OSAP

A student is eligible to receive student financial assistance provided they have not exceeded the lifetime limits as outlined below:

Step 1: Log in to your OSAP account using your Ontario Access Number (OAN) and password.

• First-time applicants will need to create an account, a personal profile, and be assigned an Ontario Access Number (OAN). Keep this in a memorable place as you will need it each time you log in to the OSAP website.
• Exception: Use the OSAP Extension Form if you are applying for full-time OSAP and already have an existing full-time OSAP application on file for the current academic year.

Step 2: Start a new OSAP application

• Type of application:
  • Full-time application: If studying full time per OSAP.
  • Part-time application: If studying part time per OSAP; need to apply each applicable term.

Step 3: Submit the application

• At the end of the application, click Submit and review the list of required documents.

Step 4: Upload required documents (if applicable)

• Student Awards and Financial Aid (SAFA) at Waterloo will receive and review all documents. Depending on the time of year, this will take approximately 2-4 weeks.
• The Master Student Financial Assistance Agreement (MSFAA) is a required form for both graduate and undergraduate students.

Step 5: Confirmation of enrolment

• SAFA will confirm your enrolment with the Ministry of Colleges and Universities. Funding is released 7-10 days after the confirmation of enrolment is completed.

  • We start this process at the beginning of each term and continue it throughout the term. In order to have your enrolment confirmed:

    • you must be fees arranged with Waterloo for the term in which you have applied to OSAP;
    • all program information on your application (including program, study period, course load, etc.) must match Quest; and
    • all supporting documents must be received and approved.

  • Delays may occur due to extenuating circumstances, such as academic probation or previous income variances. If you are in this situation, contact the SAFA team for more information.

Step 6: Receive your funding

• OSAP funding is sent directly to the University of Waterloo to pay fees owing each term. Any remaining OSAP funding will be deposited in your bank account after your fees are paid in full.

• For part-time applications: If you are receiving the Ontario part-time grant cheque it will be sent by mail. The Ministry will contact you to verify your mailing address.

You have the option to apply for full-time or part-time OSAP while on an official co-op work term depending if you are also enrolled in courses. Professional Development (PD) courses do not count as there are no tuition and fees associated.

Full-time OSAP

• Must be on an official co-op work term on Quest
• Do not need to be enrolled in any courses during the work-term to be eligible for full-time OSAP
• Considered for living costs during the work-term. If also taking a course during the work term, OSAP will include the tuition and fees and assess a student for both living and educational costs.
• Indicate a 100% courseload while on an official co-op term

Part-time OSAP

• Must be taking a course
• Considered for educational costs only during the work term.
• Course load for OSAP must match how many courses you are enrolled in
  (e.g., 0.5 units =20%)

There are other things to consider:

• You will use up more weeks of your OSAP lifetime limit.
• You must include any co-op earnings on your application as study period income. Which must be declared on your OSAP application/extension form.
• You could incur more debt.

Complete the Application Update form when you need to update your:

• course load,
• program information, and/or
• income, scholarships or other funding received during the study period.

Some other changes, such as marital status or name changes, can be made by uploading written notice, along with official documentation, within your OSAP application.

If you already have a confirmed OSAP application on file for the current academic year (Sept - Aug), complete the Extension form to add a term if:

• you are returning for an additional academic term during the same school year,
• you are on an official co-op work term and wish to apply for additional funding for living costs, or
• you have completed an undergraduate degree and are returning as a graduate student during the same school year.

The Continuation of Interest Free Status (CIFS) application is used to keep any previous student loans received through OSAP interest free and non-repayable as you continue with your full-time studies. It is your responsibility to notify the National Student Loans Service Centre when you are registered in full-time studies or on an official co-op work term.

The non-repayment period is the first six months after the last term in which you received OSAP or had a CIFS application.  During the six month non-repayment period, you are not required to make payments. However interest will begin to accrue on the provincial loans while the federal loans are interest free. At the end of the six-month non-repayment period, you will be required to start making regular loan payments. The NSLSC will notify you before your first payment is due. Please ensure that you keep your contact information up-to-date by logging in to your secure NSLSC account. Learn more about First Steps in Repayment on the NSLSC website.

View CIFS application dates.

Eligibility

1. You are registered and studying on a full-time OSAP basis (or intending to). Note: An official co-op work term is also recognized by OSAP as full-time status.

2. You are not applying for OSAP funding for the current or upcoming academic term, or you can’t apply for funding because of an academic or other type of restriction.  

How to apply

Access the Interest Free Status application by logging into your OSAP account. 

Determine your application situation

Students are required to successfully maintain and complete a full-time course load. OSAP does not look at your grade point average (GPA); OSAP Academic Progress is assessed on a pass/fail basis. OSAP Academic Progress is assessed across all terms a student receives full-time funding within one academic year:

• If receiving OSAP for one term: Students must complete and pass 1.50 units, or 1.0 units if you have a disability on your OSAP account
• If receiving OSAP for two terms: Students must complete and pass 3.0 units, or 2.0 units if you have a disability on your OSAP account
• If receiving OSAP for three terms: Students must complete and pass 4.50 units, or 3.0 units if you have a disability on your OSAP account

Please note that OSAP Academic Progress is a separate issue than Academic Probation at the University of Waterloo. You can be in good standing at University of Waterloo with your program department and still not meet OSAP Academic Progress.

• Co-op work terms are not included in the academic progress calculation, even if you are enrolled in courses.
• Part-time terms are not included in the academic progress calculation, even if you have applied for part-time OSAP.
• Frequent withdrawals or program changes may be considered a lack of progress.

Academic progress appeals

Appeals may be considered if a medical issue, disability, family crisis, or parental leave resulted in the lack of academic progress. Submit either the OSAP Academic Probation Appeal Form or the OSAP Academic Restriction Appeal Form along with the required supporting documentation.

Use anticipated aid on Quest for your promissory note submission.

If it is not showing, you can upload a copy of your part-time funding summary from your OSAP account when submitting your promissory note to become fees arranged.

Previous part-time OSAP loans will remain interest-free during each subsequent term in which you receive part-time OSAP funding.

If you are studying part time, but no longer receiving OSAP, it is important to keep your part-time loans in payment-free status. The part-time Interest Free Status application (Schedule 2) is available online on the National Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC) website.

Prior full-time OSAP loans will not be placed in interest free status while studying part-time or with a part-time interest-free status application.

To remain eligible for future part-time OSAP funding, you must successfully complete and pass all courses funded through part-time OSAP. If you do not successfully complete and pass your part-time OSAP funded courses in a term, you must self-fund and successfully complete and pass your course(s) for one part-time term before being eligible for further part-time OSAP funding.  

Note: If you have previously received part-time OSAP funding (for a 50% course load or less), an unofficial transcript will be required with any new part-time OSAP applications to show successful completion of all courses from your previous part-time OSAP funded term. If you are applying back-to-back terms, the previous term's unofficial transcript with final grades is required. University of Waterloo will approve the transcript to allow your funding summary to be calculated so that your fees can be arranged. Funding will be withheld until official grades date and an unofficial transcript is submitted.

Your outstanding Part-time Canada Student Loan (PT CSL) balance cannot exceed $10,000 at any time. This is not a lifetime maximum but is based on the current amount of the outstanding loan balance. Once you have received this maximum amount, no further loan funding will be available. It is important that you indicate the correct balance of current outstanding Part-time Canada Student Loans on your part-time OSAP application each term. Funding release can be delayed if information provided on your application is incorrect.