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Information for Indigenous Students Receiving Sponsorship

Information for Sponsors of Indigenous Students

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Sponsorship, sometimes referred to as "third party" or "external" sponsorship, means that some or all of a student's tuition and student fees will be paid directly to the University by an external sponsor.

If you are a First Nations (Status), Métis, or Inuit student, you may be eligible for postsecondary financial assistance from your First Nations community, or affiliated Métis or Inuit organizations, and/or from other sponsoring organizations to help offset the costs of your postsecondary studies (e.g., tuition, supplementary fees, etc.).

• Examples may include financial assistance through the Post-Secondary Student Support Program (Band funding) for First Nations students, the Inuit Post-Secondary Education Strategy, or the Métis Nation Post-Secondary Education Strategy (see Indigenous Services Canada for additional information).

To learn more, contact your sponsoring organization (e.g., local governance) directly for details on how to apply for funding, if eligible. If you are in receipt of such sponsorship, the information below may be helpful to you and your sponsor.

This section contains information pertaining to sponsorship funding only. If you are looking for information on other postsecondary financial support for Indigenous students (e.g., awards, bursaries, scholarships), you may find helpful information regarding on the Funding for Indigenous Students page.

Contact Information:

If you have questions or need additional information on sponsorship funding for Indigenous students, please contact Tracy Jacko, Indigenous Recruitment Officer at jackotra@yorku.ca, or Randy Pitawanakwat, Manager, Indigenous Student Services, at rpitawan@yorku.ca at the Centre for Indigenous Student Services (CISS).

Graduate students may also request assistance from their supervisors to support their funding requests from sponsors. Please contact Tracy Jacko, Indigenous Recruitment Officer at jackotra@yorku.ca to help coordinate funding advocacy and requests.

Indigenous Students Receiving Sponsorship

If you are an Indigenous Student seeking sponsorship, complete the following steps:

Step 1: Apply for Funding

Confirm eligibility with your sponsoring organization and complete their application form/process. To do this, you will need to contact your external sponsor directly (e.g., First Nations Band office, Métis Nation or Inuit organizations, and/or other sponsoring organization).

Step 2: Receive Decision from Sponsor

Receive confirmation from your sponsoring organization if you will be receiving sponsorship, how much funding you can expect and any requirements/expectations to maintain funding.

If you do not receive funding from an external sponsor, the rest of the information regarding sponsorship funding will not apply to you. Instead, you may find helpful information regarding other funding options for Indigenous students on the Funding for Indigenous Students page.

Students who may be receiving sponsorship funding should also explore the Funding for Indigenous Students page. Sponsorship or Band funding does not exclude you from applying for other funding, including grants and bursaries.

Step 3: Notify York of Sponsorship

Your sponsor will need to provide a sponsorship letter to York University Student Financial Services (SFS) before the start of classes/term (see Important Dates). More information on the process for sponsors can be found below. You may wish to direct your sponsor to this page for their information.

You are also encouraged to notify York University if you are expecting to receive a sponsorship by completing this form. This will help us keep your student record up to date and ensure you are not de-enrolled or charged interest in error.

It is important that York University receives either your sponsorship letter or confirmation that you are expecting a sponsorship letter before the start of classes/term (see Important Dates) to ensure you are not de-enrolled or charged interest in error. We will correct your student record if interest has been applied in error once the sponsorship letter is received.

Step 4: Check Student Account

It is recommended that you check your Student Account regularly for fee charges and payments. You will be responsible for the balance of fees that your sponsor does not cover. Interest fees may apply if outstanding account balances are not settled promptly.

Additional considerations for Indigenous students receiving sponsorship are included below.

Student Health Plans

All full-time students are automatically enrolled in a Student Health Plan and charged for this service. Some Indigenous students receiving sponsorship may already have health coverage and wish to opt out. For example, First Nations (Status) students and registered Inuit students may be covered under Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) program. For more information on the Non-Insured Health Benefits program, please see the Indigenous Services Canada program page and connect with your funding sponsor for more information.

To learn more about the University's Student Health Plans, and how to opt in/opt out as applicable, please visit the plan sites:

• For undergraduate students, please see YFS Health and Dental Plan for more information.
• For graduate students and JD students, please see YUGSA Health Plan for more information. If you are a CUPE 3903 member (e.g., as a Teaching Assistant or Graduate Assistant) please see the CUPE 3903 site for more information.
• Note the opt-out and opt-in deadlines will vary depending on the type of studies you are taking and the term in which you are enrolling.

Financial Aid

If you are applying for OSAP (Ontario Student Assistance Program), Band funding and other sponsorship funding does not need to be reported on your OSAP application. Scholarships, bursaries and/or awards should be reported on your OSAP application.

• If you have any questions about applying for OSAP as an Indigenous student, please contact Student Support and Advising.
• If you have already completed an OSAP application with information about your sponsorship funds, you can make changes to your OSAP application using the form found on this page: How to report changes to OSAP application information.
• If you are applying for student financial aid from a Canadian province or territory outside of Ontario, refer to the York website for out-of-province students.

Refunds/Return of Funds

Any refunds on your student account will be issued back to the original payor/sponsor. Please consult the Request a Refund page to request a refund if this applies to you.

Third Party Access Information

If you wish to have your sponsor access information from your student account, please complete and submit a Third Party Access Permission form (PDF).

Information for Sponsors of Indigenous Students

Please complete the following steps to initiate a sponsorship for an Indigenous Student at York University:

Step 1: Complete a Sponsorship Letter

Please prepare a sponsorship letter for each student you are intending to sponsor. Please consider using this Third Party Sponsorship Letter Template (Microsoft Word .docx format), as it includes all the information required.

Timelines

Please send sponsorship letters to York University Student Financial Services no later than the start of classes/term. Note that if the sponsorship letter is received after the start of classes/term, it may impact the timing of invoices. You should submit sponsorship letters to the portal: see Step 2 below for more instructions.

Sponsorship Letter Details

Please include details of all fees the sponsor will be covering (e.g., tuition fees, mandatory fees, supplementary fees, books, Student Health Plan, residence fees, meal plan charges, etc.), including if there is a maximum threshold amount(s) that will be covered.

Any expenses not detailed on the sponsorship letter will remain the responsibility of the student.

Step 2: Submit the Sponsorship Letter to York University

Once the sponsorship letter has been completed, please upload it to this portal.

If you are not able to submit the letter electronically using the portal above, please send a sponsorship letter by mail to the address below:

York University
Student Financial Services
Bennett Centre for Student Services
99 Ian Macdonald Blvd
Toronto, ON M3J 1P3

Step 3: Receive Invoice from York University

Once York has received the sponsorship letter, an invoice will be issued directly to the sponsor after the last day a student is able to a drop a course and still receive a refund for that course.