OPACC Scholarships

Thank you for your interest in applying for an OPACC Scholarship! Our mission is to support families of children diagnosed with cancer in Ontario.

We are offering three different scholarships:

OPACC Survivor Scholarship ($1,000) for survivors of childhood cancer
OPACC Sibling Scholarship ($500) for siblings of a childhood cancer patient
OPACC Parent Scholarship ($500) for parents of a childhood cancer patient

Deadline for all: April 30th

Eligibility:

Registered OPACC pediatric oncology family (including bereaved siblings and parents); this will be verified
Canadian citizen or permanent resident
Resident of Ontario, Canada
Planning to attend or already attending an accredited post-secondary institution located in Canada (college, university, trade school); see list of accredited institutions here
Attending or planning to attend in-person and/or online courses
Attending or planning to attend full-time or part-time
Open to any year of studies (undergraduate or graduate programs)
OPACC staff, Board, and their relatives are NOT eligible to apply
Have not won an OPACC scholarship in the past

Terms:

1. Winners must submit & agree to their pictures and stories being used by OPACC for promotional purposes on our website, newsletter, social media, etc.

2. Winners will be asked to write one thank you letter (email) collectively addressed to OPACC's Board and any scholarship sponsors, if any

3. Winners will be asked to follow up within a year of winning the scholarship with a letter (email) outlining how the scholarship is helping

4. Scholarship will be paid out directly to the educational institution; you must provide OPACC with the information and instructions needed on how to do that

5. If winner(s) decide not to attend, the scholarship funds must be returned/repaid to OPACC

6. Scholarship is one-time only and not renewable

Application package includes:

1. Completed application (all applicants)

2. Essay (all applicants)

3. Letter of reference (all applicants)

4. Letter from healthcare professional confirming the diagnosis or that you are a parent/sibling of a child treated by them (short-listed candidates only); another letter is not required if you were already short-listed in a previous year and we already have one on file for you

5. Proof of enrollment in an accredited educational institution (short-listed candidates only)

Timeline:

Applications open from March 1-April 30
Short-listed candidates will be notified from May-July
Winners will be announced in August
All applicants will be notified of their application status regardless
Applicants who are not successful can re-apply next year

Donate:

If you would like to make a donation to support our Scholarships program, please go to our Donations page and select "Scholarships fund" from the fund drop-down menu on the donations form. Your tax-deductible donation will ensure the longevity of this program for future scholars. With continued funding, we can grow our program to offer larger monetary amounts and/or add more winners per category. Thank you!

FAQ:

Q: I used to live in Ontario, but have moved to another Province. Can I still apply?
A: Sorry, but the scholarships are for current Ontario residents only. Please look into a national scholarship or from an organization in your Province. We have some other scholarship opportunities listed here.

Q: For the sibling scholarship, does the child still need to be in treatment?

A: No, the child diagnosed with cancer can be off-treatment/survivor. Bereaved siblings are also welcome to apply.

Q: Is this scholarship available to kids with bone marrow failure as well?

A: Our scholarship is open only to pediatric oncology families. However, if the bone marrow failure is classified as a type of cancer (i.e. Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS)), then they are welcome to apply.

Q: Are the scholarships open to young adults with cancer or children whose parents have/had cancer?

A: Our scholarships are only available for those who had cancer as a child (0-18), as well as their siblings and parents. They are not open to those first diagnosed with cancer as an adult (19+) nor for children who have had a parent with cancer.

Q: Can bereaved siblings or parents apply?

A: Yes!

Q: We are a bereaved family and no longer in touch with our child's healthcare team to get a letter confirming her diagnosis, etc. Can we still apply?

A: We can consider special circumstances on a case-by-case basis and would encourage you to apply anyway.

Q: Can I apply again if I've already done so in the past?

A: Yes - as long as you have not already won an OPACC Scholarship, you are welcome to re-apply! Just fill out the application again, re-submit an updated essay (we keep copies of all essays submitted on file, so if you didn't save yours and need to see it again, please let us know), and, if you already had submitted a reference letter within the past 3 years, there's no need to send one again (if you're not sure if we already have a reference letter on file for you, just ask!).

For previously short-listed applicants only: If you have submitted a doctor's letter already, there is no need to submit one again as we keep them on file. However, we will ask for another proof of enrollment in an accredited educational institute for the upcoming academic year.