What average do I need for a Western University entrance scholarship?

The current automatic threshold begins at a final admission average of 90.0%. Western does not round scholarship averages. A 90.0% to 91.9% average qualifies for the Western Admission Scholarship, while 92.0% to 100.0% qualifies for the Scholarship of Distinction. The 250 Scholarships of Excellence go to students with the top high-school admission averages rather than a published fixed cut-off.

How do I apply for a Western University admission bursary?

Incoming eligible Canadian citizens and permanent residents use Western's separate Admission Bursary application and demonstrate financial need. The July 9, 2026 deadline applied to September 2026 entrants and has passed. Western has not yet published the Fall 2027 admission-bursary deadline, so applicants should monitor the live bursary page instead of reusing the prior date.

Western Scholarships, Bursaries & Tuition: 2027 Guide

Western uses separate processes for automatic admission scholarships. It also uses separate processes for competitive National Scholarships. Need-based bursaries, OSAP (Ontario's student grants and loans), and international-student awards each have their own process. This guide compares the current 90% automatic threshold. It compares published award values. It compares 2026–2027 tuition examples. It also covers the Fall 2027 dates. Western has released some of those dates. It has not released others.

Updated September 1, 2026 · 2027 dates are labelled only where Western has published them

Weldon Library's renovated main floor at Western University — Weldon Library's main floor after renovation, photographed on January 5, 2023.Photo: Erniee jo · CC BY-SA 4.0

If you are searching for University of Western Ontario bursaries, use Western University's current admission-bursary and Financial Assistance Profile instructions. The University of Western Ontario remains the legal name. Western University is the communications name, but many applicants still use the older UWO wording.

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Entrance scholarships in detail: key facts, tables, questions and sources

Western entrance scholarships for Fall 2027

Reviewed October 9, 2026. Amounts and dates keep their published cycle.

Western gives an automatic admission scholarship at a 90.0% final average and a larger one at 92.0%. The top averages are considered for 250 Western Scholarships of Excellence ($8,000).

Published cycle: Western's admission scholarship program, in effect from 2020 to 2021 onward
Average used: Western's final admission average, which includes the prerequisite courses for your program. Averages are not rounded.
Renewal: These are first-year awards. The study abroad money is paid only if you take a Western-approved international experience.
International applicants: Main-campus students admitted from high school are considered automatically. International students also join a separate entrance scholarship pool if their complete OUAC application and documents reach Western by March 1.

Automatic awards and average bands

Use the award's published average basis and applicant category.

Western's admission scholarship program, in effect from 2020 to 2021 onward. Read the source and your offer before budgeting.
Campus or audience	Average or selection	First-year amount	Later payments
Western	92.0% to 100.0%. Western Scholarship of Distinction	$2,500	$3,500 with $1,000 for an optional study abroad experienceWestern automatic awards
Western	90.0% to 91.9%. Western Admission Scholarship	$1,500	$2,500 with $1,000 for an optional study abroad experienceWestern automatic awards

Reviewed October 9, 2026 against each row's official source. Recheck the source before you act, because dates and fees change.

Major awards that need action

An admission application doesn't complete these separate steps.

Confirmed Fall 2027 dates are separate from information with no year given or from a previous cycle. Amounts aren't guaranteed offers.
Award	Published value	Who and how	Deadline status
National Scholarship Program	Up to $100,000 over four years	Students applying through OUAC to Western's main campus.	Opens by mid-November 2026; the last deadline was February 14, 2026. Latest available; confirm Fall 2027 with the universityNational Scholarship Program

Reviewed October 9, 2026 against each row's official source. Recheck the source before you act, because dates and fees change.

Compare Western's first-year money with its advertised total

Western's automatic Admission Scholarship provides $1,500 in first year at a 90.0% to 91.9% final admission average. The advertised $2,500 package includes $1,000 for an optional study-abroad experience. The Scholarship of Distinction provides $2,500 in first year at 92.0% to 100.0%, with a $3,500 advertised package that also includes optional study-abroad funding. Neither package should be entered in your budget as its full advertised total paid in September.

Western's Scholarship of Excellence is competitive among the highest admission averages, with 250 awards of $8,000. The published breakdown is $6,000 in first year and $2,000 for an optional study-abroad experience. The page doesn't give a fixed percentage that guarantees an Excellence award. A 95% result may place you in the Distinction range but doesn't establish that you're among the selected Excellence recipients.

Main-campus eligibility and final averages matter

Western automatically considers eligible students admitted directly from secondary school to full-time first-year study on the main campus. These aren't generic awards for every Western affiliate or every transfer route. The automatic award page says the average is calculated by Western Admissions and isn't rounded for scholarship eligibility. Keep the program prerequisites in the calculation, even if your personal best-six set would be higher.

For non-Ontario secondary-school applicants, the published page guarantees consideration when the admission application and required documents reach Western by the March 1 early-consideration date. That date is shown without an entry year. Confirm the Fall 2027 document instructions with Admissions. Ontario applicants are normally notified in mid-to-late May. Meeting the relevant academic range still leaves the offer's admission and registration conditions to satisfy.

The National Scholarship deadline isn't yet a 2027 date

Western's National Scholarship Program page says applications for the 2027-28 year will become available by mid-November 2026. It also retains a February 14, 2026 closing date in older instructions and explicitly says that competition has passed. The page doesn't publish a closing date for the new competition. Don't turn that old February date into February 14, 2027 by assumption.

Apply to Western's main campus through OUAC so you have the reference number needed to enter the scholarship application. Ask your school early about nomination and reference preparation, then use the new application when Western releases it. Supporting documents have their own submission requirements. The old page's statement that mailed material must be received by the deadline is useful context, but the new competition's instructions should control the 2027 process.

Read Western's stated selection criteria

National Scholarships recognize strong academic performance, creative and innovative thought, a commitment to learning and extracurricular achievements. Western gives particular attention to sustained community service. The normal minimum is a 90% overall average on all Grade 12 U/M courses or equivalents, which differs from assuming only six courses count. Canadian citizenship or permanent residence is required for most awards, with specified international and Black-student award exceptions.

The National Scholarship page lists awards up to $100,000 over four years. It also lists the Beryl Ivey Continuing Entrance Scholarship, whose financial-need component requires a supplemental application. Those figures describe named competitions, not an automatic minimum award. Check which form, nomination and applicant category apply to you. You write every response yourself and present achievements honestly; the university's criteria don't support promises about winning with a particular essay formula.

Renewal, study abroad and stacking rules

The automatic Admission and Distinction awards are first-year awards with later experience funding, not renewable annual academic scholarships. Western requires full-time main-campus registration, with at least 3.5 courses, to retain an admission scholarship. If you don't undertake the approved international experience, the study-abroad amount is forfeited. Record it as conditional funding rather than cash available for rent in a year when you stay in Canada.

Western says recipients of National Scholarships or Schulich Leader Scholarships aren't eligible for the listed automatic admission scholarships. A large competitive award can replace the smaller award already shown in an offer. Don't add every named award together. Read the final award notice and ask the Registrar about any apparent overlap. Award-specific continuation requirements also matter for multi-year National Scholarships and are separate from the automatic award rules.

International offers and a realistic Western budget

The automatic scholarship page includes information for current international recipients, including a Welcome to Canada award explicitly effective only through 2026-27 and not offered afterwards. It also includes continuing-award conditions. Neither should be treated as a new Fall 2027 offer just because the old information still appears on the page. Check the actual September 2027 award notice and fee status.

Use the university's published tuition and residence costs to estimate the funding gap after confirmed first-year scholarships. Need-based bursaries and work-study have separate application routes. For OSAP, Western specifically asks students not to report Western scholarships, awards or bursaries again because the university reports them. Keep externally awarded money separate and follow the current reporting instructions. If funding changes or a payment is missing, contact Student Financial Services before assuming an award will cover a fee deadline.

Apply through the Western process

Apply through OUAC with Western's main campus as a choice. Admission scholarships need no application.

Summer school grades that could change your scholarship must reach Western by August 31.

Western automatic admission scholarships (opens in a new tab)

Entrance scholarship questions

Will Western round 89.9% into the 90% band?

The published automatic-award guidance says grades are not rounded up. A mark just below a threshold therefore should not be budgeted as the higher tier. Check the admission average recorded by Western, not a rounded spreadsheet display, and distinguish a guaranteed grade award from the separately selected Excellence Scholarship.

Is Western's study-abroad amount ordinary first-year tuition money?

No. The published package combines an entrance amount with a separate study-abroad component. The international experience component has its own purpose and conditions. Put the first-year cash scholarship and the later conditional travel support on separate lines; their combined advertised value is not an unrestricted first-year payment.

Can a National Scholarship recipient also take the automatic entrance award?

Western's published terms exclude holding the automatic admission scholarship alongside National or Schulich Leader funding. Compare the full award offer and its conditions before adding totals. A larger competitive award can replace an automatic component, so a successful application does not always mean every previously listed scholarship stacks.

When does the Fall 2027 National Scholarship application close?

The source says the next application opens in mid-November 2026 but does not publish the next closing date in the material checked. February 14, 2026 belongs to the previous cycle. Set a reminder to inspect the new application when it opens and confirm the nomination and reference steps with your school.

Official sources and cycle status

Western automatic admission scholarships (opens in a new tab)
Figures and dates keep their published cycle. Details with no year given need confirmation for Fall 2027. Checked October 9, 2026.
Western National Scholarship Program (opens in a new tab)
Figures and dates keep their published cycle. Details with no year given need confirmation for Fall 2027. Checked October 9, 2026.
Western Science co-op fees and policies (opens in a new tab)
Figures and dates keep their published cycle. Details with no year given need confirmation for Fall 2027. Checked October 9, 2026.
Western bursaries and work study (opens in a new tab)
Figures and dates keep their published cycle. Details with no year given need confirmation for Fall 2027. Checked October 9, 2026.
Western Schulich Leader Scholarships (opens in a new tab)
Figures and dates keep their published cycle. Details with no year given need confirmation for Fall 2027. Checked October 9, 2026.
Western OSAP and government loans (opens in a new tab)
Figures and dates keep their published cycle. Details with no year given need confirmation for Fall 2027. Checked October 9, 2026.
Western's Admission Scholarships for Black Students and for Indigenous Students (opens in a new tab)
Figures and dates keep their published cycle. Details with no year given need confirmation for Fall 2027. Checked October 9, 2026.

2026–2027 tuition and student-funding update

Western University scholarships, bursaries, and financial aid

Western financial aid is not one application. Automatic admission scholarships use your final admission average. Competitive National Scholarships need a separate application. They also need a school nomination. Admission bursaries look at financial need. OSAP or another government loan has its own application. International applicants must also match their school location and immigration status. They must match these to the correct Western award.

Automatic scholarship threshold

90% final average

Eligible direct-from-secondary-school applicants to main campus are considered without a separate scholarship application.

Current admission bursary

July 9, 2026

The deadline for September 2026 entrants has passed. Western has not yet published the Fall 2027 admission-bursary date.

National Scholarship cycle

Reopens mid-November 2026

Western says the application for 2027–2028 will become available then; the new deadline is not published yet.

Western first-year tuition for 2026–2027

Western's current full-time undergraduate schedules apply to students taking at least 4.0 courses from September 2026 through April 2027. Cohort programs taking at least 3.5 courses have separate rules. The totals below include tuition and listed ancillary fees for representative first-year programs. They are current planning figures, not guaranteed Fall 2027 prices. The schedules are marked as subject to change.

Western first-year tuition for 2026–2027 (table)

First-year program	Ontario resident	Domestic, outside Ontario	International
Arts & Humanities or Media & Communication Studies	$8,197.46	$9,745.46	$50,467.46
Social Science or Science (excluding Computer Science)	$8,222.46	$9,770.46	$50,492.46
Computer Science	$10,128.46	$10,128.46	$58,166.46
Management and Organizational Studies	$10,128.46	$10,128.46	$63,104.46
Engineering	$14,665.46	$17,814.46	$67,384.46

First-time students also pay a $50 Western One Card fee that is not included in the published table. International totals include the listed health-insurance and ancillary charges. Residence, food, books, travel, and personal expenses are additional. Ivey HBA is a second-entry program with a separate fee schedule.

Western automatic admission scholarships

Students admitted directly from high school are considered automatically. They must start a full-time first-year program at Western's main campus. No separate application is required. You generally need at least 3.5 courses. You must meet the conditions in the offer. Scholarship averages are not rounded. A student who previously attended a post-secondary school is generally not eligible.

Western automatic admission scholarships (table)

Automatic award	Current average rule	Published value
Western Scholarship of Excellence	Top high-school admission averages	250 awards at $8,000: $6,000 in first year plus $2,000 for an optional study-abroad experience
Western Scholarship of Distinction	92.0% to 100.0%	$3,500: $2,500 in first year plus $1,000 for an optional study-abroad experience; unlimited
Western Admission Scholarship	90.0% to 91.9%	$2,500: $1,500 in first year plus $1,000 for an optional study-abroad experience; unlimited

The $8,000, $3,500, and $2,500 headline amounts are not all first-year cash. They include $2,000 or $1,000 reserved for an eligible optional study-abroad experience. Western also publishes separate continuing admission scholarships for Black and Indigenous students. Those awards have their own self-identification and renewal rules.

Western National Scholarships

National Scholarships recognize academic strength. They also recognize creative and innovative thought. They recognize extracurricular achievement and community contribution. The current program requires at least a 90% average. You must earn it across Grade 12 U/M courses (Grade 12 university (U) or university/college (M) preparation courses) or the equivalent. You must apply to Western main campus. You must register full-time. You must have a school nomination.

More about Western National Scholarships

The current Beryl Ivey Continuing Entrance Scholarship is $96,000, and the Neen Hodgins National Entrance Scholarship is $80,000. President's Entrance Scholarships are $50,000, $65,000, or $70,000. Western also lists three $100,000 International President's Entrance Scholarships and $30,000 Faculty Entrance Scholarships. The Beryl Ivey and Neen Hodgins awards require an additional supplemental form.

The deadline was February 14, 2026 for the 2026–2027 cycle. That deadline has passed. Western says the 2027–2028 application will open by mid-November 2026. So Fall 2027 applicants should ask their school about its nomination process early. Then wait for the new official deadline.

Funding application checklist

1.Use the 2026–2027 fee row for the exact program and residency status. General Science, Computer Science, Engineering, Nursing, MOS, and second-entry Ivey HBA do not have one shared price.
2.Separate automatic admission scholarships from application-based National Scholarships. The automatic program uses the final admission average; National Scholarships require a school nomination and supporting material.
3.Apply separately for need-based aid. The Western Admission Bursary, OSAP or another government loan, and later Financial Assistance Profile applications are not replaced by an entrance-scholarship result.
4.Confirm whether an award value includes optional study-abroad funding. The cash applied in first year can be lower than the headline total if part of the award is reserved for an eligible international learning experience.
5.Review combination rules before adding awards together. Welcome to Canada, Continue in Canada, National, Schulich Leader, and automatic admission awards cannot always be stacked.

Western admission bursaries and need-based aid

Western's 2026–2027 Admission Bursary was for eligible Canadian citizens and permanent residents. They had to enter listed first-year main campus programs or specified second-entry professional programs. They could demonstrate financial need. Its July 9, 2026 deadline has passed. Applicants for Fall 2027 should not reuse that date. Western has not yet published the next admission-bursary application.

More about Western admission bursaries and need-based aid

For September 2026, Western guarantees at least $3,000 in Western funding. This is for eligible direct-from-secondary-school students. They must come from a Canadian province outside Ontario. They must receive federal or provincial student-loan assistance. The Quebec minimum is $4,000. Eligible first-generation students with a government student loan can receive at least $2,000. They must submit the admission-bursary application and self-identify. These are current-cycle rules. They must be checked again for Fall 2027.

After you enrol, Western uses the Financial Assistance Profile in Student Center for bursaries, work study, and need-based awards. You should know this later application is not the same as the admission bursary for incoming students.

OSAP and government student loans at Western

Western runs OSAP for eligible Ontario residents. You must be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident, or a protected person. Undergraduate students normally need at least 60% of a full-time course load each term. Students with a verified permanent disability can qualify at 40%. Western says assessment generally takes six to eight weeks. Western recommends applying by June 30 if you need funding at the start of the study period.

More about OSAP and government student loans at Western

Do not report Western-issued scholarships, awards, or bursaries as external funding on the OSAP application. Western reports its own awards. Students must still report external scholarships. Applicants outside Ontario should use their home province or territory's loan program. Follow Western's tuition-deferral instructions.

Read the OSAP 2026–2027 application guide

Western scholarships for international students

The current 2026–2027 Welcome to Canada Admission Scholarship is automatic. It provides $10,000 for first year. It also guarantees two years of on-campus residence. This is for eligible international students completing school outside Canada. It is also for students transferring from a Canadian post-secondary institution. It cannot be combined with another admission scholarship.

More about Western scholarships for international students

International students who complete high school in Canada on a study permit can instead be considered for the current Continue in Canada Admission Scholarship. It provides $10,000 per year for four years and a four-year residence guarantee. To renew, you need full-time registration, international fee status, and an 80% average. It cannot be combined with an automatic or National Scholarship.

The competitive International President's Entrance Scholarships use the National Scholarship application. They also use school nomination. Western's automatic-scholarship page says international applicants should complete admission by March 1. They should also complete supporting documents by March 1. This is for the broader international entrance-award pool. Every international applicant should verify the Fall 2027 version. The current pages are for 2026–2027.

Plan with the correct Western student category

Western uses different rules for different student groups. These rules cover tuition, scholarships, residence, and bursaries. Compare Ontario and other-province domestic applicants on their own. International students in Canadian high schools differ from those studying abroad. Second-entry Ivey HBA has its own rules too. Use this section with the Western admission requirements and the Ivey AEO application guide.

Official Western sources

Frequently asked questions

Yes. Eligible students admitted directly from secondary school to a full-time first-year undergraduate program at Western's main campus are automatically considered. The current program awards $2,500 total for final admission averages of 90.0% to 91.9%. It awards $3,500 total for averages of 92.0% to 100.0%. Western also names 250 Scholarships of Excellence worth $8,000 for the top high-school admission averages. Part of each headline value is reserved for an optional study-abroad experience.

Western's 2026–2027 full-time first-year total for Ontario residents is approximately $8,197 for Arts, $8,222 for Social Science or general Science, $10,128 for Computer Science or MOS, and $14,665 for Engineering. Representative international totals range from about $50,467 for Arts to $67,384 for Engineering. Residence, food, books, personal costs, and a first-time $50 One Card fee are additional, and the published schedules are subject to change.

Apply to Western's main campus through OUAC, then complete the separate online National Scholarship application when the cycle opens. The current process requires at least a 90% average across Grade 12 U/M courses or the equivalent, a school nomination, an essay, a school-provided transcript, and a reference letter. The 2026 deadline has passed; Western says the Fall 2027 application will open by mid-November 2026, but the new deadline is not yet published.

Yes. Western administers OSAP for eligible Ontario residents who are Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or protected persons. Undergraduate students normally need at least 60% of a full-time course load per term, or 40% with a verified permanent disability. Western says assessment generally takes six to eight weeks and recommends applying by June 30 when funding is needed at the start of the study period.

For September 2026, Western guarantees at least $3,000 in Western funding to eligible direct-from-secondary-school students from a Canadian province outside Ontario who receive government student-loan assistance; the Quebec minimum is $4,000. Eligible first-generation students receiving a government loan can receive at least $2,000 after submitting the admission-bursary application and self-identifying. Fall 2027 applicants must check the next cycle's rules.

For 2026–2027, eligible international students completing school outside Canada can automatically receive the $10,000 Welcome to Canada Admission Scholarship with a two-year residence guarantee. Eligible international students completing high school in Canada on a study permit can be considered for the Continue in Canada Scholarship worth $10,000 per year for four years with a four-year residence guarantee. Three competitive International President's Entrance Scholarships worth $100,000 use the National Scholarship application and school nomination.

Not always. Western says National or Schulich Leader recipients cannot also receive an automatic admission scholarship, Welcome to Canada Scholarship, or Continue in Canada Scholarship. Welcome to Canada cannot be combined with another admission scholarship, and Continue in Canada cannot be combined with an automatic or National Scholarship. Applicants should read the combination rule for every award before adding headline values together.