Ontario Learn and Stay Grant
by Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities (OSAP)
Also known as: OLSG · Learn and Stay
Learn and Stay pays FULL upfront costs, tuition, compulsory fees, books, supplies, for eligible nursing, practical nursing, nurse practitioner, paramedic and medical lab technology students who study in Northern Ontario and commit to work there at least 180 days (6 months) per funded year after graduating. Apply through your OSAP account. The 2025-26 window closed July 31, 2026; watch the OSAP cycle for the 2026-27 window.
Key facts
- Amount
- Up to 100% of costs Full, upfront funding of tuition, compulsory fees, books and other direct educational costs (supplies, equipment), no fixed dollar figure published; the amount tracks your program's actual costs
ontario.ca · Last verified Oct 1, 2026 · Auto-checked against official source
tuition ... compulsory fees ... books ... other direct educational costs (for example, supplies, equipment)
- Instrument
- Grant (non-repayable)
- Status
- Next intake not announced watch this page or subscribe to the calendar
- Who qualifies
- Individuals
- individual
- Ontario resident; Canadian citizen, permanent resident or protected person
- Enrolled full-time in an eligible program at a participating institution in a priority region: Practical Nursing, Paramedic, Medical Laboratory Technology/Science (diploma); Nursing degrees; Nurse Practitioner (master's/graduate diploma)
- North region defined by public health units: Thunder Bay, Sudbury, North Bay-Parry Sound, Northwestern, Northeastern, and Algoma, covering all Northern Ontario districts listed
- Return-of-service: work in the SAME region where you studied for at least 180 days (6 months) for every full year of study funded
- Applies to new students starting full-time studies between September 2023 and August 2027 (cohort window reported from program communications)
ontario.ca · Last verified Oct 1, 2026 · Auto-checked against official source
work in the same service region where you studied for at least 180 days (6 months) for every full year of study
- Where
- Algoma District · Cochrane District · Greater Sudbury (single-tier census division) · Kenora District · Manitoulin District · Nipissing District · Parry Sound District · Rainy River District · Sudbury District (excl. Greater Sudbury) · Thunder Bay District · Timiskaming District
11 of 11 Northern Ontario districts are eligible for this program. A filled dot is eligible, an outline is not.
- Built for
- Students & individuals
Do you have to pay this back?
0% repayable if the return-of-service commitment is completed; per OSAP program materials the grant converts to a repayable OSAP loan if the commitment is not met (conversion rule reported, not re-verified on the live page)
ontario.ca · Last verified Oct 1, 2026 · Reported, verification pending
How do you apply?
- Register for an OSAP account (the grant runs through the OSAP system, no separate portal)
- Apply for the Learn and Stay Grant for the academic year; optionally apply for full-time OSAP at the same time for living costs
- Enrol in an eligible program at a participating institution in the region
- Accept the return-of-service agreement
- After graduating, work in the same region at least 180 days per funded year of study
ontario.ca · Last verified Oct 1, 2026 · Auto-checked against official source
Applications for the 2025–2026 academic year are open until July 31, 2026.
Can you combine this with other funding?
- Ontario Distance Grants (OSAP), You can hold both: Learn and Stay covers direct educational costs, while a simultaneous full-time OSAP application (which auto-considers distance grants) covers living and travel costs.
Common questions
What happens if I don't complete the work commitment?
Program materials indicate the grant converts to a repayable OSAP loan if you don't complete the return-of-service in your study region (reported, confirm the current conversion terms in your grant agreement before signing).
Which Northern Ontario schools and programs qualify?
Eligible programs in the north region are Practical Nursing, Paramedic and Medical Laboratory Technology/Science diplomas, Nursing degrees, and Nurse Practitioner programs at participating institutions inside the Thunder Bay, Sudbury, North Bay-Parry Sound, Northwestern, Northeastern and Algoma public health unit areas. Check the current participating-program list on the official page for your specific school.
Can I also get OSAP?
Yes, the official page states you can apply for OSAP at the same time to help pay other expenses such as living costs. Learn and Stay covers the direct educational costs; OSAP covers the rest.
How long is the return-of-service?
At least 180 days (6 months) of work in the same region where you studied for every full year of study funded by the grant, so a 4-year funded degree means roughly 2 years of service.
Where else could this money come from?
Chosen by what these programs have in common with this one, not by hand. The reason is shown for each, so you can judge whether it holds.
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Summer Company
Next intake not announced both for students & individuals; students — Up to $3,000
Guides that cover this program
Notes on this record
Verified against the live ontario.ca page 2026-08-17. The Sept 2023 - Aug 2027 new-student cohort window is reported from program communications; the loan-conversion penalty is reported from OSAP program materials, both worth re-verifying when the 2026-27 page updates.
Apply
Apply on the funder’s site and confirm current terms there: