Grant and Funding Programs Offered by UTS Alumni Association (UTSAA)

The UTS Alumni Association (UTSAA) is the formal alumni body of University of Toronto Schools, based in Toronto, Canada. Its mission is to support UTS and to help present and future alumni build meaningful, lifelong connections with the school and each other. A key part of this support is financial: UTSAA explicitly commits to assisting UTS through funding student bursaries, scholarships, and a range of school initiatives and projects.

Within the broader UTS advancement structure, the UTS Foundation stewards different types of funds, including capital funds for building projects, scholarship, award and bursary funds, discretionary funds for various purposes, and undesignated funds directed to the school’s greatest needs. Donations from alumni and friends flow into these funds and are then distributed as financial support for UTS students and programs.

UTS operates one of the largest bursary support programs among independent schools in Canada, with millions of dollars in need-based assistance awarded annually to a significant share of students. Bursaries can cover from 5% up to 100% of tuition and, for new students, may also include enrolment fees. Eligibility is assessed independently from admission decisions, using a confidential review by Apple Financial Services that considers income, assets and other family circumstances.

The school’s bursary committee allocates available funds each year, drawing on endowments and annual gifts held by the UTS Foundation as well as “top up” funds raised through annual giving campaigns. This structure means that contributions inspired and coordinated through the alumni association translate directly into concrete financial aid for students who could not otherwise afford to attend UTS.

The UTS ecosystem offers many ways for alumni and supporters to contribute. Donors can make one-time or monthly gifts, give securities or mutual funds, arrange gifts through the University of Toronto, designate United Way contributions, or give from abroad through U.S. and U.K. partner entities. A Monthly Giving Program helps provide predictable support for bursaries and other priorities, while the Legacy Giving program encourages bequests, life insurance gifts, charitable gift annuities and other planned giving instruments, many of which are recognized through the UTS Arbor Society.

In addition to bursaries, donor support improves facilities, equipment and co-curricular opportunities, reinforcing UTS’s academic and leadership mission. Donor recognition materials underline that such gifts help make UTS accessible and sustain innovative programming for future generations of students.

UTSAA is governed by a volunteer board of directors drawn from diverse graduating cohorts, and supported by year representatives who maintain contact with their classes. While the primary mandate is engagement and community-building, the association’s values emphasize accountability, transparency, inclusiveness and strong connections with the current school. Through events, mentorship, volunteering and fundraising, alumni play a direct role in sustaining bursary programs and other financial support mechanisms that underpin accessibility at University of Toronto Schools.