Scholarships, awards, and other forms of financial aid are available to all undergraduate students at the School of Dramatic Art.
Financial Aid
OSAP and other forms of student loans are available through the Student Awards and Financial Aid Office. Please contact them for more information.
Scholarships and Awards
The following are awards that are made available to School of Dramatic Art students.
Other general and entrance awards are available to all students of the University of Windsor. Please contact the Student Awards and Financial Aid Office for all specific awards and requirements.
An online application is required for most of these awards. Deadlines vary.
Joseph T. Culliton Award in the Humanities
This award is to honour the memory of Rev. Dr. Joseph T. Culliton, former Dean of Arts, Professor of Religious Studies, and staunch advocate of the humanities during his long career. An award will be made annually to a full-time student in third or fourth year who is pursuing a major or joint major in Classics, English, History, a Modern Language, Philosophy, Music, Dramatic Art or Visual Arts. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative average of 76% and demonstrate financial need. Applications must include an essay (1000 words) discussing the importance of the humanities and a liberal arts education in our changing world.Apply on-line. Refer to the uWinAward Application instructions.
Claire Kire Memorial Bursary
Awarded annually on the basis of academic merit (minimum cumulative average of 66%) and financial need, to a second or third year student in Dramatic Art. Apply on-line. Refer to the uWinAward Application instructions.
Backstage Award
Two awards given to Year 1 students registered full-time in the School of Creative Arts/Music or the School of Dramatic Art for outstanding creative work in his/her final secondary school year. Creative work is considered to be the writing of plays, scores, lyrics, set design, underscoring, and work with lighting and sound. Performance students may be considered as well, provided that they also assisted backstage. Eligible candidates must be Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents (includes those with Protected Persons status), who meet the Ontario Student Assistance Program Ontario residency requirements, and who are facing proven financial hardship. Recipients must be in good academic standing. This award was established in 2004 in memory of Ethel May and Rowland Marshall. Apply on-line.
$600 Dramatic Art Entrance Scholarship
Awarded to a Year 1 student entering the Dramatic Art program with the highest entrance average and proven financial need. The recipient must be registered as a full-time student and be a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident (includes those with Protected Persons status), meeting OSAP Ontario residency requirements. Apply on-line. Refer to the uWinAward Application instructions.
Francis & Vera McGrath Dramatic Art Bursary
Interest from this trust will support an annual award for a full-time undergraduate Dramatic Art student. Based on good academic standing (minimum cumulative average of 70%) and financial need. Candidates must be Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents (includes those with Protected Persons status) who meet OSAP Ontario residency requirements. Award may be renewed if eligibility criteria met. Previous recipients must re-apply each year. Apply on-line. Refer to the uWinAward Application instructions.
Jules Tonus Memorial Endowment Scholarship for Excellence in Theatre Design and Practice
Awarded to a full-time third year undergraduate student registered in Honours Dramatic Art, who has successfully completed a minimum of four courses in Scenic Design, Costume Design, Lighting Design, Stage Makeup or Scene Painting and has indicated an interest in pursuing a career in technical theatre and/or design. Based on good academic performance (minimum cumulative average of 75%), financial need, returning for Fourth Year. Candidate must be a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident (includes those with Protected Person status) who meets the Ontario Student Assistance Program Ontario residency requirements. Apply on-line. Refer to the uWinAward Application instructions.
Lawson Family Award in Arts and Social Science
One award given annually to a 3rd or 4th year student registered full-time in Drama, Visual Arts or Communication, Media and Film. Based on academic standing (minimum cumulative average of 75% required) and proven financial need. Candidates must demonstrate active involvement and leadership in University campus activities (UWSA, campus groups, clubs, etc.) and/or community groups and activities in Windsor-Essex County. Candidates must be Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents (includes those with Protected Persons status), meeting OSAP Ontario residency requirements. Apply on-line. Refer to the uWinAward Application instructions.
Club Soda Award of Excellence
Interest from this fund will provide an annual award to a Year 3 or 4 Dramatic Art student. Award is based on academic performance (minimum cumulative average of 75%), financial need, proven leadership, voluntary participation in a community theatre production, community drama project or workshop, or a University Players production. Candidates must be Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents (includes those with Protected Persons status), meeting OSAP Ontario residency requirements. Club Soda members are not eligible to receive this award unless their current term is over. Apply on-line. Refer to the uWinAward Application instructions.
Frances Elder Undergraduate Scholarship
Interest from this fund will support one award for a Dramatic Art student in Years 2 through 4 . Based on a minimum cumulative average of 76% and financial need. Candidates must be Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents (includes those with Protected Persons status), meeting OSAP Ontario residency requirements. Preference will be given to a student who has graduated from a Windsor/Essex County Secondary School. Apply on-line. Refer to the uWinAward Application instructions.
$1,500 Meharry Drama in Education Bursary ($750 x 2 terms)
Interest from this fund will support one bursary annually for a student in Year 1 of the Drama in Education Program with financial need. Candidates must be Canadian Citizens or Permanent residents (includes those with Protected Persons status), meeting OSAP Ontario residency requirements. Apply on-line. Refer to the uWinAward Application instructions.
Follow Your Dreams Award
The Follow Your Dreams Award was established to recognize a student working toward a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting who strives for excellence in his/her program. Interest from the trust will support a student in Year 3 or 4 with demonstrated financial need. Candidates must be Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents (includes those with Protected Persons status) in Ontario who meet Ontario Student Assistance Program residency requirements. Apply on-line. Refer to the uWinAward Application instructions.
$6000 Alan Wildeman and Debra Henderson Scholarship in Creative & Dramatic Arts ($3000 x 2 terms)
One scholarship available to a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident (includes those with Protected Persons status) meeting OSAP Ontario residency requirements entering a program within the School of Creative Arts (SoCA) or School of Dramatic Arts directly from an Ontario secondary school. Students must have a minimum scholarship average of 90% and demonstrated financial need. This fund was established by Dr. Wildeman and his wife Dr. Debra Henderson. Dr. Wildeman served as President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Windsor from 2008 and 2018. Included in his vision for the University of Windsor was a belief that the arts play an essential role in the intellectual and creative fabric of a campus and the vibrancy of communities. Apply on-line. Refer to the uWinAward Application instructions.
Dramatic Art Scholarships
Dramatic Art offers scholarships to deserving students registered full-time in a Dramatic Art program. Automatic. No application required.
Daniel Patrick Kelly Award in Dramatic Art
An annual award to a student entering Year 4 of a program offered by Dramatic Art, who has maintained a standard of academic excellence (minimum cumulative average of 73%) and has made the most outstanding overall contribution to Dramatic Art.
Thomas R. McDonald Award
Awarded to a Drama major who has completed a minimum of four courses with at least a 75% average in the technical theatre/design area. Two of the courses must be at or above the 200 level. The student must show promise of pursuing technical theatre/design knowledge. Assigned. No application required.
Jessica Sue Rogers Pauze Award
Awarded annually to a full-time Drama in Education student who has made outstanding curricular contributions to the field of developmental drama. A minimum cumulative average of 78% is required. Assigned. No application required.
University of Windsor Women's Auxiliary Award in Dramatic Art
An annual award to be granted to a full-time student in Dramatic Art who demonstrates outstanding talent in performance or production. Assigned. No application required.
Backstage Excellence Award (In Course)
Awarded to a year 2, 3 or 4 student registered full-time in the School of Creative Arts/Music or the School of Dramatic Art for outstanding creative work in backstage design. This award will recognize outstanding contributions to a production at the University in any field and will encourage students to think of rounding out their university career by contributing backstage. Having a background in any of these areas eases the passage of any student into spheres related to acting such as directing, lighting, costuming, writing, blocking and writing background music. The student must have demonstrated mentorship of other students and must have demonstrated their ability to design, write or compose for University Players and departmental productions. Established in 2014 in honour of Joyce E. Hsia (nee Marshall), poet and her husband Ronald Hsia, a well known economist whose work is celebrated on the internet. Assigned. No application required.
$1,000 Frances Hyland Entrance Award in Dramatic Art
Open to students auditioning for entry into Year 1 of the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting program. Candidates must successfully complete the B.F.A. Acting audition. Contact the School of Dramatic Art for details and deadlines.
Mary C. Schisler Award in Dramatic Art (OPUS)
Awarded annually by the Organization of Part-Time University Students (OPUS) to a part-time student enrolled in the School of Dramatic Art, Music or Visual Arts. Based on academic merit, preference will be given to a part-time student with a minimum cumulative average of 80%. OPUS established this award in 2002 in recognition of Mary Schisler who, while President of the OPUS Board of Directors, supported the Arts and Humanities by establishing the "Alumni Evening with University Players". Previous recipients cannot be considered. Assigned. No application required.