ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIP
The Bill 7 Award helps students attain their first degree or diploma with funding in the amount of $3,500. The Bill 7 Award Trust was established in 1987 to provide post-secondary education scholarships to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, two-spirited or queer (LGBTQ) students with demonstrated financial need who are pursuing a first degree, diploma or certification in any Ontario post-secondary institution.
The Bill 7 Award is named after the 1986 Ontario legislation that extended the protection of the Human Rights Code to lesbians and gays.
The Trust was founded by six community groups, predominantly led by women: the UofT Women’s Centre, the Lesbian and Gay Community Appeal (now the CommunityONE Foundation), Lesbians of Colour, The Black Women’s Collective, Zami, and the Toronto Counselling Centre for Lesbians and Gays.
APPLY
Who Can Apply
The Bill 7 Award is a scholarship for individuals with demonstrated financial need after accessing available public financial supports. To be eligible to receive a Bill 7 Award scholarship, individuals must also meet ALL of the following three criteria:
- You are attending or accepted by a Post-Secondary Educational Institution in the Province of Ontario
- You are pursuing your FIRST post-secondary program of study
- You identify as lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, two-spirited or queer (LGBTQ)
2021 – 22 Key Dates
2021-22 Application Form Available: Late April 2021
Application Deadline: Friday, August 6, 2021
Successful Recipients Notified: Late September
Awards Ceremony: Early November, Date TBD
How to Apply
The 2021-22 Bill 7 Award application is now open.
Please read below and click HERE to access the application form.
What You Need to Submit Your Application
In addition to your application form, we require the following documents. These may be attached in .pdf, .doc or .txt format. (.pdf format is preferred.)
- A copy of OSAP estimate (if applicable)
- Proof of registration / acceptance from the post-secondary institution. Acceptable proof could be a copy of the confirmation of your offer of acceptance; proof of registration in the program; proof of payment of tuition; a copy of your offer of admission. If you are selected as a recipient, you must provide proof of active enrolment in your program before payment is issued.
- Reference letter from a teacher, guidance counsellor, coach, employer, community or social worker, doctor, religious leader or similar professional who can support your application. The reference letter should indicate how long and in what context the writer knows you and explain why you would be a good candidate for the Award.
- A personal statement, 250 words or fewer, detailing why you should be selected as the recipient of the Bill 7 Award. You may wish to consider how your studies or future work will contribute to the improvement of the LGBTQ community and/or provide us with any other information you feel we should know about you that will make you a good candidate, such as children, family, relationships, disabilities, experiences of discrimination, living situation, geographic context, etc.
The Ontario Work Study Plan
Applicants may also want to investigate the Ontario Work Study Program. This program helps Ontario students find part-time employment during the school year at the school. Please contact the financial services office of your school for more information.
Contact us
Bill 7 Award
c/o Supporting our Youth
Sherbourne Health Centre
333 Sherbourne Street, 2nd Floor
Toronto, ON, M5A 2S5
email: info@bill7award.ca
