);
• Be entering post-secondary studies for the first time;
• Have received your Admission's Acknowledgement Email with your 7-digit student identification number.

Required Information

You will require the following information or documents to complete this application.

• Your parent(s') income tax return for 2024.
• Your own bank account and investment balances.
• Your estimated summer earnings.
• The value of any motor vehicles you own.
• If you are married, your partner's income tax return for 2024.

Confirmation Number

Please ensure your application is complete and accurate. Once submitted, you cannot return to the application.

You will be provided with a confirmation number once your application has been submitted successfully. This confirmation number will be required if you need to inquire about or make changes to your application.

If you need to make changes

If you have made an error or would like to amend your application, you must contact Student Financial Services at awards@uoguelph.ca with the subject line stating "N.A.F. Changes", and in the body of your message indicate your Confirmation Number, University of Guelph or Guelph-Humber student identification number and your full name.

Other Information

Entrance bursary and scholarship offers will be sent to students, by email, in late May. Successful applicants only will be notified.

The information collected on this application will be used to assess an applicant's level of financial need for the purpose of selecting need-based entrance awards. Complete this form only once.

This form is used by Graduate students who are registered in Fall ONLY and will not be returning in the Winter semester. You will be considered for the University of Guelph Bursary only. Please note that your registration listed for OSAP/Out of Province government aid must match your NAF and school registration.

This is the form for me if:

• I am a domestic full-time graduate student registered in the Fall ONLY (and will not be returning in the Winter semester).
• One of the following is true for me
  • I have a complete and error-free full-time OSAP application on file, meaning that the application and all required documents have been submitted
  • I am receiving out-of-province government aid
  • I cannot submit an out-of-province government aid application due to a restriction
  • I cannot submit an OSAP application due to a restriction below
    • Non-degree or Academic Transition students
    • Code 65 OSAP academic restricted students
    • Applied to OSAP, but was denied due to academic edits
    • An HRSDC-CSFA OSAP restriction

What documents will I need to provide in the application?

• GRA/GTA/GSA confirmation - You must provide funding confirmation in your NAF, for any term that you are registered, even if you are receiving no funding.
• Spouse Notice of Assessment, if you are married/common law
• Out of Province government aid entitlement summary, if you are receiving out of province government aid 
• Childcare receipts, if claiming childcare expenses

Access the Graduate Bursary Financial Need Assessment Form for Fall Only.

This form is to be used by registered, domestic full-time graduate students who are applying for a bursary or need-based scholarship from the University of Guelph.

This is the form for me if:

• I am or will be registered full-time for Fall and Winter OR Winter Only
• One of the following is true for me
  • I have a complete and error-free full-time OSAP application on file, meaning that the application and all required documents have been submitted
  • I am receiving out-of-province government aid
  • I cannot submit an out-of-province government aid application due to a restriction
  • I cannot submit an OSAP application due to a restriction below
    • Non-degree or Academic Transition students
    • Code 65 OSAP academic restricted students
    • Applied to OSAP, but was denied due to academic edits
    • An HRSDC-CSFA OSAP restriction

What documents will I need to provide in the application?

• GRA/GTA/GSA confirmation - You must provide funding confirmation in your NAF, for any term that you are registered, even if you are receiving no funding. If you will be registered in Winter and cannot yet confirm funding, you must wait until your department can confirm.
• Spouse Notice of Assessment, if you are married/common law
• Out of Province government aid entitlement summary, if you are receiving out of province government aid
• Childcare receipts, if claiming childcare expenses

Access the Graduate Bursary Financial Need Assessment Form for Fall and Winter or Winter Only registered students. Form opens December 1.

Application deadline: January 10

This form is to be used by registered, domestic full-time graduate students who are applying for the Work Study program at the University of Guelph.

This is the form for me if:

• I am or will be registered full-time for Fall and/or Winter.
• One of the following is true for me
  • I have a complete and error-free full-time OSAP application on file, meaning that the application and all required documents have been submitted
  • I am receiving out-of-province government aid
  • I cannot submit an out-of-province government aid application due to a restriction
  • I cannot submit an OSAP application due to a restriction below
    • Non-degree or Academic Transition students
    • Code 65 OSAP academic restricted students
    • Applied to OSAP, but was denied due to academic edits
    • An HRSDC-CSFA OSAP restriction

What documents will I need to provide in the application?

• GRA/GTA/GSA confirmation - You must provide funding confirmation in your NAF, for any term that you are registered, even if you are receiving no funding. If you will be registered in Winter and cannot yet confirm funding, you must wait until your department can confirm.
• Spouse Notice of Assessment, if you are married/common law
• Out of Province government aid entitlement summary, if you are receiving Out of Province government aid
• Childcare receipts, if claiming childcare expenses

Access the Graduate Work Study Financial Need Assessment Form.

Application deadline: January 19

This form is used by international graduate students applying for any financial need-based assistance from the University of Guelph. Normally, one NAF is submitted per study period (one for fall/winter and one for summer).

Students are eligible to apply when the following criteria are met:

Work Study and Need-Based Scholarships

• Have completed a minimum of three semesters
• Registered full-time
• Demonstrated financial need

Bursary

• Financial need because of a financial emergency or an unexpected and unpredictable event leading to an inability to pay tuition, fees, housing, or food during their current study period
• Have completed a minimum of three semesters
• Registered full-time
• Demonstrated financial need

Access the International BURSARY Financial Need Assessment Form for Fall/Winter. Form opens August 15.

Access the International WORK STUDY Financial Need Assessment Form for Fall/Winter. Form opens August 15.

Application deadlines:

• Bursaries: November 1 for Fall and March 1 for Winter
• Work Study: January 19