The TD Bank has been funding scholarships at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute to support graduate students with disabilities since 2005. This support allows KITE, the research arm at Toronto Rehab, to offer scholarships of up to $20,000 to graduate students with disabilities. These students often require adaptive aids, technologies and other resources that can contribute to the financial burden of being a student. With that in mind, an individual supplement for educational expenses incurred as a result of the student's disability is also available.

To be eligible, applicants must have a disability and plan to be enrolled in a rehabilitation-related graduate program leading to a masters or doctoral degree at one of the following eligible universities: McMaster University, Toronto Metropolitan University, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, University of Toronto, University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University and York University. Applications are also encouraged from international students and final-year undergraduate students enrolled in/applying to eligible institutions.

Fields of study must relate to rehabilitation but are not limited to any particular discipline. Acceptable programs include Engineering, Social Work, Psychology, Medicine, Physical and Occupational Therapy, Kinesiology, Recreation and Music Therapy, Nutrition, Pharmacology, Speech-Language Pathology, Biostatistics, Chemistry, Physics, Telecommunications, Architecture, and Public Policy and Administration.

"This valuable scholarship opportunity could have a significant impact for students with disabilities who are pursuing graduate studies," said KITE Institute Director Dr. Milos R. Popovic. “It's essential that our research teams are diverse with different experiences and insights that contribute to strengthening the science.

"Creating opportunities so people can succeed and reach their full potential is something we value at TD. We are proud to support the TD Graduate Scholarship for People with Disabilities, helping remove barriers to inclusion in education and research. Engaging people living with disabilities in programs like these will create a more equitable and accessible future for everyone," said Alicia Rose, Associate Vice President, Social Impact, Sustainability & Corporate Citizenship.

The next round of scholarships will be awarded for the 2025/26 academic year, with an application deadline of May 31, 2025. For more details, including eligibility criteria and application procedures, read the application guidelines below or contact contact Mary Lam at Mary.Lam@uhn.ca.

KITE is the research arm of the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute at the University Health Network (UHN), Canada's largest medical research hospital. KITE is a world leader in the field of the complex rehabilitation research, with scientists and staff dedicated to improving the lives of people living with the effects of disability, illness and aging.

How to apply: Coming Soon!

Contact:

Mary Lam: Mary.Lam@uhn.ca