Important Updates for Students Applying for In-Course Financial Aid

In an effort to expedite In-Course Financial Aid applications, we are performing more online decisions without appointments. Learn more about several significant changes to our process so that we may best serve you and all students with financial need on a timely basis. Don’t forget to ‘Go back to your app’ frequently for important instructions and/or online decisions that will be added to your application. Students can expect updates within 2 weeks from the date of submission.

Enriched Educational Opportunities: Need-based Bursary Program

Enriched Educational Opportunities (EEOs) are high-quality off-campus mobility or other experiential opportunities, and are officially recognized by your Faculty. They foster self-development and help students transition successfully to the workplace or graduate studies. The University is striving to expand opportunities for undergraduates to participate in EEOs and to make them accessible to all undergraduates regardless of their financial capacity.

Bursaries are non-repayable forms of financial assistance based on demonstrated financial need, to help undergraduate students with the additional costs associated with the extra opportunities.

Eligible EEOs

Your faculty will determine which opportunities shall be eligible and will provide you with a supporting document (such as a transcript entry or letter) to prove their recognition. It generally involves a vetting/selection process, academic oversight and clear learning outcomes.

Eligible EEOs may include:

Exchange semesters abroad are not included in the EEO Bursary Program—additional financial aid is already available for bilateral exchanges through the Mobility Bursary for Exchanges program.

Student eligibility

To be considered for EEO aid, you must:

  • Be enrolled in an undergraduate degree at the University
  • Be registered full-time in your EEO term or at minimum in the term preceding the EEO term. Exceptions are granted when students are ‘deemed full-time’, for example, due to a documented disability requiring academic accommodation as confirmed by Student Accessibility & Achievement, or as recognized by government aid programs due to young dependent child(ren).
  • be in satisfactory academic standing
  • Demonstrate financial need for your standard costs of attendance. This typically means that:
  • Have an official record for EEO participation, either on your transcript or an advance written approval from your Faculty, including any pledged or potential funding for the purpose of EEO participation
  • Have proof of successful completion of the EEO for after-the-fact verification, either credits on your transcript or an entry on your co-curricular record

When to apply

Applications can be submitted at any time in the academic year and can also be made concurrently with your standard financial aid application.

Final assessments will only take place when all supporting documents are received.

How to apply

You can request an EEO Bursary through the normal In-Course Financial Aid process.

Before you apply: you should pursue (and ideally confirm) any Faculty-based awards to help defray your costs before seeking need-based assistance from the Scholarships & Student Aid Office.

Step 1: Submit an In-Course Aid application

  1. Log in to Minerva and click on the following:
    1. Financial Aid/Awards tab
    2. Financial Aid Menu
    3. Apply for McGill Financial Aid
    4. Apply next to In-Course Financial Aid
    5. Update your Financial Aid Profile
  2. Complete the form:
    • The Resources and Budget section may include your EEO plans (if firm) including extra EEO costs and resources or may exclude EEO impact.
    • In the Special Circumstances section, describe your EEO including start/end dates, as well as indicate how much of the requested aid amount relates to your EEO. 

Step 2: Work out your EEO Budget

It is important to develop a budget to isolate the costs relating to your EEO. These may include travel costs (e.g. for a field study), or loss of income (e.g. not being able to work while doing an internship).

  1. Check with your Faculty: they may provide you with a budget sheet outlining the costs of your EEO
  2. If your Faculty does not provide this information, you can use our File EEO Budget Form.

Completing this form will also facilitate the discussion with your Financial Aid Counsellor. They will use it to determine the appropriate bursary value from our special EEO funding source.

Step 3: Watch your app for Instructions

  1. Go back to your app frequently for important instructions and/or online decisions added to your application. From the Financial Aid/Awards menu, under Apply for McGill Financial Aid, click on the “View Status” hyperlink.
  2. Contact Us to schedule an appointment with a Financial Aid Counsellor unless you receive an online assessment or alternative instructions within 2 weeks of submission. Bring the following supporting documents to your appointment:
    • The completed File EEO Budget Form (or other budget documents)
    • Unless already recorded on your transcript, a written approval from your faculty confirming they will recognize the EEO
  3. At your appointment, you can discuss the EEO as part of a holistic discussion about aid or focus solely on an EEO that you wish to explore.

Verification of documentation

Scholarships and Student Aid reserves the right to verify the information provided on your application. Inconsistencies may result in a reassessment or cancellation of your award.

As plans sometimes change, after-the-fact verification of your transcript or co-curricular record will also be in place.

If an opportunity is not completed, the EEO bursary may be fully or partly rescinded.

Decision times

Final assessments can only take place once your plans are firm and you have provided final supporting documentation.

You will find out about the outcome of your application usually within a week of finalizing your application. The decision is posted on the Financial Aid/Awards tab on Minerva and, if your application is successful, it is followed by an email.

This email will contain important information about your award—including what you need to do to accept it and any deadlines. Make sure you carefully read and follow the instructions in this email, otherwise you may miss out on your award!

Payment

Bursaries are disbursed to coincide with out-of-pocket expenses.

Payment methods are determined by the Financial Aid Counsellor and are based on your financial situation and the EEO type.

Award payments may be disbursed:

  • to your fee account in one sum or divided up by term
  • to your bank account by direct deposit

Direct deposit

If the award is being paid to your bank account, you’ll need to set up Direct Deposit Banking with a Canadian banking institution via Minerva.

Once logged in:

  1. Go to the Student Menu
  2. Click on the Student Accounts menu option
  3. Click on the Direct Deposit Bank Account menu option
  4. Fill in all required information
  5. Click on Submit

Please ensure all banking information is entered correctly. McGill Student Accounts will issue an administrative fine for transactions returned to the University due to faulty banking information.


Other financial aid services

Scholarships and Student Aid also offers these aid-related services and programs:

Back to top