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We've compiled a list of the most commonly heard frequently asked questions (FAQs) at this time of year from OSAP students.
Full-time OSAP:
Part-time OSAP:
Once available, the applications will be available for completion online at ontario.ca/OSAP.
Recommended: Official deadline dates are outlined below, however the later you apply, the later your application can process and the later your funding will be available for release. To ensure adequate processing time we strongly recommend submitting your application with all required documentation at least one month before the start of term. Applications and documents submitted after the recommended date may not be processed before the start of term and could result in a delayed release of funding.
Full-time OSAP:
Part-time OSAP:
The application for OSAP is updated every academic year and a new application must be submitted by the student every academic year. Some information will be carried forward to the new application automatically.
Some required documentation will carry forward from previous years but new documents may be required with new applications.
Part-time OSAP applications must be submitted on a term-by-term basis.
As you search for your program information for your application a listing of potential program matches with study period dates will be populated for you to select from. If you are not seeing your program name and/or the correct study period dates listed there is a link at the bottom of the listing that indicates "Can't find your program?" Select this link and you will be prompted to manually enter your program names and dates. Once manually entered, your application will proceed. Program information will be automatically verified and matched upon review by Financial Aid Office Staff.
Please note, to be eligible for funding your must be in an OSAP-eligible program.
If you have an outstanding balance on your Laurier student account when funding is released by OSAP, the OSAP funding will be automatically directed to pay the outstanding tuition and fees at Laurier. Any remaining amount of OSAP funding available after your Laurier fees have been paid will go directly to your bank account.
Late payment fees related to an OSAP payment that is applied directly to your student account will be reversed provided:
Note for Summer Session Only Registration: OSAP funding for Summer session (6 week July - August registration only) cannot begin to be released onto student accounts until the first day of summer session classes in July for completed OSAP applications. We recommend paying your invoice for summer session only registration directly to avoid late payment penalties and financial holds on your Laurier account.
It is the student’s responsibility to ensure all required information has been submitted to complete their OSAP application and to ensure all fees are paid each term.
Ensure you review your OSAP funding summary to see the amount of funding expected to release for winter term. If this amount is less than the amount due on your Laurier student account at time of funding release then you are responsible for paying the difference by the invoice due date.
More information on paying your fees with OSAP can be found online. See below for more information on common issues that can cause delays in the release of your funding.
All documents submitted are reviewed in date order received. Volume of documents for review vary at different times of the year and are highest near the start of each term. During peak periods it can take 2-4 weeks for review of most documentation. Some specialized documents are reviewed directly by the Ministry (i.e. bankruptcy or income verification documents) and these can take much longer for review. We recommend submitting all required documents as soon as possible prior to the start of term. Ensure you review your OSAP Message Centre regularly in case more information is requested or provided about why your original document submission could not be accepted.
Many items can be updated through submission of one of our online forms. Note: you are required to log in with your MyLaurier username and password to access this form.
Course Load Update Form: Funding cannot be released until the course load percentage on your OSAP application matches your course registration. It is your responsibility to ensure the course load stated on your OSAP application is correct each term. Review Course Load and Registration Updates for information on updating and calculating your course load, and the impact of changing your course load.
Income Update Form: Updates to the amount of income declared on your application can be made by completing the OSAP Income Update form (including updates to external scholarship amounts).
Other update requests: can be submitted by uploading a signed and dated letter with request information and supporting documentation directly to your OSAP account (under "Optional Review Documents") or by submitting an email request from your @MyLaurier.ca email to initiate the review and change.
OSAP releases 60% of your available full-time loan funding to you in the fall term, leaving only the remaining 40% of loan funding for release in winter term. If you are eligible for grant funding this typically is released 50% for fall and 50% for winter.
Additionally, if you have dropped courses, received new scholarships or updated any other information on your applicationt during the fall term your funding may have been reassessed resulting in an overpayment of funding released in fall and a reduction to what is left for release in winter. It is important that you review your OSAP funding summary carefully.
OSAP offers a full-time estimator tool on their website to give a preliminary idea of what funding you may qualify for. This can be used as a tool for budgeting, but please note, your final assessment will consider additional verified information on your application and may vary from the estimate.
It is important you regularly review your funding summary to ensure you are aware of the assessed amount of funding available each term. This assessment may change as information is updated on your application through the year (i.e. as courses are added or dropped, or income amounts are updated).
The Laurier Financial Aid office will declare all scholarships and awards from Laurier on your behalf. This means if you are receiving an Entrance Scholarship, In-Course Scholarship, President’s Gold, or any other scholarship, award or bursary from Laurier, we will add it to your OSAP application. When you complete your OSAP application, you should NOT declare scholarship, award or bursary funding from Laurier.
Laurier scholarship and award reporting may occur after your initial assessment has been run by OSAP. A notice of your updated assessment will be sent through your OSAP Message Centre after the reassessment.
If you have already completed your OSAP application and have included your Laurier scholarship, award or bursary information, complete the Scholarship/Award Income Update Form and we will make the update on your behalf so the award is not declared twice.
Please note: you are required to log in with your MyLaurier username and password to access the form.
If you are receiving external scholarships (i.e. scholarship from your high school, parents’ workplace, etc.), you are required to declare those awards on your OSAP application. If you need to update the external scholarship information on your OSAP application, complete the Scholarship/Award Income Update Form. Please note: you are required to log in with your MyLaurier username and password to access the form.
OSAP’s definition of part-time status is different than Laurier’s definition of part-time status. Laurier considers you to be part-time undergraduate student status when registered in 1.75 credits or less per term (70% course load). For OSAP, undergraduate students can apply for full-time OSAP funding when enrolled in a 60% course load/1.50 credits or higher (or with permanent disability status on your OSAP profile in a 40% course load/1.00 credits or higher).
A graduate student is considered part-time in a 50% course load when registered in a part-time graduate program and showing a part-time registration status in LORIS. Graduate students with permanent disability status on their OSAP profile can be eligible for full-time OSAP funding while in a 50% course load.
More information on the application process and Part-time OSAP Spring applications is available online.
Full-time OSAP Spring Applications:
If you are remaining in a full-time course load with the change in registration, you must submit a Spring Term OSAP Course Load Update form to update the course load on your original form submission. This spring course load update form will be available online after the OSAP Spring Extension form has opened.