How OSAP changes will affect you

If you’re planning to attend college this fall, it’s a good idea to learn about the changes to OSAP. The changes to OSAP may affect you and impact or reduce the amount of funding you were planning on.

OSAP stands for the Ontario Student Assistance Program, a financial aid program that can help you pay for college. It falls under the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities and is funded by both the federal and provincial governments.

If you’re a domestic student, you may apply for financial assistance as a full-time or part-time student. By applying, you are considered for funding for grants and loans.

Here are some of the changes to OSAP in 2019/20:

• Domestic tuition fees are reduced by 10% starting in September 2019 for the 2019/20 academic year. Tuition fees will not be increased the following academic year in 2020/21. 
• The tuition reduction applies to all full-time and part-time Fanshawe College programs that are eligible for government funding.
• OSAP supplements the amount that students and their families contribute to pay for college. The expected financial contribution from students is $3,600. OSAP does waive this amount in some situations, and in some scenarios parents or spouses may have an expected contribution. See Expected financial contributions for more information.
• Ontario has changed the definition of dependent and independent for those students entering college in the 2019/20 year. An independent student will be defined as a student who has been out of school for six years, rather than four. It’s possible for students to be considered dependent for the Ontario portion of OSAP funding and independent on the Federal portion.
• Students who are more than four years out of high school have the option of not providing parent income but should understand that you will not be considered for the Ontario portion of the Canada-Ontario Integrated Student Loan, Ontario grant or Student Access Guarantee funding.
• If you graduate or leave full-time studies on or after September 1, 2019: You will be charged interest on the Ontario portion of your loan during your 6-month grace period but not on the federal portion of loans. Payback OSAP.
• OSAP applicants have the option to only take grant funding and can decline the loan amount of OSAP once they have an OSAP assessment. Log into your OSAP account select Check Status, look under your Funding summary and the Loan amount to the statement “You don’t have to take the loan”.

Find out more about how OSAP changes may affect you 

You can find out how you much OSAP you may qualify for by using the OSAP Aid Estimator. For more information about OSAP and its changes go to www.ontario.ca/osap. For the application process and documents, go to OSAP applicant.

Do you need help with your OSAP application? Contact the Financial Aid Office.

Remember to plan ahead for the next academic year. Start by creating a budget and learn ways to save money and reduce debt. Search for future bursaries, scholarships and awards at Fanshawe College under Financial Aid and Student Awards and beyond.