Osap tips/advice/questions

[Heero01]

Can someone tell me how I can apply to OSAP independent of parental income?

I currently pay rent to live at home, pay tuition, pay all of my expenses. Although I can pay for tuition with my coop money, my budget is very tight and a couple thousand extra would help me out a lot.

Any way for me to do this? I don't "own" a car (its under my dads name). I have no other taxable income other then coop (my other jobs have been cash jobs). Currently I have been working under the table graveyard shifts and it has been effecting my studies. I would like to avoid having to work during my next study term.

[bambles]

Hi! I'm not sure what to do. My OSAP has been cut off because of a "discrepancy in reported income." If there was one, it certainly wasn't on purpose. Is there any way I can get it re-instated? The financial aid office at my school can't figure out the discrepancy, and I can't seem to talk to a real person at OSAP. My income was solely from ODSP so if there is a discrepancy it had to have been a really stupid mistake like putting the right numbers in the wrong box or something. Any advice?

[MissMalfoy]

Can someone tell me how I can apply to OSAP independent of parental income?

I currently pay rent to live at home, pay tuition, pay all of my expenses. Although I can pay for tuition with my coop money, my budget is very tight and a couple thousand extra would help me out a lot.

Any way for me to do this? I don't "own" a car (its under my dads name). I have no other taxable income other then coop (my other jobs have been cash jobs). Currently I have been working under the table graveyard shifts and it has been effecting my studies. I would like to avoid having to work during my next study term.

If you haven't been out of high school for more than four years, there's nothing you can do (aside from getting married/having a baby... but that's not really recommended obviously).

[Heero01]

If you haven't been out of high school for more than four years, there's nothing you can do (aside from getting married/having a baby... but that's not really recommended obviously).

What a stupid system... students who need the support don't get it and on the other hand I know ppl getting 12k and living in luxury apartments

[MissMalfoy]

What a stupid system... students who need the support don't get it and on the other hand I know ppl getting 12k and living in luxury apartments

I know, I was in the same situation. It absolutely sucked. My parents made too much money for me to get much of anything my first years of post secondary, but not nearly enough to help me out in anyway.

I get the max now and I have a hard time believing anyone could live in a luxury apartment with that small amount? But I understand your point.

[Simaahoy]

Solved

[tiredofschool]

just signed into my osap application again. now i have a link on the left hand side that says "required documents". when i click on it all it get it this :

Documents You Must Provide

Listed below are the documents that you must provide in order for your application to process and/or before your funding can be released. Send the documents to your financial aid office and remember to submit them by the deadline date. What is an affidavit?

Printing Instructions >
MAC Users Printing Instructions >

thats all i get, is it just saying i dont have documents that need to be handed in? cause i know for a fact that i sent them all in way before the due date.

This said for me too. If you have handed the forms before June 30 then your good. The one that needs to be handed to your financial aid office takes longer to be processed so that's why its saying that.

[tiredofschool]

Hi there! I had a quick question: for government income, does one include CPP children's benefits?

If it's child support then yes if it's tax benefit than no.

[tiredofschool]

I was thinking about this lately, a friend of mine was debating about taking a lower course load and splitting up his final year into 2 years and thus making his program 5 years in total. How do you apply for OSAP online in that case, since when you go online there are only 4 years stated for the particular program, so when you are trying to apply for OSAP on your 5th year what do you do?

In September I'll be in my fifth year. So, to answer your question it will be the same process. You log in click on the year that you will be applying for and proceed to answer the questions. Only difference is that they won't be asking for your parents income as you are officially an independent student.

[Kittys]

I just received some mail from OSAP for the September 2012 term and am really confused. The form requires me to send in my MSFAA - which I will be sending on Tuesday - but it also tells me I have been placed on Academic Probation and am required to submit a letter explaining my "lack of progress". My problem with this, is that I have taken and completed 100% of my course load, with grades all above 90% in each subject (except two: one being listed as just SAT or UNSAT if you pass it - I completed it and received SAT; and exemption from College English). My academic year started on January 2012 and my program runs through the summer. I completed first term with a 4.0 GPA and am maintaining it through the second/current semester.

Prior to starting school in January and receiving OSAP, I had been on academic probation or restriction, and to get funding for January I had to provide a letter, which they accepted. Is this a permanent probation or something, where no matter what my "academic progress" is, they will still require a letter each time I apply for OSAP? That doesn't really make sense to me though, because this letter is clearly telling me I have been placed on Academic Probation and I don't really see how my progress could be better..

[qpalzm]

You are on academic probation for one full year. If you fail at any one point they stop funding. But yeah you have to keep on doing the letters. Just mention in your letter how well you did, what lessons you've learned, etc It is no issue..you will get funding. It is just something you have to do.

[Heero01]

I know, I was in the same situation. It absolutely sucked. My parents made too much money for me to get much of anything my first years of post secondary, but not nearly enough to help me out in anyway.

I get the max now and I have a hard time believing anyone could live in a luxury apartment with that small amount? But I understand your point.

I have friends who get 12k. They pay less then 8k for tuition, then 800 a month on rent. Easy living. Get food from parents...

& ye, exactly the same issue, except it isn't all my parents income. It also is because of my own income and my RESP. Really broken system.

The worst part is... my moms job is at risk atm... if she looses it... Winter term might not be so realistic lol.

[Kittys]

You are on academic probation for one full year. If you fail at any one point they stop funding. But yeah you have to keep on doing the letters. Just mention in your letter how well you did, what lessons you've learned, etc It is no issue..you will get funding. It is just something you have to do.

Thank you for the reply. The probation/restriction was well over a year ago and my school informed me it was lifted when I started school, does that make a difference? At this point I am wondering if somehow they don't have a copy of my grades or something. I've re-read the letter and it says I am being placed, like it's not a standing probation but one that has been put into effect because of lack of satisfactory progress.

[younha]

Hi, I have a few questions about OSAP. If I graduated in April, does that mean the interest starts to accumulate immediately? Because on the OSAP website it says "For the first six-months after graduating, you are given a grace period before you are required to make any loan payments. During this period, no interest will be added to your Ontario portion of your student loan."

But checking my account on the NSLSC website, the interest has been accumulating daily. Also, if I do not make the monthly payment, what will happen? How do they calculate the minimum monthly payment?

[Catalyst13]

I understand that but my main concern is if I don't report it will it affect my next year's OSAP? Like do they ask for a proof of lease or anything to verify that I'm living away from home?

Anyone?