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	General Resources Ontario Student Assistance Sexual Assault Tenants' Rights Your Rights as an Employee   Ontario Student Assistance A. Introduction The following information is a guide to the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP). It is meant to help you better understand the program and to find your way through the many rules that affect student assistance. To ensure you have the most accurate and current information about the Ontario Student Assistance Programme contact the financial aid office on your campus or visit the OSAP web page (http://osap.gov.on.ca/). You can also contact: Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities Student Support Branch 189 Red River Road, 4th floor PO Box 4500 Thunder Bay, ON P7B 6G9 Telephone - Other: 866-330-3331 - Automated Voice Response System - Toll Free: 800-465-3957 - Fellowships - Toll Free: 800-491-2248 - Income Tax Set-Off - Toll Free: 800-667-4938 - Toll Free: 800-465-3023 - Accounts Receivable - TTY Toll Free: 800-465-3958 Fax: (807) 343-7278 Remember to keep records of all student loan and bank documents that you receive - you will need them in the future. B. Student Loans in Ontario Ontario residents in financial need can receive a Canada-Ontario Integrated Student Loan through the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP). The Canada-Ontario Integrated Student Loan is comprised of a Canada Student Loan (CSL) and an Ontario Student Loan (OSL) and is administered provincially through OSAP. As of August 2001, Ontario combined the delivery of its student loan program with the Canada Student Loan Program. Ontario students now have only one student loan, with a single application, needs assessment and loan certificate. Student loan funds no longer come from the banks but directly from the provincial and federal governments. The loans are administered by the National Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC), which is responsible for arranging for your loan to be deposited to your bank account, helping keep track of your loan and repayments, and overseeing the interest-relief and debt-reduction programs. More information about the NSLSC is available online at: www.canlearn.ca. C. Applying for Student Financial Assistance You can apply for student financial assistance online (http://osap.gov.on.ca). Application forms are also available from student financial assistance offices on your campus. Please note that there is a $10.00 charge if you are applying for OSAP using the paper application. If you require assistance for the whole year you must have applied before October 25, 2005. Applications received after that date will be assessed for the actual number of weeks left in the academic year. Final date for OSAP applications for the 2005/2006 year is January 25, 2006. To qualify for OSAP, you must be: - in financial need as defined by OSAP - a Canadian citizen, landed immigrant or protected person (such as Convention refugee) - a resident of Ontario (non-residents studying in Ontario must apply from their home province) - taking at least 60% of a full course load (or 40% if you are a student with a permanent disability) in a program that is at least 12 weeks in length. - in good standing on all previous student loans and have passed the OSAP credit check. (You can apply for the Canada Student Loan in any province where you study.) As a result of students’ lobbying, the Ontario government, in July 2004, introduced a number of changes to the OSAP eligibility criteria to harmonize with improvements made federally through the Canada Student Loan Program. These changes include: - extending eligibility to Convention refugees and other protected persons; - waiving the one-year residency requirement for recent immigrants; - reducing expected parental contributions; and - reducing from 5 to 4 the number of years required for a student to be out of high school before being assessed independently from their parents’ income. D. Canada Millennium Scholarships In addition to student loan funding, you may qualify for a Canada Millennium Scholarship. PLEASE NOTE: A Millennium Scholarship does NOT provide you with ADDITIONAL funding. It only REPLACES a portion of the loan you have already been assigned. OSAP applications received before mid-September are automatically assessed for Millennium Scholarship eligibility; there are no additional forms to fill out. If you are in high financial need, a portion of the loan you receive may be a Millennium Scholarship. E. Student Loan Appeals Some students may experience unusual or extraordinary circumstances that deserve additional consideration when applying for student assistance or loan remission. Students who believe they are in circumstances of an extraordinary nature may request a review of their student loan or loan remission award by an independent appeals committee. If you find yourself in this position, you need to fill out a Request for Review package and may be required to attach additional documentation to support your case. Your campus student financial aid office can help you through this process, or you can visit the OSAP website (http://osap.gov.on.ca/). OSAP website F. Cashing a Student Loan On March 1, 2001, the banks stopped issuing funds for the Canada Student Loan Program. Instead, loans come directly from the Government of Canada through the National Student Loans Service Centre. Once you have been approved for a student loan, a loan certificate (Schedule 1) and a confirmation of enrolment form will be sent to the financial aid office at your college or university. After picking up the certificate and confirming enrolment, you must take the loan certificate to a designated Canada Post outlet or the NSLSC outlet at your post-secondary institution. Most universities and colleges will have an NSLSC outlet on campus in September. You will need a void cheque, your social insurance number, and one piece of photo identification to have your loan processed. After submitting your loan certificate to a Canada Post or NSLSC outlet and signing a loan agreement form, your loan will be deposited in your bank account within one week of the date it is received at the National Student Loans Service Centre, or within one week of the disbursement date on your loan certificate, whichever is later. You will receive 60% of your loan when you start classes; the remaining 40% will be issued halfway through your study period. To find out which postal outlet to go to, visit www.canlearn.ca or call the NSLSC at 1-888-815-4514 (within North America). Can Learn website G. Interest-Free Status While you are in full-time study, you are not required to pay interest on any outstanding government student loans, even if you are not currently receiving student assistance. The process for ensuring that your loans maintain interest-free status depends on the type of loan. Generally, you are required to fill out a separate form confirming your status as a full-time student for your Canada Student Loan and your Ontario Student Loan. Detailed information on maintaining interest free status on each of your loans is available from your financial aid office or on the OSAP web page (see link below). PLEASE NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure that any prior student loans have interest free status while you are a full-time student. If you are at all unsure of the status of your previous loans, check with your financial aid office as soon as possible. OSAP website H. Work-Study Jobs on Campus If you are a full-time student, you may be eligible to apply for a work-study job on campus. This program allows students at public universities and colleges of applied arts and technology in Ontario to get provincially subsidized part-time employment opportunities during the year. You must complete an Ontario Work Study Plan application form available from the OSAP web page (see link below) and submit it through your campus financial aid office. The maximum value of money you can earn per term is $1,000. Application deadlines are determined by your campus financial aid office. OSAP website I. Repaying Your Student Loan You must start repaying your student loans six months after you complete full-time studies. However, your loans accrue interest from the end of your full-time studies. If you are taking off more than six months, or if you begin part-time studies, then you must start repayment after six months. Check to see if you qualify for loan remission. During the six months prior to the start of loan repayment, you must consolidate your loan. To do this, you must go to your bank and fill out a loan repayment agreement outlining the outstanding principle on the loans, the interest rate(s), and your monthly minimum payment. Repayment takes place over a period of 9.5 years, but any portion of the loan can be paid off before this time without penalty. J. Ontario Student Opportunity Grants / Loan Forgiveness Ontario Student Opportunity Grants (OSOG), formerly known as the Loan Forgiveness Program, helps reduce the debt loads of students with large debts. As of 1997-98, any amount over $7,000 per two-term academic year ($10,000 per three-term academic year) is forgiven. Millennium Scholarship recipients might be eligible for further loan forgiveness. If you have loans between the 1993-94 and 1996-97 school years, then the OSOG forgives any amount borrowed over $6,000 per two-term academic year. You do not need to fill out any forms to be eligible for OSOG. If the government verifies that the information on your OSAP application is correct, and if you are deemed eligible for an OSOG, money is sent to the financial institution holding your loans to pay down the debt. You will also receive a letter indicating that you have received an OSOG. K. Interest Relief If you are having difficulty repaying your loans due to insufficient income, you may be eligible for interest relief. Under interest relief, you are not required to make payments on either the principal or interest of your loan. Interest relief is granted for periods of six months, up to a maximum of 30 months. You can download a copy of the interest relief application from the OSAP web page (see link below). The forms are also available from the National Student Loans Service Centre and the financial institution that holds your loan. Completed forms must be submitted to the bank holding your loan directly. PLEASE NOTE: A new form must be filled out if you need to extend interest relief beyond the first six months. OSAP website L. Debt Reduction / Bankruptcy If, after five years, you are still unable to afford loan payments, you may qualify for some debt reduction. If annual loan payments exceed 15% of your annual income, the government will reduce the loan by a maximum of $10,000 or 50% of the loan, whichever is less. Bankruptcy and Consumer Protection As of June 30, 1998, individuals can no longer seek bankruptcy protection on student debt for at least ten years after their graduation. The Canadian Federation of Students challenged this change to the Bankruptcy Act on the grounds that it is unfairly discriminatory to student debt holders. For more information, contact: Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy Trebla Building 473 Albert Street, 2nd floor Ottawa ON K1R 5B4 Tel.: (613) 995-2994 Fax: (613) 996-0949 M. Student Loan Difficulties Student loan problems are often related to overly complex government policies and confusing bureaucracy. There are various steps and solutions for students who are experiencing problems with student loan service or repayment including, but not limited to: - Write down a brief, concise summary of your circumstances. It is likely that you will have to repeat this summary on many occasions. - Logically organize all of your documentation related to your student loans. Keep your files on hand for reference purposes. - Every time you speak to or meet with a service representative, obtain the representative’s name and department. Record the time, date, and key details of the conversation. - Send important correspondence by registered mail. Keep copies of all correspondence. - If you are experiencing poor service from a provincial government agency, like OSAP, you should consider contacting your Member of Provincial Parliament or filing a complaint with the Ontario Ombudsman’s Office (see link below). - If you are being contacted by a collection agency, know your rights. Community Legal Education Ontario (www.cleo.on.ca) produces a pamphlet entitled “Is a Collection Agency Harassing You?” that you can download or order, free of charge. - Sometimes it’s necessary to contact the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities directly (www.edu.gov.on.ca). - For legal assistance, consult with the nearest campus or community legal clinic. Explore your options with Legal Aid Ontario (www.legalaid.on.ca). Many difficulties related to government programs, like OSAP and Canada Student Loans, result from inadequate government legislation. In other words, such difficulties require a political solution. Consider contacting your local Member of Provincial Parliament (www.ontla.on.ca) or federal Member of Parliament (www.parl.gc.ca), as well as your local students’ union. You might also raise awareness of the issue by writing a short letter to the editor of your campus or community newspaper. Keep informed about student assistance policy because it changes often. Your students’ union and the Canadian Federation of Students are working to improve student assistance. Ombudsman Ontario
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