The Ontario Remembrance Scholarship is instituted based on an incident that happened on January 8, 2020, where a Ukrainian plane crashed near Tehran, killing 57 Canadians. Among them were 34 people who studied or worked at colleges and universities in Ontario. To honor their memory, Ontario is giving funding to postsecondary schools to offer $10,000 scholarships in the 2024–25, 2025–26, and 2026–27 school years.
Participating Institutions
Some of the participating institutions for the 2024/25 session include:
Ontario Remembrance Scholarship Carleton University
Ontario Remembrance Scholarship Seneca College
University of Toronto
Western University
Scholarship Wilfrid Laurier University
Scholarship Algonquin College
Georgian College
Nipissing University
Each institution administers their allocated scholarships independently according to institutional financial aid processes.
Ontario Remembrance Scholarship Application Deadlines
Specific deadlines vary by institution, with most set for February 2025. Students should check with their school’s financial aid office for confirmed dates.
Ontario Remembrance Scholarship Requirements
While each institution may have supplementary requirements, the core eligibility criteria include:
- Citizenship/Residency: Must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or protected person
- Enrollment: Full-time enrollment in an undergraduate or graduate program at a participating Ontario institution
- Academic Standing: Minimum GPA of 3.0 (B average) or equivalent
- Field of Study: Students in areas related to victims’ expertise will get priority. This includes engineering, medicine, computer science, and other STEM fields.
- Financial Need: Demonstrated financial need as determined by the institution’s assessment process
- Essay Requirement: Write a 500-word personal statement. Explain how your academic goals honor the legacy of educational excellence and international cooperation shown by the PS752 victims.
Ontario Remembrance Scholarship Amount
Scholarship Value: $10,000
Ontario Remembrance Scholarship Application Process
This also vary by institutions. Students must submit:
- Completed application form
- Academic transcripts
- Personal statement/essay
- Documentation of financial need
- Two academic references
- Proof of enrollment
Applications should be submitted to the financial aid office of the student’s institution.
The Legacy of Flight PS752
Flight PS752 was carrying numerous passengers with connections to Canadian academic institutions who were returning after winter holidays. The tragedy happened on January 8, 2020. It was a time of high international tensions. Iranian air defense systems mistakenly identified the civilian airliner as a threat.
The 176 victims included 57 Canadians and permanent residents. Many were skilled academics, promising students, and valued faculty at Canadian universities and colleges.
Impact and Purpose
The Scholarship transforms profound loss into educational opportunity by:
- Providing financial support to deserving students
- Creating a lasting memorial within Canada’s educational community
- Fostering international collaboration and cross-cultural understanding
- Continuing the academic contributions of those whose lives were cut short