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, Ryerson 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 amazing scholarship opportunity can make a big difference to people living with disabilities who want to pursue graduate study opportunities,” said KITE Institute Director Dr. Milos Popovic. “It’s essential that our research teams reflect the communities we serve, and this scholarship provides the support these students need to participate on an equal footing with other graduate students and helps them realize their full academic potential.”
"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 Paul Clark, President, TD Direct Investing and Executive Vice President, TD Bank Group.
The next round of scholarships will be awarded for the 2021/22 academic year, with an application deadline of May 31, 2021. For more details, including eligibility criteria and application procedures, read the application guidelines below or contact Lois Ward at lois.ward@uhn.ca or 416-300-4615.
The research arm of the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, Kite, is a world leader in complex rehabilitation science and is dedicated to improving the lives of people living with the effects of disability, illness and aging. KITE’s areas of focus include injury prevention, restoration of function, enhanced participation and independent living. KITE and Toronto Rehab are members of the University Health Network, which includes Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital, the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and the Michener Institute for Education, and an academic partner of the University of Toronto.