Automatic scholarship threshold
90% final average
Eligible direct-from-secondary-school applicants to main campus are considered without a separate scholarship application.
Western scholarships, tuition, bursaries, National awards, and OSAP
Western University Scholarships & Financial Aid: 2027 Guide
Western uses separate processes for automatic admission scholarships, competitive National Scholarships, need-based bursaries, OSAP, and international-student awards. This guide compares the current 90% automatic threshold, published award values, 2026–2027 tuition examples, and the Fall 2027 dates that Western has—and has not—released.
Reviewed August 2, 2026 · 2027 dates are labelled only where Western has published them
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 a student's final admission average, competitive National Scholarships require a separate application and school nomination, admission bursaries assess financial need, and OSAP or another government loan has its own application. International applicants also need to match their current school location and immigration status to the correct Western award.
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, with separate rules for cohort programs taking at least 3.5 courses. The totals below include tuition and listed ancillary fees for representative first-year programs. They are current planning figures—not guaranteed Fall 2027 prices—and the schedules are marked as subject to change.
| 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 secondary school to a full-time first-year undergraduate program at Western's main campus are automatically considered. No separate application is required. Eligibility generally requires at least 3.5 courses and meeting the conditions in the offer. Scholarship averages are not rounded, and a student who previously attended a post-secondary institution is generally not eligible.
| 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, creative and innovative thought, extracurricular achievement, and community contribution. The current program requires at least a 90% average across Grade 12 U/M courses or the equivalent, an application to Western main campus, full-time registration, and a school nomination.
The current award list includes the $96,000 Beryl Ivey Continuing Entrance Scholarship, an $80,000 Neen Hodgins National Entrance Scholarship, President's Entrance Scholarships of $50,000, $65,000, or $70,000, three $100,000 International President's Entrance Scholarships, and Faculty Entrance Scholarships of $30,000. The Beryl Ivey and Neen Hodgins awards require an additional supplemental form.
The February 14, 2026 deadline applied to the 2026–2027 cycle and 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 and 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 entering listed first-year main campus programs or specified second-entry professional programs who 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.
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 federal or provincial student-loan assistance; the Quebec minimum is $4,000. Eligible first-generation students receiving a government student loan can receive at least $2,000 after submitting the admission-bursary application and self-identifying. These are current-cycle rules that must be rechecked for Fall 2027.
After enrolment, Western uses the Financial Assistance Profile in Student Center for bursaries, work study, and need-based awards. Students should distinguish that later application from the admission bursary for incoming students.
OSAP and government student loans at Western
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; students with a verified permanent disability can qualify at 40%. 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.
Do not report Western-issued scholarships, awards, or bursaries as external funding on the OSAP application; Western reports its own awards. Students remain responsible for reporting external scholarships. Applicants outside Ontario should use their home province or territory's loan program and follow Western's tuition-deferral instructions.
Read the OSAP 2026–2027 application guideWestern scholarships for international students
The current 2026–2027 Welcome to Canada Admission Scholarship is automatic and provides $10,000 for first year plus guaranteed on-campus residence for two years to eligible international students completing school outside Canada or transferring from a Canadian post-secondary institution. It cannot be combined with another admission scholarship.
International students completing high school in Canada on a study permit can instead be considered for the current Continue in Canada Admission Scholarship: $10,000 per year for four years plus a four-year residence guarantee, subject to full-time registration, international fee status, and an 80% renewal average. It cannot be combined with an automatic or National Scholarship.
The competitive International President's Entrance Scholarships use the National Scholarship application and school nomination. Western's automatic-scholarship page also says international applicants should complete admission and supporting documents by March 1 for consideration for the broader international entrance-award pool. Every international applicant should verify the Fall 2027 version because the current pages are explicitly for 2026–2027.
Plan with the correct Western student category
A domestic Ontario applicant, a domestic applicant from another province, an international student finishing high school in Canada, an international student outside Canada, and an applicant to second-entry Ivey HBA can face different tuition, scholarship, residence, and bursary rules. Pair this section with the Western admission requirements and the Ivey AEO application guide.
Official Western sources
- 2026–2027 domestic undergraduate fee schedule
- 2026–2027 international undergraduate fee schedule
- Automatic admission scholarships
- National Scholarship Program
- Bursaries and work study
- Western OSAP guidance
- Welcome to Canada Admission Scholarship
- Continue in Canada Admission Scholarship
- Admission scholarships for Black and Indigenous students
Frequently asked questions
Direct answers based on Western's current tuition, automatic-scholarship, National Scholarship, bursary, OSAP, and international-student guidance.
Does Western University automatically give entrance scholarships?
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%, $3,500 total for 92.0% to 100.0%, and 250 Scholarships of Excellence worth $8,000 to students with the top high-school admission averages. Part of each headline value is reserved for an optional study-abroad experience.
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 much is Western University tuition for first year in 2026–2027?
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.
How do I apply for a Western University National Scholarship?
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.
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.
Can I use OSAP to attend Western University?
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.
Does Western offer guaranteed aid to out-of-province or first-generation students?
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 recheck the next cycle's rules.
What Western University scholarships are available to international students?
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.
Can Western University scholarships be combined with each other?
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.