cat_not_kitty

I'm loath to make that call, Btt112169, but I do know that the deadline for graduate units to notify SGS of their nominations was June 1st. What does your application status say?

I think it's completely safe to get your hopes up, but I totally get wanting to be cautious ☺️. That's odd re your SGS application status – mine changed to "Recommended" the day I got the email from my graduate unit. When you go to the application website, does the button that used to say "Apply for OGS" now say "View OGS result"? Either way, sounds like it's just a technical oversight if you got the email from the SGS requesting eligibility info. Back in May, when I received the nomination email, I was wondering the same thing as you – how excited can I be right now? I posted about it over on the Canadian MSW Applicants 2018 Waiting Game topic and a forum user who was going into her second year and who had received OGS in her first year confirmed that she had received an email from the social work department in May, request for eligibility info from SGS in June, and then official confirmation mid-July.

Hi Btt, See above ?.

Hi Elmora, Generally speaking, I would treat confirmation from the SGS as just a formality if you’ve been nominated by your department. The process at UofT (for Social Work) was slightly different than what you’re describing. I received an email from the department saying I had been recommended in May, and in early June, I received an email from the SGS asking me to complete the eligibility step, which was just a simple form that asked for only the most basic of information (it was so general and brief, I can’t even remember any specific details). After filling out the form, I received an automated email saying that official confirmation of awards would be mid-July, after confirmation of the eligibility info I had provided. All to say, my understanding would be that you’ve been awarded OGS and are just awaiting official confirmation!!

There is indeed: https://www.facebook.com/groups/209577219803864/?source=create_flow The group is named University of Toronto MSW at FIFSW | Class of 2020, in case the link doesn’t work for you!

Hi lovelife905! Just to clarify, do you mean taking the summer practicum (along with Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families) allows one to collect the third OGS payment?

Oh, I see. You have to organise a Special Studies course that runs for the minimum required consecutive weeks. I was thinking that this was just another term for the Special Topics courses that run in the Summer session. Hmm...that’s a bit of an added wrinkle. Ah, well — one step at a time ☺️.

Thanks for all this info, kiki14! The email was from April in FIFSW Student Services. The subject line is "2018-2019 OGS Application Result" – she confirms the nomination by the FIFSW selection committee and says that we'll receive an official offer letter from the SGS in July, after final review and confirmation of eligibility. The language is quite definitive e.g., "the value of your scholarship will be...", "should you anticipate declining...", "I would like to extend my congratulations" etc., so was thinking that the SGS stuff was just a formality...sounds like that's a good bet. I'm going to allow myself to be supremely excited ?. Oh, I was going to ask about 2 versus 3 session awards! So you have to take at least one summer course to be awarded the full amount...good to know. Good incentive to take one or two and lighten the workload slightly for other semesters anyway. Yeah, I wouldn't think there'd be any chance of getting one of the internal awards other than the merit-based entrance awards, as it's important to distribute what little funding there is equitably.

Yaaaaaaaaaaay!!!! So excited to hear that you've been nominated too!! I'll pop over to FB and let @kiki14 know that we've got a discussion going on over here that we were hoping she could weigh in on ?. As for eligibility for the FIFSW entrance awards, the OGS is an external award (though 1/3 funded by U of T) and the entrance awards are internal, so I don't think they preclude one another. I've seen folks receive both an OGS and an entrance award in the past (including kiki14 last year, I believe). Huge congrats again!!

I received an email from FIFSW Student Services this evening (after business hours) letting me know that I've been nominated by the selection committee for an OGS! My application on the SGS site has also changed from "Received" to "Recommended". So, first of all, WAY earlier than I was expecting, based both on previous years and on available (though conflicting) info on different areas of the application site...I was thinking by end-of-June for nomination. And second of all, @kiki14 (or other past winners out there), I was hoping you could shed some light on the process for OGS at U of T: should I treat the faculty nomination as an offer that just needs to go through the formality of being confirmed by SGS, or is there a secondary selection process at that level? The email made it seem like the former, but I don't want to get my hopes up only to have them dashed. (Thought I'd continue this conversation here rather than start it again in the closed group on FB, just so future applicants have the full story...I found there to be a distinct paucity of info available re the OGS for MSW applicants/students.)

Congratulations, lindaMSW!! I remember you from when I was reading last year's forum – so happy that you'll be joining us at U of T!

Yaaaaaaaay! Congratulations, smntoronto – I know how much you originally wanted to get in to U of T!!!! Now, to make some big decisions ☺️. York is FAR more geared to macro practice from a critical perspective (as I posted lots about earlier in the season). U of T's Social Justice and Diversity stream in the second year teaches macro theory/practice, but the first year will focus on micro, clinical skills. Can't wait to see what you decide. Congrats again – I was really pulling for you!

Aww, how absolutely incredible that you're fulfilling such a dream goal – will miss getting to know you, but so happy for you!! To us crossing paths in the future ??!

Congratulations!! So, what does this mean for you?! Will it be U of T or Laurier? Don't forget to weigh in my incredible sense of humour when making your final decision ?.

Happy that you've settled on a path that makes more sense for you, but you definitely should have received official notice of your status via mail – whether you were accepted, waitlisted, or rejected. If you were waitlisted, you would have had to confirm your desire to remain on the list. Even if just for curiosity's sake, I think it's worth contacting Angela to find out what your status is, letting her know that you never received anything in the mail. Good luck – looking forward to working with you too ☺️!!